Best excursion ever wish I did the 2 hour tour! Highly recommended for anyone looking g for fun!read more

Sled dog adventures is an unforgettable and immersive experience! Christen, Jameson, and the dogs…read moreare incredible. Our visit was truly excellent from beginning to end. Jameson and Christen were so hospitable and welcoming to their home! Our party of 5 had the option to stay inside their warm and cozy home or visit with the dogs in the yard as each couple took turns. Jameson, an executive chef, also had lots of helpful advice from the best restaurants to things to do in Fairbanks. We could talk to him for hours! Christen was such so knowledgeable and the kindest soul! We felt very safe under her care; she handled the dogs so well and was a wonderful guide! Their passion for dog mushing was truly evident. This was not a job for them, dog mushing is a way for them to share their joy with others. The trails are breathtaking and the sled was super warm and comfy! They also offered extra Arctic gear to make sure you stay warm. Our favorite was being able to interact with the dogs that were so happy and well taken care of. I highly recommend Sled Dog Adventures to all. Thank you Jameson and Christen for the perfect day!

I would recommend anyone visiting Fairbanks to visit Nita at Sirius Sled Dogs Rescue. It was the…read morehighlight of our trip! We did the Kennel tour due to constraint in our time but would go back and love to do aurora viewing and dog sled as well. She had so many dogs that all looked happy and healthy. We met all her dogs and she told us all about mushing and how to care for these dogs properly. It was lovely meeting her and all lovely animals that she is helping!

Amazing dog rescue that puts their dogs first. The dog sledding was an unique experience as was the…read moreAurora Borealis guided event/photography! Nita and Greg were perfect guides for our first time mushing. They were knowledge and made us feel very comfortable. Nita accommodated a special request for a later, sunset adventure. And the dogs are amazing! Such sweet dispositions. Supporting a rescue was a nice bonus to the already perfect evening. We were very lucky to have an almost perfect evening for the lights! Yes, you can see the lights from many places around Fairbanks, but Lindsay's knowledge and expertise immensely added to the experience and her pictures are amazing!

I can't possibly put into words how wonderful our experience was here…read more Our original dog sled ride elsewhere was cancelled due to weather, but that operator told us to try Friendly Arctic Adventures, which we had not heard of. Thom (the owner) was able to get us in on short notice. We had booked just the short sled ride, but when we got there learned we could have the option of driving our own team. My wife opted to ride in the sled, but I decided to go for it. At the end of the training session I was overwhelmed and doubted my ability to do it, but with my heart racing I decided I had to try. It was the single most amazing experience of my life. I harnessed one of my dogs, petted them all, and we rode the trails for what had to have been at least an hour. After the ride Thom gave us booties for one of our own dogs who likes to play in the snow but his paws always freeze up. My only regret about the whole adventure is that I missed feeding salmon to my team because I went back into the cabin to warm up when we were done. So now I have to come back to Fairbanks to do it again and give my dogs extra salmon. :)

I'm a total dog mom, so getting to do this was at the top of my bucket list and one of the things I…read morewas looking forward to most on my recent trip to Alaska. There was a slight booking error so I had to push my tour back a day (no biggie) but Thom was super apologetic and worked with me as much as he could and went above & beyond for my tour to make it memorable. I seriously couldn't have asked for a better day and it ended my trip on such a high note! His cabin has extra gear and he makes sure you are dressed properly and ready to be out in the elements, he explained everything very thoroughly to make sure I understood what I would be doing. It was only me for the tour, so I helped him harness the dogs and get set up and by then my heart was racing & so was my mind thinking, "what did I get myself into??" LOL it all happens so fast but it's SUCH A BLAST!! These dogs live to run and they love it! They take such good care of them and love them like family, they are not abused or left out in the cold. They make sure they are all happy and healthy. We stopped now and then to check on the dogs and take pics, and he would turn back now and then to take video and pics of me to send to me later. I had no idea it would be so much work - but I was sore for a good 2 days hahaha. It could have been from gripping the sled so hard (don't do that! lol ) and the couple of falls I took, one of which was on ice. But it happens and the dogs know to stop when the sled falls over. But you have to be quick getting back on! This was such a memorable, amazing, incredible, once in a lifetime memory and I will never forget it - happy birthday, merry christmas and happy new year to me!! :) :) I couldn't recommend Thom and Friendly Arctic Adventures more - book them and you won't be sorry!

Mary Shields, you are a saint!! This very sweet woman is a…read moregem to be around! Not only is she a sweet woman, she is a tough survivor with deep knowledge of everything Mushing related. We were greeted with hot drinks and home made brownies as she shared with us her story, which is beautiful. Her love for dogs surpasses anything I have ever experienced, to include each night before she goes to bed, howling to her pups from her wheelchair and listening to them respond from the outdoor kennel. We had tears in our eyes as she got choked up numerous times about her sheer passion for these beautiful animals. The first ever woman finisher of the Iditarod!! What an honor it was to meet you, spoil your furry children with love, and listen to your life story. I highly recommend anyone to spend this amazing experience with Mary and her dogs.

