Northern Alaska Tour Company

My friend and I took a tour with the Northern Alaska Tour Company a week prior to our trip, and they were able to accommodate it. We stopped at the Dalton Highway, Yukon River camp for lunch and dinner, the Arctic Circle tourist stop, Alaska Pipeline photo ops, and the cabin they own to see the Aurora Borealis. We were very lucky to be able to see the Borealis clear and bright that evening, and both drivers, Sabrena and Orin, were professional, courteous, informative, and more importantly, very safe drivers. We went in mid-March, where snow and black ice were still on the road, and they were very careful and communicative to everyone. This Arctic Circle and Aurora 18 hour long trip is highly recommended to everyone who wants to see the best of Fairbanks, Alaska!

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.

I am a tour operator based out of Lake Tahoe so I very high expectations from other tour companies. Northern Alaska Tour by far exceeded my expectations. They were very professional, I spoke to two different agents and both were fantastic at answering questions and managing my expectations. I took 3 tours and in each situation, the actual tour guides were fantastic! The flight tour around Denali (not to be confused with McKinley. Lol) what's absolutely incredible! It was the highlight. If I could give them 6 stars, I would.

Flight north to Coldfoot, drive southbound with Aurora viewing. Guides were all great, very informative. The flight was incredible and the landing was so smooth! So weird to land on a runway of snow. The ride down the Dalton highway was soooo loud, tons of rattling. Much louder than I expected. Cabin for Aurora viewing was nice and warm. Great to have a place to warm up in between activity. There were a lot of stops on the way back that were unnecessary on a low activity/cloudy night. We didn't get back to our cars until 5AM. Make sure to have a pen to fill out the envelope for the parking fee, the app doesn't work and there were no pens to use.

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!

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!

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.

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.

TLDR: We took the Arctic Circle fly/drive tour and it was fabulous! A private plane flew us from Fairbanks north to Coldfoot Camp (about 60 miles into arctic circle); it took about an hour & our pilot did an amazing job. Not only was it a very smooth flight on the small 6 passenger plane, but he also pointed out some of the major sites along the way. It was so amazing to look out the windows onto massive ice-covered areas and uninhabited white wilderness! I was a little worried about how rough this flight might be, but it was one of my favorite parts of our trip & I would 100% do it again! We would have missed so much by driving both directions! After arriving at Coldfoot we had lunch & did a quick shop for a souvenir from the Arctic Circle (I mean, really, when are you ever going to get a chance to buy something in the Arctic Circle again?). We then got in an 8 passenger van & started the drive south which would take several hours. The drive south was on the Dalton Highway (famous from the show Ice Road Truckers) & it was not as precarious as I expected; it was actually a really good drive. The show obviously dramatizes it a lot, but we learned that the road is really only even close to as bad as they make it look during the heavy winter (sorry to burst bubbles). Our guide, Claire, navigated the road like a pro, was full of interesting stories/information, & was a lot of fun. The van was super comfortable and roomy. We made a few stops along the way & had some fun/exercise in the cold/snow. We were able to get up close with the oil pipeline & go sledding (be careful getting back up the hill, my sister ended up waist deep in the snow lol). We stopped at the southern border of the Arctic Circle to take pictures at the sign & met up with the larger 20 passenger van for the remainder of the trip. This van had driven up with 2 groups- one group doing the tour the opposite way of ours (drove north and flew south) & one doing the drive both directions (they missed the beautiful views of the Alaskan wilderness from the plane). From here we drove south from the Arctic Circle sign to return to Fairbanks. The tour itself was great, although the seats on the bus were VERY narrow (I had to have my shoulders bent forward or my arm up on the window the entire drive so my sister didn't hang off the edge into the aisle, & she STILL did a little bit) but the temperature inside the bus was cozy & the seat bottom/back was comfy. We stopped at the Yukon River Camp (there really are very few places to stop on the Dalton Highway- it is mostly deserted wilderness everywhere & this is literally the only road that goes all the way north to the bay). The food here was just ok, but to be expected in the middle of nowhere. We got to go over the only bridge that crosses the Yukon River & walk out onto the ice on the frozen river. From there we drove to Joy, Alaska & stopped at a little cabin for a few hours to try to wait for the Aurora Borealis. The northern lights never appeared for us (it was very cloudy), but that is not in the control of the tour so it was ok (we had seen them the night before). The cabin had a wood stove for heat so it was a little chilly inside, but not enough that we had to keep our heavy puffy coats on. The bathroom here (& at the Arctic Circle sign) was an outhouse so be prepared to be cold while you go if you have to use it. I didn't take my camera with me but should have bc the seat lid (the back, not the part you would sit on) was laden with icicles! After leaving Joy, we continued south back to Fairbanks, where we were dropped off at our respective hotels. The entire tour was from noon until about 4am the next day. The tour company printed off Arctic Explorer certificates for everyone on the tour as a memento of the experience & gave them to us when we arrived back at the hotel. This was an amazing, once in a lifetime experience & I can't say enough good things about the Northern Alaska Tour Company. We had a fabulous time & I highly recommend the fly/drive trip; it is 100% worth every penny you spend!

Wildly Unprepared and Uncaring - A Miserable Experience from Start to Finish My experience with Northern Alaskan Tour Company was one of the most uncomfortable and mismanaged travel experiences I've ever had. It began with an overheated bus that felt more like a mobile sauna. There was no way for passengers to control the temperature -- only the driver could open his window, and eventually opened the hatch as well. In doing so, we were then hit with dust blowing into the bus, making the air stuffy, dirty, and unpleasant. Things went from bad to worse when the bus broke down in the middle of the night on our way back from the Arctic Circle. We were stuck for nearly three hours in the cold, with temperatures around -3°C (27°F). There wasn't heat when we actually needed it and there were not enough blankets for each passenger. There were 6 blankets for 11 passengers. People sat uncomfortably for three hours, waiting with no clear communication. Even more troubling, the staff never mentioned having satellite phone service. There was no way to contact concerned family members without cell service. My wife was waiting at our hotel -- from 1:00 AM until our final arrival at 6:30 AM -- 5 1/2 hours late. Out of desperation, she asked the hotel to call the state troopers at 3:00 AM, but they had no information either. This is Alaska -- things can go wrong, sure. But that's exactly why preparedness matters. This company showed no real emergency protocol, no plan for communication, and no effort to ensure guests' basic comfort or peace of mind. If you're considering booking with Northern Alaskan Tour Company, I strongly advise you to look elsewhere. Cold, dusty, and left in the dark -- literally and figuratively -- is not the kind of wilderness adventure anyone signs up for.

