We had so much fun dog sledding! Our guide was great, the dogs were adorable and the view…read moreincredible. Would definitely recommend to anyone!

On a Wednesday afternoon, checking in at the desk for the Dog Sledding tour was a quick process…read more Afterwards, a kind female employee recommended that my group wear the winter gear that they provide. So, we borrowed jackets, overalls, gloves, gaiters, and boots. She was also efficient as she handed the snow clothing to my group of 5. At first, I planned to use my own jacket and gloves, but I decided to place them in containers that are under the benches. I did wear my own beanie though. During the tour, our guide was very friendly as she made small talk with us. She was also kind to the dogs while she helped them navigate the snowy trail. I wish I remembered her name, but she was there on New Year's Eve. I sat closer to the front of the sled which was bumpy and some turns were sharp. So be sure to hold on tight to your belongings because the dogs will not stop until the middle of the 30-minute tour. During the mini break, the dogs were calm and friendly when I pet a few of them. I also appreciate the photos that the female and male tour guides took of my family and I. After returning to the building, we had to discard the used winter clothing into bins. Thank you to Rod's Alaskan Guide Service for a memorable experience!

My husband and I had the best time ice fishing with our guide, Tyson!…read more He picked us up right on time from our hotel in Fairbanks and got everything set up for fishing. The equipment was easy to use and everyone caught plenty of fish. I thought it was a really cool experience that we were able to eat the fish we caught right after it came out of the water. Tyson made a delicious meal for everyone and we all had some great conversations too! We will be talking about this one for years!

Had.trip with guide Tyson on the Delta Clearwater river for Grayling. It was terrific trip, guide,…read moreriver and experience. Highly recommend!

Since the very first phone call, Ray was very helpful, professional and clear on what to expect…read morefrom the trip. We love the clarity from hm. He took us to Birch Lake and we had a great time. We got many fish and saw 2 moose (and 2 more on the way home) and a bold eagle. We also had a great outdoor dinner cooked by Ray with the fish we caught. We found out that Ray is also a military man, so it was very easy to trust him and feel very cared for by him. He takes a great pride of what he does and he is one of the very few hand full licensed by the state of Alaska as the official fish guide. Needless to say, his knowledge and professionalism can be seen throughout the trip. Not just we got the boat, the gears, the lure, the fishing license, we also get the full rain gear, the boots, the jacket, the life jacket...etc. On top of all the gears, we also got a cooked meal, drinks bought for us and even desert! It was a very thoughtful trip. It was a trip that shows how much he cares for the wild life and Alaska. It was truly a beautiful and unforgettable experience for my husband's 60th birthday. It was simply wonderful. We HIGHLY recommend Why Knot Adventures!

My experience with Ray was not just a service I received but an inspiration of what a family really…read moreis about. From the moment I walked in his wife greeted us truly catered to us in a manner that we felt comfortable as if she was family. When we met Ray we knew immediately that we where truly welcomed to his place of business. To the lake we explained it was our first trip to Fairbanks and he gave us a tour of the areas we where driving by. At the lake he took his time to teach us how to cast and what areas are successful for a good game. The equipment did not fail once on us . In our trip we didn't get one line entangled and we scored a total of 16 rainbow trout.At the end of our journey, His wife( I'm truly sorry for not remembering her name) invited us for dinner and Ray even took us back to our hotel as a courtesy. Thank you Ray for this amazing adventure and for welcoming us to your environment. My father has not stoped talking about you and how nice your family treated us. God bless you.

We went on the Northern Lights excursion. Jason, the owner…read morepicked us up in the van right on time. It was about a 30-40 minute drive. I'd rented a camera from him with the proper settings preset. He also helped anyone who needed their camera phones adjusted. They provided tripods for free. Jason, and his wife Heather have a great set up. Big cabin for warmth. Lots of beverages, snacks, seating. Indoor plumbing. They have modern technology for tracking the northern lights. They told us when to head out. They have a huge, dark field for viewing. We watched a great Northern Lights show. We also saw a lot of stars and constellations. I'd definitely book with them again.

