1 Day Shared Tour Arctic Circle and Aurora Viewing in Alaska
Badge of Excellence
Fairbanks, USA
- 12 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Grab your camera and prepare to see some of winter’s best work as you venture into the Alaskan Arctic Circle and go aurora hunting, without needing to lift a finger. Capture snow-capped forests, ice fields, and gushing rivers–and, of course, that obligatory photo at the Arctic Circle sign. As the sun and moon swap shifts, get ready for a spectacular display of aurora dancing in the night sky.
- Relax and enjoy the views while somebody else takes care of the driving
- Enjoy in-depth explanations about the region, its geology and wildlife
- Follow the aurora around to get the best views/photo opportunities
- A small-group tour means an intimate and personalized experience
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- aurora pictures
- Dinner
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.
Itinerary
1
Elliott Highway
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Yukon River Bridge
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
BLM Arctic Circle Monument Sign
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
James Dalton Highway
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- The remaining hour will be dedicated to the duration of the journey and any scheduled layovers.
- For last minute bookings or bookings that are booked the same day as the travel date of the booking. Please don't hesitate to reach us via phone number so that we will be able to check your booking and accommodate you.
- During May, June, and July, the Northern Lights cannot be seen because of sunlight and weather conditions.
- If you select the "Aurora Viewing + Photograph" option, this provides a 4-hour experience only and does not include the Arctic Circle. Available: Tue, Thu, Sat for 10:00 PM.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 74 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Excellent trip to the Arctic Circle from Fairbanks. We were in good hands with our guide Sultan. With scheduled breaks for photos and the meal at Yukon River Camp, it was a long day. We felt it was well worth it.
Our guide, Sultan, was awesome. Very informative, connected heavily to his profession. Very conscientious of passenger needs and activities to heighten our experience.
It's a long day, but the scenery, our friendly driver, Sultan, and the experience, makes it totally worth it.
Sultan is a very experienced and enthusiastic driver who shared rich insights about Alaskan Native culture and the Arctic Circle. The Dalton Highway in autumn is truly breathtaking.
The main reason for deducting a star is the management of expectations regarding the northern lights. Our guide built up high expectations early in the tour about how great the aurora activity would be that night—which turned out to be the clearest night of our entire stay in Fairbanks. However, as the itinerary wasn't dynamic or dedicated to aurora hunting, we simply made a few quick roadside stops to check, rather than using real-time cloud coverage maps or aurora indices to track it. We didn't see anything on the drive back, and it was quite heartbreaking to learn from other tour operators the next day that the aurora display that night had been extraordinary.
I understand aurora sightings can never be guaranteed, but a more realistic setting of expectations or a slightly more flexible tracking approach would have made a big difference.
Long day but excellent trip. Sultan was absolutely great. The road is not easy to travel but worth it as the things you see are unique
Sultan, Sultan, Sultan. Thats all you need to know. Book with him. Don’t bother with anyone else. The guy is a **genius**. He is a great explainer of all things Alaska, and he is a great communicator. We left at 1:30 pm from Fairbanks and we reached the Arctic circle at 6:45 pm after a 45 min lunch break at the Yukon River camp. He stopped at several interesting locations along the way both to and from the Arctic circle. He went out of his way to show us the Northern lights at midnight. It was a cloudy night alas and inspite of his best efforts (we tried 2 different locations) we could not see the Aurora. But, the Arctic trip and his genius level explanation of things stole the show. Booking w Sultan is a no-brainer. Just book off and count down to your experience!!
Great experience to the arctic circle. Our driver was very informative and knowledgeable. Excellent experience. Just wish the weather would have cooperated so we could see the Northern Lights
Roads are bad but drivers are very careful. The cafe we stop for dinner is awesome. Please remember to carry some bird food,,,they eat out of your hands at the last point.
During the summer, parts of the road are very rough. There’s also construction which caused some delays. It’s a very very long day. Is a lifetime experience and it was great.
Our guide was excellent and he shared great stories along the way! He was timely for pick up and he was very informative and knowledgeable about the different point of interest stops in addition to answering all our other questions. Sad to say there was cloud cover so we were unable to see any Northern Lights but he did his best and stopped at 3 different locations to see if they were there but just not visible to the human eye! We loved this experience!