Started this tour in the rain. We were told if we had to land plane at another stop our lunch money would be refunded. We'll we had to stop at beetles lodge. Still sitting here. There will be no ground tour from here. That was never mentioned so here we sit in a dumpy restaurant til it's time to take off again. For almost $1,200 definitely not worth it. Added note Matt the owner? Refunded a part of our money.

Dirty lobby Dirty plane Good pilot. Had some knowledge. Tipped wings for better view. But, windows are so scratched and dirty, the pictures didn't come out well. I guess any flight you walk away from is good. The young lady who picked us up at the hotel forgot she had to take us back.

They overbooked our bus and pushed three of us into seating for two people. The buses are old and have zero space for jackets etc. Management has no sense of customer service and even if their lot is empty, won't allow you to plug your car in to avoid engine freeze. Not worth the money even if we had full size seats with this kind of treatment

Booked an artic flight with my cruise company for while we were in Denali. This flight departs from Heely and takes you over the Yukon River to Wiseman and Coldfoot. The main focus is to get you past the arctic circle and to visit Jack a permanent long term resident in Wiseman who lives off the land. It is about 8.5 hours. The van driver picked us up at our hotel. The flight was great in a small Navajo plane with pilot and five people. They do not want you to have more than what you can carry. No large packs, but if you have an item because you didn't know. Then you can sometimes get them to store it in the plane or lock it in the office. The Heely Airport is just an office, old gas truck and portapotty. You can purchase some merch to document your trip. You can also order a meal to pickup in Coldfoot, that helps to support the community. Jack is the main attraction. He shares about the history of his family and shows you around areas of Wiseman. It is a very rough home and life. He will show you how he survives including hunting and gardening. Lots of skins and animal parts. His home is a tight squeeze and our group arrived with another 6 person group from another location. He will show you pictures but make sure to ask to have them pass it around. He is on a schedule so he goes quick and then leads you outside to tour. Very uneven and wet terrain with mosquitoes. TAKE A NET and BUG SPRAY or ask for the spray. There is an early flight that ends at about 5pm and ours departed shortly after and returned a little after midnight (still light in June). Unfortunately, our focus was to get a visit to the Interagency Visitor Center to say we made it to the nearby Gateway to the Arctic National park. Apparently the early flight makes a stop. The visitor center closes at 8pm, so it just closed when we arrived and it was not part of our trip. If they would have arrived half hour early that would have been AMAZING, but it wasn't to be. However, on the way back we talked our driver into making a quick stop so we could get pictures at the visitor center. My biggest recommendation is for the company to realize most people want to not only cross the artic circle but also have bucket list to get to the Gateway to the Arctic National Park, so they should move the schedules around a little to allow both groups, morning and afternoon, to get to the visitor center for at least 15-20 minutes. I liked Jack, but he was not why I took the trip, he was a great bonus. Make sure you bring tip money for the pilot, driver in Coldfoot and Jack. There is also a winter tour where Jack will help you photograph the northern lights, which Jack will correct you to call it the aurora borealis.

We took the Arctic Ocean Adventure southbound tour with Don K. in September 2023. It was an experience for the ages. We'll remember it for the rest of our lives! There's a quality to the Northern Alaska Tour Company experience that exceeds any other tour we've been on by a good margin. Somehow everything comes together to be much more than the sum of the parts. Everything is as advertised, but somehow better and more exciting than you would imagine. Don K. was incredibly knowledgeable and from the moment we touched down in Deadhorse offered a fascinating running commentary on everything we saw (which was a lot!) Northern Alaska's tour guides are lifelong Alaskans with a passion for the landscape and state, and it shows. Some of the things we got to see and do (non-exhaustive list): Scenic flight over the oil fields and ocean Swim in the Arctic Ocean Caribou and moose grazing on the North Slope The pipeline over hundreds of miles of its extent, and up close The Continental Divide The fascinating town of Wiseman (probably worth the trip in and of itself) Cross the Arctic Circle at the exact spot Dip a hand in the Yukon River I cannot recommend this tour, or Northern Alaska Tour Company, enough. I didn't know quite what to expect but it surpassed our expectations in every way and then some. We will most definitely be back for many other Northern Alaska Tour Company adventures!

This review is actually 6 stars, all the stars, more stars than there are in the sky. Which I saw, by the way, while I was out there north of the arctic circle. Summary: stop looking for a better itinerary, price, or date range with other tour companies. This one has you covered. They have a lot of choices, and if you don't see exactly what you want, just send an email and tell them what you have in mind. I couldn't make their dates and asked for a different schedule. And you know what? They were able to make it happen. We were well taken care of from beginning to end. I was sent enough information to understand what I was getting myself into, and was able to ask as many questions as I needed to make sure I understood the schedule and conditions. I opted for a tour that started at the office in Fairbanks, went by medium size bus/motor coach just north of the arctic circle (hey Aaron!). From there I was passed like a baton to another driver (Steve) who took me, my travel buddy, and 3 other folks further north to Coldfoot, where we would spend the night. A third driver (Claire) picked us up that night at 11pm to take even further north, to Wiseman, where we met Jack and waited for the aurora borealis to appear. We were there until about 2am. The next day those 3 other people went on some caribou spotting adventure, while my buddy and I hopped in a single prop plane and flew back to Fairbanks. How was it? Incredible. I didn't feel like I was simply in another state; I felt like I was in another world. Things I was not expecting: Black spruce. Snow that had the texture of fine sand. Grey jays. Endless hospitality. Non-stop tales about the people and the land that I never got tired of hearing, never wanted to stop listening to. Everyone with this company was so friendly and generous with their time and knowledge. I can't say thank you enough, although I tried with tips - which you should also plan to deliver if you go on these excursions. They work hard and we say that extra thank-you with a tip. I felt safe the entire time. We never did anything that felt risky. They helped me with my little bag and gave me a hand when I was stepping down into the snow. Here are the pro-tips I want to share with you. Things I learned that would have been good to know in advance. First, it's colder than you think. I manage okay in the 10-30 degree range, even with snow. But I had never been in a dry snow before, with temperatures that went well below zero and stayed there. My fingers felt like they were being burned off, my feet got cold. Every bit of me that wasn't under my parka had a chill. And I know how to layer. I had my base, my mid, my top, my coat, my ears, my hat. My failures were footwear and gloves. I saw the locals had mittens, not gloves. I think that would have been a good choice - mittens. Also, I thought that since I wouldn't be doing any hiking that I didn't need my heavier boots. However, they would have been better at holding the cold at bay. When were were standing outside in Wiseman, by the fire waiting for the aurora, I was uncomfortably cold and had to head back in the cabin and wait there. I had a hard time dealing with the cold. Take some steps to get yourself ready for that before you go. The other thing I should have brought with me is ear protection. Those soft ear plugs that you roll between your fingers and then shove into your ears would have been perfect. I mean, I love you Aaron and I wanted to hear everything you said, but the volume and quality of sound from the speaker on the bus got a little heavy in my head. Ear pro would have taken the edge off it and let me listen while taking out the high pitches. They would have also been most welcome while I was in the airplane. That's pretty much it. I mean, I could write pages and pages about the exquisite beauty of Alaska, the incredible views, the silence, the light. It would take a novel length diary for me to describe the wonderful people we met everywhere we went, from the café in Coldfoot to the midnight fire in Wiseman. But you don't need to read all that. All you need to do is get there, arrange things with Northern Alaska, and then you'll have the kind of memories that my head is filled with, that I can't stop thinking about, and that will be part of me for the rest of my life.

