Northern Alaska Tour Company - Fairbanks, Alaska

Vishal V.

Recently took part in their Arctic Circle Tour with the Aurora viewing. It was a great experience and a
very comfortable trip. We had Jamie as our guide and he was an excellent driver and a treasure trove of information and facts about a lot of things, including Alaskan history, the trans Alaskan pipeline, the Arctic flora and fauna and the northern lights. It was a great trip to the Arctic circle and back. It was unfortunate that we weren’t able to see any aurora that night because of cloudy conditions. But would highly recommend their tour.

Manoj S.

We recently took part in the Arctic Circle Aurora Drive adventure with Northern Alaskan Tour Company, and it was an unforgettable experience. Our guide and driver, Tim, made the journey truly exceptional. His extensive knowledge spanned everything from Alaskan history and the oil pipeline to the region’s unique flora and fauna, making each moment enriching.

The arrangements were seamless, with thorough instructions provided beforehand so we knew exactly what to expect. The highlight was undoubtedly the stunning aurora viewing at the Trading Post Lodge.

Highly recommended for anyone looking to witness the magic of the Arctic!

Tim M.

My mom and I did two tours with this company - the artic circle and aurora tour and the Mt. Denali Tour. We were with Shawn for the artic tour, Sarah for the Aurora portion, and John for the Denali tour. Each guide was friendlily and knowledgeable. The artic tour was a larger group (15+ people) whereas the Denali tour was five guests total. The artic tour was amazing, there is so much history on the Dalton highway - the pipeline, Yukon river, and outposts along the way - hearing the truck drivers over the CB radio is very amusing, and the meals at the Yukon River Camp were delicious. The Mt. Denali tour was fantastic - we went in Mid-December so much was covered in snow, but going south from Fairbanks there is a noticeable change of topography and weather. John was full of information about the State (trees, permafrost - a fascinating concept in and of itself, the railroad, the small town of Nenana we stopped in, Alaska electricity, and of course Denali and the surrounding mountains). He also has several Fairbanks restaurant recommendations. This was a great company to tour with and highly recommend.

Stacey K.

Denali summit flight. Amazing views and Riley was very knowledgeable about the what we were seeing. He also made sure that each passenger was comfortable and well prepared. Erica was great at briefing us and assisting with getting us ready for flight.

Mariya P.

We did the Arctic Circle winter drive. Communication was clear from the outset before booking. The tour itself was very interesting! It was pretty pricey and a LOT of driving (9am to 3am) but I learned a lot and went to a place I would've been a bit scared to go to alone seeing as the Dalton Highway can be pretty rough and remote, with mostly truckers driving out there. Plus you're not allowed to go there in a rental car. This way we were safe in a group, in a warm bus, got information via our friendly and knowledgeable tour guide, Calum, and the documentaries he showed on the bus. We did seem to be running a bit behind as we didnt stop at the pipeline but we saw it from the windows. And Caelum was nice enough to stop at Wickersham Dome for a few minutes to see if we could see the northern lights (even though that wasn't our booked tour). It was too cloudy but it's the thought that counts! Thank you Caelum!

Rmireles A.

We bought the 2-day Artic Circle Aurora Overnight tour from Fairbanks which included the drive on a comfortable coach up to Coldfoot, way above the artic circle, and a two night stay in a rustic trailer before flying back to Fairbanks on an 8-seater plane.

In hindsight, we would have stayed 3 nights to be better rested. We went to see the Northern lights on the 1st night after our 10-hour drive; we went to sleep around 4am and had to be ready by 10 am for the all-day safari tour. We were exhausted by the second night.

Staff

Excellent customer service from the front desk at Fairbanks, drivers, tour guides pilot, and restaurant and airport staff. Big kudos to everyone.

Food
The food offered halfway up at Yukon River camp was pricey, adequate, but not enjoyable.

Food at Coldfoot camp was limited but a much better experience with bigger portions for the price. They cater to truckers, so good food and service.

Transportation
The coach did not have enough space to place luggage, limited overhead space, no space under seats to place personal items, and a toilet that we could not use.

We were forced to rotate seats causing delays and hassle for everyone as we had to move our stuff (jackets, food, ppwer packs, camera gear, etc) from one seat to another every time we stopped. When we arrived at Coldfoot, we ended up seating towards the front, and our overhead luggage was in the back. A better option would be to either assign seats or let people sit where they want.

The restrictions in luggage are not only on weight ( 20lbs) but volume as it is hard to place bulky items in the wings of the plane or on the bus.

Accommodation:
Rooms are super basic (converted trailers) with 2 single beds, a small bathroom with a shower. Well insulated and clean.

Toiletries are limited or not available. I'm glad I brought our shampoo and conditioner bars.

Rooms do not have climate controls. The temperature in the room on our first night was way too high, and we had to open the window. The second night was cold but manageable.

Activities
You have to be prepared to pay for additional tours to keep yourself busy in the winter months; otherwise, there is not much to do there, but just wait for the Northern lights to show up.

We paid for the tour to Wiseman to view the Northern lights. We had a comfortable warm cabin to thaw out after staying outdoors for a few min. The temps reached -25°F (-32°C). However, we heard that the other group were not as fortunate as us because their cabin was cold as an ice block with no heat. 😑 Jack, the local host, was very friendly, had tripods for anyone that needed them, and helped with your phone settings so you could capture the Aurora Borealis.

We also paid for the Artic Mountain Safari tour to drive like 80mi north from Coldfoot to look for wildlife, which we did see and view the mesmerizing Alaska tundra. Worth the $$.

Recommendations:
Bring your insulated water bottle. Free hot and cold water is available at the camp, and food stops; otherwise, you will be forced to pay for overpriced bottled water.

Bring thicker gloves and boots rated -40°F/C. Your hands and feet will freeze quickly in cold winter temps.

Wear a balaclava to protect the head, ears, and face. Our beanies were not enough.

We brought our ski goggles, and they were a blessing to protect our eyes from the cold.

Foram P.

Amazing and Dreamy Trip! One of the best experiences we had in Alaska.. The tour guid was extremely knowledgeable and friendly.. He shared so much information about almost everything related to Fairbanks. Got to see a great aurora! Enjoyed a lot.

Charles T.

The drive northbound fly southbound tour was absolutely amazing ! All of our guides were very knowledgeable about all things on their portion of the journey. The meals at the camps were very good with huge portions that will warm you from the cold. We got to see a beautiful aurora display from Wiseman and the flight back to Fairbanks was very scenic [except for a little fog] Thank you Northern Alaska Tour Company for providing such a wonderful experience !! We will definitely be back to do it again. Would give more than 5 stars if I could