• No experience necessary!
• Perfect for families with small children.
• Great for photos!
• Easy hiking terrain.
• Exposure to the Ice-Falls.
• Walk across a Glacial Lake.

A Perfect Pace

NOVA is excited to offer a new family-friendly glacier tour, perfect for all ages! Our experienced guides will tailor the experience to your abilities, ensuring that everyone from kids to grandparents has a memorable and enjoyable time on the Matanuska Glacier. This easier-paced tour is a wonderful way to share the beauty of Alaska’s glaciers with your whole family.

This mellow tour is perfect for mixed abilities. Arriving at the main front terminal moraine of the Matanuska Glacier, your guide takes you out past the rocky moonscape of the moraine to the main ‘Ice Falls’ area. This is the end of the 26+ mile long Alpine Glacier, spanning over a mile wide at times in this gorgeous valley. This tour is for families who want their own walk/hike tour with an informative guide to be more relaxed.

This is an easy and leisurely walk/hike with basic variable terrain and features such as slippery rocks and ice with minimal ascents. For those wanting a more intense full hike out on the glacier, take a look at our challenging half-day ‘Adventure Trek’ tour. Always make sure to bring your water bottle to fill up and drink some Glacier water! Along with a camera, jacket and sunglasses!

NOVA has small metal chain link traction devices called ‘creepers’ that can also be used with your own (above ankle support) rigid sole hiking boots by attaching to the bottom with rubber. We can provide groups with hiking boots for those without. Minimum shoe size of 5 US Men/ 6 US Women to fit our provided gear properly.

*GLACIER PARK FEE

Matanuska Glacier Park is privately owned and charges per person every time you go through the gate; Alaska State passes do not apply. This outfit has a NO DRONE policy in place for the glacier.

• Regular entry fee at MGP gate is $45 per person.
  • Teens (13-16): $25
  • Adults (17+): $45
  • Alaska Residents, Military and Seniors (65+): $30

Please consider the fact that Nova Alaska Guides is a small company in remote Alaska with only 100 days in the year to make our living. It will simply be too late for us to fill the spaces that we have set aside for you. 

CANCELLATION POLICY:

Payment in full (excluding Glacier Park fee) is required at time of booking. Day trips receive a full refund for cancellations with 48 hours or more notice. If you cancel with 24-48 hours notice, you will receive a 50% refund. There is no refund for cancellations with less than 24 hours notice or no-shows. Multi-Day trips require a 7-day notice for a full refund. In the event NOVA cancels, you will receive a full refund of your payments. Unless Nova cancels your trip, for all cancellations by customers who booked using our online platform you will be required to cover the 1.9% booking fee cost.

Please arrive 15 minutes early to sign Nova's trip waiver. 

If you are late for your trip there is a chance we will have to leave without you. If so, we will do our best to reschedule your trip at no additional cost. If you are not interested in rescheduling then missing your trip is considered an absence, resulting in no refund.

This applies to but is not limited to unforeseen circumstances such as unexpected illness or emergencies. We pride ourselves on our professionalism, excellent customer service, and the best guided trips in Alaska. All we ask is that you show up on time for check-in.

Lastly, please make sure your party meets our trip limitations stated on our website. If anyone is outside these limitations, please email our office so we can evaluate the information provided since we know each person is their own unique individual. 

Thank you - Nova team

There are inherent risks associated with glacier travel and outdoor activities that everyone must accept and understand. Variable terrain, sharp rocks, slippery ice, and changing weather are common. Some safety hazards will always exist and are beyond human control. Such as major cleaving and shifting, falling ceracs, open crevasses and draining moulins can be dangerous and deadly. Rescue in these environments and features is not only technical and difficult but in some cases not possible at all. Safety standards are in place for these reasons and must be followed. Guides manage risk by interpreting terrain and recognizing hazards that average hikers and guests are unaware of. Many traveling on the ice have a false sense of security because of the friendly inviting nature of the glacier and its moraines. Individuals traveling on the glacier without guides should possess the proper knowledge, experience, and equipment.

**All participants on all our tours must follow our guidelines, procedures and sign a waiver. Only parents or legal guardians may sign for youth minors. We do not allow infants on our tours. We do not allow pets on our tours.

Local Alaskans with proof of State issued ID at tour check-in receive a 10% single discount off the individual tour price.

Make it a COMBO:  Book any two or more trips and enjoy a 10% discount on your entire adventure! Our popular Lions Head rafting and Matanuska Glacier Tour combo is a fantastic way to experience the best of both worlds in a single day.

• NOVA is an advocate and steward for keeping wild places in Alaska wild. Please follow responsible travel and ‘leave no trace’ ethics when visiting these amazing places.
• NOVA tours operate regardless of most weather conditions, we go rain or shine in Alaska.
  Glaciers and weather can sometimes be cold in Alaska. Please, dress appropriately or bring along a raincoat with warm synthetic layers and socks for your tour comfort. Cotton layers are not preferred in cold environments or when wet.
• NOVA does not offer any tours that travel through or under ice caves in the warm summer months.
• Glaciers are very active in summer and caves are unsafe and should be avoided for potential cave collapse. Caves are not always present or accessible and should only be approached with caution, preferably in winter when they are the most stable.
• Once you are traveling on the glacier, restroom breaks are difficult to accommodate so please consider facilities pre-trip.