This tour was just painful from the start but we were really looking forward to it. Brochure says u will drive up and fly back on the Dalton Highway. It's 2 days of driving over pot holes 2ft wide and that deep and washboards that will rattle every bone in your body. There were 9 of us in a van and stops were made so u rotated seats but unless u have the passenger seat u r going to be bounced around. The overnite stays r described as rustic, damn! The first camp at Coldfoot had an ok restaurant with a buffet. The rooms were awful because they had basically a porta potty in your room. We had to sleep with the window wide open. Then back on that road. Then it's more brutal road to Dead Horse which looks like the world of Mad Max. Seriously if this place doesn't make u want to get rid of big oil, nothing will. The sleeping quarters r gross and the food they charge u $15 for is so god awful I couldn't get the stink out of my nose and it permeated everything. By this time seeing the Arctic Ocean, u just want to say"ok, saw it now let's GTFO. Now if u r lucky u get the first flight out. If u aren't u get to go to the 10th level of hell and get to hang out at the airport for a bush plane that OBTW we have to stop at an island and make the flight even longer. 3 hrs later we get to Fairbanks. There is nothing I can say but don't take this trip. It's so not worth it.

I would have given them a 10 if the dinner at the Yukon camp had been edible and delivered timely! Riley, our pilot was great! And our guides, Steven and Ryan were tremendous!!

On our honeymoon in Alaska, I made it my mission to try and see the elusive northern lights. I have traveled great distances to try and see them and have never been successful. I was hoping this would be the time - spoiler alert, not quite. I booked a trip for my husband and I to take an excursion to the Arctic Circle, spend the night in Coldfoot, and then fly back to Fairbanks. The drive on the Dalton highway was longer than expected but absolutely breathtaking. Our driver, Sabrina, was very knowledgeable and engaging. All of the stops along the way to take photos and learn the history were wonderful. The accommodations in Coldfoot are the bare minimum - but if you do not set your expectations too high, given the adventure, they suffice. Our guide, Dan, took us to Wiseman in the evening to try and see the northern lights. We had the opportunity to meet a local, Jack, and learn about year-round living in the Arctic Circle. Most of the conditions were right for us to see the northern lights, however, there was a very bright full moon and not enough solar flare activity. All of that aside, it was a beautiful evening and one well spent. Hands-down my favorite part of the excursion, given the fact that we could not see the northern lights, was flying back to Fairbanks in a bush plane. Our flight departed later so we were flying at sunset. Seeing Alaska from the sky was truly breathtaking and something I will never forget.

I recently did the Denali Winter Drive Adventure but it was a bit disappointing. We had a small group so it should have been easy to keep on time or even be ahead of schedule but for some reason the guide drove so slowly for the whole day. He knew a lot about the trees and gave some history on the park, but for the cost of this trip ($289!) I feel that there should have been more information and stories bestowed upon us. The stop at Nenana is way too long... yes, it's nice to have a restroom break and hear about the ice challenge, but there is really no reason to zig zag through the whole village. It was the shoulder season and the guide wasn't sure what would be open/available - it seems that he (or someone from the office) could easily call ahead to the visitor center to learn this information. It would have saved us a little back-and-forth driving, which would have saved time for lunch and later on the hike. Also, I wish the guide would have been more familiar with the trails to make a recommendation, rather than just having us pick from the map key. The final thing people should know is that if someone from the tour opts to take the train back, the van will wait to make sure they get on. That sounds really nice on paper, but we ended up waiting one hour for a train that didn't come, before giving up and driving back. Again, that is time that could have been used for hiking or other Denali activities.

We took the tour to Denali with out amazing tour guide Sabreena! Sabreena could answer every question we had and had some great stories! For Covid - masks were required and we were the only group on the tour. We took the van down through Ester, made a stop in Nenana to get a snack, see a cute church, and learn about the Nenana Ice Challenge. Then on down through Healy- lunch at the park. We watched a video about the sled dogs. Sabreena knew every photo stop and where to slow down for animals. She took us on a lovely hike in Denali. And even had hot cocoa! She was lovely and prepared and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, Denali was covered by clouds - as it apparently usually is and we didn't see any wild animals. Which is no one's fault. Then we took the train back to Fairbanks- train was excellent- great views and lots of information. This is not a complaint- but things to know going in that I didn't. And in my head I was liking Denali to Mt Rainier having lived in Washington. Denali is usually behind clouds - rare to get a good view. Denali is a vast wilderness area and you will never get up close and personal with the mountain- but it's still gorgeous. We did not see any wildlife- but that's a chance you take since animals aren't on our schedule. Overall it was an excellent tour- we had fun and learned a lot!

