Best Alaska Northern Lights Tours: Our Top Picks & Booking Tips
Watching the Northern Lights dance across an Alaska sky is one of those experiences that lives up to the hype. But when you start looking for a tour, the choices can quickly become overwhelming. Should you chase the aurora from Fairbanks, head into the mountains from Anchorage, wait in a cozy lodge, join a photography tour, or combine the Northern Lights with dog sledding, hot springs, or even the Arctic Circle? We’ve narrowed down the options to 9 of the best Northern Lights tours in Alaska, each offering a different way to experience one of the Last Frontier’s most spectacular natural wonders. We focus on the differences that actually matter when booking: tour style, duration, comfort, photography support, group size, and what is included.
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Our Experience Chasing the Northern Lights in Alaska
We love Alaska in winter and have explored the state extensively during this incredible season. We’ve watched and photographed the Northern Lights many times, from chasing clear skies around Fairbanks to seeing incredible displays in remote locations far from city lights.
We’ve also joined guided aurora experiences, so we know the advantages a good local guide can offer.
For us, seeing the aurora is one of the best things to do in Alaska. But we’ve learned that a successful night takes more than simply checking the forecast. Cloud cover, location, timing, patience, and flexibility all matter. Some of our most memorable nights involved waiting for hours in the cold before the sky finally came alive.
That firsthand experience shapes the recommendations in this guide. We focus on Alaska Northern Lights tours that offer something genuinely useful, whether that’s active aurora chasing, photography support, a warm place to wait, or combining the night with another Alaska winter experience.
If you’re visiting during Alaska’s Northern Lights season, from late August through mid-April, make sure to add at least one aurora tour to your itinerary.
Quick Picks: Best Alaska Northern Lights Tours
Not sure which tour to choose? These are our quick picks based on the type of experience you’re looking for. The tours range from dedicated aurora chasing and photography to heated lodge stays and full Alaska winter adventures.
| Best For | Tour | From |
|---|---|---|
| Best Overall | Northern Lights – Aurora with FREE Photos – Arctic Night Tours | Fairbanks |
| Best Arctic Circle Combo | Northern Lights & Arctic Circle Tour | Fairbanks |
| Best Dog Sledding Combo | Northern Lights Viewing including Dinner and Dog Sledding | Fairbanks |
| Best Anchorage Aurora Tour | Anchorage Northern Lights Tour | Anchorage |
| Best Anchorage Photography Tour | Anchorage Aurora Tour and Northern Lights Photo | Anchorage |
| Best Hot Springs Combo | Northern Lights & Chena Hot Springs Tour | Fairbanks |
| Best Heated Lodge Experience | Aurora Viewing – Aurora Husky Lodge, Great View from Top of the Ridge | Fairbanks |
| Best Private Photography Tour | Private Northern Lights Photography Tour in Fairbanks, Alaska | Fairbanks |
| Best Private Group Tour from Anchorage | Up to 10 Person Northern Lights Viewing from Hatcher Pass Mine | Anchorage |
Our tip: If seeing the Northern Lights is your main priority, choose a tour in the Fairbanks area, one of the best places in Alaska to see the Northern Lights. Then, look for a tour focused primarily on aurora chasing or photography, as these experiences can dedicate the night to finding favorable viewing conditions.
If you want to combine aurora viewing with other Fairbanks winter activities and adventures, consider an Arctic Circle, dog sledding, or Chena Hot Springs tour. You’ll get a memorable Alaska experience even if the aurora doesn’t cooperate.
Best Northern Lights Tours in Alaska
Below are nine Northern Lights tours we selected for different travel styles and priorities. Rather than simply choosing the most popular options, we focused on what each tour does best—from dedicated aurora chasing and photography to heated lodge viewing and experiences combined with dog sledding, hot springs, or the Arctic Circle.
Use our recommendations to find the experience that best matches how you want to spend your night under the Alaska sky.
1. Northern Lights – Aurora with FREE Photos – Arctic Night Tours — Best Overall
If you want a dedicated Northern Lights experience from Fairbanks, this Aurora with FREE Photos Tour is our top overall pick. Rather than combining the aurora with a daytime attraction, the evening is centered on getting away from city lights and watching the sky.
