I first traveled to Alaska in the summertime – as most individuals do. I fell in love with the folks and the panorama – I personally suppose it’s America’s most lovely state and constantly falls in my high 5 locations to go to in the complete world. I used to be at all times intrigued about how folks lived there within the winter and what they did – a lot in order that I did my first Alaska winter journey in 2018.
That’s once I actually fell in love with Alaska within the winter.
Since then I’ve been again 3 extra instances and it will get higher every time! As I’ve shared my adventures there, I constantly get requested by readers to arrange an Alaska winter tour.
I’ve lastly discovered an organization that I wished to work with, Salmonberry Excursions, that matches my journey mentality and will assist me put a personalized tour collectively! This Alaska winter tour consists of the very best and most unusual winter experiences Alaska has to supply!
Why Alaska within the Winter?
Most individuals don’t take into consideration going to Alaska in February. In any case, it’s the coldest, snowiest, and most distant vacation spot in america. However I’m not like most individuals. I prefer to journey to the distant corners of our globe as a result of that’s the place you discover essentially the most epic experiences and environments.
Whereas most individuals dream of seashores to flee winter in February, I dream of the northern lights, sled canine, scorching chocolate, and snowcapped mountains. Winter in Alaska is whenever you discover the true Alaskans, the full-timers, and the heartiest of locals. You’ll have the possibility to fulfill them and spend time with this hearty bunch whenever you journey with me.
Aurora Viewing – Why Go in 2025
The northern lights are so prolific within the Fairbanks area and the Arctic that guests who keep a minimal of three nights and are actively out in the course of the late night hours improve their likelihood of seeing the aurora to greater than 80 %! And that’s precisely why we’ll have 3 nights of aurora chasing in Fairbanks to start out off the journey! Plus – there are good probabilities we’ll see the lights in Talkeetna, and Glacier View.
As well as, scientists have forecasted the subsequent peak of photo voltaic exercise (the photo voltaic most) might be reached in July 2025. As we strategy the photo voltaic most, we’ll begin to see extra intense and extra frequent aurora. So this even will increase our probabilities additional to see some spectacular aurora shows.
On one of many nights, we may also get particular northern lights images instruction for these serious about studying tips on how to {photograph} the northern lights.
You’ll be able to learn extra about why Fairbanks and Alaska are the proper locations for Aurora viewing right here.
Overview, Dates, and Prices
When you’ve ever dreamed of experiencing the northern lights, mushing your personal crew of Alaskan Huskies, seeing North America’s tallest peak coated in snow, mountaineering on a glacier, and studying tips on how to play the winter sport of curling – then skip the seashore this winter and begin knocking issues off your bucket checklist with my Ottsworld Alaska Winter Tour February 2025!
The tour is an ideal mixture of journey and aurora viewing all whereas getting the chance to fulfill native Alaskans and find out how they stay (and thrive) within the harsh setting.
Alaska Winter Tour Highlights
I’ve put collectively all of my favourite winter experiences into this tour. You’ll be immersed into the Alaskan tradition and luxuriate in winter to the fullest!
- Aurora Viewing 3 nights in Fairbanks the place you’ll be able to wait within the consolation of cabins
- Snowshoeing in Fairbanks with a naturalist
- Learn to curl on the native Fairbanks Curling Membership
- Drive to the Denali Winter Customer Heart
- Go to a Canine Kennel and study all about mushing in Denali
- Go to breweries, museums, and extra in Talkeetna (non-obligatory flightseeing)
- Go to a Iditarod Champion kennel and study to mush your personal crew of canine
- Hike on the Matanuska Glacier
- Keep in cozy winter cabins (non-obligatory snow mobiling)
- Have our private native information and aurora knowledgeable all through the complete journey
We begin in Fairbanks and finish in Anchorage which provides you with an unlimited take a look at the state. See for your self!
Dates: February 15-22 2025
Price: Single Room = $5,454
Double Room per individual = $4724 – if you’re prepared to share – this can be a tremendous deal!
Triple Room per individual = $4508 – as soon as once more, if 3 folks need to share!
All meals and experiences are included!
