Northern Lights & Arctic Circle Tour

About This Experience

This Alaska Wild Lights tour combines the two things most people come to Fairbanks for in winter: crossing the Arctic Circle and seeing the northern lights. A small group of up to eight guests leaves Fairbanks in the early afternoon in a climate-controlled van and heads north on the Elliott and Dalton Highways, with stops at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and at the Yukon River bridge before the road climbs onto the open tundra.

The turnaround point is the Arctic Circle wayside at Dalton Highway milepost 115, about 198 road miles north of Fairbanks, where the road crosses latitude 66 degrees 33 minutes north. Your guide hands out a personalized Arctic Circle certificate at the sign. Dinner is a stop at Yukon River Camp, where meals can be bought; a sack lunch, tea and coffee are provided on board.

The drive back is the aurora hunt. Being 200 miles from city lights, the guide pulls over at dark viewpoints whenever the sky is active and helps guests photograph the lights. Guests report returning to their hotel between 4 and 5 am, so the full outing runs 12 to 14 hours and sometimes longer.

The tour runs year round on winter dates with enough darkness, and it is priced from $363 per person with a 4.6 rating from close to a thousand Viator reviews. The lights themselves are never guaranteed, and the operator does not refund for cloud cover, so treat the Arctic Circle crossing as the sure thing and the aurora as the bonus.

Highlights

• Trans-Alaska Pipeline stop on the drive north from Fairbanks
• Yukon River crossing on the Dalton Highway bridge at milepost 56
• Arctic Circle sign at milepost 115 with a personalized certificate
• Aurora watch stops at dark pullouts on the night drive back
• Small group of up to 8 guests in a climate-controlled van
• Afternoon departure, return to Fairbanks in the early morning hours

What's Included

• ✓ Local driver-guide
• ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off within Fairbanks city limits
• ✓ Personalized Arctic Circle certificate
• ✓ Tea and coffee
• ✓ Sack lunch (no gluten-free or vegan options)
• ✓ Small group, maximum 8 guests per van

Not Included

• Gratuities
• Dinner (available for purchase at Yukon River Camp)
• Gluten-free or vegan meal options
• Cold-weather gear

What to Bring

• Insulated layers, warm hat, gloves and winter boots; the operator quotes temperatures from 20 F down to minus 40 F
• Camera and spare batteries, which drain quickly in the cold
• Refillable water bottle and your own snacks for the long drive
• Hand and toe warmers for the aurora stops
• Cash or card for dinner at Yukon River Camp and for gratuities

Good to Know & Caveats

• Aurora season only: Viator's calendar lists departures from August 24 to April 29.
• The northern lights are a natural event and are never guaranteed; no refund is given for cloudy skies.
• Refunds: the operator gives a full refund if you cancel 7 or more days before the tour; inside 7 days all sales are final. If the operator cancels for dangerous weather or road conditions you are offered another date or a full refund.
• Pickup is only from hotels within Fairbanks city limits. Guests in Airbnbs or private rentals must contact the operator by 3 pm the day before to confirm the nearest eligible pickup point.
• Not recommended for children under 10; adult pricing applies to every traveler.
• The round trip is roughly 400 miles, much of it on the gravel Dalton Highway. Expect a bumpy ride and no cell service north of the Yukon River.
• Pickup is in the early afternoon and the return is in the early morning hours; recent guests report getting back between 4 and 5 am. Keep the next morning free.
• Every guest signs a waiver before departure and must be able to board and exit the van with limited assistance.
• Guests are encouraged to rotate seats during the trip so everyone gets a window view.

Meeting Point

Hotel pickup within Fairbanks city limits in the early afternoon; the exact time is confirmed after booking.