I am so glad to have found Skyfire In Focus and Mr Bill. Not only was he SUPER accommodating to…read moreour wonky schedule, he wouldn't take our money until he was sure he could give us a Northern Lights show of some kind. He seems honest, very hard working, and very trustworthy. He's truly passionate about his business and wants to give people an incredible experience. He picked us up in a comfortable, heated van and took us to a private spot where we captured photos that we will cherish forever. What an incredible memory and experience. I will absolutely look him up again if I'm ever in Fairbanks and I will definitely refer my friends to his company

Choose SkyFire in Focus for all your Alaskan adventures!! We went on the Aurora Photography…read moreWorkshop & Tour. My friends and I had a fantastic time and it was all due to Mr. Bill and his professional and kind self. He is a pleasure to talk to and his knowledge of night photography and photographing the Aurora is top notch. My friends and I went with the aspiration of photographing the lights with a 10+ years old DSLR but quickly came to a realization that it was best to rent out one of his camera kits from his fleet . This was a great decision and we ended up getting amazing photos with his help. He also takes amazing photos of you in front of the Aurora so it's a great option to take the tour if you're just looking to view the lights. Book with SkyFire in Focus and you won't regret it!

Professional, on-time, and efficient, Aurora in Alaska was our favorite part of our trip to…read moreFairbanks last December. The photographers provided professional photos 48 hours after our tour, at no additional cost! Overall, the roasting of reindeer dogs over open fires on a snow covered lake with the aurora dancing overhead was such a surreal experience. -- We were a group of 4 and booked the "Incredible Aurora Viewing Adventure" with Aurora in Alaska in December 2024. It consisted of a hotel pick-up and drop-off, very professional photography, roasting of reindeer dogs over campfires set up by the fleet, hot chocolate and tea, camping chairs set up around the fires, and access to a public park restroom. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suite Fairbanks, which is a bit outside of the city center. Some tours we viewed couldn't pick us up, but we had no issues with Aurora in Alaska. The pick-up communication was clear and was coordinated excellently. The pick-up was also on time. We did many tours during our week in Fairbanks, and Aurora in Alaska truly boasts the most comfortable vans, which also weren't overcrowded with passengers. The vans felt very new and clean, each of us had ample room, and it was only 6 of us in the van total. The driver did some introductions and some explanations about the night's schedule and about auroras in general, then dimmed the lights and played gentle music for the rest of our ride. Our first stop was the North Pole to reconvene with all vans in the fleet. It was a brief stop to let us look around and take photos here. The actual gift shop was closed that late in the night, but it was nice to stop by and see it from the outside. You could stay in the van if you wanted to. Afterwards, we drove to a frozen lake for the aurora viewing. Once we arrived, the Aurora in Alaska team spent maybe 10 minutes setting up the fires, food, drinks, and cameras. It was a beautiful site! It was only us there, and it was great talking to other travelers and watching the aurora with food and drink. If you ever got too cold, the vans were left running so that you could head inside to warm up before going back to take pictures, sit by the fire, or explore. There were three different photographers spaced out at different locations, so you could get photos taken with different angles of the aurora. Overall, it was a great experience, if not expectedly very chilly. I'd recommend bringing extra hand and foot warmers! Even though the vans were idling, it still wasn't enough for those who were underdressed.We were super lucky and had great aurora viewing, but we were happy that even if we hadn't seen much we would've had great memories roasting dogs and chilling by a fire in Alaskan wilderness.

Lights nice, guides nice, but not enough guides. Three vans of people were dropped off at this…read morefield. 42 people. No personal attention. Warming hut small for number of people. 3 fires. And vans were kept running. This is not a private or even small group tour. You cook your own food if you want it. No cautionary speech about the -34 weather. You are on your own. 90 minutes from Fairbanks with no back up plan if something goes wrong. Again. Lights nice. The photos the guides took were very nice. Guides were nice. But you are really on your own so make sure you know how to handle yourself in this extreme weather.

I would absolutely recommend the Chena hot springs tour! This was simple to book and I so…read moreappreciated that they picked us up right at our hotel - very convenient! The driver we got, Dillon, was incredible! He was professional, helpful, kind, genuine, and a great DJ! He played tunes on the ride to and from the hot springs and made the long drive along a bumpy road part of the actual experience and fun! He coordinated everything at the springs and was always around and available if needed. He was great! The Chena hot springs was an unforgettable experience. The actual hot springs were so beautiful and relaxing (even in the summer). The grounds were well kept the restaurant was convenient and food was delicious. We did a tour of the geothermal plant and gardens which was also very interesting, impressive, and unique. And finally, the ice museum!!! This was so fun to see. Getting a drink in an ice glass and smashing it afterward was a fun touch. Overall, this was a great experience and I would definitely recommend if you have an extra day in the Fairbanks area. Great experience and value for the price.

