Aurora tour

[firsttimecruiser88]

I’m in Fairbanks on 21st august (tomorrow) and have an opportunity to join a tour to the artic circle, Yukon river and aurora viewing. The tour is vey expensive (for me). What’s the chance I can see any aurora? Should I cancel the tour to save money if the chance is low.

 

 

[Anita Latte]

It’s your decision:

 

https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

 

https://auroraforecast.com/

 

I was in Fairbanks, not the Arctic Circle, in March and we had more like an 7/8 out of 10 and had a nice show.

 

It’s your cost benefit analysis on what else about the tour is appealing if you might not see much…would you still have some satisfaction in doing the tour at all? Going to the Arctic Circle, the River, just the experience…that’s your call.

 

[Coral]

I would not.

 

I think you have a better chance of traveling to Norway or Sweden during more predicted times (considering you are from the UK).

[Gardyloo]

14 minutes ago, Coral said:

I would not.

 

I think you have a better chance of traveling to Norway or Sweden during more predicted times (considering you are from the UK).

I was going to say the same thing.  Round trip airfare from London to Tromsø, Norway in January/February is around £190, and there are numerous tours out of the city (which is way farther north than the arctic circle turn-around on the Dalton Hwy in Alaska) to see the aurora, as well as other activities like dog mushing, etc.  

 

 

 

[Coral]

25 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

I was going to say the same thing.  Round trip airfare from London to Tromsø, Norway in January/February is around £190, and there are numerous tours out of the city (which is way farther north than the arctic circle turn-around on the Dalton Hwy in Alaska) to see the aurora, as well as other activities like dog mushing, etc.  

 

 

 

I was actually thinking Tromso also. Though I had friends who did a sabbatical in Sweden and they traveled North to see the lights while they were there.

 

I visited Tromso during the opposite experience (24 hour sunlight) in June. Amazing city.

Edited August 20, 2023 by Coral

[Northern Aurora]

I am posting from Fairbanks, Alaska.  I am taking a more pragmatic approach in my response.

 

While the aurora season for Fairbanks extends from August 21 to April 21 the weather we are experiencing today is expected for tomorrow too.  We have a large low pressure system over the Interior of Alaska, and it is pouring rain with a very  low cloud cover.  While the National Weather Service certainly can make mistakes the current weather prediction for tomorrow mirrors what we are experiencing today.   The odds of seeing an aurora tomorrow are low at best and, given the weather, I doubt that the other segments of that tour will be very enjoyable either.  Just cancel.

[firsttimecruiser88]

I hope I won’t regret this, but after all the advices on here I have cancelled the tour :(. So now I have the full day tomorrow at Fairbanks with nothing to do.

[Northern Aurora]

14 minutes ago, firsttimecruiser88 said:

I hope I won’t regret this, but after all the advices on here I have cancelled the tour :(. So now I have the full day tomorrow at Fairbanks with nothing to do.

 

You will want to do something inside.  Ideas include a visit to the Morris Thompson Cultural Center, Museum of the North (on the University of Alaska campus) or the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum.  Others will chime in.

[donaldsc]

1 hour ago, firsttimecruiser88 said:

I hope I won’t regret this, but after all the advices on here I have cancelled the tour :(. So now I have the full day tomorrow at Fairbanks with nothing to do.

If you stop into the Fairbanks visitor center or spend a few minutes on your computer I will bet that you might find things to do in Fairbanks for a day.

 

DON

[Northern Aurora]

Explore Fairbanks (the current name of the Fairbanks Visitor and Convention Bureau) is located in the Morris Thompson Cultural Center.  In addition to interesting and informative displays about Athabaskan culture the MTCC also houses the local Alaska Public Lands Information Center.  It is designed to be a "one stop" location for visitor information.

 

The weather forecast suggests a miserable day tomorrow.  It actually might be unique to visit the Chena Hot Springs Resort and spend some time in that outdoor rock pool.  The rain on your face would be an interesting contrast to the hot water of the hot springs.  We have been in the rock pool when snow was falling, and tourists thought it was a hoot.

[LoveCruise71]

On 8/20/2023 at 5:21 PM, Northern Aurora said:

Explore Fairbanks (the current name of the Fairbanks Visitor and Convention Bureau) is located in the Morris Thompson Cultural Center.  In addition to interesting and informative displays about Athabaskan culture the MTCC also houses the local Alaska Public Lands Information Center.  It is designed to be a "one stop" location for visitor information.

 

The weather forecast suggests a miserable day tomorrow.  It actually might be unique to visit the Chena Hot Springs Resort and spend some time in that outdoor rock pool.  The rain on your face would be an interesting contrast to the hot water of the hot springs.  We have been in the rock pool when snow was falling, and tourists thought it was a hoot.

Don't know if this is possible, can you email me here or my private email:  bvetsch@ymail.com  I have a few questions.  Thanks in advance.