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Alaska Northern Lights Vacation Packages

Northern Lights Tours In Anchorage

Alaska 7 day Itinerary for Winter (Stay,Activities and Northern Lights)

Like Fairbanks, there are a number of aurora tours to choose from in Anchorage theres a solid list on the official Visit Anchorage website. Having grown up there, I didnt ever do any of them I just went to some of my favorite spots or stood in my driveway. On my Alaska winter trip in 2020, I did do one tour:

Alaska Photo Treks

Owner Carl Johnson and his team run a number of cool photo tours and treks. These include an Anchorage Photowalk, Sunset Safari, and even cool wildlife photo tours to try and hunt moose and brown bear. Of course, they also offer aurora photography tours too!

On our night out the longest one I went on, from 10pm until almost 4am! Carl took us up past my old stomping grounds in Eagle River to several viewpoints along the Knik River. We got some epic views including reflections, pillars, and even some from an old railway bridge .

Alaska Photo Treks keeps their spots secret and makes the call on offering tours based on Kp index . You can see full details on their website.

Chena Hot Springs Resort

Experience the healing mineral waters by soaking in a natural outdoor hot springs rock lake or indoor

Experience the healing mineral waters by soaking in a natural outdoor hot springs rock lake or indoor family pool. People have been going to hot springs for centuries some in search of the eternal fountain of youth and others searching for cures for whatever ails them. The healing waters of Chena Hot Springs has been compared to mineral waters found in hot springs in Bohemia. The water is composed of a variety of different, identified minerals. Many people believe that by bathing in the water, skin conditions such as psoriasis, muscular pains, and arthritis may be relieved. The water may be beneficial for some circulatory disorders and attracts lots of people with bronchial disorders who claim the combination of steam and minerals provides breathing relief.

Best Places To See The Northern Lights In Alaska

Whether you call them the northern lights or the aurora borealis, these dancing bands of color are truly a magical sight to behold. The best time to see the lights is in the middle of winter, when the days are longest and the temperatures are coldest, but there are opportunities to see them between September and mid-April. Alaska is without a doubt one of the best places in the world to enjoy this unique experience, so here are the top places to see them and the best tour companies that will ensure you have a memorable experience.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

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Best Northern Lights Vacation Packages To Book In 2022

Looking for the best Northern Lights vacation with the least amount of work? If so, then one of these Northern Lights vacation packages could be just the thing for you.

When you book into a Northern Lights vacation package, you leave all the planning and research up to someone else. They are a good option if you want to enjoy the Northern Lights and other vacation perks, but dont like planning and researching your own trip.

Vacation packages can be a more expensive way to see the Northern Lights, but a great way to travel if you prefer to leave all the hard work and stress to someone else. They also allow you to meet new friends, travel with other people, and see aspects of the countryside that you might not otherwise know about.

In this article, we bring together some of the most popular all inclusive Northern Lights vacation packages from different countries around the world, to inspire you.

Northern Lights Overnight Packages

Las Fotos Mas Alucinantes: enero 2014 alaska northern lights aurora ...

Want the best chances of seeing the northern lights? The more time you spend searching for the lights, the better, so increase the odds by joining a multi-day overnight northern lights viewing trip. On these overnight excursions, youll be whisked away to prime northern lights viewing areas away from ambient city light. Getting there is also part of the fun some tours travel by snowmachine or dog sled, while others take you to remote communities by land or air.

Lodging ranges from rustic camps to remote lodges to accommodations with glass dome ceilings that are specifically built to maximize your northern lights viewing experience. These packages range in duration from one night to several nights and include meals and experienced guides that will monitor the aurora activity and take you to the best northern lights viewing locations in Alaska.

From Fairbanks to Coldfoot you’ll get to explore the history, culture, and nature that Alaska is most famous for.Day 1: FairbanksFairbanks is accessible via commercial flight from many cities

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Experience The Amazing Northern Lights In Alaska

The 10 Best Places to view the Northern Lights in Alaska ! Anyone who has experienced it once will be able to confirm: The dance of the aurora borealis is one of the most breathtaking natural spectacles of all. Alaska has the best box seats to witness this celestial spectacle. Ribbons of all colors perform a wondrous dance in the night sky. Many visitors from all parts of the world come to Alaska especially for the Aurora Borealis. We carefully selected the best Aurora Viewing Tours around Fairbanks in Northern Alaska. You can choose from our wide range of tours like the Alaska Aurora Borealis Tour to the Arctic Circle or to famous Chena Hot Springs Resort at Chena Hot Springs. Bettles Lodge is a remote wilderness lodge, located north of the Arctic Circle offering all conveniences to guests. View the Aurora Borealis in all its glory as you gaze upon the Northern Lights far away from Fairbanks city lights – waving across the sky in shades of green, purple and red. You can also take the opportunity to try out the many other winter activities Alaska has to offer, such as snowmobiling, dog sledding, skiing or relaxing in the natural outdoor hot springs pool. Visit the ice museum and enjoy the many winter festivities Fairbanks has to offer.

