Fairbanks
41 departures under the clearest sky in this catalogue, where midwinter is the best season and not the worst
Latitude is the wrong number to judge an aurora town by, and Fairbanks is the clearest demonstration. At 64°50′N it is a degree south of Rovaniemi and nearly five degrees south of Tromsø, and it gets more overhead aurora than either. The auroral oval is organised around the geomagnetic pole, which sits off northwest Greenland rather than at the top of the globe, and that offset drags the ring south over Alaska. Fairbanks ends up at roughly 65 degrees magnetic, deep inside it.
The second advantage is the one you can count. Across eleven seasons of reanalysis, Fairbanks gets a usable sky on 48.9% of season nights: the highest of the fourteen destinations on this site, ahead of Yellowknife at 47.8%, Whitehorse at 43.7% and every European base by a distance. Its worst month, November at 41.3%, is higher than the best month of Tromsø, Reykjavík, Alta, Bodø, Akureyri, Saariselkä or Abisko.
And it peaks in the middle of winter. January gives 58.1% and February 53.0%, against 44.0% in September. That is the reverse of the Scandinavian pattern, where the equinox months are the good ones and midwinter is the trap, and it means the single most repeated piece of aurora advice does not transfer across the Atlantic. In Tromsø, December is the worst month of the year. In Fairbanks, the deep cold is the season.
Choose a destination in Fairbanks
Northern Lights Experiences in Fairbanks
Fairbanks Northern Lights Lodge and Chase Tour, Max 10 Guests
A private wilderness lodge in the Alaskan interior instead of a roadside pull-off, under a sky with no light pollution in it.
Fairbanks Northern Lights Tour with Portraits and Photo Instruction
A night out to see and photograph the aurora around Fairbanks, with portraits and photography instruction included.
Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle Tour with Northern Lights, 12 to 14 Hours
A long day from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle along one of the most remote roads in the world, guided by someone who lives here.
Fire and Ice: Chena Hot Springs, Ice Museum and Aurora from Fairbanks
The evening starts with the drive from Fairbanks out to Chena Hot Springs Resort. First the Ice Museum, with its lit ice sculptures.
Five Night Alaska Winter Package with Dog Sledding and Aurora Alerts
Five nights in Alaska built around the aurora, with the days filled by everything else the season allows.
Half Night Personalised Aurora Chase and Photography from Fairbanks
A custom aurora chase for part of a night rather than all of it, still built around finding clear sky wherever it is.
Mountaintop Aurora Cabin near Fairbanks with 360 Degree Views and Photography
A large aurora viewing cabin on a mountaintop near Fairbanks, with 360 degrees of unobstructed sky and a 10 acre open yard around it.
Northern Lights Lodge Viewing near Fairbanks with Hotel Pickup
Aurora watching from a lodge, with the option of stepping outside when it is worth it.
Northern Lights Viewing at Murphy Dome near Fairbanks
Murphy Dome is one of the better aurora viewing points near Fairbanks, and the reason is elevation: a dome with the ground falling away on all sides, so the…
Northern Lights Viewing with a Home Cooked Cabin Dinner near Fairbanks
Dinner first, cooked at an off grid Alaskan cabin, then the aurora watch from outside Fairbanks. Off grid is the operative detail.
Northern Lights Viewing with Dog Sledding and an Alaskan Dinner
Two Alaskan things in one night: the aurora, and a run behind a dog team.
Private Northern Lights Chase around Fairbanks with Photos
A private aurora chase around Fairbanks, with photographs included. Pickup is at 10:30 pm from your hotel in downtown Fairbanks or from the Hyatt Place…
Private Northern Lights Photography Tour in Fairbanks, Max Two Guests
Riley is a photographer and guide, and this tour takes a maximum of two guests a night. That is as private as aurora photography gets.
Private VIP Aurora Adventure from Fairbanks, Maximum 4 Guests
A private aurora tour for your own party, capped at 4 passengers. The late start is the distinguishing feature: pickup at 11 pm, which puts the group outside…
Reindeer and Snowmobile Day Trip to Borealis Basecamp with Lunch
Two activities in a day, plus lunch, at Borealis Basecamp outside Fairbanks.
Shared Day Tour to the Arctic Circle with Aurora Chasing in Alaska
What separates this Arctic Circle day trip from the others is that it keeps moving after dark.
SkyChase Northern Lights Experience from Fairbanks with Free Photography
Aurora 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…
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