(on cell, please excuse typos and ommisions) I just returned from Alaska after spending six days in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Coldfoot, and Wiseman with my nephew. Other than for our drive from Anchorage to Fairbanks where we rented our own SUV, the entire trip/tour was facilitated by NATC and it was a great experience. They run a tight ship but it's relaxed and enjoyable. Fairbanks to Arctic Circle NATC - The gentleman at the front desk (forgot his name) was great. He checked us in and gave us advice before we boarded our bus to the Arctic Circle. Once I heard his presentation, I felt at ease and knew this was the beginning of a great adventure and experience. Sabrina - Great driver and very knowledgeable about the area and history of the Dalton Highway and Pipeline. She was considerate and made sure we had plenty of stops on our 5+ hour plus drive up the Dalton Highway. Arctic Circle to Coldfoot / Northern Lights Excursions to Wiseman Dan - Mellow, knowledgeable, and makes you feel at ease about asking any question - even dumb ones. This man knows Dog Sledding and I wouldn't be surprised if he were a champion one day. I get the feeling he has a 150+ IQ but wants to live in nature and enjoy life instead of being part of the rat race. Safari & Atigun Pass Excursion Tim - Big Teddy Bear that enjoys his job and sharing his knowledge of the communities inside the Arctic Circle. He also not only respects and admires Alaska - he is immersed in the local culture and works to supports the local trappers that live in the remote villages near Coldfoot. The drive itself is amazing. We drove north from Coldfoot and saw Caribou and lots of Tundra. We even saw several Ravens which I did not expect to see. The Atigun Pass and River were two amazing stops. Jack - A native Alaskan but also a longtime resident of Wiseman (near Coldfoot). We got to know him during the two midnight-to-4am Northern Light outings where he opened up his cabin for us to rotate in and out of in an effort to escape the -20F temperatures. The cabin was a warm 70F. It was during these rotations that you learned two things about Jack - he can assist almost every tour participants with their camera settings and that he's very knowledgeable about a wide-range of topics. I'm sure my IQ went up about 10 points just by listening to him talk about Alaskan history, the Dalton Highway, the Pipeline, the science behind the Northern Lights, and about nature in general. The first night was a home run. Within minutes of arriving we saw aurora activity that grew over the next 1-2 hours. Jack and Dan helped us take great photos. But if the first night was a home run, the second night was and grand slam! The energy was even stronger and the saw pinks, purples, and even blues. We really got lucky on our two nights out. Coldfoot Camp Rooms: The rooms are basic. Almost military-like and it makes sense since many of the rooms are from or mimic those that were used in the 70's by those building the Highway and Pipeline. The twin beds were comfy, the bathrooms were functional and clean. The cooling and heating situation is challenging but they worked with me to help get my room below 85F. It was -10F outside and heat was required but not to that extent. Diner: I had low expectations being that it is essentially a truck stop. The food was mostly composed of breakfast, sandwich options, and a couple of salads but it was the preparation that blew me away. They raised the bar. I had one of the best Turkey Clubs I've ever had up there. Again, it's not healthy-ish and I didn't try everything on the menu but I was happy with what I ate during my 3.5 days there. The service and the folks at the front desk and kitchen were awesome and friendly. There was a guy that moved there from Richmond, VA. Another moved there from Hawaii. They made great conversations while I waited for my takeout as the diner was closed to tourist due to covid. Return Flight: I forgot the pilot's and I feel bad about it because he was great. We flew a Bush Plane - Piper Cherokee - from Coldfoot to Fairbanks. It seated seven plus the pilot. I believe it was the smallest plane I've ever been on but the views were breathtaking and the pilot allowed us to ask him questions using the provided headphones and microphone. What a great way to close out our trip. Bucket List Items: Northern Lights Arctic Circle Dalton Highway Walked on Frozen Rivers (Yukon & Atigun) Atigun Pass Visit Alaska Sub-Zero Fahrenheit Climate

We booked an all day excursion that ran from 1pm and had us arriving back to our hotel by 4am in mid September. The itinerary had us flying to Coldfoot in the arctic circle, where we would bus back and eventually watch the aurora lights. I had called that morning to verify where we meet (the small craft part of the airport, which your hotel shuttle will likely drop you off at) and that we were all set on there end. I was also reminded that wanted everyone there a hour early. You might imagine my surprise when we arrived and were told the tour we booked was canceled due to poor weather at our landing site. Our options were a full refund (call that shuttle back before it gets to far!) or a different tour of that included a round trip flight to Fort Yukon, still in the arctic circle and a flight back. We would arrive back to the airport around 5pm at which time they would shuttle us back to our hotel. Then they would pick us up between 8:30 to 8:45 for aurora viewing, dropping us back at the hotel by 4am. We went forward with the other tour option. Their site specifically states plans can change based on weather and they won't know until the day of. Still, I am surprised they didn't tell me when I called 3 hours prior. Our pilot was friendly and informative. Their was 8 of in the plane and were treated to amazing views and a much deeper appreciation to the beauty that is Alaska. The ride was as smooth as a small plane can be, but I did feel a bit nauseous by the time we landed. We were then sent off with a local of Fort Yukon names Richard, who has his own bus. He took us around the very small community and shared how they live, which was much different than I imagined. He is full of humor and clearly loves giving the tours, providing a great time. I wish the tour lasted longer, but there isn't much to see. The flight back took a small detour so we could see Fort Knox from the air which is truly impressive. I also felt the flight back was much more smooth. Upon arrival, we accepted our certificates showing we had traveled to the arctic circle (they are super basic) and were returned to our hotel. For part 2, we waited for the shuttle and when it hadn't arrived by 8:50, I called to inquire, being told it was on the way and to call back in 10 min if it hasn't arrived. When I called the 2nd time, I was told we were the next stop. Then the driver called and said he had forgotten about us and was on his way. Finally we got another calls saying a different employee was going to drive over from the airport to pick us up and connect us with the bus. This was an hour of us waiting on vacation for no reason, which was certainly upsetting. Once on the bus, we were informed the rest of the passengers had stopped to see the Alaskan oil pipeline and the driver asked if we wanted to stop to see it. Feeling bad that the other passengers had seen it already, we said no and let's get going. They were all affected by his mistake too and had to come back to get us. Sadly, we had seen several of these passengers during our flight and the knew we were going on the light tour, so it's surprising no one asked what happened to us. Not their fault, but kind of is. We did get lucky and were able to see the lights, stopping once on our way up to the final destination. Have your camera and tripod settings ready because when you stop, you won't know how much time you will have. So many of the other passengers hadn't googled camera settings and asked for help when they should have been taking photos. Also remember that it's up to nature to provide the lights, and there is a chance you may not see them. I would give this a 5 star, but due to the human error our experience wasn't flawless, which is disappointing considering is the most expensive excursion we booked. I'm surprised the tour company didn't contact us to provide some kind of compensation, but I didn' ask either. I would still recommend this though.