My boyfriend and I traveled all the way from Mexico to Fairbanks this past February 2026, hoping to see the Northern Lights on my birthday, and it was such a special experience! Sultan was an amazing guide. He explained everything very clearly and made the whole tour really interesting. Even learning about the history of the pipeline was fascinating! We had such a great time and I would definitely book this tour again. Highly recommended!
Experiencing the Haul Road and visiting the Arctic Circle are undeniable thrills. Be advised that the trip merely consisted of visiting signs. Unfortunately, we saw no wildlife on this trip.
Not sure what was going on with our guide. We were quite aware of the expected road conditions for the excursion; however our driver was oblivious that passengers (especially us in the back) were frequently bounced out of our seats-almost to the top of the van on a half dozen bumps. We also had great difficulty hearing and understanding our driver with the little bit ofs of info he shared. Also, we did not receive our dinners at the truck stop and no explanation was givens by our driver. Thirteen hours without food made for an unpleasant day.
If you wanna see Pristine and unspoiled nature and wonders , this tour is for you!
Long ride, and rough terrain, at times for those with mobility issues.
For adventures seekers, like me, outstanding!
Follow the aurora apps to find the best time to view the lights before booking the excursion. It’s a long excursion and the constant stopping to look for the lights was problematic
Absolute once in a life time experience. As mesmerizing the Aurora and Arctic circle were, I wanted to give a shout out to our guide and tour operators Sultan. He was very resourceful and courteous and professional to the core and shared a passion for the main elements of the tour. Let me highlight what I liked about him
1. Was able to quickly accommodate changes when a couple of family members arrived late due to missed flight connections
2 . Gave very good directions up front via text message on what to bring and what to expect
3. Was very patient, without hurrying. made extra stops to enjoy the Aurora and almost allowed 1-2 hours extra because the Aurora watching was too good
4. Was also an excellent photographer and provided memorable pictures and also dashcam videos of the scenic drive
5. Was professional to the core and passionate about Aurora, the Arctic circle and Alaska and help the guests truly get more than their money’s worth
6. Skillful and safe driver, you want on your side when driving on the icy Arctic circle roads
Sultan was absolutely amazing. In just one day, we made it to the Arctic Circle and were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights. Everything was arranged so well, and the whole experience felt smooth and stress-free. Sultan was incredibly dedicated throughout the trip, and he also took so many professional aurora photos and videos for us, which made the experience even more special. Everything was perfect, and I highly recommend this tour.
Experienced enthusiastic guide. The ride across the frozen landscape to the arctic sign was well worth the lightshow we saw on the way back. It was a challenging trip through a frontier style land!
What a tour! It was a great experience. Long but worth it. Was able to se the northern lights leaving the Artic Circle. The driver/guide was wonderful. Very knowledgeable about Fairbanks. Felt safe in his van.
Our trip was excellent, and Sultan was a fantastic guide who was incredibly fun to talk to. The drive itself was breathtaking and the landscape was so unique it felt like being on another planet. We successfully chased the Northern Lights and got a spectacular view of them. Sultan even went the extra mile by taking some cool photos for us to remember the night. I highly recommend this experience.
It was a wonderful experience! Sultan is very enthusiastic about Alaska. He wants to share that enthusiasm. He was determined for us to see the northern lights and we did. He also took pictures and shared them with us when we got back to Fairbanks. He is the best! It is a long trip, so be prepared.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Good weather, good aurora forecast, always good luck for seeing Aurora activities! Come again for much stronger solar storms!
People should know that the seats are so so small and my family had to sit on both side of the wheels hub where we don’t have space for our feet, i had to bend my legs for the entire ride and I am only 5ft tall a very small woman. The van was so so full of people where we don’t even have an inch to move.
And the service was very bad nothing was introduced on the tour where he only drive and yelled at us for the not closing the door🙄 anyhow I do not recommend this company.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Well, Dear Anh Hang, you was just coming in busy season, just like airline service, busy season always full, same as Aurora chasing Arctic circle tour, the van is new 2025 ford transit 15 passenger dually, seats designed from manufacturer but from me, I can’t control that option, if you feel like changing seating, I always ask other customers to rotate, , we stop for Aurora viewing, I always ask to close door properly, first keep the heat inside van, second inside van’s light off, so don’t interfere our aurora viewing activities, no lights pollution! Your four people sitting the last 4 seats, I always ask last person get off the van, close door, there is nothing wrong with it, we live in Alaska, you get out of house or car , always close doors properly in order to prevent heat loss, you are from California, you don’t experience extreme cold weather like us, asking you to close van’s door properly, nothing wrong with it, get it offended, next time, you should charter the van, so more people except your group, you can sit wherever you want, that will solve your problem, most importantly, you saw good aurora shows in that night, that’s most important part of Aurora chasing activities!
