Where to Go: the 6 Best Anchorage Northern Lights Tours

1.Anchorage Aurora Tour and Northern Lights Photo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 156 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $315Our pick

Spend about six hours chasing the aurora from Anchorage toward Chugach State Park, Eagle River, and Palmer. Guides such as Ben, Chad, Colin, Erica, and Ronnie combine aurora advice with photography help, tripods, portraits, snacks, hot drinks, blankets, and round-trip hotel pickup. Routes change with clouds and aurora conditions.

“Our guide was awesome. He had a lot of knowledge and was happy to share. Only problem was the lights didn’t really come out that much. Hoping on the pics he took we will see something. AND it was -26 degrees for the entire night!!?!?! Not on them though. Had fun and would do it again. Thank you!”

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2.Anchorage Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 125 reviews · 6 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $354

Chase the aurora from Anchorage in a group of no more than eight, with hotel pickup, forecasting, warm clothing, hot drinks, snacks, and a heated shelter. Guides such as Dana, Dennis, Chris, Aaron, and Jacob explain the science, help with phone photography, and take portraits. Expect a late night, often from 9 pm to 3 am.

“Tim was our guide. Very sweet and friendly. Quite knowledgeable about Northern lights. We only saw a little aurora which was disappointing but no fault of Tim The experience was great”

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3.Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Anchorage to Fairbanks One Way

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 57 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $259Best value

Travel from Anchorage to Fairbanks aboard Alaska Railroad, leaving at 8:30 am and arriving around 8:00 pm. Expect snowy backcountry views, possible moose sightings, Denali and Alaska Range scenery, onboard commentary, reserved seating, and optional dining. Andy and Laura have provided especially warm, informative commentary on some departures.

“What a wonderful experience. Nice staff that narrated the entire trip (knowledgeable local info, plus wildlife spotting and alerting passengers where to look). Great food and service in the dining car; snacks available the entire trip. No worry travel with the granddaughter who loved the train.”

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4.Northern Lights Adventure of a Liftetime from Anchorage

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 57 reviews · from $320

Leave Anchorage at 8 p.m. with professional photographer Scott and up to four other people for an 8 to 10-hour aurora hunt. You’ll use forecast services to seek clear skies and dark viewing spots, learn how to photograph the lights, warm up in the vehicle, and receive high-resolution photos taken during the night. Pickup and drop-off are included.

“Look, if I could give Scott a 10 out of 5, I would. He was in contact with us days in advance, picked us up, had everything we needed, and we got to see the lights. He literally knows everything about the area and he shared all of that with us, wRead more”

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5.Aurora Borealis Northern Lights Photography Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 33 reviews · 6 hours · from $312

Spend six hours chasing the Aurora Borealis outside Anchorage with a professional photographer guide. Learn the science, practice night photography, use a complimentary tripod, and receive an aurora portrait if you want one. Hotel pickup, snacks, warm drinks, hand and toe warmers are included. Camera rental requires advance notice.

“Our guide, Chad, was fantastic! The forecast was uncertain for the night, but he did a fantastic job watching the data and finding us a great spot to catch the lights. He even extended the tour a little to make sure we could see them before heading back to our hotels. It was a great experience!”

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6.Nighttime Northern Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5 reviews · 8 hours · from $321

You’ll leave your Anchorage hotel with an English-speaking Aurora guide such as Dana, follow a personalized forecast into darker Alaskan country, and wait in a warm vehicle with snacks and hot drinks. Your guide helps with aurora photography and provides web-quality portraits. The tour runs eight hours and is private, but the lights are never guaranteed.

“Simply amazing and a must do!! Dana was awesome *****”

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