Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventure
4.8
Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventure
By Alaska Travel Adventures
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About
Lowest price guarantee
Ages 3-99, max of 19 per group
Duration: 4h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Snacks
- Transportation
- Necessary Equipment (rain gear, life jackets, boots)
- Worry-free Shore Excursion Guarantee
What's not included- Gratuities
- Souvenirs (available for purchase)
- Start:
- Mount Roberts Tramway, 490 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801, USAJUNEAU MEETING; Please at the location 15 minutes prior to departure time. On the sidewalk, under the cables of the Mt. Roberts Tram. When you arrive at the meeting area, look for the Alaska Travel Adventures tour representative. Wearing a red jacket/shirt and a red hat. Look for our Caribou logo.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5474P34- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
- Children 13 to 17 must have a signed parental consent form to participate without a parent or guardian
- Minimum weight: 40lbs
- Maximum weight: approx 350lbs.
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 19 travelers
- All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5474P34
From
$259.00
per adult
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Emma F0 contributionsThe Alaskan Cruise experience!This was a once in a lifetime trip that not everyone gets to experience! It was a Cruise to Alaska and great sights to see and experience nothing like I’ve ever seen it was breathtaking views and wonderful experiences.Written January 14, 2025
- 366uliaw0 contributionsWaste of moneyIt was HORRIBLE experience! Excursion started 30 min late. Bus driver was talking without microphone about half of the way, We were promised to see a whale but all our time on the water we were chasing a little glimpse of them. Claire., the guide put a lot of excitement out there for nothing and it was HUGE disappointment for me and my family.. They told us that whales are moving to Hawaii during October but nothing like that was mentioned in the description of the tour. We saw nothing like advertised on those pictures. Don’t waste your money with this tour!Written October 7, 2024
- F4203GYjohnc0 contributionsAn experience to rememberWe were sailed by Captain Lee. He is an excellent ship captain, He followed all protocol and made us feel comfortable in his ship. Our tour guide was a very attractive, charismatic woman named Claire who has a BS degree in zoology who educated us about the marine wildlife and glacial mountains. As we approached the whales the sky cleared up and we may have identified a new whale that they did not recognize. We arrived back safely. I would recommend this to anyone who loves nature with a little bit of zest and excitement .Written October 7, 2024
- Trip491420960980 contributionsGreat Trip!Amazing trip! Jackie and Claire were great. Saw a super pod of orcas and plenty of humpbacks. Highly recommend if you’re in Juneau for any stretch.Written October 6, 2024
- I3480ERnicolem0 contributionsCold, wet and a ton of fun!Gentry was an awesome guide! He was funny and his knowledge of the river and surrounding area was great! I highly recommend him and the tour. He made us feel confident in paddling ( let's be real, he had full control lol) and entertained us the whole way.Written October 2, 2024
- X1704NWrossh0 contributionsGreat adventure. Great Value. Ask for TrentWe did this tour as a shore excursion on the Sapphire Princess. Our tour guide, and oarsman, Trent, was fantastic. Very skilled. Great knowledge. Gave us a fantastic float trip. This tour was great fun, great scenery and excellent value. Highly recommend anyone visiting Juneau Alaska seek out this adventure. Definitely five stars.Written October 2, 2024
- C4359VDrachelw0 contributionsMagical Whale SightingGreat time! Claire is charismatic and knowledgeable. Lee is a master navigator and whale identifier. Together they provided a fantastic experience that made our Juneau trip amazing!Written October 1, 2024
- texasbekah0 contributionsWe saw whales!!!Had an incredible time! Definitely recommend! Hannah and Captain Lee were our guides. They found several whales for us to see and take pictures of. We loved the tour. The views are amazing!!Written September 29, 2024
- M5501KZjodyb0 contributionsWhale watchingClaire was a fantastic speaker and very knowledgeable and has great energy! Sid was a fantastic driver! They did their best to ensure we found whales and everyone could see!Written September 29, 2024
- 457meredithc0 contributionsfire excursion, ily clairei’m lowkey in love with claire she was super sweet and knowledgeable. captain syd was cool too was funny and drove the boat good. overall great excursion!!Written September 29, 2024
