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Northern Lights · Fairbanks, Alaska

Alaska Northern Lights & Hot Springs Escape: 7 Days

Six nights under the northern lights, a husky sled ride, a massage and a night at Chena Hot Springs, with plenty of free time. No car needed.

  • 7 days / 6 nights
  • Starts at Fairbanks (FAI)
  • No car needed
Green northern lights over snow-covered spruce trees near Fairbanks, Alaska

Attractions

What you will see as you travel the route, day by day, and how to make the most of each stop.

6nights to watch for the aurora
1guided northern lights night
1dog sled ride
1night at Chena Hot Springs
FairbanksMurphy DomeFairbanksChena Hot SpringsFairbanks
Part of your tripOptional add-on (not included in the trip price)
1Day 1

Welcome to Fairbanks

Your first night under the auroral oval.

Northern lights over Fairbanks

Why it is worth itFairbanks sits under the auroral oval, so the northern lights are often visible on clear, dark nights from late August to April. Away from city lights, the sky can glow green for hours.

Insider tipThe aurora is never guaranteed. Clear, dark skies give you the best chance, so check the aurora forecast and the cloud cover each evening.

2Day 2

Guided northern lights night

A guided night away from the city lights.

Murphy Dome

Why it is worth itA dark hilltop northwest of Fairbanks with wide views of the night sky. It is a popular spot for aurora watching, away from the lights of the city.

Insider tipDress in your warmest layers. It is very cold on a winter hilltop at night.

4Day 4

Dog sled ride

Out on the trail with a sled dog team.

Dog sledding near Fairbanks

Why it is worth itMushing is the official state sport of Alaska. A local musher and team of huskies take you through the snowy boreal forest outside Fairbanks.

Insider tipDress warmly, with a hat, mitts and warm boots, since you sit still in the cold.

5Day 5

Free day

A free day.

Optional add-on

Arctic Circle Aurora Flight

Fly north across the Arctic Circle to the Brooks Range, then ride back with a late aurora stop. 1 PM to about 4 AM.

$1,045 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

6Day 6

Chena Hot Springs, massage and a night soak

A soak, a massage and a night by the springs.

Chena Hot Springs

Why it is worth itA resort about 60 miles east of Fairbanks, built around natural hot springs. You soak in the outdoor rock lake while watching for the aurora on a clear night.

Insider tipWear a hat while you soak. Wet hair can freeze in the cold air.

Optional add-on

Charlie Dome Aurora Night

The Aurora Ice Museum with a drink in an ice glass, then a snowcat ride up Charlie Dome for a 5-hour aurora watch.

$255 per person

Optional. Not included in the trip price.

The order of stops can shift with the weather, and access to some sites can change with the season or local conditions. See Day by day for the full plan.

Why this trip

A slow winter week made for the northern lights, with very little on the schedule. You stay 5 nights in Fairbanks, right under the auroral oval, and you can ask your hotel's front desk about an aurora wake-up call, where offered. One night a guide takes you to a dark hilltop to watch the sky, one day you meet a sled dog team, and you end with a massage and a night at Chena Hot Springs, soaking in the outdoor rock lake under the aurora. The other days are yours to rest, and every transfer is arranged for you, so you never drive on icy roads.

  • Six nights to see the auroraEvery night of the trip is under the auroral oval, with an aurora wake-up call in Fairbanks where your hotel offers one, and a dark-sky night at Chena.
  • Guided night on Murphy DomeA late hotel pickup to a dark hilltop outside the city with a northern lights guide (booked).
  • Huskies and a sled rideA 30-minute dog sled ride through the snowy forest, with hotel pickup (booked).
  • Massage and a hot springs nightA 60-minute Swedish massage, the outdoor rock lake (18+) and a night at Chena Hot Springs Resort (booked).

Trip at a glance

Length
7 days / 6 nights
Starts / ends
Fairbanks (FAI)
Getting around
No car needed (Fairbanks hotel airport shuttle, Chena shuttle and tour pickups)
Pace
Relaxed: free days and late aurora nights
Best time to go
Mid-November to late March
Great for
Couples, friends and solo travelers
Accommodations
Comfort Plus
Flights
Not included. You book; timing tips in your pre-trip guide

Day by day

Day 1 and day 7 are travel days. The order of the days in between is flexible and can shift with the weather and the aurora forecast.