We had a great experience on our trip to Arctic Circle and Aurora chasing with Sultan. He is a phenomenal guide, an expert driver. He knows his job. He took great care of us, knew the exact places from where the strong Aurora view is possible. Took pics of us with aurora. He is a gem of a guide with reasonable price. We will look forward to have a trip with him to the Arctic Ocean in the summer sometime. He is brilliant.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Always my triple G rule: good weather, good aurora forecast, always have good luck for Aurora shows !
Our tour to the Arctic Circle was fun. At first, I was worried that we might not see the Aurora because it was overcast/cloudy. But as we get closer the arctic circle, it started to clear up. We made several stops for picture taking and restroom breaks. Our tour guide was very nice and accommodating. He ready made sure that we get enough aurora sighting. Will highly recommend.
It wasn't what I expected. We sat in the tour van for four hours. I think I should have done more research before I booked the tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Yes, Aurora viewing tour about 4-5 hours, go to Murphy dome area waiting for Aurora show up, that night was not your night, Aurora forecast is very low, kp 0.5, moon light shining, I tried my best to catch Aurora activities for you, after 2:20 am, I went to two different places to see if Aurora activities, unfortunately, Mother Nature is favorable fo us in that night, that is why I am telling people, stay in Fairbanks longer, your chances to see Aurora will increase dramatically, next day, I had Arctic circle & Aurora one day tour , we saw spectacular Aurora shows, go to my website www.5iAurora.com, see for yourself, how people are happy, writing good reviews, lucky customers always write good reviews, unlucky one, write not good reviews, just like I am in control of Aurora activities, you don’t see good aurora shows, I am at fault, well, this is natural phenomenon, it all depends on sun activities, we just see what we can get in that night! Have good luck, next time, cheers up!
Originally booked shorter tour but were able to work with Sultan to move to longer Arctic Circle tour on day with stronger aurora forecast. Tour itself was wonderful. Sultans’s enthusiasm is infectious and he goes the extra mile to provide an experience that exceeds expectations. Would definitely book again and recommend to others heading that way.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Just like I said before, good weather, good aurora forecast, your luck is always good, this is triple G rule for seeing good aurora activities, next time, if you come to Alaska again. Planning ahead of time, at least one month earlier, I can check the weather forecast, Aurora forecast, tell you what days are good for Aurora viewing activities! Thanks for joining my tour!
The tour got off to a bad start. We were picked up in a van that was in very poor condition and taken on an unexpected detour to the guide’s house to pick up a tripod we never used. Waiting there in the dark felt suspicious and unsafe. Seeing that the guide had another van in much better condition made it frustrating that we were taken in the run-down one.
The driving was fast and bumpy, and my partner was being knocked around in the backseat. At one point, the driver pulled over and got out without explanation, which startled everyone; turns out we were already at our destination. We were confused because we were only about 25 minutes away from the city and could still see all the light pollution.
We understand the northern lights aren’t guaranteed—that wasn’t the issue. The problem was the lack of effort to get away from light pollution despite a strong forecast. Instead of chasing the lights, we sat in the van for hours while watching videos of what the aurora *could have been* like on the guide’s more expensive tour, which felt like an upsell. If it weren’t for the two other people on the tour, I would have asked to end the night early—I don’t doubt they were also ready for it to be over.