If there were half stars I'd give the experience a 2.5- because the actual dog sledding portion…read more(all 20 minutes of it) was 5 star fantastic, but the getting there and getting back was a one star. Let me explain: Pick up was at Walmart because we stayed in a VRBO. There wasn't very clear communication ahead of time as to exactly where at Walmart and what vehicle I was looking for- tho I was able to reach someone on their business number after I arrived in the parking lot. A large passenger van picked my son and I up, the driver was very young and pleasant looking but literally said nothing but "hello", not even his name. There was one other couple in the van. Here's the weird part- the driver gave us ZERO communication on anything. Not how far we were going, or where, or some background on dog mushing, or pleasant conversation. I asked maybe 2 questions and he answered them but it was clear he wasn't going to offer anything further. The van was so uncomfortably silent I felt like I had to whisper to my son. After about a 35min drive "out of town" I guess I expected to arrive at some kind of professional kennel/facility but it was actually someone's house with dog kennels out back. Again, we piled out of the van, I was holding my purse and my son had a backpack (do I take them? Are there lockers? Do I leave them in the van? Who knows...) and our driver just walked off, giving no instructions. We decided to follow him. I asked if I could use the restroom before we started and he waved me in the general direction of an outhouse in the woods (which I never found- I just took care of business in the trees, clutching my nuisance of a purse). There was a team of dogs already hooked up, and he told the other couple "you're first" and loaded them on the sled with the owner/musher named Amy (we didn't know any of this til my son and I actually got our "turn" because again, ZERO conversation or communication). I guess I expected that if there were other people we would be on separate sleds but all go out together? Nope. Other couple took off with musher. So here we are, standing in the middle of the dog yard with significant dog kennel odors and yelping dogs and van driver than won't say a word and wondering what the hell is going on. I'm still wondering what to do with my purse, as it's obvious this is no place to be carrying it and there's no where to put it. I asked the driver if I could put it back in the van, and he said, "I guess I can take it for you, they'll be back any minute". (Again, I'm confused... they've only been gone 10-15 minutes... is that how long the "experience" is?) Sure enough, they returned a few minutes later. So my son and I load up. Here is where the 5* part comes in. Amy (owner of kennel/dogs/professional musher) quickly introduced herself with a smile and warm welcome. We took off into the woods on a well groomed trail, and she talked the whole time about her dogs, the breed of Alaskan Husky, the sport, her experiences, and more. It was thrilling and fun and interesting to hear her point of view and expertise! Tho the time on the sled was only 20 minutes or so, my son and I both really enjoyed every moment. In short- If you're looking for a full-service 5* adventure, this isn't it.

This place was exactly what we wanted! I encourage you to know what your booking. We wanted rustic…read moreand more of an Alaskan adventure rather than a upscale hotel. We came to Alaska to experience it as Alaska should be. I didn't want to walk out my door to a long hotel hallway. Instead I walked out of my cabin to a snow filled wonderland with wilderness and a pond. One where instead of needing a tour guide I could stand by the pond in front of the cabin and see the northern lights. Jim and Syd are amazing people with more hospitality than you can imagine. Jim made us a wonderful breakfast every morning from scratch not a frozen bag. The conversations were always exciting. They would both share their stories and experiences, tell us what not to miss and what the area held. When other guest joined us it was as fun to hear their stories. Way more interaction than at a typical hotel. Remember to read the description. These are dry cabins- no water, no toilet, no sink. Like I said earlier, know what your booking. However the shower house is less than a minute walk from each cabin and it is warm and clean plenty of hot water and toiletries. Not a big deal at all. I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and enjoy this! Listen to Jim and Syd and ask for their advice and use their expertise. Our last day Jim took us ice fishing on the pond which was amazing in itself, but then he invited us to the house as he cooked up the rainbow trout we had caught and made us lunch! Perfect ending to a perfect trip!

We can not say enough good things about our experience at Cabins on the Pond. The cabins were…read morewarm,clean,well appointed and just perfectly charming, as they should be considering our host , Jim Swearingin,built them himself! The modern bath house are actually 2 full baths with showers, flushing toilets, and sink vanity. All very clean with plenty of hot water and a toasty temp of 78F. Even when it was -40below outside. The view is amazing. Outside of the city, so it's dark to highlight those Aurora Borealis that you can see right from inside your cabin. Or step outside for the real light show, all of your pictures will be perfectly showcased with spruce trees and snow banks . Jim even wakes you up so you don't miss the Northern Lights! Don't miss fishing with Jim and the tasty fish dinner he prepares later that night for you. And that rice, off the hook good. This experience will be a memory maker for you. Again, DON'T MISS IT! Every morning from 7-9 make your way up to Jim & Syd's breakfast table. He offers some of Alaska's best down home cooking! The chat with the two of them is wonderful. They both exemplify hospitality! The best was making new friends with these two super fantastic and gracious people! Their energy and love of the land is contagious. We will forever have them in our heart and WILL for sure see them again!