Alaska Tours - Anchorage, Alaska

Mary J. H.

Planned the Active Alaska rail package with Alaska Tours and we couldn't be more pleased with the results. All arrangements were as described and the travel consultants processed requested changes prior to our trip quickly and with great communication. Highly Recommended!

Brenda N.

This was our first trip to Alaska and Alaska Tours did an awesome job of putting together a little bit of everything for us. Denali National Park, Tundra wilderness tour, Dome rail car with Alaska Railroad, Arctic Ocean adventure, Prudhoe Bay, Sternwheeler riverboat, Prince William Sound glacier cruise. Dipped our toes in the Arctic Ocean and made an Arctic Ocean snowball. We definitely would recommend the Alaskan Odyssey tour. Scott answered all my questions, big or small, quickly and completely in a kind and gentle way.

Cakes A. C. S. O. J.

Everything was wonderful
The people and the places!
All our views- spectacular
The beauty and the spaces!

Hotels, trains and coaches
The drivers all first rate
The Glaciers and the sea life...
Well ALL of it was GREAT...

DEFINITELY will do it again

Mark T.

We had a great time in Alaska in May 2025. Our thanks to the team at Alaska Tours, who clearly know their stuff. It was they who pointed out that we would need transport from our ship when it docked at Whittier. I had no idea - the cruise company said we were going to Anchorage! On each occasion I asked a question (from UK) I got a prompt reply from the team at Alaska Tours. We were very early in the season, but the folks in Alaska made us very welcome and we benefitted from great weather. We journeyed to the Denali National Park and joined the 30% club - those who get to see Mt Denali. In fact we saw it on 3 consecutive days, which probably puts us in the 3% club? We got great service from Park Connections who operate the buses, our hotel at Denali Bluffs, the park service, and Alaska Railroad who brought us back to Anchorage. Would I recommend the trip - yes absolutely. Would I recommend Alaska Tours - absolutely.

Sharon E.

A most wonderful Alaskan adventure they helped us plan. Soo much better than a cruise....our itinerary with the details and directions were the main reason. Nice to have recommendations of area restaurants and attractions. The drive from Fairbanks to Valdez proved to have incredible views of Denali. The tour and cruises were all well organized and it was obvious all the guides loved their jobs. The accommodations were all good, some more comfortable than others but none unacceptable. Checking in was a breeze and staff always pleasant.
It was a pleasure dealing with the agents from the beginning of our planning. The entire experience was very positive.

Karen L.

We planned the perfect Alaskan vacation for us! We got to do everything we wanted to do and Alaska Tours scheduled our itinerary perfectly. There were absolutely no issues with our hotels, tours, trains, rental car itineraries and confirmations! It was too cloudy to see Mt. Denali, but we saw a Kodiak brown bear, a couple of cow moose with calves, a big bull moose, a grizzly mama with two cubs, a glacier calving, and the Aurora Borealis! It does not get much better than this! If I were to do this again, I would rent a car to tour the Denali National Park on our schedule rather than tour by bus, because it snowed during our tour and we had to turn around and cancel the tour. But, that is the only change I would make. We went on a Glacier Tour, took a train ride to Denali National Park, where we took the Tundra Wilderness Tour and spent two nights there, took another train ride to Fairbanks, panned for gold at Gold Dredge 8, drove our rental car to Chena Hot Springs, took the Aurora Tour in search of the northern lights and had some time in between to tour downtown Fairbanks. We want to go back and if we do, we will most certainly book our vacation with Alaska Tours! Thank you Alaska Tours!!! We had a great time!!!

Shahbaz S.

Ultimate Guide to Seeing the Northern Lights

My wife and I planned a trip to Alaska to experience the stunning scenery and hopefully catch the Northern Lights. Based on our research, the lights are typically visible from late August through April. I found Alaska Tours company and called them in advance. To their credit, they were transparent and did NOT guarantee that we would see the lights. With that understanding, we booked the trip.
The tour driver picked us up from our downtown Fairbanks hotel around 9:45 p.m. for a 30–40 minute ride to the outskirts of Fairbanks. Upon arrival, we were welcomed into traditional yurts, which provided warmth, bathrooms, and hot drinks (tea, coffee, and cookies). The yurts are “dry,” meaning no running water; the bathroom setup involved plastic bags, which was a bit unusual at first.
To pass the time until the skies darkened, a dog musher gave a presentation, which was interesting and enjoyable. By around 11:30 p.m. to midnight, the sky was fully dark. The tour staff lit a bonfire outside, allowing us to sit around it while waiting for the aurora. Unfortunately, clouds rolled in, and we never saw the Northern Lights that night. Everyone was disappointed, and by around 2 a.m. we called it a night and headed back with the driver.
We were very disappointed as the weather did not cooperate. So, we decided to do more homework to better understand this phenomenon. Based on our research, several factors must align for a good chance of seeing the lights:

1. Clear, dark skies – If you cannot see the stars (due to cloud cover or other obstructions), you will not see the lights.

2. High geomagnetic activity – The Kp index, which measures geomagnetic activity, ranges from 1 to 9. You typically need a Kp of at least 5.

3. Cool weather – Crisp, cold nights improve visibility.

4. Luck – The lights can appear and disappear quickly, lasting from a few seconds to several hours.

For forecasts, check the University of Alaska Fairbanks Aurora Forecast.

In conclusion: many factors go into seeing the Northern Lights, and tour companies will not guarantee a sighting. I do wish they offered a three-night window, so if you miss them the first night, you could try again on the second or third.

My advice is to plan ahead: look for clear skies, cool temperatures, and higher geomagnetic activity before booking. If conditions look poor, you can cancel or reschedule with less impact on your wallet.

Alternatively, if you’re comfortable driving, rent a car and head to the outskirts of the city. Find a hilltop or high-elevation area away from light pollution for the best chance. If I return to Alaska, that’s exactly what I’ll do—watch the forecasts, find a dark hilltop far from city lights, and give myself the best shot at experiencing the aurora.

Best cities to see the lights are Fairbanks, Chena Hot Spring and Talkeetna (in winter). You could see the lights as low as Anchorage but the higher and closer you are to Fairbanks the better.

Sandy T.

We had a great experience. We were fortunate that the clouds cleared, the desk called us in our igloo, and we had the chance to see the Northern Lights. It was relaxing with enough time to enjoy the activities, the train, the glacier, the reindeer, learn about life in Alaska at least a little, and even see Denali in all its glory. We were very lucky.