Viewing aurora has always been one of my dreams and lies on top of my bucket list. Didn't get lucky to spot aurora in Fairbanks due to the cloudy weather. With Northern Alaska Tour, we took shuttle bus, cross Yukon River, Arctic circle. The snow got thicker and I had to put on one more layer of jacket. We saw red fox, moose, dall sheep and lynx on our way to Coldfoot. It's such a small town that only 22 ppl live there. I still remember one of the cashiers' names, Chelsea. She is so friendly and easygoing. Her smile and laughters engraved on my AK journey. You are already here. Please book the aurora tour to Wiseman, where I took the pics below. I would want to stay another night in front of John's cabin watching the aurora dancing on the sky whole night. Ppl come from all over the world or different part of states, you can easily have nice chat with any of them near the stovepipe. You can't fully predict aurora. You can only chase it. Iceland, Norway, Canada... it goes on and on We choose to fly back to Fairbanks. I left my camera in Coldfoot and the company flied my camera back with their next tour!

Alaska your companies are the best! They come with transportation and pictures. All around great service!

My wife and I took the Dalton Highway Bus tour on 19th September, 2021. While we enjoyed our day and experience of crossing Arctic Circle, I have to share two parts of the story: ====================================== A Good Part (Safe Driving, Knowledgeable Tour Guide/Bus Driver): ---------------------------------------------------------------- The bus driver/tour guide was knowledgeable and her commentary was excellent with very interesting scientific facts. It felt safe riding on her bus and she managed tour itinerary/timing fairly well. We must admire her passion and energy throughout the long day. The movies shown inside bus were also very interesting. ====================================== ====================================== A Bad Part (Surrounded by Too Many Unmasked People): ---------------------------------------------------------------- While driving from Fairbanks to Dalton Highway in morning, tour bus was only partly occupied and most of the people were sincere about wearing masks inside bus. Though bus driver/guide herself did not wear one. Things changed on the way back in evening, as they picked up lot of people who were returning from Coldfoot Camp. While it is reasonable to utilize bus to full capacity, we were informed about it only before the bus departure and not at the time of booking. This may still be okay, but all these new people were not wearing their masks inside bus even when they were not eating/drinking. I asked bus driver/tour guide to request them to wear their masks. As I said before, she herself was not wearing her mask and did not seem to believe in following federal law of wearing masks inside Bus/Train/Aircraft. She just casually said that masks are mandatory without emphasizing it. I asked her twice about masks related instruction and then gave up as it was clear that her and most passengers barring few sensible folks were not interested in wearing masks. In fact, she also said that I didn't want her to wear mask while she was driving if we all wanted to stay alive on difficult highway. I really do not understand what these people think. Is pandemic over for them? And why should I risk my and my wife's health due to such irresponsible folks. Wearing masks for long is painful for us also, but we still do it by being responsible for our and others' safety. Their tour information document says that "Guests safety always takes precedence over guest convenience" I am sorry to say this, but I can't say they mean it as far as masking is concerned. :( ====================================== If it was not for the bad part, I would have given them 4.5 starts. I guess they don't deserve it in Covid times.

My wife and I just went on the Aurora Homestead Adventure last night. It was worth the cost. Our driver, Dennis, was very friendly and knowledgeable. The night culminates with awaiting for the aurora lights show at the Arctic Circle Trading Post.

Spectacular flight to Mt Denali! The pilot and staff were all outstanding, well prepared and the trip was awesome from start to finish. We had a very special trip, this flight and tour was well worth it.

The day started with an awesome plane ride to Coldfoot. Daren was our pilot and he educated us the whole way, very much appreciated. Lauro the Musher was awesome as well. The 12 hour bus ride back was horrendous. I would have flown back if I knew how long the bus ride was, maybe even walked. It's 3:22am and now we are dropping people off at their hotels. I can't wait to get Off this bus forever! I'm sorry, the bus ride deflated my awesome day up to that point. But I have a lot of energy naturally so I felt like a cheetah in a straight jacket.

This was such a beautiful tour. Shane was our tour guide and pilot. He made the experience fun and also informative. He was also a great pilot. The ground tour of Coldfoot was awesome. It was great to see so much of Alaska in one tour.

Took a tour in June with a group of coworkers to the Arctic Circle. The tour couch had 24 seats on it and there was 18 on the tour (not all our group), we had plenty of room and the ride was enjoyable. There was plenty of bathroom breaks along the way, and there is a bathroom on the coach if you can't wait to use one on the trip. Our tour guide, Ken, was awesome. He is a musher and knew so much about our journey, Alaska and dog racing. It was fun to ask him questions because he had such interesting stories and experiences to share. We stopped at Yukon River Cafe on the way to the circle and the way back. The meal prices were reasonable (around $10), but you could easily pack a meal and save some money. There's also a gift shop at the cafe and a gift shop owned by the locals in the parking lot if you want local wares. I highly recommend this tour. I'm sure it seems like you can drive to the Arctic Circle on your own, but the road is rough and there's not many services available, so if you need help it may be a while. Oh, and there's no cell phone service once you get about a half an hour north of Fairbanks. Make sure your camera/phone battery is charged!

We took the round trip flight to Cold Foot with the drive to Wiseman. The flight was my favorite part, the pilot flew super low to the ground to stay below the clouds so we could take in the scenery. If you like flying on small prop planes this is for you. Wiseman was also more interesting than I expected. Jack, the local they have come talk about how he lives off the land, speaks a mile a minute but is really entertaining and sharp. So, solid excursion, but just too expensive at ~$550/person. If you can spend the money it's a good trip, but if you are on a budget you could probably spend your money better elsewhere.

Had an aurora tour for three days and two nights. Booked online for two people, and paid around $1,800. The tour was not bad. But honestly, the cost is not transparent at all. They said they have aurora and dog mushing on their webpage. But once you arrived, you have to pay everything. You are not able to see aurora in the motel you live. But pay extra money and ask them to drive you to the right place. If you want to go for a dog mushing, pay $150 per person for a 20 min dog mushing. Food and internet are also expensive for sure. So the $1,800 is just for two nights motel, and the rides. In total, we spent like $3,000 for this tour. What I am complaining is you at least be transparent for the cost, but not just say "we have aurora and dog mushing" in the description. To me, it's kind of cheating.

