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Anchorage Aurora Quest - Northern Lights Photo Tour

Anchorage Aurora Quest - Northern Lights Photo Tour

Overview

This is the longest-running northern lights photo tour in the Anchorage area. Highlighted by Iceland Air's Stopover magazine as one of Anchorage's "Hidden Hot Spots" in its Spring 2019 issue (page 64), this tour is designed to maximize fun and opportunity with the aurora borealis.

We provide a free 3-day forecast service that includes both the aurora borealis and weather forecast. This tour increases your chance of aurora viewing success by allowing you to reserve as many nights as you like [space available] and only finalizing payment 48 hours in advance under the Reserve Now & Pay Later system. We pick you up at your accommodations and take you on a nocturnal adventure to witness the magical lights rippling over snowy peaks and dancing across dark waters. It's a great option for business travelers to Alaska during August to early May. This tour accommodates serious photographers to sightseers. Photographic instruction and aurora portraits are provided for those who desire.

City: Anchorage

Mon 23 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $275.00

Make a reservation

Mon 23 Dec

Starting at $275.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Private transportation

Tripod

Snacks

Professional photographer guide

State park admission fees

Coffee and/or Tea

Parking Fees

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Not recommended for small children
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Cloth face masks required for staff and guests when social distancing not possible (i.e., inside the tour van), but not out in open areas when social distancing is possible.

What To Expect

Chugach State Park

One potential stop during this tour is the Glen Alps trailhead, were we will walk on a short trail to an overlook of the city and a wide view to the north.

Eagle River

A possible stop along the tour is the Mt. Baldy trailhead, which provides high elevation, expansive views of the north.

Palmer

We will spend most of our time in the area of Palmer, visiting locations from the Knik River to Hatcher Pass Management Area.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (59)

loveseeingtheworld19

Nov 2019

I took this tour with Jody in February. The first thing that I really liked is that upon booking, you don't pay. It is just a reservation. If the weather is looking good, you go ahead and pay and reserve your spot on the day. I got picked up with some other customers from the hotel. Jody introduced herself but didn't ask us our individual names. We drove to the location and got out of the van to view the beautiful lights over the mountains in the distance. The non-photographers almost outnumbered the photographers on this particular date. This proved to be rather annoying to me and the other photographers as every time they wanted to warm up in the van, the van light would come on when the door was opened. So the non-photographers were in and out of the van most of the night, creating light pollution for the photographers. Also, when the van was moved around, the van's headlights were left on for some time. I think Jody said it was not the regular van she used. Jody eventually was able to turn out the lights. But there were missed opportunities to capture the lights, which at that time had 3 colours in them. Having a van parked in the direction of the Northern Lights and not knowing how to turn out its lights for some time was really unfortunate becasue the aurora was amazing and the photographers wanted to capture them! Also, if I had a question about my camera, I had to ask. Jody didn't seem to go around to the photographers and see how they were going, whether they were beginners, intermediate or experts. At the beginning of the night, Jody walked off into the distance with her own camera and left the guests at the arrival spot. I feel as though this was too early in the tour as I'm sure the guests had questions about a lot of things, whether just viewing the lights or taking pictures of them. I'm almost positive that this was just an average night for this company and I was unlucky that it happened. Would I go again? On this particular tour, probably not. But I would definitely give one of their other tours a go. There was just too much light pollution from the van that could have been avoided. Many of the guests, including myself, had travelled from afar to view and photograph the lights. So myself and some other guests were disappointed with the tour.

Response from Host

Nov 2019

Thank you so much for the great detail in the response; I really appreciate it! Yes, you are correct; this was not the company's normal van (which can easily control the headlights being off while the van is running, and can run without interior lights on). This will not be a problem in the future. Sensitivity to light pollution is a very important part of the aurora viewing and photography experience. You bring up some great points about balancing the needs of the guests and making sure that everyone is getting what they hope for out of the tour. We are primarily a photo tour company, so making sure that guests are taking photos they can be happy with is a priority. I certainly make it a point to make sure that everyone is taken care of, no matter what their objectives (photos or just watching) are for the tour. And this is a value I plan to ensure all of my guides follow when they are out with our guests. I took over ownership of the company from Jody, who is no longer with the company. If you are back in Anchorage, and would give us another shot at the tour, I will make sure it is the type of experience that you expect - as far as the photography goes. We can't promise the aurora will appear, though!

cuntaminated

Nov 2019

I had a great time at the Anchorage Aurora Quest Tour. Carl was very knowledgeable and was kind enough to teach the group how to capture the best photos on our cameras (I was clueless). After a great photoshoot we gathered near a camp fire enjoying hot chocolate while in awe of the Northern Lights. I highly recommend this tour if you are in the Anchorage area this time of year.

Response from Host

Nov 2019

So glad you enjoyed the tour! We certainly did have a good display of aurora that night.