We called this morning to go for the 10AM tour. When we got there we met one of the most…read morefascinating people I have ever met. We enjoyed playing with the dogs very much!! They are sweet, precious dogs. Mary was so personable!! She let us play with the dogs and then brought us into her house for coffee, cookies and questions. The house was absolutely adorable. Mary is well spoken, kind and gentle soul. I do hope she will write a biography.

It was a great time learning about the animals. The tour started on time, with lots of good info…read morefrom the student guide. We were able to see and hear about the reindeer, muskox, and bison. They've got a small gift shop and a variety of artifacts inside to see up close. Enjoyable tour.

This Large Animal Research Station was a pleasant visit while spending the day in Fairbanks,…read moreAlaska. I came here back in the middle of June 2021, and they opened at 10am for a 1 hour guided tour. When I walked inside the research station, I was able to purchase a ticket at the gift shop. From my memory it was $10. We waited a few minutes to see if anyone else would join me on the tour, but I was the only one. Cool! I got my very own personalized tour! And...this Large Animal Research Station is run by students from the University of Alaska - Fairbanks so yes, a student gave me a tour of the grounds and provided insightful information on everything about the two primary animals they house...the musk ox and caribou (or more commonly known as reindeer). In general, I'd say we spent about 35 of the 60 minutes hanging out and talking about the musk ox...a very interesting animal that I had never even heard about prior to coming to Alaska. The other 25 minutes were spent by the caribou (reindeer). Btw...lol, I know the difference between caribou and reindeer.... A caribou is a reindeer set out in the wild, and a reindeer is one that has been domesticated. Obviously, the reindeer were pretty cute, and it would've been fun to have had a chance to make nice with or possibly pet them. Unfortunately, they were behind a fence though they did approach us when the guide handed them some tree branch leaves to munch on. And same thing with the musk ox. They were exclusively behind the fence as well though just like the reindeer, they happily approached us when they spotted tree branch leaves being set beside their fence. I will say that the musk ox are dangerous to the point where they cannot be allowed to interact with humans and or tourists, but the reindeer are a different story. And that sort of leads me to my next point... Okay so here at the Large Animal Research Station you have featured these musk ox and reindeer. But actually, during my itinerary through Alaska I was visiting two specific farms solely dedicated to both the musk ox and reindeer. These farms were located in Palmer, Alaska...about 330 miles south from here in Fairbanks. Though, they fit in well with my entire journey, so I kind of felt like here at the Research Station it was a good introduction and "preview" to the main events out on the farms in Palmer, AK. Just briefly mentioning them, the Reindeer Farm in Palmer is totally hands on for the 1-hour tour where you can feed, pet and cuddle with all the reindeer. It was an absolutely beautiful and memorable experience for me! Meanwhile the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer was 1 hour as well but once again the animals are enclosed behind fencing due to safety reasons. And so, the Musk Ox Farm wasn't nearly as good as the Reindeer Farm, but I highly recommend both in Palmer. Finally, getting back to here at the Large Animal Research Station, it was still a worthwhile 1-hour tour where I definitely took away a lot of good info about the animals. And plus getting to speak with the tour guide and have their full undivided attention was great. I felt like a VIP and got to be as close to the musk ox and reindeer as possible without actually touching them. As the tour ended, I returned to the gift shop hoping to buy a souvenir but unfortunately when looking around inside never found anything that piqued my interest. Though...I did sign the Visitor Logbook saying that I officially made it here, lol. Regardless that I didn't get an opportunity to pet/feed the musk ox or reindeer, I still enjoyed my 1-hour tour on the grounds of this the Large Animal Research Station. For those tourists visiting Fairbanks, I'd certainly recommend making a stop here and getting a chance to learn more about these two distinct animals commonly found in Alaska. And for $10 it's also good to help fund students and their research here at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks.

What an amazing experience hosted by Alaska Aurora photographers Frank & Miriam Stelges! One of…read moretheir employees, Lindsay came and picked us up at our Fairbanks VRBO at 8:30am and got us back home again around 4am. It was nice having their home to duck back into, de-thaw and enjoy some of the fresh soup, bread and beverages offered. They have the sweetest dogs and were very friendly! Aurora Bear Experience: Frank & Miriam Stelges were such a wonderful couple and opened their home to our group on New Year's Day 2025 for a basic Aurora photography course. Their 144 acre property is in a super dark and nice location with sweeping northern views of beautiful Alaskan forest and of course an epic spot to watch and capture the Aurora borealis on film. Frank and his assistant, Lindsay, were packed with knowledge and tips to capture good nighttime photography. I am an absolute brand new beginner and Frank, Miriam & Lindsay quickly got me up to speed and capturing stellar Aurora photos the whole evening. Frank uses easy to understand analogies to foster better understanding of your camera so you really begin to understand why you set up the camera the way you do and what to change as the Aurora's brightness fades and rallies again! Lindsay was the one who picked us up and dropped us off at our VRBO. She had great local knowledge and tips and was willing to find dark roads off to the side to capture the Aurora when we were en route or on our way back. I cannot say enough good things about these beautiful folks. I'm definitely coming back and definitely sharing their website with other friends and family.

