Private Alaskan Reindeer Encounter & Forest Walk

We were in Fairbanks a day before our land journey as part of our cruise and had decided to rent a car and head towards the Chenna Hot Springs. We had seen a couple places advertising for seeing reindeer and this one was right along the way to the hot springs, so we stopped despite the website not showing any availability (the reservation system won't show anything for the same day FYI). They indicated they had an opening in about 40 minutes once the current tour completed, so we stepped next door to the cafe and grabbed a coffee and a cookie. We started off in their hut/office with Ryne learning about caribou and reindeer, what the differences were, and lots of other fun/interesting facts for maybe 10-15 minutes (legit it was interesting). Then we made our way down towards where they kept their reindeer. We knew the experience was called a "forest walk" but I think we were all a little surprised still when Ryne hooked leads to each of the 4 reindeer and handed them to us and lead us off into their woods! Yes, we were walking reindeer through the woods, as Ryne described it, kinda like walking really big lazy dogs. They were mostly interested in eating whatever fresh vegetation they could find along the way, but were pretty easy going and would come along when you coaxed them to move along. Since this was a "private" experience it really was just the 4 of us in our party, which was very nice. 10/10 experience. We all kind of had the same thought, like "this is the first day of our trip and we just did THAT, not sure how the rest of our trip will compare to this. It's definitely one of our top highlights of our 12 days in Alaska.

Our group of four visited Chena Outdoor Collective for a private reindeer tour and a forest walk. Our guide, Virginia, talked with us about reindeer and caribou, about the history of reindeer in Alaska, and about the reindeer that they take care of at Chena Outdoor Collective. I learned so much, it was great. Then we met the reindeer. We were allowed to feed them some lichen and then walk with them in the forest. Virginia was an excellent guide and answered our many questions. Each reindeer had their own personality, and it was so fun to interact with them. This was my first time in Alaska and my first time in proximity to a real live reindeer, and it was a highlight of my trip.

My friends and I had a lovely time doing the reindeer walk. It was interesting learning about the history of reindeer in Alaska with our guide Virginia. It was a lower energy activity which felt perfect at this point in our tour. The reindeer were sweet and we got a lot of fun pictures. Definitely recommend this low key outdoor activity.

Our 10 and 11 year old boys absolutely loved this experience! I love how the guide took the time to educate us before our experience with the reindeer!

A must do when in Fairbanks AK. You do need to schedule a tour so plan ahead. You’ll learn a lot. The reindeer are very sweet.

We LOVED the Reindeer tour given by Kalyn. They were SO knowledgeable about everything Reindeer and Caribou related. We learned a LOT! We also LOVED spending time with a few members of the Reindeer herd, including two young calves. Thank you so much Kalyn for a wonderful experience! It was truly one of the highlights of our Alaskan Adventure!

I am not that comfortable with animals and was debating on this tour. So glad we did it. Our guide (unfortunately forgot her name) filled us in with the history of Alaskan Reindeers. We learnt a lot of interesting info. Made us get comfortable with the Reindeers and it was nice walking with them. Highly recommend this tour for families with kids.

We did the reindeer walk and it was as magical as we could have imagined. The information upfront teaching about the history and story of reindeer in Alaska was fascinating. The reindeer are well looked after and then the walk through the Forest was really special leading our own reindeer. Recommend for a very special experience.

We stumbled upon Chena Outdoor Collective while driving and decided to stop in and see if we could join a reindeer walk before our flight. Ryne at the front desk was incredibly kind and accommodating, allowing us to book the tour with the option to cancel if it felt too stressful with our travel schedule. That flexibility really put us at ease! Kalyn was our tour guide, and the experience was absolutely incredible—it ended up being the highlight of our trip to Fairbanks! She was extremely knowledgeable about the history of reindeer, explaining not only the historical context but also the present and future of reindeer in Alaska. What really stood out to us was learning how well the reindeer are taken care of—they go home with Kalyn each night to roam around 5 acres of land. As an animal lover who is cautious about animal tourism, this was so reassuring to hear. Knowing that these animals are not only well cared for but also loved made this tour by far the best experience we’ve had. We are so glad we stumbled upon it! The walk with the reindeer was a truly enjoyable experience. We got to meet Sailor, Pilot, and the 5-month-old Bashdanai, whose spunky teenage energy stole the show! Kalyn also took fantastic photos of us with the reindeer and continued to share her expertise on reindeer and Alaskan culture throughout the walk. This is the number one tour we will recommend to our friends, family, and anyone traveling to Fairbanks. It was an unforgettable experience! There is a wonderful little cafe right next door, with tasty treats and kind staff. If you need to use the bathroom, get a quick snack before or after (they also have a port-ta-potty outside the Chena Yurt).