One of the biggest advantages is the included aurora photography. You can enjoy the experience without worrying about getting the perfect photo yourself, while still coming home with photos from the night.
The tour also includes Fairbanks pickup and drop-off, making it particularly convenient if you don’t want to drive icy roads late at night. A local guide handles the transportation and chooses viewing locations based on the conditions.
We especially like this type of tour for first-time aurora viewers who want a straightforward Northern Lights experience without committing to an all-day excursion.
Best for: First-time visitors, couples, solo travelers, and anyone who wants a dedicated aurora tour with photos included.
Why we like it: The focus stays on the Northern Lights, and the included photography adds real value—especially if capturing your Alaska aurora experience is important to you.
Good to know: The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, so sightings can never be guaranteed. Keep your itinerary flexible and, whenever possible, give yourself several nights in Fairbanks rather than relying on a single evening.
2. Northern Lights & Arctic Circle Tour — Best Arctic Circle Adventure
If you want your Northern Lights tour to feel like a full Alaska winter adventure, this Northern Lights & Arctic Circle Tour is one of the most interesting options on our list. The approximately 14-hour trip from Fairbanks takes you north along the remote Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle, with the chance to watch for the aurora on the return journey.
Along the way, the tour includes stops at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Yukon River, Dalton Highway sign, and Arctic Circle sign. Reaching the Arctic Circle is an experience in itself, so this tour is a good choice even if the Northern Lights don’t cooperate.
We’ve traveled the Dalton Highway ourselves, including in winter, and this is not a road we recommend tackling casually in cold conditions. A guided tour lets you experience this remote route without worrying about winter driving, road conditions, or rental-car restrictions.
Best for: Travelers who want to combine the Northern Lights with the Arctic Circle and Dalton Highway.
Why we like it: You get much more than an aurora viewing tour. The remote drive, Yukon River, Dalton Highway, and Arctic Circle make this a memorable Alaska experience regardless of aurora activity.
Good to know: This is a very long tour with many hours spent in the vehicle, so we wouldn’t choose it if your only goal is maximizing dedicated aurora-viewing time. Cold-weather gear is also not included.
3. Northern Lights Viewing Including Dinner and Dog Sledding — Best Dog Sledding Combo
If you want to combine two classic Alaska winter experiences in one evening, this tour pairs dog sledding with dinner and the chance to watch for the Northern Lights.
The experience includes an approximately one-hour dog sled ride, followed by time to warm up and enjoy dinner while waiting for the aurora. We especially like this combination because dog sledding is an experience worth doing on its own. Even if clouds or weak aurora activity affect the night, you still have a memorable Alaska adventure.
We’ve experienced dog sledding in Alaska ourselves, including during winter, and combining it with aurora viewing is a great option if you have limited time and want to fit more into your Fairbanks itinerary.
Best for: Travelers who want to combine dog sledding and Northern Lights viewing in one tour.
Why we like it: The experience doesn’t depend entirely on the aurora. You get a substantial dog sled ride, dinner, and time for Northern Lights viewing in a single evening.
Good to know: This is better for travelers looking for a winter experience plus aurora viewing than for someone whose only priority is actively chasing the clearest skies.
4. Anchorage Northern Lights Tour — Best Classic Aurora Tour from Anchorage
If you’re staying in Anchorage and don’t plan to travel to Fairbanks, this Best Classic Aurora Tour from Anchorage offers a convenient way to get outside the city lights and search for the aurora with a local guide.
The tour lasts about 4–6 hours and includes transportation from Anchorage. Rather than staying at one fixed viewing location, the guide can choose where to go based on the night’s weather and viewing conditions. That flexibility is especially valuable around Anchorage, where cloud cover can vary considerably between locations.
We like this option for travelers already planning to experience Anchorage in winter who want a dedicated Northern Lights tour without adding a separate trip to Interior Alaska.
Best for: Travelers staying in Anchorage who want a straightforward guided aurora experience.
Why we like it: It focuses on finding the Northern Lights rather than combining the evening with unrelated activities, and transportation means you don’t have to navigate unfamiliar roads late at night.
