Arctic Circle Aurora Driving Adventure

Posted By : Arun_K
Best Tour, especially guide is super knowledgeable and they keep talking to u through out the trip. Excellent experience. Susen was really helpful.
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Posted On : 2024-04-06 19:15:26

Posted By : meredithr415
The trip is essentially a bus ride with a few stops out to the arctic circle sign, a short stop for photos, driving back with a stop to hopefully see the aurora. It's a long day and without an engaging guide it probably would have been an even longer day.

Had a really great day out with Vanessa who was a wealth of knowledge about the area, the history , the wildlife and the pipeline and to be honest, the stories and info bombs made the trip far more interesting than it would otherwise have been even if it was her first tour (just kidding).

The roads were pretty bumpy but not as icy/snowy as I really expected but felt pretty safe the whole way. It's not something that I would like to self-drive.

The aurora stop was mostly waiting in a warm room but we were really lucky to see the lights put on a good show.

The main downside is that the Yukon River Camp kitchen was closed so we made a stop at a supermarket on the way out of Fairbanks to stock up. Would have been good to know a day or so before so we could be more prepared but we managed and made do.
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Posted On : 2024-04-03 16:09:06

Posted By : OurScreenName
The bus tour to the Arctic Circle was a beautiful drive with spectacular scenery all around. Our guide John was incredibly knowledgeable, informative, personable, and accommodating. He made the trip, and I think we were very lucky because this is not his regular tour.
Unfortunately the Yukon River Camp kitchen was closed for the season, so we had to bring our own food. We were not informed of this until after we had paid, despite hot meals being promoted as available. On top of that, upon arrival there we were informed their restrooms were out of order due to frozen pipes. So for the whole 18-hour tour the only facilities were unheated outhouse pit toilets. Beware ladies! The bus had a bathroom, but they said it was for emergencies only.
Our last stop was at the Arctic Circle Trading Post for Aurora viewing, but it was a cloudy night. So we just sat indoors for 90 minutes, where hot drinks were offered. I thought our second "guide" was going to at least talk about the Aurora and how/when/where it is best viewed. But he didn't even address the group except for logistical announcements.
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Posted On : 2024-03-16 19:48:36

Posted By : William_B
This experience was definitely made by our Guide Avery, (sp?) who was very knowledgeable and experienced driving this road. Something I wouldn't have done by myself as the weather changed about six different times on the trip, knowledge of the road, the unwritten rules and stops along the way. With that said, I don't know if the Extra for the Aurora was worth it due to the Tree line.
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Posted On : 2024-03-08 13:46:07

Posted By : meganrW3464UC
We loved our guide, Ryan, he was excellent at both the driving and the guiding. Being and Alaska native, Ryan had tons of interesting info and anecdotes and kept everyone entertained and engaged for this very long tour.

The bus they used was the nicest of all the tours we did in Alaska. I believe they have these custom made for the tour company, as they were the only bus that stayed warm despite -40 temps. The windows also stayed frost-free so we could see all the sights and take photos as we drove along.

The tour stops were all fantastic, and it was awesome to get our artic circle certificates! They even had a little red carpet so you could take pics "crossing the arctic circle". Ryan was always available to take photos so we didn't have to impose on other travelers!

The only thing we didn't love was that they didn't tell us there would be no food available at our lunch/dinner stop until we were literally on the bus. Then they stopped at the grocery store and gave everyone 20 minutes to grab enough food and drinks for the next 18 hours. It would have been better to know this in advance (and the tour company definitely knew days prior) so that we could prep something ourselves if we wanted something other than premade, and/or bring a cooler or some means of refrigeration for storing the food on the bus.
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Posted On : 2024-02-08 14:25:52

Posted By : K5095YWtamarad
I booked an impromptu trip to the Arctic Circle as well as the Aurora adventure and the experience absolutely met/exceeded my expectations, from the initial call to booking, arrival and the comfort of the tour van. They plan for everything. Food, amenities, culture and history. The entire team is professional and friendly! A very special thank you to our guide, JJ, for narrating this journey. Her archaeological, geological and historical knowledge as well as anecdotal humor kept the experience lively and entertaining. A handful of us stayed at the final stop hoping to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis. While it is never a guarantee, Nature did not disappoint. We had a brief but spectacular view overhead. If you want to immerse yourself in a one of a kind tour experience, Northern Alaska Tour Company is the guide to choose.
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Posted On : 2023-10-05 02:05:55

Posted By : T5146NLmaryh
This was a full day of adventure! J.J. and the Arctic team went above and beyond to provide a meaningful adventure for all of us.
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Posted On : 2023-09-18 14:06:32

Posted By : 827abhisekd
We took the "Arctic circle drive and aurora viewing" tour package on the 14th April, 23. It was an wonderful and adventurous experience braving the cold winds of the highlands, particularly Finger mountain and Beaver Slide. Jeremy, our guide for the road trip was well versed with the geographical, historical and weather details. He explained the various features of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline and the Dalton highway, the life line of interior Alaska.

For aurora viewing, Caroline, our guide was an excellent host and had prepared the Arctic circle trading post for a comfortable aurora viewing experience. She periodically gave us heads up for upcoming aurora bursts and helped us in customizing our camera settings for the perfect capture.

Thank you Jeremy, Caroline and Northern Alaska tour company for making our stay at Fairbanks truly momentous. Looking forward to a second visit!

- Sonia & Abhisek
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Posted On : 2023-04-19 15:22:07

Posted By : kevindQ5344IP
Incredible experience, Rob Taylor is the best in the business. Very insightful and passionate about Alaska and the wildlife in the area
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Posted On : 2023-04-05 18:24:59

Posted By : 70buckley
Wonderful adventure!!!!! Rob was our driver and I loved the stories he told us. He has a great connection and love for Alaska and that made our trip more special. He also made a connection with everyone on the bus. I’m not a great passenger and his driving was great. He obviously knew the road very well. Coming back from the Arctic Circle he was looking for the northern lights and pulled over when he saw them
so everyone could get pictures.
At the trading post my son and I stayed where we were greeted by Caroline. Another outstanding hire! She helped us take pictures of the lights and stood outside while we were inside the warm cabin. This was a last minute booking on my part due to a cancellation from another company and I’m so happy that happened. I will be back to do more adventures with this company.
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Posted On : 2023-03-14 12:59:14