Northern Lights · Tour
SkyChase Northern Lights Experience from Fairbanks with Free Photography
Ratings collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
FairbanksAurora In Alaska run this as a chase rather than a viewing. Their SkyChase experience uses what they call the Lights-for-Life formula, tracking weather, cloud and solar activity in real time to decide where to be and when. The vehicle is a heated, winterised Mercedes Sprinter. At the stop there is a mobile aurora lodge, a campfire meal at twilight, and drinks from the Borealis Brew Bar. Professional photographers take unlimited aurora portraits, and there is night lapse video and tripod rental. The operator says it is the only tour with an aurora guarantee: if no aurora is visible to the eye or the camera on a guaranteed night, you get a 50% refund or a free rebooking. Read the small print on that, because it changes the meaning. A guaranteed night is judged on real time conditions, and any aurora visible by eye or by camera counts as fulfilled. Cameras pick up displays far too faint for the eye, so the bar is lower than it first sounds.
What's included
- 360° time-lapse video of the night
- Aurora Guarantee* (refund or retry if no lights are seen)
- Twilight Campfire meal (Alaskan reindeer sausage or vegan option)
- Your personal Auro-meteorologist - predicts northern lights' visibility blending aurora and weather.
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- Hands-on camera support & tripod rentals
- Keepsake Media - professional photography included, downloadable images
- Mobile Aurora Lodge - Most nights our mobile heated lodge follows the vans. ( 14 or More Guests)
- Real-time Aurora tracking with Lights-for-Life™ Formula
- Hotel/B&B pickup & drop-off (within 5 miles of downtown Fairbanks)
- Exclusive access to mobile Aurora lodge & fire pit
- Borealis Brew Drink Bar - Featuring 8+ hot/cold drink options
- Local Expert - ensure your in the best spot to view the lights for the night
Itinerary
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425 Merhar Ave, Fairbanks
Contact the operator if you need the meeting point details.
Fairbanks
Fairbanks is the home base, sitting directly under the auroral oval, which is what makes it one of the most reliable places on earth for this. Each night the tour leaves from here and the Lights-for-Life formula picks the best spot outside the city for clear sky and activity.
Murphy Dome
Murphy Dome is one of the highest points you can drive to near Fairbanks, used on clear nights for its panoramic view and low light pollution. It is a good example of the high, remote spots the team uses.
North Pole
North Pole, Alaska is not a destination but sits along one of the routes. Passing the Santa Claus House on the way to darker sky is the kind of detail people remember.
Chena Hot Springs
The Chena Hot Springs area comes into play when the sky to the east is the clearer option. Quiet forested country with good visibility when the cloud pushes the group that way.
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An elevated point northeast of Fairbanks, used on selected nights. When conditions suit it, the visibility and the width of sky are excellent, particularly during high activity.
Denali National Park and Preserve
Denali National Park is not a nightly destination, but on rare clear nights the Alaska Range is visible in the distance from certain high viewpoints, especially when aurora activity is strong.
Felix Pedro Monument
The Felix Pedro monument marks the first major gold discovery in Alaska, and sits along one of the routes used when chasing clear sky. The group usually passes rather than stops, but it is part of the country's history.
Chena River State Recreation Area
The Chena area is one of several the group heads for when the sky allows: forest, river reflections and low light pollution, which is a frequent combination on strong nights.
Alyeska Pipeline Viewing Point
One of several high stops used on clear nights for its wide visibility. The route often includes this point or one nearby when the cloud allows, chosen from dozens of pre-approved locations in every direction using live sky data.
Pleasant Valley
The Two Rivers and Pleasant Valley area is another eastern option, quiet and forested, with good visibility when the cloud trends push that way.
Ester
Ester Dome is a common choice on clear nights: high, dark, and far enough from the city glow to work well.
Nenana
When the sky is clearing to the west, the group may head toward the Nenana Hills, using lesser known sites with wide skies well away from town.
425 Merhar Ave, Fairbanks
Not included
- Edited Pictures - unlimited download of edited photos
- Please note our Primary goal is Aurora viewing. Weather and other variables may remove extras
- Meals beyond the included fire-cooked meals we provide
- Transportation is not private and can have up to a max of 14 guests in one van.
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- RAW files and watermark-free originals are not included in the base package
Good to know
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- No more than 1 backpack per guest
- All persons joining are required to purchase a ticket, despite their age.
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- Please visit our website for a full cancellation policy and information
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: en.
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