Northern Lights Alaska: The Aurora Chasers

Founded by aurora enthusiasts Ronn and Marketa Murray, The Aurora Chasers is a unique tour company that takes visitors to special remote locations outside Fairbanks, where they can enjoy the auroras dancing without any interference from light pollution. The basic tour includes round-trip transportation, hot beverages, and beautiful aurora portraits taken by Ronn or Marketa the owners have extensive professional photography experience, and they also run photography workshops that teach people how to capture the best possible pictures of the aurora themselves. Private charter tours with photography instruction are available as well, but guests must bring their own camera equipment.

3875 Geist Rd STE E, Fairbanks, AK 99701, Phone: 907-888-6055

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Where To Stay In Fairbanks

Ive already mentioned all three of the best places to stay in Fairbanks if youre aurora chasing:

  • Borealis Basecamp Located about 45 minutes outside of town, as the name suggests this is the place to stay if you want pristine dark night sky views. Borealis Basecamp also offers aurora tours if you want to visit but not stay the night. Book directly with Borealis Basecamp.
  • Taste of Alaska Lodge Operated by the Eberhardt family , Taste of Alaska Lodge offers cozy wood cabins and family hospitality. Rooms start from $195/night. Book on Booking.comor directly with Taste of Alaska Lodge.
  • Chena Hot Springs Resort Rooms start from $84/night. Book on Hotels.com or directly with Chena Hot Springs Resort.

These are some of the best places but you can see the aurora right in downtown Fairbanks when theyre strong enough! There are plenty of other hotel options to choose from based on your travel dates and budget. If none of these are available during your desired dates, heres a list of all of the other places I recommend for where to stay in Fairbanks.

Northern Lights Alaska: Pursuit Alaska Collection

Fairbanks, Alaskas Northern Lights

Staffed entirely by local experts, Pursuit Alaska Collection can help you book a northern lights tour from Fairbanks, Anchorage, or Coldfoot. A wide range of tour options are available transportation options include train, plane, cruise ship, and car, and viewing locations range from the remote Denali Backcountry Lodge to a rustic camp just outside the charming town of Coldfoot. The company is more than happy to help you arrange a customized vacation package possible tour add-ons include guided tours of the Dalton Highway, side trips to the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve, gold-panning excursions, and photography tours.

Phone: 888-868-6138

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Fly To The Arctic Circle

Take another day to explore the fascinating town of Fairbanks, or try something very special: a tour beyond the Arctic

Take another day to explore the fascinating town of Fairbanks, or try something very special: a tour beyond the Arctic Circle to see the northern lights! Fly, drive, or do a combo trip north, where you’ll get a real sense for not only this rugged landscape, but also for the people and culture in this unique area.

Northern Lights Tours In Alaska

A natural light show that rivals any manmade fireworks display, the Northern Lights are a top reason to visit Alaska. Although the colorful light show can be difficult to track down, heres how to get your chance at seeing the sky glow this winter.

When to Go

You can see the Aurora Borealis in Alaska between September and April, with peak viewing season during the winter months. Bundle up and be prepared to stay up late, as the lights usually glow in the middle of the night when the sky is darkest and the Arctic night is the coldesttypically between midnight and 4am.

Where to Go

Although auroras have been seen all over Alaska, we recommend Fairbanks as the best place to use as a home base. Located in the region known as the “aurora oval,” the area around the city usually has clear skies, has had the most consistent sightings in the state, and offers a number of Northern Lights tours.

How to Go

There are lots of ways to see this spectacular natural phenomenon. Take part in a Northern Lights photography workshop, search the night sky from the famed Murphy Dome, or make a stop at the Chena Hot Springs before going out with a tour guide for an Aurora viewing.

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Northern Alaska Tour Company

One of the first tour companies to bring visitors to the Arctic Circle via the Dalton Highway, Northern Alaska Tour Company is one of the oldest tour operators in Fairbanks. There are several excellent tour options to choose from, including a trip out to the Aurora Tent on the Yukon River, a guided tour out to the remote town of Joy, Alaska, and a round trip journey from Fairbanks to Coldfoot by both plane and car. All tours include information about the aurora and the history of Alaska’s Arctic, and some also include complimentary hot beverages.

3820 University Ave S, Fairbanks, AK 99709, Phone: 907-474-8600

Northern Lights Alaska: Go Alaska Tours

Over Thompson Pass Alaska last night.

Offering a selection of trips out of both Anchorage and Fairbanks, Go Alaska Tours specializes in four to eight-day aurora tours. There are several destinations for visitors to choose from, including the remote Bettles Lodge, the spa resort of Chena hot springs, and a heated log cabin tucked away in the trees above Fairbank. Another popular option is to take a train along the Alaska Railroad in addition to stunning views of the scenery and multiple opportunities to see the aurora, these trips offer the chance to enjoy activities such as dog sled tours, ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.