Kyle was a southern gentleman and a fine piece of Alaska man candy. He was great answering question and keeping us hopeful about seeing the lights on the homestead aurora tour. We didn't see the lights but saw beautiful stars. It was memorable. But just wish we saw the lights! Oh and the reading post is nice and warm. A cute little cabin with free hot drinks and cup noodles as well as some puzzles and cards.

Love the whole Northern Alaska Tour Company! My whole experience from calling to book the tour, to checking in, and the tour itself was awesome. Genevieve our tour guide was good. Despite things happening a little disastrously everything was good. Our tour bus kept giving stop engine warning and no one knew why this was happening. Our tour guides microphone broke as well so there was no commentary on the return trip. We managed to return to Joy and then Fairbanks. We also heard that the tour bus before us broke down so our bus giving us technical glitches was worrying. Please allow some time for such glitches in case there are some technical difficulty and delay in your trip. However, having pointed out all the negatives. I should highlight some of the positives. The tour guide, Paul, was nice. He handled the Joy portion pretty nicely. The drivers/guides were very informative and knew the local surrounding, wildlife and biology. The only complaint is that there was no mention about the native communities and how they have used the wildlife to survive. There were no mention of the local myths and legends.

I booked a Denali flight tour and when I woke up the morning of the flight, all I saw was a gunmetal sky with a low ceiling. Then when I arrived at the Tour office it started snowing. However, my fears over a possible cancellation was eliminated when we were told it was time to board. We boarded a small 9 passenger plan + 2 pilots. Soon after takeoff, we were above the clouds and on our way to see the mountain. Due to a strong headwind it took about a hour to get there but it was worth it. While the top of the mountain was covered in clouds, the pilot get very close to allow us to see it. He even circled so both sides of the plane was on the mountain side for the best views! On the return flight, he even pointed out a bull moose and a couple cows. A great way to appreciate the vastness of Alaska.

Took the Denali Winter Tour with Sabrina and had a winter blast! She was precious and we learned SO much. We will use this company again and always request Sabrina! Carol & Gerald

This was a first class operation. We chose the flight to Coldfoot and the Homestead tour. Our pilot was great (Shane?) and our tour guide (Rob), was awesome. He went out of his way to make it fun and educational. We enjoyed every minute of the tour, learned a lot about the region, and had a blast. I'd recommend these folks very strongly.

We did an Aurora tour with them. They took us to the a north trading post point for viewing. We can stay warm and go out when the Aurora came out. We saw the wonderful aurora light. Highly recommend!

The ratings were good therefor me and my friends decided to try this luxury trip to north artic circle. The organization of the tour are hilarious. They have bad communications with their ground transportation companies. They delayed our time for 2 hours and told us we had to cancel our flight with minimal options to change. I will say their organizations are awful due to unexpected road conditions. They have zero adaptation to alternative options. And asked if we want to stay a night at cold foot and come back the other day at 3-4 pm. Which was ridiculous because it's ruins my other plans. Let's hope people who attend this tour have good lucks unlike us. (Worst thing is their pilots attitude, due to the delay the pilots doesn't want to wait for us and had to leave at 2 and force us to choose within 15 minutes)

We took their tour to the arctic circle and to see the northern lights. It was a long 16 plus hours of travel time, but very enjoyable. Our guide/driver was very knowledgeable, and he well explained Dalton Highway, Yukon river and all the history behind that part of the country. On the way back around midnight, we stopped at the Arctic Circle Trading Post to see the Aurora and, it is the most spectacular view! The company also provides hot water, heater, coffee, hot chocolate, cup noodles etc. And also helps us set up camera for capturing the Northern lights.

Visiting Alaska had been a dream for years, and this was a jewel of a trip from start to finish. There were several highlights, one of which was my flight over the Arctic Circle to Coldfoot and back on 3/15/2011. From the very first phone call to the final landing and certificate presentation, I found everyone to be helpful and informative. You can tell the entire staff really enjoys what they do. Kathy made sure to give me all the information I needed on the initial phone call, and was most welcoming when I arrived for the flight. Todd, the pilot, had a lot of stories to tell as well as interesting information about the amazing sights we passed along the way. On arrival in Coldfoot, guide Matt was very pleasant and fun; we stopped at the Pipeline for picture taking, then after a brief drive we stopped at a dog musher's in time to see a group of sled dogs taking off. After that, back to the diner for a quick bite and then on the plane again for another gorgeous return flight to Fairbanks. In addition to a great flight/drive with friendly staff, it was a spectacular day weather-wise. On returning to Fairbanks another staff member, Matt A., recommended a couple of places for me to see prior to departure--these stops also added a lot to my trip. To sum it all up: Great staff, terrific flight, and amazing vistas. Couldn't have asked for more. Definitely "two thumbs up" !

Booking the "Denali Winter Drive Adventure" from the Northern Alaska Tour Company was easy. The early March tour on the well maintained van left on time with Sabrina, the best guide we had in our six days in Alaska. Sabrina was a safe driver, a font of knowledge on Alaskan life/nature, answered all our many questions, and was always cheerful and helpful. She made special (safe) stops to view moose and Denali which we all appreciated. The stop at Nenana was interesting and I would suggest grabbing your lunch at the modest deli at the grocery store. Unfortunately, the Murie Science and Learning Center were closed, but we were able to have lunch there, viewing an interesting film on dog sleds. We had a chance to try on snow shoes and I wished we had had more time to practice. We did not do the Boreal Forest walk. A few people on the van had to catch a train from Denali to Fairbanks, so that may have been a factor. We were dropped off in the early evening at our hotel. I recommend this day tour - Denali is beautiful at any time of year and this company does its best to reveal it.

We rented "Arctic Outfitters" car which I believe is a sister company of Northern Alaska Tour Company. - The car was clean (and it means a lot given what Dalton can do to your car). - The staff was very helpful and gave me very detailed instructions about the car and road and what to expect. - The road itself was pretty easy drive. I could have done the drive in 1 day. - Car was well services and had new tires so the drive was very smooth. Things to keep in mind: Do not book stay with them. Just book the car. - Coldfoot camp is around $219 per night. You might get cheaper stay at Wiseman which is 16 miles from coldfoot. - Deadhorse camp rooms are not very good and far too expensive for the price. Deadhorse actually has many hotels and far better in room quality and food. We got a 7 course buffet meal at Purdhoe bay hotel for mere $20. Purdhoe bay hotel is $130 per night where as Deadhorse camp is $200 a night.

