【Alaska Aurora Viewing】5-Day Tour from Fairbanks: Santa Claus House and Museum of the North丨3 Aurora Viewing Opportunities

Today you'll arrive in Fairbanks, Alaska's second-largest city, with its location and climate making it known as the "Northern Lights Capital." Check in to hotel upon arrival (at most hotels you can check in after 3:00 p.m.).

At 10 pm, to escape the urban light pollution, take the Aurora Shuttle to our carefully selected Aurora-Viewing Lodge, in an excellent location that will increase your chances of observing the Northern Lights. Our professional guides will introduce you to the Northern Lights and instruct you in camera parameter set-up and aurora borealis shooting techniques to help you take stunning aurora photos. Free hot drinks, coffee, and a Northern Lights monitoring screen are available in the cabin, where you can warm up after watching the aurora (1st Aurora Viewing). You will return to the hotel to rest at around 2 am the next morning.

Fairbanks, Alaska's second-largest city, with a population of 100,000, is a transportation hub for expeditions deep into Alaska's interior and the Arctic Circle. It is also the world's best place to see the Northern Lights, with more than 243 days of clear night sky each year. Because it is only 310 kilometers from the Arctic Circle and is protected from bad weather by mountain barriers, aurora chasers from around the world gather here in this city where the aurora is most easily observed.

  

  

Today you will enjoy a leisurely day in Fairbanks. You can make your own arrangements or chose an optional activity to participate in for an additional fee.At 10 pm, to escape the urban light pollution, take the Aurora Shuttle to our carefully selected Aurora-Viewing Lodge, in an excellent location that will increase your chances of observing the Northern Lights. Our professional guides will introduce you to the Northern Lights and instruct you in camera parameter set-up and aurora borealis shooting techniques to help you take stunning aurora photos. Free hot drinks, coffee, and a Northern Lights monitoring screen are available in the cabin, where you can warm up after watching the aurora (1st Aurora Viewing). You will return to the hotel to rest at around 2 am the next morning.

Options 1: Chena Hot Springs Resort Tour (approximately 7 hours round trip)

Depart from your hotel around 11 am and travel to Chena Hot Springs Resort, famous for its century-old hot spring, interesting ice sculpture museum, and an advanced renewable energy project, making it one of the must-see attractions for almost every visitor to Fairbanks! You can relax in the outdoor natural hot springs, a particulary incredible experience when the surroundings are snow-covered. You will also have the opportunity to visit the year-round ice sculpture museum (at additional expense), which exhibits the work of world-class ice sculpture champions, including tables, chairs, and so on all made of ice. Those interested can visit the ice bar to sample an Apple Martini in a cocktail glass made of ice (at additional expense, must show ID and be at least 21 years old).

【Notes】

* You must wear a bathing suit in the hot springs, please prepare in advance.

* For safety reasons, minors under age 18 may not enter the outdoor natural rock pool, but they may use the indoor pool and the outdoor hot tub.

* If you choose not to enter the hot springs for your own reasons, the fee is not refundable.

Option 2: Castner Glacier Ice Cave Discovery Tour (approximately 8 hours round trip)

Expect to depart from Fairbanks in morning and drive south along the Richardson Highway to C astner Glacier Ice Cave, which is beautiful After getting off the bus, you will follow your guide on a hike of about 2 miles before reaching the largest valley ice cave in North America.

【Notes】

* It is recommended to wear a warm down jacket, fleece jacket, hat, scarf, ski-proof boots, sunglasses, etc., and pay attention to the safety of your feet.

* Before leaving the city, the guide will arrange to go to the supermarket to purchase a carry-on lunch, or you can bring your own light meal in advance.

* There are no artificial facilities around the ice cave, please prepare a storage bag so that you can collect your garbage and dispose of it after returning to the city.

* There is no weather station in the vicinity of Castner Glacier Ice Cave. Therefore, it is difficult to predict local weather or trail condition when departing Fairbanks, the origin of the tour. Once reaching the trailhead, our guides will determine whether local conditions are safe enough for hiking to the Ice Cave or not. There will be no refund in the event of hazardous conditions that prevents guests from reaching the Ice Cave safely. However, guests will be fully refunded if the tour is cancelled before leaving Fairbanks due to unsafe road condition.

* Castner Glacier Ice Cave is a natural phenomenon situated in a remote area of Eastern Alaska Range that is, by nature, inherently risky. It is important that guests follow all instructions of our guides during the whole trip.

Option 3: Denali National Park Walking Tour (about 7-8 hours round trip)

Depart from your hotel around 10 am and travel by car to Denali. The drive from Fairbanks to Denali is very beautiful, with views of the magnificent Alaska Range mountains to the South, and colorful forest flanking the road. If you are lucky, you may even see some wildlife on the way. Denali National Park is one of the longest-protected ecological preserves in the world. Weather permitting, your guide will take you on a short hike in the park.

  

 

 

Today you'll enjoy a leisurely morning at the hotel. You will depart at 1 pm for the famous "Santa Claus House" in the town of North Pole, which, in order to create a strong Christmas atmosphere in Santa's hometown, features a huge 16-meter-tall santa statue and 2-meter-tall polar bear and moose statues. Many of the surrounding public facilities are also decorated in a Christmas theme. Later, you'll follow your guide to the Museum of the North on the University of Alaska's Fairbanks campus, the best place for visitors to discover the mysterious Arctic world and the real life of early locals. With its unique architecture, the museum is one of Fairbanks' landmarks. The museum is divided into different exhibition halls, which not only give a detailed introduction to the local environment and history, but also display some rare arctic animal specimens (“Blue Babe”, mammoth bones, a nearly 3-meter-tall brown bear, etc.). Afterwards you will return to the hotel for a rest. (If the Museum is closed, you will visit the Morris Thompson Cultural Center and be refunded your $12 Museum of the North ticket fee on site).