9170 Jewel Lake Rd #202, Anchorage, AK 99502, Phone: 800-208-0200

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Lodges & Overnight Tours

  • Northern Alaska Tour Company offers 3-day/2-night trips from Fairbanks to Coldfoot Camp above the Arctic Circle. Located halfway between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay, this is an exceptional spot to see the lights.
  • Iniakuk Lake Wilderness Lodge, a fly-in luxury wilderness lodge inside Gates of the Arctic National Park, offers one of Alaskas most exclusive experiences for viewing the northern lights. Step outside or scan the sky from the lodges huge picture windows.
  • Just an hour from Fairbanks is Borealis Basecamp, where you can book your own clear-roofed igloo for the night.
  • Salmon Berry Tours offers 6-day/5-night packages from Anchorage. Youll work your way north, stopping in Talkeetna, and look for the northern lights each night once you reach Fairbanks.
  • Wild Journeys Alaska offers custom, private multi-day packages from Anchorage. Enjoy fun activities during the day and 3 nights of aurora viewing. Going for more than 3 nights? Youll get an aurora forecast each day, so you can pick which 3 nights to chase the lights.

Our Standard Program Includes:

2 and 3 star hotel accommodations.

The program will include a combination of hotels or motels that are considered moderate to standard tourist class. Please be aware not all hotels have shuttle services.

Standard train car seating on all rail services .

If you would like to book the standard program but with upgraded rail seating, the option and surcharge will be listed when you save to your cart.

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Visit Both Fairbanks & Anchorage Using The Alaska Railroad

You can actually plan your northern lights trip in Alaska to chase the aurora in Fairbanks and Anchorage just book a ticket on the Alaska Railroads Aurora Winter Train. Its one of the best train rides in Alaska, and a unique way to travel across the long distance between the two cities without having to drive in the snow.

While you wont see any aurora on the Aurora Winter Train, you will see a swath of Alaskan scenery, including the mighty Denali. The train from Fairbanks to Anchorage takes 12 hours, so its a full-day adventure but its not too crowded in the summer and you can enjoy meals from the dining car.

If you want views like this, check out the Alaska Railroad schedule. The Aurora Winter Train runs between two and four times each week, so youll need to see if one of the dates will work in your itinerary. I still think the railroad is one of the best ways to see Interior Alaska and its equally magical in winter as in summer.

Okay, thats all you need to know to plan the ultimate Alaska northern lights trip. Have other questions? Let me know in the commentsor !

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Pack The Right Clothing & Gear

Searching Alaska for the Northern Lights in 360 video

You might wonder what to pack so that you dont freeze and can focus on the spectacular stellar show!

Ive got a whole packing list for winter in Alaska, but the short version is: layers, layers, layers! I highly recommend checking out my full list as this is almost exactly what brought with me on my trip.

If you want to get great aurora photos, I have a number of aurora photography tips on my astrotourism blog. While smartphones are increasingly decent at snapping photos of the northern lights, you really need a proper camera heres the camera gear I recommend and shoot with:

Dont forget extra batteries too these drain super fast in the frigid Alaska winter temperatures!

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What’s An Aurora Vacation Like

Think of it as a quest. You are trying to witness one of the grandest spectacles in nature. The aurora can be elusive and must be pursued. Its an adventure!

Youre going to be up late. Most tours focus on the hours between 10pm and 3am. Many tour operators will provide large parkas and bunny boots to keep you warm, as well as warm beverages and light snacks. If youre at a lodge, you can arrange for a wake-up call if youre not able to stay up. Youll sleep in late the next morning . You might spend the afternoon enjoying an exhilarating winter experience like dog sledding or snowmobiling. Youll return to your hotel or lodge for an early evening nap, and get ready to do it all again!

Here are our top tours for seeing the northern lights in Alaska:

Fairbanks Northern Lights Viewing Tours

NL-01 Aurora Viewing Tour Fairbanks 04 Days from | to Fairbanks Details > >

Fairbanks is an ideal starting point to observe the aurora in Alaska. View the magnificent Alaska Northern Lights displays from a heated log cabin high above Fairbanks far away from any city lights and from the hills above Chena Hot Springs Resort with a spectacular and breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view. During the day, you have time to explore Fairbanks during a guided city sightseeing tour, take an exciting sled dog tour, or view the ice sculptures during the World Ice Art Championships. Rejuvenate in the natural hot springs pools at Chena and join us on a tour of the unique ice museum. This package is also available as an extended tour program with railroad departures from Anchorage. We will watch the Aurora Forecast for you.

NL-01A Fairbanks | Northern Lights Activity Tour04 Days from | to Fairbanks

This activity tour includes a guided van tour to the Arctic Circle and to the well known Chena Hot Springs Spa Resort. Because Fairbanks is located in the auroral oval and the winter nights are longer, the Aurora Borealis light shows are generally much brighter and more reliable here than anywhere else. The lights are flipping and waving across the sky in shades of green, purple, and red. Taking a trip to view the Northern Lights is a spectacle you’ll never forget again! Optional: You can extend the tour program with railroad departure from or to Anchorage.

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