Spectacular Hot Spring Experience with Northern Lights

Had an amazing experience. It was our first time getting into hot springs and glad that it was through this tour. Hot springs experience was beautiful with dark skies and stars above us while we were soaking in warm water and decent amount of lighting. It was not too crowded or not loud and was a pleasant experience. The changing rooms were not too bad, but i think that’s normal as I haven’t been to many swimming pools so not sure what to expect. We also visited the Ice museum which was really interesting and enjoyed my experience there. Unfortunately we didn’t get to see the northern lights due to cloud coverage that night though the guide made a few stops to make it happen. The guide kept the party size small which was a good idea. The guide shared valuable insights into Alaskan culture and lifestyle and was very fun to talk to and easy to coordinate during the entire trip. He gave clear instructions and detailed description of what to expect at every stop. If not for the guide, we wouldn’t have enjoyed those long drives into wilderness after sunset during the trip. We were so happy with the experience that, for months afterward, we found ourselves sharing the stories our guide told us with everyone we knew

Our driver Tony was a hoot. He kept us entertained on the trip and also shared us was cool information about Alaska and living in Alaska.. We had overcast skies but he kept monitoring the weather and got us to a clearing in the clouds just in time to catch the northern lights. It was a wonderful trip and he made it a pleasure.

Chris was a great guide! He seems like a very caring person to everyone around him. He was very informative about Alaskan culture, Alaskan flora/fauna, the auroras, the museum, and especially about food. He also had a great attitude and sense of humor. We loved hearing his stories. Thanks again Chris for taking us on the tour!

Great guide who shared valuable insights into Alaskan life and how local communities support each other while living in such extreme weather. It was interesting to learn about the tight-knit nature of Fairbanks and Alaska in general, especially coming from a big city. Our tour was very comfortable throughout. The guide was helpful and supportive, providing clear instructions for each activity and being present before the start of every step to ensure everything went smoothly. On the way back, we also stopped at multiple locations to view the northern lights and continued until everyone in the group was satisfied. Overall, a great experience—especially if you’re unable to drive to Chena Hot Springs yourself in winter or simply prefer a guided and hassle-free visit.

This is a group tour to Chena Hot springs which includes the hot springs and the ice museum. On the way back, depending on the night, you’ll make a couple of stops to see the Aurora. Overall, Christopher was an informative and entertaining operator throughout. We got a great sense of Alaskan life and I appreciated him sharing it vulnerably. Definitely recommend this tour for people who haven’t visited Chena Hot Springs before.

Bucket list, absolutely magical experience. From the tour guide, to the ice museum, to the incredible farm to fork dinner, to the hot springs, and of course the northern lights! I highly recommend this experience to anyone and everyone.

Guide was very friendly and personable! The hot springs were amazing!!! And Tony really made sure we saw the aurora in spectacular fashion!!

+1

Anthony was absolutely amazing shared quite a bit about local knowledge, kept the group very engaged on the drive. Educated about Alaskan life. Van was very comfortable. He was very attentive to the entire group making sure that we were all comfortable and let us know the activities along the way. he gave absolutely amazing instructions on what to expect and where to head. We could all stick together or go off on our own. He would let us know where to meet back up, but he kept an eye on us the entire time. We did not feel rushed, and he gave great instructions. The food at the restaurant was absolutely amazing. We all sat and dined as a group and had a wonderful experience in the ice museum. He made multiple stops on the way home to make sure that we got a great opportunity to try to see the Aurora lights. He was a very cautious and attentive driver, making sure to keep an eye out for others on the road and explain how to drive on ice. we feel like Anthony went above and beyond to ensure we had an amazing experience.

At the beginning of our tour Tony was honest and let us know that it'd be difficult to see the Northern Lights because of the cloud coverage, which was a bummer, but his insight on not only Alaska, but life in general made up for it. It was just our group of three and our guide, so I thought it was going to be an awkward experience, but we chatted and joked the whole car ride through. Before we explored the Chena Hot Springs area, Tony gave us a rundown and little tricks to make our time there go smoothly. The Ice Museum didn't have any Apple Martinis (another bummer), but again Tony was honest and said they might be out, so we were prepared and just left early to eat at the restaurant. Tony was very friendly with the workers there and made it feel like we were regulars as well. Tony recommended what to eat and it was absolutely delicious. The scallops were the best thing we ate on the trip. After eating we were free to hang out at the hot springs; Tony gave us change for the lockers and gave us little tips for our time there which were helpful. The hot springs were so relaxing, we stayed for about an hour and a half until we met up with Tony again to leave back to Fairbanks. Tony still attempted to take us some spots for northern lights viewing, but there wasn't enough luck in my pinky toe I guess. We did spot a moose on the way back and Tony was kind enough to pull a 9-point turn right on the highway to get a better view of it but it ran off at approximately 35mph (bummer). The tour ended a little earlier for us since the skies were cloudy, but we managed to add another 10 minutes by Tony taking us to the gas station to grab a cooler for some smoked salmon we picked up which was super nice. Despite the minor bummers which are out of Tony's control, my group had a great time! We dropped by to eat at this Moldovan spot Tony recommended before we left back to California and it was also delicious. Thanks so much to Tony for one of the best interactions we had in Alaska, would book with him again. Well, actually maybe we'll request to book with his brother/son instead.

This tour was great, largely thanks to our guide, an Alaskan local who was humorous and shared wonderful stories. The trip itself had some highlights and some "mid" portions; the hot springs are a must-do and were easily one of the best parts, though the ice museum was a bit boring and the viewing area at Chena was also just average. We didn't get a good view of the Northern Lights at Chena due to a KP2 rating, but our guide really pulled through by driving us to some secluded, cool spots without light pollution where we got great views. I’d recommend this trip for the guide's expertise and the hot springs.