Photo Credit: Jack Ouellette
When is the Best Time to See the Northern Lights in Alaska?
The best time to see the northern lights in Alaska is from late August to mid-April, when the nights are long and dark. (You won’t see them during the summer months because of Alaska’s midnight sun.) Plan to look for the spectacular, multi-colored lights from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., when the sky is at its darkest and the auroras are the most active.
Where to Go to See the Aurora Borealis in Alaska?
Fairbanks and points north are the sweet spots to see the northern lights. This is because the main auroral band, the ring of geomagnetic particles around the Arctic Circle where the Northern Lights are most visible, crosses the state in an arc above the Alaska Range. Fortunately, it’s easy to get there: You can fly into Fairbanks and be at a world-class aurora-viewing venue in under an hour.
Find a Northern Lights Tour
While you can look for the lights on your own, taking a northern lights tour in Alaska is an easier, more efficient way to go. You’ll have a guide who will take you to the best viewing spots and explain the science behind this natural phenomenon. Most tours will also provide warm clothing and hot beverages so you can stay comfortable and enjoy the show! Jump to List of Tours
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Alaska Northern Lights Tours
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Evening Viewing, Short Drive from Fairbanks or Anchorage
Aurora + Hot Springs
Photography Tours
Multi-Day Winter Vacation
Arctic Circle Fly, Drive and Overnight Adventures
Clear-Roofed Igloos
All-Inclusive Wilderness Lodge
Aurora Ice Fishing
Evening Viewing, Short Drive from Fairbanks or Anchorage
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Wild Journeys Alaska Northern Lights Tours
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Season: October - April$1325 | 1 - 6 people7 Hr Evening Tour or Custom Multi-Day Adventure
Chase the lights on aprivate tour with Wild Alaska Journeys and you’ll be in the capable hands of local guides who know where to look and understand the science behind them. All trips are private, so bring your family or group and spend anight on the lookout for the aurora or make it part of amulti-day journey. Either way, you’ll leave with unforgettable memories.
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Aurora Pointe
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Season: Mid-August to mid-April$45+ per person4 hrs
Just ashort 15-minute drive from downtown Fairbanks, wait for the northern lights to appear in awarm, inviting space. Cozy up to the fire, sip on cocoa and coffee, and step outside when mother nature puts on ashow. Although the center is ashort distance from town, it is far enough away so that you won’t have to worry about light pollution interrupting your view as you stand gazing under the vast, starlitsky.
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Aurora + Hot Springs
Soak in the healing waters of Chena Hot Springs, a prime location to view the lights if the forecast is good!
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Alaska Wildlife Guide: Chena Hot Springs Northern Lights Tours
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Season: Aug 22 to Apr 03 $195 per person10 hours
Join Alaska Wildlife Guide in exploring one of Alaska’s most desired attractions, Chena Hot Springs Resort. From visiting the most northern Ice Museum, soaking in the all-natural hot springs to viewing the breathtaking Northern Lights dance across the sky, this tour will be ahighlight of your Alaskan experience.
[{"slug":"anchorage","title":"Anchorage"},{"slug":"fairbanks","title":"Fairbanks"}]
Photography Tours
Tours from Anchorage. Learn how to photograph the northern lights. Non-photographers are welcome to enjoy the show and have their photo taken.
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Anchorage Aurora Quest
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Season: Aug 17 - April 24$269+6 hours
Photograph alpenglow on snow capped mountains, frosty scenes glowing in rich winter light, wildlife wandering snowy paths, city lights reflecting on the water at twilight, and possibly even the northern lights!
[{"slug":"anchorage","title":"Anchorage"},{"slug":"fairbanks","title":"Fairbanks"}]
Multi-Day Winter Vacation
Experience Alaska's iconic winter activities + northern lights viewing
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Salmon Berry Tours Northern Lights Excursions
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$28356 Days
Wondering how folks up here deal with Alaska’s long winter days? It’s easy when the inky night sky comes alive with an amazing light show like the aurora borealis. Braving the cold is nothing if you get achance to see the lights dancing and waving overhead. Combine your aurora viewing trip with afew other highlights planned out by Salmon Berry Tours, and you’ll experience the best of winter in Alaska.
[{"slug":"anchorage","title":"Anchorage"},{"slug":"fairbanks","title":"Fairbanks"}]
Arctic Circle Fly, Drive and Overnight Adventures
Drive north (or fly) from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle
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Arctic Circle Aurora Overnight Adventures
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Season: Aug 21 to Apr 21 $869+ per person2+ nights
Spend some time above the Arctic Circle under the mysterious, eerie northern lights. From mid-September to late April, when you have the best chance of witnessing phenomenon of the aurora borealis, you’ll fly from Fairbanks to the remote village of Coldfoot, in the Brooks Mountain Range. After the spectacular flightseeing experience, you’ll have either 3days/2 nights or 4days/3 nights to explore this rugged, fascinating landscape, with...more
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Season: Aug 21 - April 21$679 - $87914 - 15 hrs
Stand out on the Arctic tundra under the northern lights, experiencing their eerie glow on aone-day tour you won’t soon forget. From October to April, you’ll depart from Fairbanks on this one-day adventure and get amajestic flightseeing trip to the remote town of Coldfoot, above the Arctic Circle. Explore this fascinating town and look for the mysterious lights overhead. Then drive south and get aclose up of all the terrain in between, seeing...more
[{"slug":"anchorage","title":"Anchorage"},{"slug":"fairbanks","title":"Fairbanks"}]
Clear-Roofed Igloos
Gaze up at the northern lights from your private Igloo, just north of Fairbanks
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Borealis Basecamp
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Season: August 21 – April 10, June 7 – August 18$1746+ shoulder 2 nights 2 guests2+ Nights
Located on aquiet ridgeline outside of Fairbanks, the Borealis Basecamp offers 20 elegant igloos and anew village with 5aurora-viewing cubes, including afamily suite custom-designed and specifically positioned to maximize your viewing of the Northern Lights. You’ll also have the chance to take advantage of the camps many winter activities like dogsledding, snowmachining, snowshoeing, and fat-tire biking.
[{"slug":"anchorage","title":"Anchorage"},{"slug":"fairbanks","title":"Fairbanks"}]
All-Inclusive Wilderness Lodge
View the aurora from the comfort of a wilderness lodge in the Brooks Range near Gates of the Arctic National Park
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Iniakuk Lake Wilderness Lodge Aurora and Dogsled Expeditions
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Season: February 20 - April 10$9,895+ per person, all-inclusive3-5 nights
This family-owned, fly-in luxury wilderness lodge is 200miles north of Fairbanks and 60miles above the Arctic Circle. Stays are all-inclusive and exclusive — they only accept one group at atime. Go dogsledding, snowshoeing, or scan the skies for the northern lights. The lodge’s huge picture windows make it easy to keep alookout for the aurora from awarm, comfortable interior.
[{"slug":"anchorage","title":"Anchorage"},{"slug":"fairbanks","title":"Fairbanks"},{"slug":"arctic-far-north","title":"Far North\/Arctic"}]
Aurora Ice Fishing
Spend the evening ice fishing from a warm hut, situated in an unobstructed viewing location
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Rod’s Alaskan Guide Service Aurora Ice Fishing
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Season: November–March$209+5 hours
Seeing the Northern Lights is an unforgettable wintertime experience. Of course, you never know quite when (or even if) Mother Nature is going to unleash the display into the night sky. So while you wait, you’ll be trying your hand at another activity that’s unique to the Alaskan winter: ice fishing!
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