Northern Lights and Chena Hot Springs Night Tour from Fairbanks
Overview
Travel with expert guides in comfortable transportation and relax in the famous Chena Hot Springs. Be amazed by the Fairbanks Ice Museum's handcrafted chandeliers and bars, and spend the evening gazing in awe at the mysterious Northern Lights.
Inclusions
- Driver/guide
- Live commentary on board
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only)
- Entry/Admission - Chena Hot Springs Resort
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Chena Hot Springs Resort, 56.5 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road, Chena Hot Springs, AK 99712
* IMPORTANT NOTICE: Ice Museum is closed due to extensive remodeling until Summer 2024 !!!*
Only 60 miles from Fairbanks, this world renowned resort offers a day of rest and relaxation in the historical location discovered by natives and early miners.
Enjoy the mineral hot springs in a beautiful natural setting and experience the dancing of the northern lights.
Itinerarly:
5:00pm Departure from Fairbanks
6:45pm Arrival Chena Resort
7:00pm Guided Ice Museum (NOT included. Closed/Remodeling until Summer 2024)
8:00pm Soak in hot springs rock lake (must be 18 or older) or indoor pool
12:00am Waiting for Northern Lights
2:00am Leaving Chena Hot Springs
4:00am Arrival back in Fairbanks
Duration: 6 hours
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Chena Hot Springs Resort, 56.5 Mile Chena Hot Springs Road, Chena Hot Springs, AK 99712
* IMPORTANT NOTICE: Ice Museum is closed due to extensive remodeling until Summer 2024 !!!*
Only 60 miles from Fairbanks, this world renowned resort offers a day of rest and relaxation in the historical location discovered by natives and early miners.
Enjoy the mineral hot springs in a beautiful natural setting and experience the dancing of the northern lights.
Itinerarly:
5:00pm Departure from Fairbanks
6:45pm Arrival Chena Resort
7:00pm Guided Ice Museum (NOT included. Closed/Remodeling until Summer 2024)
8:00pm Soak in hot springs rock lake (must be 18 or older) or indoor pool
12:00am Waiting for Northern Lights
2:00am Leaving Chena Hot Springs
4:00am Arrival back in Fairbanks
Duration: 6 hours
Additional information
- Minimum age is 5-year-old and older.
- Please note the Aurora is a natural occurrence. We can NEVER guarantee that guests will see the aurora.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Chena rock lake pool only allows age 18 and older.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
Darlenepacheco
November 2021
My family had such an amazing time with the night tour and our tour guide Joshua made the experience all the more exciting and memorable. We love a person who can laugh and relate with us, he was so patient and nice as well. A great memory as a whole with my loved ones.
My family had such an amazing time with the night tour and our tour guide Joshua made the experience all the more exciting and memorable. We love a person who can laugh and relate with us, he was so patient and nice as well. A great memory as a whole with my loved ones.jayhawk6
February 2022
When I read the other reviews, I’m honestly confused. People are talking about having a guide. What guide? We were picked up at our hotel 40 minutes late and made a stop at another hotel to pick up other guests. We also. picked up about a dozen people from the airport. Two hours later, we were...