At 10 pm, follow a professional guide to take the Aurora Shuttle to the area outside Fairbanks, away from the interference of urban light pollution, which will greatly increasing your chances of seeing the aurora. Our professional aurora guides will take you to the most powerful aurora viewing area to chasing the aurora according to the weather conditions, the direction of the aurora and their rich experience in light chasing and will introduce you to the Northern Lights and instruct you in camera parameter set-up and aurora borealis shooting techniques to help you take stunning aurora photos (3rd Aurora Viewing). You will return to the hotel to rest at around 2 am the next morning.

Option: Dog Sledding/ATV Experience (approximately 2 hours total)

Visit Alaskan local Leslie's sled dog kennel. Income from tours allows Leslie to continue the grand tradition of dog sledding by training young mushers and helping them raise funds to compete in the annual Alaskan dog sled races that have become so popular all over the world. Two passengers in the sled husband's company to ride the same sled, sledding in the forest road, splashing white snowflakes, the process is quite thrilling (experience about 20-25 minutes)! While waiting for a ride, you'll also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with cute dogs. (From September to early November, in case of insufficient snowfall, the dog sled will be replaced by a dog pull ATV experience, about 10min)

  

  

Today you will enjoy a leisurely day in Fairbanks. You can make your own arrangements or chose an optional activity to participate in for an additional fee. Due to limited time, it is only possible to choose one out of the three optional activities below.



Option 1: Overland Adventure Across the Arctic Circle (drive both ways, round trip about 16 hours)

Depart in the morning and take a arctic bus along the Dalton Highway, one of Alaska's most remote and challenging roads. The whole road is 414 miles long, and is one of the world's "Ten Roads of Death." On the way you can observe the arctic tundra wilderness, with the possibility of seeing wildlife such as caribou, foxes, wolves, bears, or musk ox. You'll also pass over one of North America's five largest rivers, the Yukon River, and see an incredible product of human engineering, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which crosses the state from north to south. Finally, you will arrive at the sign indicating you've reached the Arctic Circle (66°33’ north), and receive a special "Arctic Circle Exploration Certificate" to remember your trip. You’ll return to Fairbanks between 2 to 3 am. If you need to depart Fairbanks the following day, please book your flight for no earlier than 7 am, to avoid risking missing your flight.



Option 2:  Fly Over the Arctic Circle Adventure (Fly northbound, about 1.5 hours, drive back, about 10 hours)

*Morning flight:

Start by going to the airport to take a small sightseeing plane to the town of Coldfoot in morning. From the plane you'll get majestic bird’s-eye views of the snow-covered tundra. Upon arrival, you can send a postcard to your friends and family at the Arctic Post Office, enjoy the Brooks Range Safari in Coldfoot. In the afternoon you’ll return to Fairbanks via the famous Dalton Highway on a specially equipped arctic bus. On the way, visit the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Yukon River, and the Alaska Arctic Circle (66°33' north) marker, where you will receive an "Arctic Circle Exploration Certificate". You’ll return to Fairbanks between 2 to 3 am. If you need to depart Fairbanks the following day, please book your flight for no earlier than 7 am, to avoid risking missing your flight. (If the flight was canceled by wether, you’ll join the “Arctic Circle Drive Adventure” and get refund the difference)

*Afternoon flight:

Start by going to the airport to take a small sightseeing plane to the town of Coldfoot in morning. From the plane you'll get majestic bird’s-eye views of the snow-covered tundra. Upon arrival, you can send a postcard to your friends and family at the Arctic Post Office in Coldfoot. In the afternoon you’ll return to Fairbanks via the famous Dalton Highway on a specially equipped arctic bus. On the way, visit the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Yukon River, and the Alaska Arctic Circle (66°33' north) marker, where you will receive an "Arctic Circle Exploration Certificate". You’ll return to Fairbanks between 2 to 3 am. If you need to depart Fairbanks the following day, please book your flight for no earlier than 7 am, to avoid risking missing your flight. (If the flight was canceled by wether, the tour fee will be refunded, then you will enjoy a free day)

Option 3: Aurora-Viewing Lodge (approximately 4 hours round trip)

At 10 pm, to escape the urban light pollution, take the Aurora Shuttle to our carefully selected Aurora-Viewing Lodge. Or you can choose the Aurora Chasing Explore with guide. You will return to the hotel to rest at around 2 am the next morning

  

  

Today you'll end your trip and bid farewell to beautiful Alaska. You can chose an optional activity to participate if your flight take off in evening.

Option 1: Snow Mobile Tour (approximately 2-4 hours total, 11/20/2023-3/31/2024)

Join the snowmobile in Alaska, one of the hottest snow and ice events in the region, you can choose 30min for ride, accompanied by an experienced guide.

Option 2: Ice Fishing Tour (approximately 4 hours total, 11/20/2023-3/5/2024)

Ice fishing is a winter favorite for Alaskans. You’ll learn the fishing skill with a fishing expert. After catching the fish, the guide will also process a grilled fish for each guest on site, allowing you to taste the freshest fish, and then release the extra fish back to the snow lake.