Alaska Northern Lights Adventure

Welcome to Alaska! On arrival in Fairbanks, take the complimentary hotel shuttle to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to explore this frontier city at your own pace. If there's any winter gear you still need to purchase then head out to the local shops, or do some sightseeing in this remote settlement. At 16:00, meet our tour guide in the lobby of the hotel, who will be on hand to brief you about the tour and answer any questions you may have. The hotel has an Aurora Wake Up Call, which means that should the Northern Lights become visible during the night, the hotel reception will call your room to ensure you don't miss them.

Please note: This tour involves extensive hiking on uneven terrain, covering an average of 5 to 8 kilometres at a time, but sometimes more. Elevation changes range from 50 to 1,000 feet, and both touring and overnight locations are situated at altitudes between 5,000 and 8,000 feet above sea level. Due to the physical demands of this itinerary, participants should be prepared for significant activity.

Begin today with some group sightseeing in Fairbanks. We visit the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitor Center and the Museum of the North, where we can learn about Alaskan native cultures, the state's unique biodiversity and the stories of Arctic dinosaurs.

After a break for lunch, we head out of the city to a snowy forest where we enjoy an included guided snowmobile excursion. All gear and training is provided, so no prior riding experience is necessary.

We have an included group dinner tonight before heading north to an Aurora Viewing Lodge far from the city lights. Relax in the warm with a hot drink as we wait for the Northern Lights to appear and enjoy an aurora photo class to learn how to take the best photos. When the lights appear, we head outside to take in the sights and snap photos. Northern Lights viewing will continue into the early hours, and we return to Fairbanks at around 2:30 in the morning.

Fairbanks - Chena Hot Springs. Enjoy a lie in this morning after our late night, we'll ensure breakfast is put on late for you. Mid-morning, we depart Fairbanks and head for a dog sledding adventure. Meet some Alaskan huskies and their handlers and enjoy a thrilling sled ride around the boreal forest. Back at the kennels, learn more about this hardy breed and life in the wilderness of Alaska.

Continuing to Chena, we have some free time for you to unwind in the area's natural hot springs and explore the resort. There's an included dinner before we head out for another Northern Lights excursion. Taking a military-style snowcat to the top of Charlie Dome, we can enjoy a 360° unobstructed view, heated yurts to warm ourselves in, outhouses, and complimentary hot beverages and snacks as we wait for the Aurora Borealis to appear.

Created from over 1,000 tonnes of ice and snow, the Aurora Ice Museum is the world's largest year-round ice environment, and was made using ice only from this area. Kept at a cool -7 degrees Centigrade by a patented absorption chiller, the museum is home to all manner of ice sculptures, an ice bar and even a number of hotel rooms! We have an included visit to the museum this morning.

The rest of the day is at leisure in the Chena Hot Springs resort. You can take a winter hike through the forest, enjoy cross-country skiing, book a massage or simply unwind in the therapeutic hot springs - the choice is yours!

Chena Hot Springs - North Pole - Fairbanks. Our final full day begins with a traditional ice fishing experience. From the toasty warmth of an icehouse, a seasoned local guide will help you land a fish, and will even cook it for you so you can taste the freshest Alaskan seafood!

After fishing, we head to the small Alaskan city of North Pole, known for its year-round Christmas decorations, candy-cane street lights included. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and can even meet Santa Claus, whilst there is also free time to shop for any souvenirs for folk back home. We then make our way back to Fairbanks.

Enjoy a group farewell dinner and a final Aurora excursion to hopefully see the Northern Lights one last time.

Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel before taking the complimentary hotel shuttle to the airport for your onward flight.