Initially we booked a tour to Barrow, AK, but due to fog, the plane couldn't land in Barrow so we ended up at Prudhoe Bay instead. They refunded our Barrow portion of the tour. We started our journey flying from Fairbanks with a stop over in Coldfoot and then flew the rest way to Prudhoe Bay. Our pilot, Andrew, kept pointing out various landmarks throughout the trip. Since We couldn't go to Barrow, he took a detour on our flight and gave us an aerial tour of the Gate of the Arctic National Park. Even thought I was disappointed that I didn't get to go to Barrow as it was one of the places on my bucket list, I still had a great time. We did a tour of Prudhoe Bay and dipped our fingers in the Arctic Ocean. Prudhoe Bay is a lot bigger that I initally thought it would be. The tour was enjoyable as the town reminded me of a sprawling version of McMurdo Station Antarctica. Our tour guide on the drive back from Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks was Michael. He was very knowledgeable and kept us entertained/educated with his vast knowledge of the region. He answered all the questions that I asked him right down to "How researchers studied the body temperature of the arctic squirrels during hibernation?" and the different and appropriate names use for Alaskan Natives. We ended using a portion of our Barrow refund to pay for an impromptu trip to Anaktuvik Pass. The town is only accesible by airplanes as there is no road to it. Overall, I though the tour was very enjoyable an informative. This tour is certainly not for everybody, but if you are looking for adventure without being too hardcore, the I recommend using Northern Alaska Tour Company.

This is a very professional company. They were very helpful with questions prior to the trip as well as during. I opted for the arctic circle drive tour with the best tour guide being put in charge of our group. Carole was great at keeping us entertained with stories, history of the area and pipeline as well as knowing some great spots to stop for photos. We experienced a wide range of weather temps, light snow, crazy thick fog and a few slick spots on the icy roads but Carole was very comfortable driving through these conditions and I felt safe and in competent hands The only fuss I had is that as soon as the northern lights started to dance across the sky we were told to board the bus and we moved on. The primary show was missed instead of letting us stay and watch. The primary part of this trip to me was to see the lights for more than just 5 minutes but that's all I got. We did stop at one other place along the highway to watch but one lady in the group was complaining she was tired so the entire trip had to come to an end. If I could have a do over I would have gone back early and done the lights on my own. It turned out to be a big waste of money with us not being able to actually stay out and enjoy them.

Terrible customer service after you paid. Please be aware before booking! We were on the northbound Drive/Fly Arctic Circle tour staying at Coldfoot. Unfortunately our flight back got cancelled due to the rain in Coldfoot. We totally understand that it could be risky to fly a small aircraft in such weather. They failed to arrange transportation ahead but asked us to wait another couple hours for the daily tour bus coming so we could get a ride back. We joined another daily tour (which was supposed to be back on the same day), so we had to wait when they stopped and visited certain stops that we had already seen. Planned to depart at 1:30pm if taken the flight. Due to waiting for the tour, we got on the coach around 5:30pm. A one-way trip from Arctic cycle to Fairbanks usually take 7-10 hours!! That means, we spent daytime doing nothing at Coldfoot and arrived at Fairbanks around 1am the next day. After got back, I emailed them trying to see if they can refund the price difference between drive and flight. The flight was obviously much more expensive than letting us join the bus that was supposed to be back on the day. They usually will reply your email very quickly if you are interested at booking their tours. But this time, they NEVER RESPOND even if I followed up. Felt they never respect their customers. I gave it two stars because I really like our tour guides. They were very friendly, polite and nice.

We debated about flying to the Arctic Circle finally decided to go for it. A number of people told us that the trip wasn't worth the time or money and that there was nothing to see - it's just so you can say that you've crossed the Arctic Circle. DO NOT LISTEN to these people! The trip is amazing! There is no way to truly comprehend how vast and beautiful Alaska is until you travel north of Fairbanks. It is simply astounding to see untouched wilderness as far as the eye can see. We flew to Coldfoot Camp and then traveled about 13 miles by bus on the Dalton Highway to a tiny community - Wiseman, Alaska. We met a man who lives a subsistence lifestyle and he shared his perspectives on living so far north. I was really nervous about flying in a small plane, but our pilot exuded confidence and competence. I felt at ease immediately and simply enjoyed the flight. We flew up and back which left us the rest of the day to hang out in Fairbanks. There are no words to describe the peace and serenity you feel when experiencing such a beautiful, untouched place. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity!

This review is for the service only as we did not end up getting to take the tour. We were signed up to go on the Minto tour and flight. Our car ended up freezing in the -40 weather and we were staying in a cabin 35 minutes north of Fairbanks. We called the tour company to let them know we would not make it for the 0930 flight - Matt even went so far as to try and delay the flight in the case that we might still make it down. We ended up not getting our car back up and running until 1300. They offered us a full refund and were completely understanding and helpful. I hope to book with them next time I come to Fairbanks - because there WILL be a next time!

Amazing experience- did the aurora fly & drive Arctic circle tour - saw and experienced everything they promised and more- the receptionist at check in and all the tour guides were polite, friendly helpful and extremely knowledgable. The pilot and drivers were experienced and even though I am prone to motion sickness, I felt 100% the whole trip. We were constantly provided hot drinks and the opportunity to get warm at every stop on the trip - and there were many opportunities to get food and use the restroom without taking away from all the natural beauty we experienced.

They provide tours to the arctic circle and to see the northern lights. I was there with two friends and we did the arctic circle + aurora tour earlier this month. In total, there were 18 hours of travel time, but the trip is enjoyable. Our guide/driver was very knowledgeable of the tour, Dalton Highway, Yukon river and all the history behind this part of the country. At the end, we stopped at the Arctic Circle Trading Post to see the Aurora and, man, that was incredible! They had all the support for us (hot water, heater, coffee, hot chocolate, cup noodles). The only sort of negative comment I have: the tour departs from an area closer to the smaller airport in Fairbanks, but that is not very clear in the instructions. We ended up going to the International Airport and, when we called saying we were lost, the person who answered the phone was a little, let's say, rude, saying they could not wait for us. But they did eventually :) So, my tip for those going to Fairbanks and interested in this tour is that YES, this is a good company, YES, these 18 hours were totally worth it and PLEASE make sure you're going to the right address :) Oh, and bring a really good camera to take pictures of the aurora. The guides help you set it up!