Good to know: Fairbanks generally offers more consistent aurora-viewing conditions and a much larger selection of tours. But if your trip is based in Southcentral Alaska, an Anchorage tour is a practical alternative.
5. Anchorage Aurora Tour and Northern Lights Photo — Best Photography Tour from Anchorage
If you’re staying in Anchorage and photographing the Northern Lights is high on your list, this Aurora Tour and Northern Lights Photo is a better fit than a standard viewing tour. The experience combines aurora chasing with hands-on photography assistance, helping you capture the night rather than simply watch it.
The tour lasts about 6 hours and takes a small group outside Anchorage in search of darker skies and favorable conditions. Your guide helps with camera settings, composition, and photographing the aurora, making it particularly useful if you have a camera but aren’t confident with night photography yet.
As photographers ourselves, we know that photographing the aurora can be challenging the first time. Having someone help with settings while conditions are changing can make a real difference.
Best for: Photographers and travelers who want both an Anchorage aurora experience and help capturing it.
Why we like it: It combines active aurora searching with practical photography guidance in a small-group setting.
Good to know: Bring your own camera and tripod if you want to practice your photography. And remember that photography support doesn’t change the weather—the aurora can never be guaranteed.
6. Northern Lights & Chena Hot Springs Tour — Best Hot Springs Combo
If you want to combine aurora viewing with one of Fairbanks’ most popular winter destinations, this tour takes you to Chena Hot Springs Resort for a full evening experience.
The tour includes time to soak in the outdoor hot springs, visit the Aurora Ice Museum, and explore the resort before watching for the Northern Lights. Transportation from Fairbanks is included, so you don’t have to make the roughly 60-mile drive yourself on winter roads.
We like this option because the evening offers plenty to experience even if the aurora doesn’t appear. Soaking in the hot springs surrounded by a snowy Alaska landscape is memorable on its own, and you still have the possibility of ending the night beneath the Northern Lights.
Best for: Travelers who want to combine Chena Hot Springs with aurora viewing in one trip from Fairbanks.
Why we like it: You get several experiences in one tour, and you don’t need to worry about driving to and from Chena Hot Springs late at night in winter.
Good to know: This is not a dedicated aurora chase. You’ll spend part of the tour enjoying Chena Hot Springs and the Ice Museum, so choose a dedicated aurora tour instead if maximizing your Northern Lights viewing time is your only priority.
7. Aurora Viewing at Aurora Husky Lodge — Best Heated Lodge Experience
If standing outside for hours in the Fairbanks cold doesn’t sound appealing, this tour offers a much more comfortable way to wait for the Northern Lights. You’ll head outside the city to Aurora Husky Lodge, located on top of a ridge away from Fairbanks’ light pollution.
The biggest advantage is the heated lodge, where you can warm up between periods of aurora viewing. The experience also includes hotel pickup and drop-off, hot drinks, snacks, and photography assistance, so you can enjoy the night without worrying about driving or spending the entire evening outside.
We know from our own winter aurora nights how quickly the cold becomes challenging when you’re standing still and waiting. Having a warm place nearby can make a huge difference, especially during the coldest Fairbanks months.
Best for: First-time winter visitors, families, and anyone who prioritizes warmth and comfort while waiting for the aurora.
Why we like it: You get dark skies and plenty of opportunities to step outside when the aurora appears, but you also have a comfortable heated base while you wait.
Good to know: This is primarily a fixed-location viewing experience rather than an active aurora chase, so it offers less flexibility to move elsewhere if clouds develop over the lodge.
8. Private Northern Lights Photography Tour in Fairbanks — Best Private Photography Tour
If photography is a major reason you want to see the Northern Lights, this private Fairbanks aurora photo tour gives you much more personalized attention than a standard group experience.
Because the tour is private, the guide can focus on your camera, your skill level, and the images you want to capture. You’ll travel away from Fairbanks’ city lights in search of good viewing and photography conditions, with guidance on camera settings and techniques along the way.
As photographers ourselves, we especially like the flexibility of a private experience. Aurora conditions can change quickly, and one-on-one help gives you more time to adjust your settings, work on compositions, and ask questions without keeping up with a larger group.