- N5791WUnicoler0 contributionsBeautiful whale watching experienceThe whale tour guides Claire and Syd did an amazing job of tracking down the whales to make sure we saw them! We also got to see sea lions and seals. Our bus driver Mary was very sweet and shared many cute facts about the town as we drove to our destinations. Also the salmon at the cook out was delicious.Written September 27, 2024
- Global676769060080 contributionsJust do itThanks to Schuyler we had a fantastic afternoon even in the rain! His personality was the sunshine! He worked hard on our trip but made it seem effortless. A great guide!Written September 27, 2024
- AFisher820 contributionsStunningly Beautiful and So Much Fun!Captain Red Beard was the BEST! Seriously, he was excellent. He made sure we understood the possible safety commands he'd use and general safety of being on the raft. During the trip, he'd point out all the beautiful flora and fauna, told us how the crazy flooding changed the river, and did his best to maneuver us to take in the most breathtaking views! You could hear the passion and respect he had for environment and job during his narration...he was in his happy place for sure. I definitely enjoyed him introducing the front row to the "Glacier Facial"...lol Thanks for the core memories!! Oh, the photographers were excellent as was the cool dude who helped us safely get out of the raft at the end...he had such a warm smile and positive vibe! We'd definitely recommend this experience to anyone visiting...thank you!Written September 26, 2024
- 957jillianr0 contributionsYOU HAVE TO DO THIS!Wonderful tour saw so much wildlife! Orca, Humpback, bald eagle and stellar seal! Our guides were Claire and Max, were FANTASTIC!Written September 25, 2024
- alexandreww20240 contributionsWorth itFun! We saw several whales. Captain Sid and our guide Claire did a great job! I came in with no reservations and were quick to hook up a discount and book me. There was some confusion in the beginning but also quickly sorted out. Would recommendWritten September 24, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.8
139 reviews
Excellent
120
Very good
11
Average
5
Poor
0
Terrible
3
Flyer406388
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Solo
Had an amazing time spending a few hours seeing Lake Mendenhall. We spend about 2 hour on the lake and we’re able to see the sun go done in the 4:00 p.m. trip. It was a bit chilly so I recommend bringing gloves and a jacket as the wind picks up in later excursion. Jonah, our guide shared some great information and was very knowledgeable about the lake. I also adored our bus driver, unfortunately I didn’t get him name but (Blake, Puerto Rican from Texas??) but he was hilarious and so much fun! He definitely made all of us laugh and was a great entertainer playing trivia on the bus! He was great and deserves employee of the month!
Written August 23, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lauren K
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Family
This was a very fun way to spend the few hours we had in Juneau. All of the staff was very kind and helpful, but particularly our tour guide, Anna. We did the Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventure, and she was very knowledgeable and fun to spend a few hours with. She did everything, from help us in and out of the boat, to tell us facts about a resident porcupine, to fighting off a bear and raven duo that threatened to put a damper on our trip. Don’t believe me?Guess you’ll just have to be lucky enough to have Anna as your guide! She truly loves her job and you can certainly trust her with your safety.
All in all, this was a great experience. They gave us time to get out of the boat and walk around/take pictures and even had snacks ready to go for us. Thank you for giving my family a great day!
All in all, this was a great experience. They gave us time to get out of the boat and walk around/take pictures and even had snacks ready to go for us. Thank you for giving my family a great day!
Written August 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John H
17 contributions
This is a cool experience. Our guide John did a good job talking about the glacier and natural aspects of the lake and wildlife. Driver David did a nice job highlighting Juneau spots on the way to the park. The waterproof gear they provide is really important since we had a lot of rain. It would have been good to have a waterproof camera bag for easier access to phone / camera. The boat requires 14 paddlers and the middle seats can be a squeeze. You take 3-4 breaks on the 2-2.5 mile paddle to the waterfalls, so it’s manageable and you stop for 15-20 minutes for pictures at the falls.
