Chase the Northern Lights

Alaska is famed for its wildly romantic landscapes. Picture giant mountains, endless valleys, powerful frozen rivers, sparkling meadows of snow, enchanting forests of birch and spruce – and you and your dog team traveling through it all.

Drive a dog team to a remote aurora viewing camp north of Fairbanks.

Our destination is our remote northern lights viewing camp, where a three course wilderness dinner will be prepared for you while you watch for swirls of aurora in the inky night sky.

We have handpicked our Aurora Camp for its unobscured northern horizons, providing a dream backdrop for aurora viewing. Our aurora viewing site is private; accessible only by dog team or snowmachine.

2-Day Itinerary

Northern Lights Expedition Alaska — Photo by ADAC

Day 1: Meet & Greet

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be picked up at 10 a.m. and brought to Arctic Dog Adventure Co. to meet your new teammates: the dogs! We will go over gear and pack our sleds for departure. After lunch we will don our parkas, have a brief lesson on mushing, hook up our dog teams, and set off!

The land to the north of the homestead is pure wilderness: no roads, no railways, just pristine mountains, forest and tundra stretching all the way to the Arctic Ocean. Our route will take us over the north ridge of the Chatanika River Valley. Framed by the rolling foothills of the White Mountains, the Chatanika River runs through a wide valley blanketed with muskeg and black spruce. We will wind through crooked black spruce forests before coming upon our remote aurora camp, situated on the north aspect of a high ridge. We will tie the dogs out, build a fire in the tent and enjoy the pleasure of a hot meal after miles of fresh air on our faces.

The Arctic Ovens are warm and comfortable. They are heated by a small wood stove, lit with twinkle lights, and have ample room for gear and leg stretching. You can even stand up inside! This is Alaskan "glamping" -- a truly comfortable winter camping experience. For those who wish to stay up late, we have an Aurora Tipi, outfitted with a warm stove, cocoa/coffee bar, chairs, and a deck of cards.

Meals: Breakfast on your own. Lunch at Arctic Dog Adventure Co. Dinner at camp.
Accommodations: Wood-stove heated Arctic Oven tent.
Mileage: 10-15 miles.

Day 2: REturn

After breakfast by the crackling wood stove in the main "lodge," we will prepare for the day’s mushing adventure. There is a small drainage that drops down from the ridge to the magical snow-laden O'Connor Creek Valley. We will hook up our dogs and mush through a birch forest before dropping down a trail that cuts through a hillside intermixed tundra and white spruce. A long gentle ascent awaits us, with little sweeps and drops in the trail.

We mush deep into a winter wonderland, where the trees, protected from the wind that brushes the tops of the ridges, are blanketed with thick layers of white snow. We will stop in a thick black spruce forest deep in the bottom of the valley for lunch and hot drinks before hooking the dogs back up and mushing up through old-growth forest and drooping birch branches to the top of the ridge and back to the kennel.

After unharnessing and saying "thank you" to your dog team, we will drive you back to town to your accommodations. We will arrive in Fairbanks around 6 p.m. Arrival time is dependent on trail conditions and travel time.

Meals: Breakfast at camp, lunch on the trail, dinner on your own.
Accommodations: You must arrange this yourself this night.
Mileage:

ARCTIC OVEN ACCOMMODATIONS

Your accommodation for the evening is an Alaskan tent called an Arctic Oven. The Arctic Oven is heated by a small wood stove, lit with twinkle lights, and has ample room for gear and leg stretching. You can even stand up inside! This is Alaskan "glamping" -- a truly comfortable winter camping experience. Cots and insulated

Frequently asked questions

Is this Trip Right for Me?

Are you an adventurous soul? A dog lover? Do you love winter? Are you desirous of a closer connection to nature? Answer yes to any one of these? Then yes! This trip might be perfect for you!

Difficulty: Easy to moderate mushing terrain with a winter camping element.

No previous mushing experience is required. We will teach you everything you need to know to feel comfortable and equipped for your days on the trail.

That being said, dog mushing is a physical activity...from harnessing dogs to standing on the sled all day, you will need to be reasonably able-bodied in order to fully enjoy this experience. This trip goes deep into the heart of a wilderness area. If you are hesitant about your ability to manage a dog team, please contact Lisbet & she will guide you through a series of questions designed to evaluate your abilities. You are probably better suited for this than you think.

You do not need previous experience with cold-weather climates, but you will need to equip yourself with a proper set of winter base layers in order to ensure your comfort and safety. Weather and temperatures in Alaska can still be harsh and unpredictable. We will provide you with a list of suggested & required gear -- your comfort is our utmost concern!

When is the best time to see the aurora?

Although the northern lights can be viewed in Fairbanks from August through April even at Kp0,* your chance of seeing the lights increases when the skies are clear. March, followed by April & February, are historically the months with the lowest precipitation in Fairbanks, meaning clear skies and good chances of spotting the aurora. The northern lights are caused by charged particles from the sun (solar wind) hitting the Earth’s magnetosphere. Around the equinoxes (fall and spring), the Earth’s axis is side-on to the sun, which happens to sync with the magnetic field of the solar wind. That means that during the equinoxes in March and September, charged particles are more likely to be accelerated down the field lines of Earth’s magnetosphere, causing the northern lights.**

*Kp is used to measure aurora strength.

**There is no guarantee we will see the northern lights. While regularly observed in Fairbanks, they are still an unpredictable natural phenomenon highly dependent on weather and cloud cover. We can guarantee: good food, tasty snacks, amazing scenery, comfortable accommodations and lots of time with our amazing huskies!

Mushing Sled Dog Huskies Winter — Photo by ADAC

Will I drive my own dog team?

Yes. You will drive and be responsible for your own small team of 4-6 dogs. On orientation day, your professional dog sledding guide will introduce you to your team, give you a lesson on how to drive the sled, and take you out on a short trip to practice your new mushing skills. You will learn how to harness a sled dog, and how to slow and stop your team. Your guide drives their own team just ahead of you, keeping an eye on the dogs, the trail, and your progress. You will drive a dog sled both days.

All-Inclusive

Pricing is all-inclusive. This means it includes travel to and from your hotel to Arctic Dog Adventure Co., meals, snacks, sleeping bags, pads, cold weather gear + accommodations.

✔ Dog mushing lessons

✔ Drive your own dog team

✔ Parka, snow pants, boots, mittens

✔ Cold-weather sleeping bags and pads

✔ Hotel/airport pickup and drop off

✔ Alaskan-inspired meals and snacks

✔ Basic photography instruction

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

We can cater for some food allergies or vegetarians/vegans if you specify your dietary requirements on your Trip Registration Form.

NOT INCLUDED

Flights: You will need to book flights, details will be provided after you register.
Pre and Post Trip Hotel in Fairbanks
Insurance: You MUST have travel insurance. Instructions will be provided after you register.
Alcohol: Alcohol is not included in the price.

HOW TO BOOK

Simply click on the availability from below and register for the tour. You will then be prompted to pay your $999 deposit which will guarantee your spot on the trip.

Your Balance Due must be paid 60 days prior to departure or your deposit will be forfeit.