Fairbanks Trails & Rivers is run by a husband-wife duo, John and Kellie O'Brien. The duo was an…read moreabsolute delight! Last year in December, we booked a full-day of tours- (1) Alaska Dog Mushing in the morning and (2) Aurora Borealis tour in the evening. We can confirm it was a peaceful, no-frills experience. A year later, we still talk about how much we loved the tours and how Kellie and John were really cool people! --- I booked tours with Fairbanks Trails & Rivers in December 2024 for my party of 4 adults. I found their website to be a little hard to navigate, so I emailed them instead. Their responses were prompt, clear, and ensured that we had the exact tours we wanted. I would highly recommend this route over the website. We paid our invoice over Square and then received email confirmations right after payment. The day before our tours, we received a pick-up time, and on the day of, we were emailed when our pick-up van had headed out. We were picked up at 10 AM from the Hampton Inn and Suites for our Alaska Dog Mushing tour. We chuckled at their gold van because it looked like the definition of an adventure van! The vehicle had a rack atop that made some noise when driving, so it was hard for those in the back to hear what Kellie was saying while driving. It didn't bother us too much though. Kellie was just the sweetest and was so so friendly, and we were honestly really inspired by her mountaineering story. We highly recommend anyone touring with her to ask! On the drive over (and later back), Kellie pointed out and described relevant landmarks while sharing her story. It really felt like we were just spending the day with our cool friend. Before stopping by Douglas Fir Mushing for our dog mushing tour, we pulled into an overlook. Personally, it was of the most beautiful sights I saw while we were in Fairbanks. Afterwards, we were dropped off at Douglas Fir Mushing for ~ 1.5 hours. It was a fantastic time, and they really seemed like they loved their dogs. The tour consisted of: (1) introductions by Mandy and Matt of themselves and of mushing, (2) a quick waiver and safety talk, then we did (3) ~ 30 minutes of mushing (riding in the sled) in pairs, while the other pair stayed back to pet some dogs! We ended up staying a little extra after both groups experienced mushing to warm up by the fire and pet dogs some more. Afterwards, although we were supposed to be dropped back off at our hotel, Kellie was kind enough to drop us off in the city center to save us some money on an Uber! She dropped us off with tips on where to eat and sightsee before the tour in the evening. We had an 11 PM pick-up time for the evening Aurora Borealis tour with John. We had 2 people in addition to us in the van, so there were 6 of us in the van besides John. We weren't cramped, but of course in the night, it was a little chilly even with the heat blasting! Although auroras are never guaranteed, we felt reassured that John was actually doing everything possible to make sure we'd get the best viewings. John felt like a detective, scoping out leads online for where the aurora viewing was good in the area. Overall, we stopped at 3 locations to chase the aurora. All were relatively quiet, and it added a surreal quality to it. Chasing the aurora with John felt like chasing with your chill friend. We had an awesome showing by the aurora, he laughed at our dumb aurora dance, and we had a lot of fun being goofy and rolling in the snow. John also helped us with taking great photos! We ended up heading back to our hotels at 3 AM. Overall, if you want to explore Fairbanks and beyond with the kindest husband-wife Alaskan local duo, I'd highly recommend booking with Fairbanks Trails & Rivers! Competitively priced to comparable tours, the Dog Mushing and Aurora Borealis tours were well-worth the price tags!

John O'Brien is a great tour driver for Fairbanks Trails and Rivers. He took us 45 minutes from…read moreFairbanks to Black Spruce Dog Sled Kennel. We were there about 3 hours and John stayed on site. On our way back, he was kind enough to take us to the Pipeline and a show us a few other sights of Fairbanks. He is very friendly, punctual and knowledgeable!

We were on the Aurora viewing tour two nights in a row and were not disappointed. In comparison to…read moreour experience with another company, Husky Lodge notified us a few hours in advance of the pickup time at our hotel. Michi was on time and introduced himself. Upon arrival at Husky Lodge we were given an overview of the Lodge as well as background on Michi himself. The lodge was warm, with the water, coffee, tea,etc provided were a nice touch. Michi monitored the conditions constantly and notified us anytime the lights were appearing. An added bonus was that Michi stopped en route to the Lodge or back to town when he spotted an impressive display. Both nights we stopped for 10-15 minutes to see spectacular displays, an addition to the displays at the lodge. Great viewing, warm lodge, informative host - highly recommend.

Great experience. Michi was friendly, engaging, and gave camera advice if needed…read more We did the northern lights tour. Pickup from our hotel was right on time. The cabin was cozy. Great place if you're lucky enough to see the lights, which we were. Definitely recommend.