Tours/Fairbanks/Midnight Sun Arctic Circle Drive Adventure
Viator · group up to 26 pax

Midnight Sun Arctic Circle Drive Adventure

4.6(37)Fairbanks1 hour
VIATOR4.3(15)TRIPADVISOR4.7(22)

Description

Experience the long day light hours of Alaska's Midnight Sun.  Due to the northern location Alaska's Arctic experiences long days of daylight.  Discover Alaska's Arctic and enjoy the added daylight. The ground tour can take place in a 26 passenger coach or 15 passenger van depending on the number of guests we have. Longest time between stops is 2 hours; however, some stops will be closer. Most stops have an outhouse or bathroom for guests to use if we are not traveling in the coach which has a bathroom on board.

Tour Options

Midnight Sun Arctic Circle Drive Adventure

Itinerary

30 min

Begin your one-day guided journey by land across the Arctic Circle with an orientation / briefing of your day. Large map is available to see the region you are travelling. Northern Alaska Tour Company pioneered Arctic Circle touring on Alaska's Dalton Highway. We invite you to join us and experience for yourself the legendary hospitality and authentic interpretation that have made our Arctic Circle Adventures famous.

Admission included960 min

NOT GOING TO COLDOOT - But will be travelling 200 miles north of Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle sign which is located at Mile Post 115 of the Dalton Highway. Along the journey see and learn the story of Alaska's Arctic from your guide both while in motion and at the various stops along the way. View the remarkable Trans Alaska Pipeline up close and learn the story behind this engineering marvel. Explore up close the amazing arctic tundra and feel the veins of ice just beneath the surface.

20 min

Visit the Arctic Circle Trading Post situated in the rural community of Joy, Alaska. Learn of homesteading by early Alaska pioneers.

90 min

Experience the mighty Yukon River. Marvel at the majestic beauty of the northland's most famous waterway and learn of the river's storied past. This tour will stop both on the way north and south - meals are not included but it is here at the Yukon River Camp where guests can purchase lunch and dinner if needed (or yes, they can bring their own food on the tour)

Admission included30 min

Cross the Arctic Circle in ceremonious fashion and receive an official Arctic Circle Adventure Certificate. This will be your turnaround point for the tour. BUT, the tour continues with more information and stops along the way south.

Pass by

View landmarks including the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and Yukon River

Highlights

Driver/guide
Live commentary on board

What's included

Included
Driver/guide
Live commentary on board
Not included
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Traveller Ratings

4.6
37 reviews
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30
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Important Information

  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • CHECK IN TIME - Check in opens at 9:00AM and closes at 9:15 AM for this tour. Guests not here by 9:15 AM risk missing this tour.

Reviews(37)

N
Natalie_B
May 20, 2026
Great experience!

This was a great tour. It's a long day, but our driver made it very interesting and informative. We were able to stop and photograph different wildlife that we saw during the drive, and there were some different stops for information, walking, and using the bathroom.

Operator response

Thank you for joining us on the Midnight Sun Arctic Circle Drive Adventure. So glad you had a good experience and hope the rest of your travels were just as good.

R
Relax306560
August 18, 2025
Would highly recommend!

Great experience! Enjoyed the trip and engagement with our guide Caelen. Frequent stops gave us a chance to stretch our legs and experience Alaska wilderness up close. Would not recommend for anyone with back issues as the road is unpaved and bumpy.

Operator response

Thank you very much for your recommendation. We appreciate you taking the time to share with others your experience. Thank you.

W
williamgS2805UZ
July 15, 2025
Arctic Circle road tour

This trip was definitely worth the time it took to reach the sign Arctic Circle. The scenery there and back was beautiful. We saw Moose, porcupines, ravens, eagles and more. Our driver Caelum was amazing. He was an encyclopedia of knowledge not only about the surroundings, but drove the challenging road with ease because of his experience on it. He had a great personality and made out trip delightful.

Operator response

Thank you for helping answer the often asked question -- is it worth it? It is a full day and we are so glad you enjoyed your time out with us. Thank you!

C
Cathy_W
June 8, 2025
Worth Going to Arctic Circle

Long trip, but enjoyed the experience , the scenery, and animal sightings! We had a beautiful day with only a little rain!

Operator response

Thank you for joining us!

M
Matthew_E
May 26, 2025
The trip is way too long...

The trip is way too long on an uncomfortable bus on rough terrain. Motion sickness is a real thing and unless you have the two front seats your’re in for a very tough 16 hour drive.

Operator response

We are so sorry as it sounds like we had a failure to communicate the details of this trip. YES. It is a full day - starting at 9:45 AM and not returning until 1 AM or later. This is on our website and in the tour program we provide all guests. It is by ground by a tour vehicle and we practice seat rotation. Yes, if anyone is prone to motion sickness you may wish to reconsider this trip. Again, we are sorry this information from our website and tour description didn't stand out for you and we appreciate you letting others know who didn't see the length of the tour and that it is a ground tour - to take precautions if you do get motion sick.

M
Michael H
August 11, 2024
Long day, excellent driver/guide

Our driver/guide, Ryan C, was great. Very knowledgeable and very professional. Ryan grew up in Alaska so I took the opportunity to talk with him about other places and activities to do on my vacation. The trip is LONG. We left the office at about 9:45am, but did not return until 2:15am. Construction on the Dalton Highway delayed us. We stopped several times to take bio-breaks and Ryan had some snacks/candies for us. I would recommend that you bring your own water and snacks anyway. Dinner at Yukon River Camp was surprisingly good (I had the salmon burger). I would recommend this trip so long as you can tolerate a very long day. 😁

Operator response

Thank you for joining us on this full day-- yes, we will be very happy when that construction is done! And glad the Yukon River Camp could surprise you out in the middle of nowhere! Thank you again for choosing us to be a part of your Alaska advnture.