Written September 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paula K
100 contributions
Jul 2023
Johan said he gets $10 for a great review, but he was AWFUL! They broke up our group into two groups, and then Johan separated me and my husband. I clearly stated that would not be okay, but he didn't care and said, "someone has to do it." Because he didn't seem to care what my husband and I wanted, and everyone on the canoe paid the same price, I refused to paddle. Everyone else got to sit next to their family except for me and my husband. We only got about one minute at the glacier until heading to Nugget Falls. When I got out of the canoe, I told Johan I would be sitting next to my husband on the way back. Johan refused to deal with this and expected us to be the only ones to be separated. Instead of Johan saying, okay I need one of the couples of two to switch places, Johan mad us have to figure it out. The company packed us in like sardines, and the only people comfortable were a row of 3 kids and the 2 to a bench couples, which we did not get. They also use Native Alaskan canoes, but Johan made no mention of the Native Alaskan and showed zero respect for the canoe we were in. When he did try to explain things, he said that mountain peak on your left which there were several so no one knew where he was talking about. The company should have had at least 3 canoes instead of 2 for the amount of people we had. For a total cost of $600 for two people, save your money, go if a different company, and definitely not go with Johan! He has a lot to learn about being a guide!
Written July 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sid D
5 contributions
Sep 2022
As you can see from the pictures the weather was less than perfect. It was cold and pouring with rain, we were given wellington boots and what I can only describe as fishing attire to put on over our clothes and we trudged off to the kayak.
We then got into the kayak with all of the group (approximately 15 people) and started to paddle in formation to the middle of the lake. It's a good workout for sure. Trent, our guide, was good at organising us and was informative while we paddled. It's about a 3 mile jorney to the glacier, but once you turn the corner and see the glacier, you realise it is sooooo worth it. It's one of those experiences you can't realy describe to anyone but the sheer enormity of the ice is humbling.
Unfortunately landing on the beach next to the waterfall wasn't possible due to the lake hieght or something like that but this is a well organised tour and we felt safe at all times even with the inclement weather.
We then got into the kayak with all of the group (approximately 15 people) and started to paddle in formation to the middle of the lake. It's a good workout for sure. Trent, our guide, was good at organising us and was informative while we paddled. It's about a 3 mile jorney to the glacier, but once you turn the corner and see the glacier, you realise it is sooooo worth it. It's one of those experiences you can't realy describe to anyone but the sheer enormity of the ice is humbling.
Unfortunately landing on the beach next to the waterfall wasn't possible due to the lake hieght or something like that but this is a well organised tour and we felt safe at all times even with the inclement weather.
Written September 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Glenn S
Chesterfield, MO103 contributions
Our tour guide Don with Alaska Adventure tours was great to go with. We never felt unsafe and he had just the right amount of background stories about the area and life in Alaska. The 16 person plus a guide canoe was plenty stable and they provide boots to keep your feet dry and rain gear if needed. It was about a 30 minute short bus drive from the cruise ship dock to the lake and our driver Jimmy also had plenty of good stories to share along the way to keep things interesting. I rated this three stars although the company was great the basis of the tour was only ok. We rowed at least 2 hours of the tour to spend about 10 minutes by the glacier and 15 by the waterfall. They need to figure out a way to improve that rowing to sight seeing ratio. The salmon spread and crackers came at the end and was about 2 crackers per person which was more insulting than refreshing.
Written September 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve
Wendake, Canada2 contributions
Tour was fantastic. We canoed our way to the
Mendenhall glacier and our guide, John, did a fantastic job telling us about the area, the fauna, the glacier itself, the fall and the effects of the flood from Last week, all the while padling with us and, no doubt, compensating for the uneven paddling from kids and teens on board. Great job from John.
The only downside was the small quantity of snacks. We were in the back of the line and almost nothing was left for us to snack on. Not a huge problem but there is room for improvement there.