When I read the other reviews, I’m honestly confused. People are talking about having a guide. What guide? We were picked up at our hotel 40 minutes late and made a stop at another hotel to pick up other guests. We also. picked up about a dozen people from the airport. Two hours later, we were let out at the entrance to the hotel- no directions, still no guide, no group of other people waiting for the same tour that we had paid over $400 for two people to take. After asking, we were told to go to the activity center where the tours began but since we were so late getting there, we missed our 5:00 ice museum tour. The next tour was at 7:00 pm. This meant that we would have 75 minutes for the hot springs (including dressing, drying, redressing), and to eat dinner before our meeting time of 9:15 for the top of the mountain for the northern light part. When I made a comment about the timing, the guy at the activity counter said, “well, I guess you have a choice between the hot springs and eating. If it were me, I’d choose to do the hot springs.” There was a gal who walked a bunch of us - hotel guests and other random people that had decided to do the tour, but not part of the northern lights package we paid for, to the ice museum. After telling us about all the broken stuff (ice chess board, ice stairs to a tower, and a bear who used to pour cola) we were allowed to wander around and look at the ice sculptures in the room on our own. There were some fun things to see. We drank our included in the price, apple martini, and headed over to the hot springs dressing area. It, along with the restrooms we had already experienced at the activity center, was filthy. Stuffed up toilets, broken doors, and poop. The hot springs themselves were enjoyable. (Although I did read that it’s just heated lake water, not sure if that’s true or not) In any event, the water was warm, and in the dark, the lights and steam gave it a cozy vibe. Looking at the ice crystals in our hair was fun too. After drying off and redressing, we hurried back to the activity center for our dinner of Doritos and coke (because vending machine food was all we had time for), and for our trip to the top of the mountain. I did talk to one other couple who had been on our bus up from Fairbanks, and were signed up for the same tour as us. They too were expecting a guided trip with a smaller, and consistent group of people. We all loaded into the snow car things as our driver apologized that the heater and lights inside were broken. Thankfully, because they were down a vehicle, and had no heater, he hurried us to the top and we arrived quicker than the 40 minute expected trip. We were then shown where the make-shift porta-potties were - 1 for women, one for men, (which when I used it later, was stuffed to the top with toilet paper.) It was beautiful on the mountain with the trees and snow and a lovely view. We could freely wander around or wait inside a yurt type dwelling, that was heated with two small built-in propane space heaters, one on each side. Nowhere near enough heat for the 50ish people that packed inside. (Somewhere I read - review or description of tour, that we would be with a small group) We did see a quick show of lights toward the beginning of our four hours on the mountain. It was stunning. After our cold ride back down to the Chena resort hotel, we went into the gift shop and used the restrooms while waiting for the bus driver who was supposed to be waiting for us, to arrive. The restrooms were as gross in the lobby as the other areas in the resort. We waited about twenty to thirty minutes before a bus driver came to take a group of us back to various locations in Fairbanks. Our long trip back to Fairbanks was frigid. The driver had cool air blowing full blast the whole time. My window was iced up and definitely made way more uncomfortable by the chilly air blowing out at us. We were told that our ETA back to our hotel would be 3:30 am. We arrived at 4:45 am. Some may want to blame that on road conditions, however she seemed to be keeping within the speed limit. Being tardy to pick passengers up and unrealistic time estimates are the culprit. This trip was nothing like what we expected from reading the reviews. As I said, there was no guide, so it wasn’t anything like the description of the tour we signed up for. Very disappointing.Dford772
December 2021
Bill was an excellent tour guide. He was prompt in picking us up from our hotels. He explained the history of the different places and was very accommodating. When searching for the Auroras he took us to several places where we finally got a small glimpse of the fading lights.
Bill was an excellent tour guide. He was prompt in picking us up from our hotels. He explained the history of the different places and was very accommodating. When searching for the Auroras he took us to several places where we finally got a small glimpse of the fading lights.Jennifer_R
December 2021
The description says this tour comes with a guide. The fella was friendly enough but having a cab ride and a tour are two completely different services. I was under the impression by reading and calling the tour company to inquire about exactly what the cost included. I was reassured that the rid...
The description says this tour comes with a guide. The fella was friendly enough but having a cab ride and a tour are two completely different services. I was under the impression by reading and calling the tour company to inquire about exactly what the cost included. I was reassured that the ride to the excursion and back was to to be filled information but instead had no commentary or any type of informative experience. I suggest driving yourself or an uber there and just paying for the ice museum and spring experience yourself.eversinz
November 2021
Joshua (Josh) was the best tour guide I have ever experienced! He was so incredibly kind and had such great stories and sense of humor! He made the experience 100x better!
Joshua (Josh) was the best tour guide I have ever experienced! He was so incredibly kind and had such great stories and sense of humor! He made the experience 100x better!nastyak546
September 2021
Josh was very bueno, he was helpful and resourceful, also gave us a ride to our Airbnb. Recommended and approved!
Josh was very bueno, he was helpful and resourceful, also gave us a ride to our Airbnb. Recommended and approved!