I was one of 6 guests on the 20 Sep 2022 Arctic Circle & Northern Lights tour led by our guide Tony. Let me start with him: Charming, polite, professional, funny, and very experienced with all manner of guiding in AK. Extremely entertaining stories on all aspects of AK. Loved the knowledge he shared of the Indigenous Athapaskan culture, the AK pipeline, and local flora and fauna. His ability to spot and identify wildlife is first rate - we saw lynx, ermine, ravens, and ptarmigans only because he saw them first.
We drove the Dalton Hwy, one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Much of that was done in the dark at 40MPH or less. Tony was VERY familiar with the road, and soon showed me that we were in safe and practiced hands. I never worried about my safety on this dangerous highway again. 10/10 for guest safety.
We made several stops along the way, for vehicle checks/gas top-offs, toilets, and unique shopping. We always had at least 20 minutes, so I never felt rushed. We had 30 min for dinner along the Yukon River - plenty of time. Tony stuck to the schedule like a pro.
“Official” tour stops included Dalton Highway sign, Finger Mountain, Yukon River, and Arctic Circle picnic area - all excellent places for photography. Tony helped everyone get photos - it was nice to have a pic of me and my husband together at these amazing places (since I am the designated photographer). He can work any camera, and takes excellent photos!
On the way back, we made 3 separate stops for Northern lights - one at Yukon River, one further down the Dalton Hwy, and one closer to Fairbanks. Tony kept an eye on the lights while driving, and when the displays got super-active and amazing, he stopped and gave us plenty of time to enjoy and photograph the Aurora.
In all, about a 13-hour trip, but never a dull moment!
One note: A disgruntled member of this tour keeps leaving 1-star reviews under different aliases. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM. This person was extremely difficult, abusive, angry, and argumentative from the moment she climbed in the van. Laser-focused on wanting DOZENS of selfie photos, presumably to share with her 12 Instagram followers, she resented other people taking photos at the stops until she was done with her 15+ selfies from different angles, orientations etc AT EACH STOP. So the rest of our group quickly decided ignore her demands, get our pictures done quickly, and leave her to her self-obsession. Tony was polite and professional with her at all times. She was obstreperous and abusive all night, to Tony and to a more limited extent, to the rest of us. She did not ruin my tour, but she has added a humorous and head-shaking aspect to this adventure that we will be laughing about for a very long time.