Best for: Photographers, couples, and travelers who want a more personalized aurora experience.
Why we like it: The private format provides more individual photography help and flexibility than a typical group tour.
Good to know: You’re paying extra for the privacy and personalized attention, so this may not be the best choice if photography isn’t important to you or you’re traveling on a tighter budget.
9. Up to 10-Person Northern Lights Viewing from Hatcher Pass Mine — Best Private Group Tour from Anchorage
If you’re traveling with family or friends and want a private Northern Lights experience from Anchorage, this tour is especially interesting because it accommodates groups of up to 10 people.
The tour heads north from Anchorage toward Hatcher Pass, away from the city’s light pollution. You’ll travel through the Matanuska-Susitna Valley to a historic mining area, where the darker surroundings create a scenic setting for watching and photographing the aurora.
We know Hatcher Pass well from our own Alaska trips, and it’s a beautiful mountain setting. Having private transportation is also a major advantage in winter, when road and weather conditions in the area can be challenging.
Best for: Families, groups of friends, and multigenerational groups staying in Anchorage.
Why we like it: The private format makes it different from standard Anchorage aurora tours, and it can be particularly attractive when the cost is divided among several travelers.
Good to know: Hatcher Pass is a fixed destination rather than a wide-ranging aurora chase, so weather and cloud cover still play a major role. As with every tour on this list, Northern Lights sightings cannot be guaranteed.
What to Wear on a Northern Lights Tour in Alaska
Aurora tours often involve standing outside for long periods at night, so dress warmer than you would for a typical winter sightseeing day. This is especially important in Fairbanks, where temperatures can drop well below zero.
We recommend dressing in layers with thermal base layers, an insulating midlayer, a warm winter parka, insulated pants, winter boots, a hat, and warm gloves or mittens. Standing still while waiting for the aurora can make you feel cold surprisingly quickly.
Some tours provide cold-weather gear, but many do not, so check what is included before booking.
For our complete clothing and gear recommendations, see our Alaska Winter Packing List, based on what we actually use during our winter trips.
You can also visit our Amazon Storefront, where we’ve organized the gear we use and recommend into dedicated lists, including Alaska Winter Essentials and Alaska Northern Lights Photography Gear.
Fairbanks or Anchorage: Where Should You Take a Northern Lights Tour?
If seeing the Northern Lights is one of the main goals of your Alaska trip, we recommend Fairbanks. Its location beneath the auroral oval, relatively dry Interior climate, more consistently clear skies, and easy access to areas with very little light pollution create some of the best aurora viewing conditions in Alaska.
Fairbanks also gives you more variety. You can choose an active aurora chase, photography tour, heated lodge experience, or combine the Northern Lights with the Arctic Circle, dog sledding, or Chena Hot Springs. We compare even more options in our detailed guide to the best Fairbanks Northern Lights tours.
Anchorage is still a good choice if it already fits your itinerary. Guided tours can take you away from city lights toward darker areas, including the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Hatcher Pass. You don’t necessarily need to add a flight or long drive to Fairbanks just to join an aurora tour.
If your priority is maximizing your Northern Lights opportunities, choose Fairbanks. If you’re already spending several nights in Anchorage and the aurora is one of several winter experiences on your list, an Anchorage-based tour can make more sense.
Which Type of Alaska Northern Lights Tour Should You Choose?
The best Northern Lights tour depends on what you want from the experience. Some tours dedicate the entire night to finding the aurora, while others combine viewing with another Alaska winter adventure.
Aurora chase tours are our first choice if seeing the Northern Lights is your main priority. Guides can use current cloud cover and conditions to choose viewing locations rather than spending the entire night at one fixed spot.
Photography tours are ideal if capturing the aurora matters to you. Look for tours that provide hands-on help with camera settings and composition, or choose one that includes professional photos if you simply want great pictures from the experience.
Lodge-based aurora tours are a great choice if comfort matters. You can wait somewhere warm and head outside when conditions improve. This can be especially valuable during extremely cold Fairbanks nights.