Based on our experience (4 adults) I would NOT book any tour done with Alaska Wild Lights. Our…read moretour was the Arctic Circle Day Tour and was the worst experience in our whole two weeks in Alaska. I booked this tour in February for a June 2026 trip to the Arctic Circle Day Tour. Before booking this tour, I called to confirm the information shown on their website stating a maximum of 8 people would be allowed on the tour as well as the type of vehicle would be a Sprinter (bus type vehicle allowing guests to fully stand up and also have ample leg room). Two weeks before our tour, I called again to confirm max number of people and the vehicle type in which I received an email confirmation stating 8 people max traveling in a Sprinter. The day we were picked up for the tour, it was NOT a Sprinter but an old passenger van AND there would now be 11 people on the tour. The passenger van was horribly uncomfortable with that many people crammed into the space and very difficult to get in and out of (could not stand up). There was absolutely no leg room or room to move around while traveling. Not only that, the air conditioning was not working and the passenger windows did not open at all, it was a very warm day. They provided a snack which was ONE bottle of warm water, a very small snack bag of chips and some sort of granola bar. This for a 15 hour road trip and there was no ability to buy water/snacks along the way. We did stop at the Yukon River Camp, no snacks or water available there to purchase either but you could buy a hamburger to eat there. We only stopped at port-a-potty locations when needed and at the Arctic Circle wood sign, no walks across the tundra as shown on their website, no stop at the Hilltop Restaurant & Marketplace just port-a-potties. I reached out to the owner of the company several times before writing this review with NO RESPONSE.

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!

George, our tour guide lead a fun and educational experience throughout Fairbanks. He was extremely…read morehelpful with questions and made our happiness his #1 priority!

We had an incredible experience with 1st Alaska Tours and would absolutely recommend them…read more We originally booked an outdoor Aurora Borealis tour for December, but the day before the tour they called us to explain that temperatures were already around -41°F and that being outside for hours would likely be miserable. Instead of pushing forward anyway, they upgraded us to their Yurt experience, which was the perfect solution. We could stay warm inside and step outside only when the aurora appeared, warming up in between with hot chocolate, coffee, and soup. One unexpected bonus was that the yurt next to us was offering dog sled rides, so we got to see a dog sled team up close, and that was also an option we could have added. It was a really fun and unique part of the experience. Our driver and guide, Zach, was fantastic. He was friendly, knowledgeable, and very accommodating, and shared great insights about the aurora, Alaska's history, and geography. He was also very honest when he did not know something and tried to find the answer. The next night at the hot springs, we ran into Paul, another guide from 1st Alaska Tours who was leading a different group. He was just as friendly and helpful and offered some great tips, which really says a lot about the company. If you are considering an aurora tour in Fairbanks, 1st Alaska Tours is a great choice. I do apologize for my photography skills and the video was from inside the yurt!

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.

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!

Oh man, was this the coolest experience? Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable as well and we…read morehad great conversations. Being able to have contact with such a majestical creature was so cool. They let you feed them as well. This definitely isn't one of those experiences where they are just trying to get you in and out. We didn't feel rushed whatsoever, and had such a great time. A heads up for any tourists out there like me. If you come closer to winter or in the break up season, there is a lot of hardened snow and ice on the roads. I would definitely recommend getting a rental car that has four-wheel-drive. It was my first time ever driving on snow/ice like that. It wasn't too scary. Other than a couple moments when I had to stop and turn around. I could definitely see myself getting stuck if I didn't have a car that had four-wheel-drive. So just be mindful of that. Overall, it was a really beautiful drive though. And if you're going in the summer, you shouldn't have any problem on the roads. You could always call ahead and ask the staff with the road conditions are ahead of booking. But you definitely need to book this! There is also a really cool building where you meet your instructor that has a really beautiful view. There are also a couple of walking trails nearby that you can go down. And there is a coffee shop inside that had a decent latte. I believe they also serve food, though we didn't end up ordering anything, I did see other people eating. When we were trying to find our way there, we did get a little bit lost. But there is signage on the road on the left-hand side if you're heading north. They are part of a larger event booking. You'll see something on the right hand side that looks like a bunch of viewing domes. Then right after that the turn is on the left.

Such a great and unique experience! You can tell how much they love and care for animals. The…read moresession was super informative as well. Highly recommend! This didn't feel like one of the tourist traps.