Aside from the van being warm and the guide’s enthusiasm, this wasn’t worth the time or money. We’re still trying to get a refund and wouldn’t recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Dear Gian De Leon :First of all, you booked Aurora viewing tour , not Arctic circle & Aurora one day tour chasing Aurora activities, in December 9, 2025, Aurora forecast appears not very strong, weather was cold, still have strong moonlight, there were aurora activities, i took aurora pictures, , as for naked eyes, it appeared not very strong, those are mother nature, I have no control of it, just bad luck for you, as for van, it is fairly new van, 2022 GMC Savana van 15 passengers van , in December 9, 2025, I picked you earlier than 10:00 pm, in order for you see more Aurora activities, we went to out of town towards Murphy Dome area, that is one of best places around Fairbanks to see Aurora activities, but December 9’ s night is not your night, Aurora activities in December 10 turned out to be stronger & Better, but you staying In Fairbanks is only one night, that is your choice. For better aurora viewing in Fairbanks, you got to stay 4 nights 5 days, so you have better day to choose to see aurora activities, December 9, moon light pollution so strong, it doesn’t matter which part of Fairbanks you go, you gonna see same aurora activities, good weather, weak aurora activities, your luck is not Always good, I have not control of it, you see what Mother Nature offer you in that night, I just tried my best, to pick you up earlier around 9:00 pm , going out of town to see aurora, as for bumpy roads in Alaska, we have a lot of dips around road systems due to permanent frozen tundra underground, not just like California. we used to the bumpy roads, have to put up with it, as for darkness, you want to see aurora activities, go out of town, go dark places without street light or other lights pollution, in December 9’ night, only light pollution we got was big shining moonlight pollution, in wildness of Alaska in winter, no bear, no big foot, why are you afraid for, next time, you should spend more time in Fairbanks, Alaska, not just one night, try to see spectacular aurora shows, inside van, I tried to explain stay longer , better chances to see aurora! Always good weather, good aurora forecast, good luck, in December 9, for you, it didn’t happen, just bad luck, wish your next aurora experience much better!
Our guide was very friendly, he helped us took a lot of pretty photos, but this tour is not a tour to the artic circle, it's only around 40 mins away from Fairbanks.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Yes, there are two tours available, the tour you selected & paid is Aurora viewing tour $150/ per person, Arctc circle & Aurora one day tour is $289/per person, I talked to you earlier, explained this is Aurora viewing tour from 10:00 pm -2:00 am.
The guide was pretty inflexible. Drove to one location and sat there for 5 hours. We finally did see a pretty dismal showing of the northern lights, then took us back to the hotel. It was a crowded van and most felt like we were being held hostage. Guide kept telling us to be flexible, although he wasn’t. While he did eventually show us some lights, we didn’t like the constant upselling to his more expensive arctic circle trip. We do NOT recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
I did pick you up earlier, usually aurora viewing tour from 10:00 pm -2:00 am, you paid what you got, I used my 14 passenger GMC van for eight people in that day, that was not full capacity, you came in during thanksgiving season, don’t expect just only your group only, you got to share with other customers as well, if you want to only your group, you got chartered the van, pay more, as for Aurora activities in that day, weather kind of cloudy, we tried our best to see aurora, you got what Mother Nature offered you in tha night, I have not control of any weather & Aurora activities, Aurora viewing tour only, you go to best places to wait & see aurora, Arctic circle & Aurora one day tour, you go to Arctic circle sign, from there start to chase Aurora activities, some people like this aurora chasing activities, some don’t, I have to explain those two tours difference, but in that night , not good weather, not strong aurora activities, your luck was not good, so you wrote me this review!!
This was an awesome tour. A once in a lifetime experience. We saw the Northern Lights, went to the Arctic Circle, witnessed the “magical forest,” and were entertained by owner/operator Sultan. He was very knowledgeable and excited about every part of the adventure. I will say the Dalton Highway is not for the faint of heart, but well worth the journey. When it says “chase the Northern Lights,” that’s exactly what we did on the trip back from the Arctic Circle. We stopped at several spots to see the lights. Sultan took pics of everyone and reveled in the experience with all the participants. We wouldn’t change a thing about the tour and would highly recommend it. We went on a couple other excursions while in Fairbanks and this one was by far the best, and was the most reasonably priced one considering all the adventures we experienced. Thank you, Sultan!!
Sultan was amazing! Very safe driver, took great care of us! Explained when all the stops would be. After the Arctic Circle, he found the Northern Lights twice and gave us plenty of time to photograph them. He even took pictures with his own camera on a tripod and shared them with us! I would definitely take another tour with him when I come back to Fairbanks!!!
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per personWas $329.00(-5%)
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1 Day Shared Tour Arctic Circle and Aurora Viewing in Alaska
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