Day 1Welcome to Fairbanks
Land at Fairbanks and call your Fairbanks hotel's free airport shuttle; it picks you up on request, and your pre-trip guide has the number. Ask your hotel's front desk about an aurora wake-up call, where offered, so they ring your room if the lights come out.
Stay: A hand-picked Fairbanks hotel (night 1 of 6).
Day 2Guided northern lights night
A slow first day to rest up. On a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday night, a hotel pickup between 9:30 and 10:15 PM takes you to Murphy Dome, a dark hilltop outside the city, for a guided northern lights night (booked). Back around 3 AM.
Stay: A hand-picked Fairbanks hotel (night 2 of 6).
Day 3Sleep in and a free day
Sleep in after your late night. The rest of the day is yours: walk the frozen riverfront, browse downtown or stay in by the window. If your hotel offers an aurora wake-up call, keep it on.
Stay: A hand-picked Fairbanks hotel (night 3 of 6).
Day 4Dog sled ride
A hotel pickup takes you to a 30-minute dog sled ride through the snowy forest with a local musher and the team (booked). Pickup is about an hour before your ride, which starts at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM or 2:30 PM; there are no rides on Wednesdays. Time with the dogs before and after, then back to your hotel.
Stay: A hand-picked Fairbanks hotel (night 4 of 6).
Day 5Free day
A free day. Your pre-trip guide has easy ideas, like the Museum of the North or a longer mushing lesson. Keep your evening open for the aurora.
Stay: A hand-picked Fairbanks hotel (night 5 of 6).
Day 6Chena Hot Springs, massage and a night soak
A scheduled shuttle takes you 1.5 to 2 hours to Chena Hot Springs Resort (booked, at the departure time that fits your day). Enjoy a 60-minute Swedish massage (booked), then soak in the outdoor rock lake (18+) and watch for the aurora from the resort grounds, far from city lights. If you want the Aurora Ice Museum and a Charlie Dome aurora night, add the optional Charlie Dome Aurora Night to your trip.
Stay: Chena Hot Springs Resort (night 6 of 6).
Day 7Home
A last morning soak, then the resort shuttle takes you to Fairbanks airport (booked, 1.5 to 2 hours, on the departure that fits your flight). Plan flights for late afternoon or later, and send us your flight times at least a week before you travel.

Map

Every stop and attraction on your trip, numbered. Optional add-ons are in blue.

Expand map
  1. 1Fairbanks
  2. 2Murphy Dome
  3. 3Dog sledding near Fairbanks
  4. 4Chena Hot Springs
  5. 5Charlie Dome Aurora Night (optional add-on)
  6. 6Arctic Circle Aurora Flight (optional add-on)

Included in your tripOptional add-on

What’s included

Included

  • 5 nights at a hand-picked Fairbanks hotel and 1 night at Chena Hot Springs Resort, with taxes
  • Guided northern lights night on Murphy Dome, with hotel pickup
  • 30-minute dog sled ride, with hotel pickup
  • 60-minute Swedish massage at Chena Hot Springs
  • Outdoor rock lake soaking during your Chena stay (18+)
  • Your Fairbanks hotel's free airport shuttle on arrival (on request, you call when you have your bags), and the Chena Hot Springs shuttle both ways on set departures (Fairbanks to Chena, Chena to the airport)
  • A day-by-day plan, and one point of contact from booking to landing

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals and drinks
  • Winter gear rental
  • Tips for drivers and guides
  • Optional activities (mushing lesson, snowmobile) and the optional Charlie Dome Aurora Night add-on
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal spending

Your hotels, experiences, Chena shuttle, tour pickups and guides are booked for you, and your Fairbanks hotel's free airport shuttle is a phone call away. Flights are up to you, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips.

Questions

What if I need to cancel?
Plans change. If you need to cancel, you'll receive trip credit toward another itsTripEasy trip: within 24 hours of payment, 100% trip credit, so you can swap to a different destination; 90 or more days before your trip start date, 100% trip credit; less than 90 days before, no trip credit, unless you added Flexible Cancellation: with it, you get 100% trip credit if you cancel at least 10 days before your trip start date, for a trip you take within 12 months. Other trip credits never expire. To cancel or change your dates, use the cancellation request form. For a date change, choose the reason "I'd like to change my dates".
Will I see the northern lights?
No one can promise the aurora, because it needs solar activity and clear skies. This trip gives you the best odds possible: six nights under the auroral oval, a guided night on a dark hilltop, an aurora wake-up call where your hotel offers one, and a night at Chena Hot Springs away from city lights.
Is there enough snow for the sled ride?
Sled rides in Fairbanks usually run from about November, once the trails have enough snow, to early April. That's why start dates on this trip run from mid-November to late March. If the trails aren't ready, another winter activity is planned with you.
How many people can share a room?
Up to 4 people share one room, and the price per person drops as more people share: 2 sharing saves a little, 3 sharing more, 4 sharing the most. For a larger group, use Plan My Trip.
Can everyone use the hot springs?
The outdoor rock lake at Chena Hot Springs is for guests 18 and over. The indoor pool and hot tubs are open to all ages.
Do I need a car?
No. Your Fairbanks hotel's free airport shuttle picks you up when you call, and the Chena Hot Springs shuttle and every tour pickup are booked for you at set times, so you never drive on winter roads.
Are flights included?
Flights are up to you. Late arrivals are fine: your Fairbanks hotel's free airport shuttle picks you up on request. On day 7 the resort shuttle leaves Chena Hot Springs for Fairbanks airport on a set departure, so plan a late afternoon or evening flight. Send us your flight times at least a week before you travel, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips so your arrival and departure fit the plan.
Can the trip be customized?
Yes, right in the booking box: add up to 3 extra nights at the start or end of your trip, pick your hotels (Economy, Comfort Plus or Superior), and choose how many travelers share each room. You can also add optional extras like the Charlie Dome Aurora Night or the Arctic Circle Aurora Flight.

Good to know

  • Weather and nature. Weather, road and natural conditions are outside anyone’s control and can change quickly. They may change the plan, close roads, or delay, shorten or cancel tours and activities, and the order of days may shift.
  • Your choices. You are responsible for your own decisions, safety and choices while traveling, including which activities you take part in, and following local guidance, posted warnings and your guides’ instructions.
  • Photos. Photos on this page are for inspiration. They may not show the exact location, hotel, season or conditions of your trip.
  • Not included. Flights aren’t included; you book those yourself.
$5,358
2 travelers · 7 days / 6 nights
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