Northern Lights / Ice Art Championship Tour
Highlights Include :
Northern Lights viewing from beautiful Chena Hot Springs.
Northern Lights viewing from Bettles Lodge.
Attending the World Ice Art Championships
Visiting the University of Alaska Museum.
Snow Coach ride for northern lights viewing.
Dog Sled Ride.
Optional Dog mushing,cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Northern Lights / Polar Bear Tour
Highlights Include :
Northern Lights viewing from Bettles Lodge.
Polar Bear viewing on Barter Island
Optional Dog mushing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
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The aurora borealis has fascinated man for centuries and is truly a natural wonder no one should miss. Bands of green, red, purple and white streaking across the sky are symbolic of winter nights in the arctic. Our Northern Lights March Tour takes you to 2 of the best places in Alaska for viewing the aurora: Chena Hot Springs Resort and Bettles Lodge. Chena Hot Springs is a rustic resort nestled in the Chena Hills and has a wonderful outdoor pool that is perfect for watching the aurora streak across the sky. Sixty miles away from Fairbanks, the resort is beyond the interference of the city's lights and even has heated viewing huts on a remote mountain to further enhance the viewing pleasure. Optional activities such as dogmushing, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking and snowshoeing make it the perfect place for a winter getaway.
Bettles Lodge is located above the Arctic Circle near the Brooks Range. Bettles is the zone of highest aurora activity in Alaska and gives us the best possibilities for spectacular displays. As at Chena Hot Springs, optional activities such as dogmushing, snowmobiling, skiing, hiking and snowshoeing are available. Our tour also spends time in Fairbanks visiting local museums and galleries and the spectacular World Ice Art Championship. Contestants from all over the world come to Fairbanks in March to match their ice carving skills against each other. Using one ton blocks of crystal clear ice, these contestants carve massive figures of incredible detail and realism. We will watch the carvers at work and also have a chance to view the finished pieces.
For clients on the Polar Bear Tour, we will spend 3 days at Bettles Lodge as well as visiting Chena Hot Springs Resort and local sights around Fairbanks.
But the highlight of our trip will be a 3 days spent in the village of Kaktovik on the northern tip of Barter Island, just off the north coast of Alaska. For
centuries it has been a place to gather and trade goods for the Inupiat Eskimo of this region. It is also a place where Bowhead whales are hunted and the polar bears come to scavenge off the carcasses.
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Northern Lights / Ice Art Itinerary
Day One, Monday, Clients arrive in Fairbanks. Lodging ; Marriott Springhill Suites.
Day 2, Tuesday,
Today is our day to spend visiting the sights of Fairbanks. We visit Ice Art Park to view the magnificent pieces of carved ice and also visit the University of Alaska Museum. In the afternoon we will depart Fairbanks and travel to the Chena Hot Springs Resort. We will stop for a dog sled ride and then head to the resort to spend the evening soaking in the hot springs and watch the northern lights play across the sky. Lodging ; CHSR. (B,L,D)
Day 3, Wednesday
The Chena Hot Springs Resort is a winter wonderland with numerous activities to occupy our time. In the morning we will tour the area with either cross country skis or snowshoes. Optional activities available as add-ons include dog mushing, horse drawn sleigh rides and snowmobiling. Of course, the hot springs are always there for a relaxing soak. If the weather is clear and the potential for viewing the aurora are good, we will travel by snow-monkey to a remote viewing site for a late night aurora display. Lodging ; CHSR (B,D)
Day 4, Thursday
We will spend another full day at Chena Hot Springs cross country
skiing/snowshoeing enjoying the scenery, taking a dog sled ride or other
optional activities and of course, the hot springs. Tonight we will have
another chance to spend the night gazing at the aurora streaking across the
northern sky. Lodging; CHSR (B,D)
Day 5, Friday
Today we return to Fairbanks and clients fly to Bettles and begin their northern lights adventure there. Lodging ; Bettles (B,L,D)
Day 6 & 7, Sat. Sun.
Clients will spend these days exploring Bettles and the surrounding area while waiting for the nighttime displays of the northern lights. Optional activities include dogmushing, snowmobiling, x-country skiing and snowshoeing. Lodging ; Bettles (B,L,D)
Day 8, Monday
Clients return to Fairbanks. (B)
| Rates: |
7 nights,
$3800 per person, double occupancy; single supplement $700 |
| Dates: |
March 7-14, 2011
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| Includes: |
Accommodations, rt flights to Bettles,
sightseeing, admissions,activities as listed,
group meals as listed. |
| Contact: |
Alaska Iditarod Tours
at 1-604-720-0744, or email us.
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Northern Lights / Polar Bear Tour Itinerary
Day 1, Clients arrive in Fairbanks, evening meeting. Lodging ; Marriott Springhill Suites.
Day 2, Today we fly to Bettles and begin our northern lights adventure there. Lodging ; Bettles (B,L,D)
Day 3&4,
We will spend these days exploring Bettles and the surrounding area while waiting for the nighttime displays of the northern lights. Optional activities such as a riverboat ride will depend on the weather and river conditions. Lodging ; Bettles (B,L,D)
Day 5, Today we return to Fairbanks and explore the downtown area with it's selection of galleries, Alaskana and Alaska history. Lodging ; Fairbanks(B,L,D)
Day 6 & 7,Morning flight from Fairbanks to Kaktovik. We will check into the only commercial lodging in Kaktovik, the Waldo Arms. This will be our base for the next few days. We will then spend our time exploring the beaches and other areas where polar bears frequent. Lodging ; Kaktovik (B,L,D)
Day 8,
We will have an opportunity to look for polar bears again in the morning before we return to Fairbanks on an afternoon flight. Lodging ; Fairbanks(B,L,D)
Day 9,
Clients depart Fairbanks(B)
| Rates: |
8 nights,
$5000 per person, double occupancy; |
| Dates: |
Contact us for 2009 dates still available
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| Includes: |
Accommodations, flights from Fairbanks to Bettles and Kaktovik,
sightseeing, admissions,activities as listed,
meals as listed. |
| Contact: |
Alaska Iditarod Tours
at 1-604-720-0744, or email us.
|
Self-Guided Northern Lights Tour
Although the northern lights occur year round, they are only visible when the sky is dark and clear. Once September rolls around the sky is dark enough to view them on any given night between September thru April. For those clients wishing to take a self guided northern lights tour during those months, we offer a 5 day tour that includes ground transportation to and from the Fairbanks airport, 2 nights lodging at the Marriot SpringHill Suites in Fairbanks, air transportation to the Bettles Lodge plus 3 nights accommodations and meals. The only thing not included are your meals in Fairbanks.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1,
Clients arrive in Fairbanks. Lodging ; Marriott Springhill Suites
Day 2,3&4
Morning flight to Bettles and checkin at the lodge. Clients will spend these days exploring Bettles and the surrounding area while waiting for the nighttime displays of the northern lights. Optional activities include dogmushing, snowmobiling, x-country skiing and snowshoeing. Lodging ; Bettles (B,L,D)
Day 5,
Clients return to Fairbanks and are free to explore the town and surrounding areas.Lodging ; Marriott Springhill Suites (B)
| Rates: |
5 nights,
$1550- $2000 depending on month. |
| Dates: |
Mid September- Mid April
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| Includes: |
Accommodations,ground transportation, rt air transportation from Fairbanks to Bettles,
activities as listed,
meals as listed. |
| Contact: |
Alaska Iditarod Tours
at 1-604-720-0744, or email us.
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©1999 Montagna
Photography/Alaska Iditarod Tours. Website by Montagna Photography
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