Mendenhall glacier and our guide, John, did a fantastic job telling us about the area, the fauna, the glacier itself, the fall and the effects of the flood from Last week, all the while padling with us and, no doubt, compensating for the uneven paddling from kids and teens on board. Great job from John.
The only downside was the small quantity of snacks. We were in the back of the line and almost nothing was left for us to snack on. Not a huge problem but there is room for improvement there.
Written August 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jimwdi2000
Orlando, FL29 contributions
The kayak to the glacier was amazing, the best thing we did in Alaska! Leann our guide was so much fun and made extra sure that each one of us were safe at all times. The lake had frozen over and we had to crack through ice to get to the glacier which added another layer of fun. The salmon bake afterwards was a great way to end it. I highly recommend this tour.
Written October 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chuck M
Atlanta, Georgia7 contributions
Jul 2022 • Couples
We went on Alaska Travel Adventures Mendenhall lake canoe trip on July 30 and Trent was our guide. What a fantastic trip! The glacier and the falls near Nugget Beach were awesome and Trent was a phenomenal guide. We would recommend this trip to anyone coming to Juneau and if you can get Trent, you’re in for a very fun experience.
Written August 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jay Bee
Athens, GA4 contributions
My wife and I loved this excursion with Liquid Alaska. We’re so happy that we looked beyond what was available from the cruise line. We had a beautiful, sunny day, a boatful of fun people that we’d never met before, and Miller, our amazing tour guide. Miller was kind, informative, and funny, and he got us as close as we could safely get to the face of the glacier. Amazing. We laughed a lot and learned even more. If you’re concerned about booking an “unofficial” excursion, don’t be. These guys are pros of the highest order, they’re prompt and stay on schedule, and are aware of the all-aboard times of all ships in the port. In fact, they schedule departures and returns to work with ship timing. As a result, we had zero concerns about making it back on time. In short: the tour itself was great, our guide Miller made it even better, and fun was had by all. Highly recommended
Written August 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How many hours is this tour from departure to return?
Written December 31, 2019
I think it took about a half hour to drive there from the ship to the lake, on the water for 2.5 hours then a half or so back... so count on 3-4 hours..
Written January 4, 2020
leta c
Taipei, Taiwan
can you offer the timetable of Sep.10,2019
and how many persons in oneTlingit?
if it is rainy day, how can I get your advice ？and the charge will be refunded? thks your reply
Written August 5, 2019
Hi--I have an 8-year-old daughter who weighs about 60 pounds. Would this be an OK activity for her? She would be with my husband and me. Thanks!
Written July 10, 2019
our teen boys- 14 and 16- enjoyed the whole thing although probably got a bit tired of all the rowing. Nice workout though
Written January 4, 2020
How close up do you get the falls ?
Written January 29, 2019
We got out of the canoes at the falls, so you can walk up to the falls. There was a shoreline area with lots of tourists taking photos. You can walk there from the visitor's center.
They are limited on how close the canoes can get to the iceberg. Seemed like about 100 yards.
Written February 1, 2019
We are going to Juneau on a cruise in late July. With us are 4 reasonably fit 50 year olds and a reasonably fit 79 year old, 2 16 year olds and 1 14 year old. I have rented a car for us to use for the day. We had originally planning on going up to Mendenhall Glacier and taking the Nugget Falls Trail to get a closer look at the glacier and the falls. Now my daughter is wanting to do something more adventurous on one of the days. One idea would be for some of them, probably the 2 dads and the kids to do the Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventure. The question is, will they get a much closer, better view of the Glacier from the water than from the Falls? Is it worth splitting up our group for 3.5 hours so that they can have this little "adventure"? Or will they basically see the same thing we will by walking the trails to the falls?
Written July 9, 2018
The canoe gets closer to the glacier but is limited by distance due to regulations
During the journey, the canoe swings back and heads to the falls. We got out of the canoe and ate some snacks before we reboarded for the return trek.
Written August 3, 2019
there are probably multiple canoe excursions on the lake- ours were much larger canoes that never tip over- feel like we had maybe 16 in the canoe- very stable
Written January 4, 2020
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.