Combination tours are best if you want more than aurora viewing. Dog sledding, Chena Hot Springs, and Arctic Circle tours give you a memorable Alaska experience even if clouds prevent you from seeing the lights.
Private tours work particularly well for couples, photographers, families, and groups who value flexibility and personalized attention. They cost more, but a private group tour can also offer good value when several people share the price.
Our advice is simple: choose the tour based on the experience you want, not on promises of seeing the Northern Lights. No operator can guarantee the aurora, but choosing the right style of tour can make the night worthwhile regardless of what happens in the sky.
Why We Recommend Taking at Least One Guided Aurora Tour
You can absolutely see the Northern Lights in Alaska on your own—we’ve done it many times. But if this is your first Alaska winter trip, we recommend booking at least one guided aurora tour.
Chasing the lights independently means monitoring cloud cover, aurora forecasts and apps, and road conditions, finding dark viewing locations, and sometimes driving unfamiliar roads late at night in snow and ice. A good local guide takes much of that work out of the experience and knows where to look for better conditions.
Winter driving in Alaska can be extremely challenging. Even though we’re experienced with winter road conditions—and Chris is a very confident driver—there have been nights when we gave up chasing the Northern Lights because the roads outside the city were simply too icy. That’s one reason a guided aurora tour can be such a good choice: a local guide handles the winter driving, so you can focus on the experience instead of worrying about road conditions.
Tours can also make a long, cold night much more comfortable. Depending on the experience you choose, you may have heated transportation or a lodge, hotel pickup, hot drinks, photography assistance, or professional photos included.
Most importantly, remember that a tour cannot guarantee the Northern Lights. What you are paying for is local knowledge, transportation, comfort, and a well-planned night that can give you a better strategy for experiencing the aurora.
What Happens If You Don’t See the Northern Lights?
No Northern Lights tour can guarantee an aurora display. Even when aurora activity is strong, cloud cover can completely block the view, and conditions can change quickly during the night.
Before booking, check the individual tour’s cancellation, rescheduling, and no-aurora policies. Some operators may offer another attempt or a discounted second tour, while others do not provide refunds simply because the Northern Lights weren’t visible.
We recommend booking your aurora tour early in your stay rather than on your final night. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, you’ll still have another night or two to try again—either independently or on another guided tour.
And if you want to improve your odds, stay flexible. Seeing the Northern Lights often requires patience, and sometimes the best displays happen after hours of waiting.
Final Thoughts: Which Alaska Northern Lights Tour Should You Book?
There is no single best Northern Lights tour for everyone. The right choice depends on whether your priority is aurora chasing, photography, comfort, or combining the lights with another Alaska winter adventure.
If seeing the aurora is your main goal, we recommend choosing a dedicated Northern Lights chase or photography tour. If you want a more complete winter experience, consider combining aurora viewing with dog sledding, Chena Hot Springs, or an Arctic Circle adventure. And if you prefer to stay warm while you wait, a heated lodge experience may be worth the extra comfort.
We’ve watched and photographed the Northern Lights in Alaska many times, and the experience never gets old. Some nights bring spectacular displays; others require hours of patience. That unpredictability is part of what makes seeing the aurora so special.
Whichever tour you choose, book it early in your stay, dress for the cold, and give yourself more than one night for a chance to see the lights.
Ready to start planning? Compare our recommended Alaska Northern Lights tours above, check availability for your travel dates, and choose the experience that best fits your trip.
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Agnes, this article is a keeper for people like me who plan to see the northern lights in Alaska. You gave readers choices of tour companies, what they offer if there are no northern lights on the night of the tour, how many days to spend, etc. A must-read for planning a trip to Alaska.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found the article helpful for planning your Northern Lights trip to Alaska. It’s such a special experience, and I wanted to make sure readers have all the info they need to choose the right tour and make the most of their visit.
We have had the Northern Lights on our travel wish list for some time. We are actually doing a cruise to Norway in January in the hopes to finally see them. But I can see from your post that we need to plan a trip to Alaska to see the Northern Lights there too! It would be great to do the tour with a photographer that can ensure we get the best shots! So many great spots to experience them in Alaska. Saved for our travel planning.
