Fairbanks Nature & Wildlife

We had a great experience with Yas. He was punctual. He shared great stories about the aurora. He was very knowledgeable about the subject. And based on the dynamic data he was using, he can predict when the aurora would be prominent in the sky.It was rainy and cloudy on the day of activity. We drove 2.5 hours for sky clearance. We really didn’t see much , meaning without the iPhone camera, you couldn’t see the aurora.He offered to take us out again the next night. We accepted and had great views of the aurora.

I’m giving a 5 star rating without actually having taken the tour. Why? Because yesterday, the day of this nighttime tour, I was texted by the owner who told me it was cloudy with little likelihood of seeing the Aurora Borealis. Needless to say we were very disappointed and texted back and forth to see how late the situation might change. In the end, we cancelled and were immediately refunded our money. The tour operator lost income for the night by being honest and forthcoming. I hope those qualities will serve him well - we certainly need more people like Adam and his crew. If we come back this way, Adam’s company will be the first I contact.

Tour was scheduled for a Monday, but the operator contacted us and asked if we could reschedule to the next evening as the weather was going to be poor. We were able to do that, so the operator scheduled us for 10pm the next evening. As it turned out, the weather was too good. Since it doesn’t get dark in Alaska in early August until around midnight, the start of the tour was pushed back to 11pm. Our guide, June, picked us up at about 11 and we set off for the adventure. June drove us out of town towards a state park for about 30 minutes and found a deserted road to park on. Unfortunately, it was still too bright and the ‘lights’ weren’t expected to be terribly bright that night. June moved the van to another spot, facing north and we settled in to wait. She said patience was the most important tool we could have. Eventually, she noticed a very slight discoloration of the northern sky. We all bailed out of the van into the chilly night air. Sure enough, there were slight smudges of greenish light. We took some pictures and then things settled down. We got back in the van to warm up. We thought maybe that was it. Then, about 15 minutes later, brighter smudges appeared in the east. And then the show really began. Beautiful tendrils of ghostly green light burst into view. There were shooting stars to add to the excitement. There were also smudges of red and purple lights for variety. We watched for about an hour, taking many pictures. Finally, the lights seemed to fade a bit and we were freezing, so we called it about 2:30am. June would’ve stayed until dawn. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the lights and did a great job. Highly recommended.

Our guide Anthony promptly picked us up from the hotel, very safe driver in the winter advisory snow storm, very kind, knowledgeable, accommodating! I will be back to do the Aurora Tour again in late August! Loved the experience and highly recommended tour - 5 stars experience!

This tour was beyond fantastic! Our guide drove us to the most ideal spot to view the lights, and he took the best photos anyone could ask for. It takes skill to capture the lights, and he did it perfectly! I went with my husband, twin sister, and my 6 year old son. I highly recommend this trip for anyone who is looking for adventure. The cost of the tour is also a steal for exclusive access to one of the world’s best views.

This ice fishing tour was a unique and enjoyable experience, even though I didn’t catch any fish—apparently, I’m the only one so far this season who hasn’t 🙃 Jake, my guide, was fantastic. He picked me up promptly, shared interesting insights about life in Fairbanks, and made the experience as engaging as possible.I do wish I could have been there from the start to watch the process of drilling the fishing holes—it would have been fascinating to see the setup. Jake mentioned that November and April (or possibly March) are the best months for fishing when the fish are more abundant. If I ever return to Fairbanks during those times, I’ll definitely give it another try.Overall, this tour is a great choice for anyone looking to try something new and get a glimpse of life in Alaska during winter!

Our trip guide was Antonio and he arrived on time for picking us up at the hotel. It took us around 1 hour 10 mins to reach the hot springs, first we went to the ice museum which is a 45 minute tour where we had apple martini in an ice glass and there we followed the tradition of breaking the glass outside the museum for good fortune/to make your wishes come true. Then we went to the hot springs which I was apprehensive at first since I am not a big fan of using hot water for my regular baths but the minute I entered the spring, I realized I was in for a great experience. Loved the whole experience and before we knew it was 4 hours since we arrived at Chena hot springs. We found our way back to Antonio who was waiting for us in the parking lot. The return journey was great too, we spoke a lot about the wildlife in Alaska, other tours he provides to tourists all year round and he even suggested places for aurora viewing. I would recommend the tour for any first time Alaska visitors!

My friend and I had a great time with this round trip tour. We were promptly picked up at our hotel at 9:30a and given 4 hours to enjoy the Chena Hot Springs. We went to the Ice Museum first, which was so incredible to see. Our guide, Sam, was very fun and informative. We then enjoyed the hot springs themselves for about 1.5 hours before finishing our time there with a quick lunch at the restaurant. The ride back was easy and it was really nice to get to take a nap on the way home and not have to worry about driving.Things I would recommend: bring your own towel if you can so you don't have to rent one for $5, bring water shoes for the changing rooms, and definitely do the Ice Museum prior to the hot springs so you don't actually freeze in there. Great time!

Driver/Guide was excellent, friendly and knowledgeable. He presented all the information requested in a timely manner and was very flexible to accommodate our needs.

Everything was perfect! We saw the auroras took some pictures, our guide was so helpful with everything! Thank you!

Tony, our driver, was great. Very friendly, puctual and informative. His vehicle was clean and comfortable. The hot springs were wonderful and worth the trip. I would skip the ice museum. It is old and run down and not that spectacular. The "tour" was just staff telling you what you were seeing. We didn't need to pay $20 per person for that. Tip: go earlier to the Hot Springs, it gets busy and is hard to change in the locker room. Tip 2: Wear an extra pair of socks or bring your own flip flops. They make you take your boots off in the lobby so you'll need these to navigate the wet floor. Without going to the Ice Museum, the trip does not need to be that long unless you are going to the restaurant so you will need extra time for that.

Great guide, was constantly on the look out for a sign of the aurora. Found better sites to allow us great views of the northern lights.

Good shuttle service to and from Chena Hot Springs. Chofer arrived on time at our hotel and was very courteous. He also arrived on time to pick us up (we had 4 hours to visit and do whatever we chose). Entry to Chena was included in the cost, but not the Ice Museum ticket.

Nice day trip. The springs were enjoyable. My brother enjoyed the bear at the Cafe . The gentleman that drove us went out of his way so we could photograph a moose 🫎

Our driver picked us up on time and we had an amazing ride with him. Also, we enjoyed the Chena Hot Springs. It was an unique and relaxing experience.

Never been to Alaska and this place was Very fun lots to do and explore restaurant was very delicious and service was great nice waitress Now I feel like I been to Alaska