I
IdoLove2travel
July 12, 2024
If you want an unforgettable experience- choose Northern Alaska Tour Company

I Cannot recommend this organization enough. From the time we walked into the building at the Fairbanks Airport until we landed and walked across the street to our parked vehicle at $5/day. The staff were engaging and very friendly. We did the northbound drive/fly with an over night in Coldfoot, AK. Our tour guide / driver on the drive up, Will, was fantastic! He had a vast breadth of knowledge about historical, geographical and natural history which provided great conversation and helped break up the trip. We had a small group of 4 so we were in a small passenger van, which really allowed for more conversation between everyone. We stopped a few times on the way to Coldfoot, AK to enjoy the scenery, see the pipeline, lunch and use restroom facilities. We hit the Arctic Circle (66’33”) took pics with the handoff to our new guide and Will returned with the other two, expecting to hit FB 1:30 am. (Are you kidding me?!? ) New guide Declan drove us with a couple stops to Coldfoot and he also had a vast breadth of knowledgeable and insights or stories. Both guides were highly educated; geography degree and Chemistry/ IT degrees respectively. Declan’s narration was spot on and helped ease the pain of a painful drive. We saw 2 black bears (1 just 20 minutes south of Artcic Circle, a juvenile and one 7 miles south of Coldfoot, full grown). Once in Coldfoot we checked into our 5* accommodations (lol) (repurposed modular housing from 1970’s) actually private bathroom with shower was remarkably wonderful. Comfy twin beds. We opted for the pack raft trip and kayaked the Koyukuk River river and this was definitely the highlight of our trip! Ethan and Lleyton showered us with information and attention. We had to carry our packs in ~1/2 mile hike to river. Learned proper technique to inflate and setup kayaks. River was cool and refreshing on a gorgeous day. Paddled; beach hiked; paddled again. Disembark and pack up, then hike 1/2 mile to van left by companion driver earlier. Tired and happy, but High Fives all around! Back to camp, check out and shuttle to airport. Fly home - no bumpy road ride south. Flight ✈️ piper chieftain seats 8,plus pilots. Excellent views 5-7000 feet above ground. Really see the vastness of the land. 75 minutes arrive in FB. ~$1500 for 2 people plus food and tips. Awesome and so worth it! If you want an unforgettable experience Northern Alaska Tour Company is an amazing outfit that will provide you an amazing experience! I felt safe and comfortable with each and every tour guide; they truly operate a family style organization and we felt like family when we were there.

Operator response

Thank you so much for the detail you put into sharing your adventure with others. We are so glad you enjoyed your experience with us and all the coworkers you met along the way. Best wishes for a bright fall -- the colors are showing here in the arctic already! Thank you

A
Adventurecpl50
August 28, 2023
Midnight Sun adventure!

We did the Midnight Sun Drive/Fly Adventure and loved it! This is THE WAY to travel the Dalton Highway. Don't try it on your own! Our guide Tom was great, keeping us informed and entertained up to the Arctic Circle. Was great to stop at the Yukon River and walk to the water's edge. The certificate at the Circle was a little cheesy, but hey, we're game! The trip up to Coldfoot was more adventure. Parallel to the pipeline, you get an idea of the engineering marvel and vastness of the project. OK, let's get to Coldfoot Camp. We'd been in an RV for about 4 days, so the rustic accommodations were absolutely a dream! It's a no-frills camp for Haul Road truckers, two twin beds, but comfortable and a great, hot shower! Now the food...OMG it's amazing! Honestly probably the best we had in Alaska! The evening buffet of beef goulash and HUGE wings, with great sides and salads and HOMEMADE blackberry cobbler! We skipped breakfast buffet and "settled" for two of the best biscuits we've ever had! The trip to Wiseman was interesting, but would probably settle for a raft trip or bike ride. Wish there was an option to land inside Gates of the Arctic. The flight back was wonderful, about an hour. I can't comprehend doing an up and back on the bus. That would be a LONG day, probably 12 hours on the bumpiest, washboardiest road in the world! Spend the night, enjoy the amazing food and fly back, where you can park right across the street from the terminal for $5/day!

Operator response

Thank you so much for the comprehensive review of your experience with us. So glad you enjoyed your Arctic Circle fly Drive Adventure- Northbound. It is one of the great ways to see the region -- one way by ground and one way by air .. and bonus, spend the night to have more time to look around. Thank you again for joining us and for the detail share with others.

9
955riteshs
July 27, 2023
Highly recommend Arctic Circle fly and drive from Cold Foot to Fairbanks

Very informative trip from Cold Foot back to Fairbanks..both guides Vanessa and Champ did an excellent job explaining the vast expanse of Arctic Tundra...long trip but engaging via stories, poems,etc.

Operator response

Thank you for taking the time to share with others about your experience with Vancessa and Champ. So glad you enjoyed your Arctic Circle Fly Drive Adventure.

E
erichL9693SL
June 23, 2023
Blah trip to the Arctic Circle. Horrible roads. No wildlife. All dust and mosquitoes to take a picture at the sign.

16 hour bus trip to the Arctic Circle from Fairbanks.. Our bus did NOT have air conditioning. We sweltered and melted the entire trip. The driver and management did nothing to fix the situation. Horrible experience. Think twice about booking with this company. Their buses do NOT have air conditioning.

Operator response

Thank you for joining us. Please call our office at: 907-474-8600 to share your experience with us directly. What date did you travel and who was your guide. Our coaches do have air conditioning. This would be a mechanical that would be addressed in a post trip inspection. Which, doesn't help while on the tour but if you communicate directly with our office we can address it with you directly. Most do find our adventures enjoyable and we are sorry you did not. Again, please call our office. Kathy Northern Alaska Tour Company

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