One thing you must do in Glacier Bay is, obviously, to see the glaciers. And the best way to do that is to take the Glacier Bay Day Tour, the only scheduled day tour allowed in the park and preserve. The tour begins at 7:30am and runs until 3:30 pm, and takes you 150 miles into the heart of Glacier Bay, to get an up close look at the glaciers that once encased the entire planet.

The tour is narrated and captained by National Park Service Rangers, who provide information, answer questions, and educate on the natural and geological history of the region.

One of the highlights of the trip, apart from the unforgettable sounds of massive slabs of ice cracking like thunder, is the incredible Alaskan wildlife you’ll see along the way. Brown bears, moose, puffins, mountain goats, humpback whales, orcas, seals, and more are commonly spotted.

Getting close enough to hear the ice cracking is to step back in time to the ice age. And seeing the gargantuan, 245 feet walls of ice rising out of the water that make up the Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers is more than reminiscent of Game of Thrones and The Wall. Seeing this makes you appreciate the grand power of the natural world.