AFISHA LIFE
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Northern Lights and Chena Hot Springs Tour from Fairbanks

Northern Lights and Chena Hot Springs Tour from Fairbanks

Overview

Discover the ethereal beauty of Alaska’s famous celestial display, the Aurora Borealis, see impressive ice carvings and experience the State’s ancient healing waters on an evening trip from Fairbanks. Sit back and relax and enjoy the 60 mile journey to Chena Hot Springs Resort. After arrival, take a guided tour of the Aurora Ice museful. Then enjoy some dinner in the resort's restaurant (not included in price) and take a dip in the outdoor mineral rock pool or just explore the grounds while you wait to see if the lights appear. Your guide will lead your group out to the springs and explain the most ideal viewing locations, where you can wait for a chance to glimpse the multicolored display in the sky. Round-trip transport from Fairbanks or North Pole hotels, entry to the ice museum and hot springs is included.

Note: the resort does not allow children under 18 in the outside rock pool. However, they may use the indoor pool under adult supervision.

City: Fairbanks

Mon 21 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $230.00

Make a reservation

Mon 21 Jul

Starting at $230.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off

Guided tour of the Aurora Ice Museum

Local Guide

Access to Chena Hot Springs Resort's hot springs, hot tubs and swimming area

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Operates in cold weather conditions; please dress appropriately
Please don't forget to bring bathing suits, bath towels, at least 2 quarter for each locker and photo ID for purchases at the bar.
The outside rock pool is only allowed for adults 18 years and up. However, children are allowed in the inside pool.
Pregnant travelers are not allowed in the outside rock pool.
We have enough room for a foldable wheelchair. The hot springs are wheelchair accessible.
We can only pick up from inside the city limits of Fairbanks or North Pole. For other locations, you will need to go to an agreed location (eg Walmart), please contact our office to discuss if you are staying outside the city limits.
Water is not supplied for this tour. We recommending bringing a refillable water bottle.

What To Expect

Aurora Ice Museum

After being picked up, sit back, relax and enjoy the 60 mile (97 kms) journey out to Chena Hot Springs Resort. Keep a lookout for wildlife that might include a moose, beaver or fox. Upon arrival, you’ll be given a guided tour of the Aurora Ice Museum, constructed of over 1000 tons of ice and snow. Marvel at magnificent ice-sculptures created by world-renowned ice carvers, sit at the ice bar on a caribou-hide covered bar stool or indulge in an appletini served in a hand-carved ice glass (optional-not included in price). You will then be shown to our table in the restaurant where you can enjoy some dinner and hot or cold beverages (optional and not included in price). Rejoin your group a little after midnight and head back to Fairbanks. Your guide may make a few stops along the way for further aurora viewing if it is active. Please note the aurora is an act of nature and it's appearance cannot be guaranteed.

Chena Hot Springs Resort

After arriving at the resort, you'll be taken to the restaurant where you can sample some home grown Alaskan fare (optional and not included in price). Enjoy a hot or cold beverage at the bar or don your bathing suit and head to the hot springs. The revitalizing mineral water soothes muscles with its warm temperatures of 106 degrees F (41 degrees C) year-round. You can soak under the stars in an outdoor hot tub, or indoors in the heated pool. When ready, join your expert guide for a small-group outing to view the Aurora Borealis. Your guide will lead you through one of the best places on earth to witness the green and purple illuminations loop across the night sky. Wait and witness the celestial wonder in the late evening, when viewing opportunities are the highest. The lights are also visible inside the cafe's Aurora Room, which serves as a comfortable and warm location for viewings. Note: We can never guarantee the Northern lights sighting.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (1000)

claresR3416GW

Nov 2024

My friends and I participated in the Northern Lights & Chena Hot Springs evening tour. It was amazing and I would definitely recommend it. We had a lovely driver Jean who was engaging with her stories of growing up in Alaska, her experience with the wildlife and tips to handling oneself if you are to come across a bear. She was not only entertaining but made us feel perfectly safe on the icy roads. The tour itself and the hot springs were relaxing and enjoyable. I recommend this tour if you're in the area and are looking for a unique and incredible experience.

Response from Host

Nov 2024

Thank you for your review and choosing Alaska Wildlife Guide for your hena Hot Springs tour!

jano1656

Nov 2024

What a fun experience! Kathy was knowledgeable, friendly and had an easy going way that put our group at ease. She went above and beyond to find the Aurora but sadly only a faint sighting. Aurora or not this was wonderful. The ice museum was beautiful and fun and dinner delicious. The hot springs were awesome. It’s indescribable sitting in 104 degree water while it’s -14 degrees above your shoulders…aaaah, delightful. Oh yeah, watch out for the Appletinis…🤣

Response from Host

Nov 2024

Thank you for your review and choosing Alaska Wildlife Guide for your Chena Hot Springs tour! They don't have light pours over at the Ice Museum!

L801NDcherylw

Nov 2024

Evan kept us in a van for hours with no communication or music. It was a painful experience! We sat in silence all the way to the hot springs. It felt like a coffin. After our arrival at the hot springs Evan told us all if we did not see the North Lights we would get time after the hot springs (this was a northern light tour we paid for). It never happened. And they were out that night. He just did not care. This was not a tour. He is a bus driver that took our money & wasted to go home early. I tried to ask and engaged him at least tell us about the area and lights and he literally said “what do you want to know?”. I was like I don’t know. I don’t live here, you do. Hands down the worst tour I’ve taken in the last 30 years! Save your money!!!

Response from Host

Nov 2024

Cheryl, Based on the notes from this tour, it sounds like there may have been a disconnect with your 5 person group and the rest of the tour. The Aurora was visible in the sky for multiple guests on this tour who followed Evan to a viewing spot, and we would regard your statement that Evan “did not care” to be disingenuous. According to the notes, your group was still in the hot springs at this time, which was perfectly fine, but there was indeed an opportunity to see the Aurora. Again, following the notes from that evening, the sky grew cloudy, and the aurora was no longer visible by the time your group left the hot springs. The guide would normally stop on the way back to town for Aurora viewing, but the sky was clouded over, and this would have been a fruitless stop. We did receive a complaint from other passengers that were on this tour with you that your group was loudly playing music on the van ride and that it interfered with Evan answering their questions. They felt too uncomfortable to ask you to turn it down, so perhaps this is why your group missed the information that was provided by the guide that evening. Additionally, some of the other guests were not happy with your topics of conversation. We regret that this tour group did not have a shared experience.