We did the 3 day/2 night Arctic Circle Aurora drive-fly tour. It was wonderful and everything was super well organized. Ideal for northern lights viewing! Overall, amazing trip with amazing staff! THE BUS RIDE: The ride was very long to Coldfoot (nearly 12 hours). We stopped for bathroom breaks every 2 hours where there were outhouses, and also for various photo ops along the way. Although I thought the bus ride was relatively comfortable, one person on our bus did get carsick, so be sure to take preventative measures (medicine, wrist bands) if you are prone to motion sickness. OPTIONAL TOURS: We did the aurora tour to Wiseman BOTH nights we were there. The first night, we saw one of the most amazing aurora displays of the season. The auroras started off tamely, then around 1:30am, out of nowhere the sky started exploding with auroras all over like fireworks. There were even several "corona" type auroras. This short spurt of the heightened activity only lasted about 3 minutes, but those 3 minutes I will remember for the rest of my life. People were screaming with excitement. Jack, our "guide" who lives in Wiseman, said it was one of the best shows he's seen this season. We were incredibly lucky. The second night we saw auroras as well. Coldfoot is supposedly right underneath the auroral oval, so it is almost guaranteed you'll see auroras every night given the right conditions. We also did the Arctic Mountain Safari to the Brooks mountain range during the day. It was a nice and easy tour. We just sat in the bus and enjoyed the scenery, and got out at each stop to snap some photos. Definitely pretty cool to have traversed that far up into the arctic! The only downside of the tours is they can be a bit pricey. ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD: Our rooms in Coldfoot were very basic, with private bathrooms in each room. The restaurant offers breakfast/lunch and dinner buffet with a soup/salad bar. I would say they offer pretty great amenities considering their location out in the arctic! FLIGHT TO FAIRBANKS: Really small plane, a little bumpy, and great scenery on the way. There is a luggage weight limit -- the tour company will weigh your luggage in Fairbanks and let you leave some stuff behind at their office if needed.

We did a tour to Arctic circle and aurora in thanksgiving. The tour was by bus and overall took 18 hours. The driver and guide Nicky was really nice and drove safely. Delton highway was dangerous in winter, it is unpaved and covered with ice and snow and a lot of hills, you definitely not want to drive by yourself if you have no experience driving in snow like us, a lot of companies do not provide tour to arctic circle during winter time, we are very glad to find this company, the staff are pretty nice, our guide drove pretty safe and stable, and provided us a lot of information about local wildlife, aurora. The driving was long, but you won't feel boring with all the good views. My only concern is there is only one driver all the time in the tour which surprised me, it was a long drive with 13 hours in the dark, but our guide did a great job, and we both enjoy the tour a lot.

The Northern Alaska Tour Company provided us with an excellent holiday trip to Coldfoot and Wiseman, just north of the Arctic Circle. Everyone in our group really enjoyed it (despite me being ill on both the way there and back... - my stomach doesn't like small planes!!) We even received a certificate to show we crossed the arctic circle border and took some excellent souvenir photos. The office in Fairbanks also sold some good souvenirs to remember the trip by and the staff were all really nice. I would like to return to the company and would like to do the same trip, but in winter! Definitely not for the faint-hearted.

The worst tours I ever had. They make a fool of the tourists who like to visit Alaska. If you wish to waste your money and time then go for it. The bus they have has not windows hence it becomes very suffocating when the A.C is not turned on.Sabrena - The bus driver wouldn't turn the A.C on even though it was 89 degrees inside the bus.They drive at 20 miles/hr speed to make the journey longer. When asked that I would like to cancel and get off.Was told I can get off at a place which is 36 miles away from Fairbanks but they will take 4hrs to pick me up.Even though they promised to call and refund.Money was never refunded.Never got a call back. I called after waiting for 1 week. Matt the so called manager was very rude. Very midwest attitude.

The day we arrived in Fairbanks we did a Homestead Aurora tour with Kyle as our driver. We were also joined by Dallas and Robert with Northern Alaska Tour Company (as the tour grows larger when Arctic circle tours join at the Homestead). All of three of them were so kind! We had such an amazing time (which was made even better with a view of the aurora)! En route Kyle kept checking the sky for stars (as we started out a little gray) while maintaining caution on a road covered in snow and with semis coming from the opposite direction. He stopped once for us to scan the sky and also pulled over to show us where the grid ends. He explained about the aurora, as well as showing us the difference in trees, etc. It was very informative, without boring our 10 year old daughter. He even slowed and pointed out a moose and her baby! Once at the Homestead we were happy to find plenty of seating, as well as games, books, a small store, warm drinks and snacks. Outside they started a fire, which was a great place to stand next to as the temperatures started to drop and without potentially missing an opportunity to see the elusive aurora. Once it got close to the time that the aurora would be expected yle was moving from guest to guest making sure they didn't need help with their cameras, showing them the best spots, answering questions, etc. He helped us with perfect settings to capture both the aurora and the magnificent view of the Milky Way that the homestead affords. It was truly a fantastic experience and one that our family will treasure forever. As a side note, we did another tour with another company the next night and it helped us to appreciate our experience with Kyle, Dallas, and Robert that much more. Thanks guys! We would definitely book this again! On our last day in Fairbanks we did the Denali tour with Mike as our driver. We thoroughly enjoyed this tour as well! Mike kept it interesting with facts and jokes along the way and we had plenty of leg stretching stops (which was wonderful considering we hadn't rented a car so we weren't able to just drive by places like we normally would). En route we swung by the large animal research facilities of the University (where we were able to pet a reindeer), the town of Nenana, and a couple of turn outs where we could enjoy the view. Once in Denali we ate lunch and watched an informative video. Following lunch, we toured the visitors center (Mike was kind enough to hold the tour so that our daughter could get her junior ranger badge!) then went snowshoeing. What an experience! On the way back Mike stopped for us to take pictures of the alpine glow on the mountains and for us to catch a glimpse of two lynx. We would highly recommend this tour as well! Overall we are thoroughly pleased with our experiences with Northern Alaska Tour Company!

The manager contacted us after this incident, and gave us a full refund.satisfied that they contacted us to make up for our bad experience.