That sounds amazing! A cruise to Norway in January will give you a fantastic chance to see the Northern Lights, and I hope you have an unforgettable experience. Alaska is definitely worth adding to your Northern Lights adventures—it offers so many incredible spots for viewing. Doing a tour with a photographer is such a great idea to ensure you capture the perfect shots!
I would love to do a photography focused tour or a multi day experience to see more of the wilderness. This reminds of what they had in Finland. We got to see the aurora and it was amazing. I wish I had done a tour that takes you out further into wildnerness. There is just something magical especially away from the light pollution
We’d love to see the northern lights when we make it to Alaska. Thanks for the inspiration!
When I worked in Denali, I would always tell folks the best time to visit the park was late August through September. (The then-Park Hotel was shuttered from mid-September until mid-May.)
That time of the year was so, so magical: True night had finally returned and so the Northern Lights would be visible. The migrations of caribou and other animals, the howling of wolves afar, the yipping of coyotes on the nearer ridges. The tundra covered in autumn colors, the Alaska Range being visible (or at least a good chance of it).
I would love to see the northern lights in Alaska, so thank you for all these useful tips! I have seen the northern lights in the Baltic and Scandinavia, but I am not familiar with Alaska at all. Saved some of these tours for future, thanks!!
I didn’t realize there were so many things to take into consideration for planning a trip to see the northern lights! Haven’t made it to Alaska yet but definitely will be saving this for ideas later.
This is something I really want to do. Thanks for all the inspiration.
Seeing the Northern Lights is on the top of my bucket list and my boyfriend dreams of travelling to Alaska so this guide was very interesting for us!
Great information. This is a planned trip for us next year so perfect timing for me to read this. I’m saving the information for our trip.
This is so informative with lots of detailed info on how to best view the northern lights. Maybe one of these days I’ll force myself to deal with the long dark nights and cold and visit Alaska in the winter so I can see them
Thanks for the tips. Seeing the Northern Lights is high up on my bucket list and I would love the opportunity to see them in Alaska.
Like everyone else I’d love to see the northern lights someday, but I really had no idea so many different types of tours existed. This is a great comprehensive guide that I will definitely come back to when the time comes to visit Alaska!
What great tips and I would love to see the Northern Lights in Alaska. I don’t know if I could handle the winter cold. Brrr but beautiful!
Seeing the Northern Lights is fantastic. But it can indeed be hit or miss. We’ve been to Norway on a Hurtigruten cruise in November and didn’t see them on any of the cruise days. It was to clouded. However we got lucky on a Northern Lights tour in Rovaniemi, Finland. Would love to see them in Alaska.
Such a detailed and helpful guide! Alaska’s Northern Lights have been on my bucket list forever, and your practical tips on timing and choosing local tours make taking the trip feel so much more achievable! Thank you!
Excellent article! I appreciate that you covered more than just where to see the aurora—you also included realistic advice about timing, weather, and choosing the right tour. Those details can make all the difference when planning a trip. Thanks for putting together such an informative and inspiring guide!
Seeing the Northern Lights is one of the top things to do on my bucket list. I would definitely opt for a guided tour to increase my chances of seeing them.
Amazing post! I went to Alaska in 2018 but i unfortunately didn’t get to see the another lights! Then I went to Iceland and also didn’t see them 😅 but I’m not giving up, one day I will see them,they look so beautiful 😍
This would be a dream trip for me and this guide will be the perfect place to come if I start planning for it! Although an adventure up to the Arctic circle sounds so incredible, I can totally see the appeal of the resort near Fairbanks!
This is such a detailed and well-done article! I’d love to see the Northern Lights one day
I’d love to see the northern lights one day, thanks for the super detailed guide!
Your photos of the Northern Lights are incredible! Its so hard choosing the right tour, so I love this detailed guide
Visiting the Arctic Circle is so high on my bucket list so of course I bookmarked the Northern Lights and Arctic Circle tour! This was such a helpful list breaking down what each tour is best for. Thanks for sharing!
The Northern Lights look amazing. While we were in Alaska, we didn’t have time for a Northern Lights tour. Maybe next time. There’s so much to see and do there.