Pilots Choice heli glacier or the Taku Lodge excursion

[renaissancewoman101]

As of now, I'm booked for the Pilots Choice glacier helicopter tour (I love being able to fly over and walk on the glacier), but I am also interested in doing the Taku flightplane and lodge excursion. I hear it's a lot of fun and you also get good views of glaciers and wildlife at the Lodge. The timing of the tours only allows for me to do either tour but NOT both.

 

Which one would you suggest is better?

 

I've never been on a helicopter before so don't know how touring with that is like. I've been on the Twin Otter regular planes many times before so I know how seating is like on those planes.

 

This will probably be my only trip to Alaska for the time being (since it is expensive).

 

I am big into scenic tours and seeing wildlfe and nature.

Edited May 16, 2015 by renaissancewoman101

[peety3]

"At this point in my Alaska cruising career...", I prefer floatplanes to helicopters for reasons of personal space. Helicopters have extreme limits on center of gravity, and therefore the seating on many tour birds is Pilot+2 in front, 4 in back, and cozy at that. Floatplanes don't want width, and can tolerate length much better, so there's often 1+1 seating or at worst 3-across in the back.

 

As an avid photographer who's taken two cameras on each type, on the helicopter I had to get very creative with my shoulders and arms to safely keep one camera on my lap while shooting with the other. All of us were sandwiched in, and there was no personal space on either side. On the plane, I had a little room between me and the outer wall, and I had the aisle where I could let a camera dangle.

 

Also much more consistent temp control on the plane I was on. Helicopter heater seemed to be on or off, period.

[judynorth]

We have done the Taku Lodge trip and loved it. You fly low over the glaciers and then land right across from a glacier. The food was very good and the bear visited the grill pit while we were eating. We all rushed outside to see the bear and must have been no more than 20 feet away from her.

 

As an aside, one of the people with us (a very good friend)is an aeronautical engineer and designs helicopters but refuses to fly in them.

[zookiebird]

We've done them both. Both are definitely not your run of the mill cruise excursions. The flight to Taku Lodge was our first float plane experience, really special. We didn't see any wildlife but it didn't matter. Just being there was worth taking the trip. We had plenty of time to roam around and take it all in. They gave us a nice salmon lunch and instead of regular ice cubes our drinks were served with slivers of the glacier. How cool was that?

 

As much as we liked Taku Lodge the helicopter / glacier landing / dog sled excursion we took from Skagway was incredible. Flying through the mountains was kind of like being in an IMAX movie. Landing on the glacier was surreal. The quiet and total white were almost overwhelming. One of those "I can't believe I'm actually here" moments. To top it off we were able to go dog sledding on the glacier. Really cool.

 

Both excursions were terrific but the helicopter / glacier landing has been the most memorable trip we've done so far. Whatever you choose you're going to have an incredible time. Enjoy!

[azmaui]

I've done both during my stay in Juneau.

 

Taku - I loved flight, grounds and views. Also it's easy since it departs right from downtown.

 

Helicopter - landing on a glacier was really cool but it was raining when we were flying and I felt I've seen more during taku flight. Also it departs from heliport - you need to factor on transfer and wait there.

 

I'm going back to Alaska - this time with my parents on a cruise in 13 days and I booked Taku trip for us :)

[Budget Queen]

I as well, have done both, with multiple helicopter tours, including the double landing "pilot's choice". This flight does see a lot more, compared to the float plane going back and forth Taku Lodge. The food at this lodge is very well prepared and the "experience" of this tour.

 

If you truly don't have a preference- If makes NO difference what I or anyone else would pick, then drawing from a hat is an option. :)

[renaissancewoman101]

Thanks for all the advice. I really wish there was time to do both, since both are equally appealing to me. As of now, I think I will stick with the Pilot's Choice heli tour, since I want to do a glacier walkabout. This just gives me the impetus to come back and take another Alaska cruise :)