Itinerary at a Look
February 15 – arrive in Fairbanks Alaska -evening Aurora Chasing
February 16 – Snowshoeing and night Aurora Tour
February 17 – Intro to Curling and night Aurora Tour and particular dinner with locals
February 18 – Drive Fairbanks to Talkeetna, canine sled journey and kennel tour, Cease at Denali Customer Heart
February 19 – Discover Talkeetna, Iditarod Kennel tour and mush your personal crew
February 20 – Elective flightseeing round Denali, drive Talkeetna to Glacier View
February 21 – Matanuska Glacier Hike, non-obligatory snowmobiling
February 22 – Glacier View to Anchorage, discover Anchorage, depart night from Anchorage
Starting/Ending Level
Fly into Fairbanks (FAI) on February 15, 2025
Fly out of Anchorage (ANC) on February 22, 2025 Afternoon
What’s Included
- All lodging
- All Transportation
- All meals – No alcohol is included however may be bought by yourself
- All listed excursions (3 aurora viewing excursions, snowshoeing, curling lesson, 2 kennel visits, canine mushing, and glacier hike.)
- Entry to a full gallery of images (shot by me!) of the complete journey, which you need to use for private functions.
What’s Not Included
- Airfare
- Alcoholic drinks
- Flightseeing in Talkeetna (non-obligatory exercise)
- Snowmobiling at Sheep Mountain Lodge (non-obligatory exercise)
- Muskox Farm Go to (if time permits)
- Ideas for guides
- Journey Insurance coverage
I strongly recommend you get journey insurance coverage for any of your travels. Right here’s extra data on journey insurance coverage. I take advantage of Allianz Journey Insurance coverage for my very own private travels and have at all times been proud of their service. I extremely recommend the Annual plan they provide!
Learn how to E-book This Tour
I’d like to speak to you first to reply any of your questions previous to your reserving. Subsequently, comply with these steps to e book:
- Ship me an e-mail at [email protected] letting me find out about your curiosity. We are going to arrange a name to debate any questions you’ve gotten. This might be on a first-come, first-served foundation – there are solely 9 spots obtainable on this tour.
- I’ll then put you in contact with Glenda from Salmonberry, the place you’ll be able to e book your $250 deposit per individual together with her and safe your spot for this practice Ottsworld tour.
- 10 individuals are required for the tour to run. Please wait to buy airfare till we will affirm 10 company.
NOTE!! It is a small group tour with a max of 10 folks. We should replenish the tour for it to run. So as soon as you set down a deposit, it would maintain your spot. We don’t recommend you get airfare but till we will affirm a full journey.
Cancellation Coverage and Charges
A $250 preliminary deposit is required to carry your spot.
As soon as the tour is confirmed with 10 folks signed up, the total deposit (50% of the journey price much less the $250 already paid) might be due and non-refundable after October 1, 2024.
Remaining cost is due December 1, 2024.
If the journey doesn’t get confirmed with 10 folks, then your $250 maintain might be refunded.
You’ll be able to cancel as much as October 1, 2024 and be refunded your deposit. After October 1, 2024 journey prices spent so far are non-refundable.
I like to recommend getting Allianz Journey Insurance coverage to cowl your journey prices in case of cancellation or emergency. Get a quote now.
Detailed Itinerary for Winter Alaska Tour 2025
Day 1 Fairbanks
Arrive in Fairbanks and get checked in and prepared for our first group dinner. After dinner we depart for a preferred northern lights viewing location exterior Fairbanks. Your native Alaska information will share the science behind the lights and their significance to Alaska Native cultures, in addition to historical past of the world and private tales of residing within the Nice Land. This night tour features a heated indoor relaxation space, snacks, Cup Noodles, and scorching drinks to take pleasure in.
Dinner Included
In a single day Fairbanks
Day 2 Fairbanks
Sleep in and discover downtown Fairbanks by yourself. At this time we take a snowshoe stroll the place you’ll discover the boreal forest, transferring by birch and spruce bushes, together with seeing iconic Alaskan dwarf spruce. We are going to stroll by a winter wonderland on the lookout for animal tracks, studying about native plant makes use of, and the way crops and animals survive life within the chilly. It might be winter however there are nonetheless birds, mammals, and crops to be discovered!
Tonight after dinner we head out for extra aurora chasing! We’ll go to a distinct location exterior of Fairbanks to scan the skies for the good northern lights. As soon as once more a a heated indoor relaxation space, snacks, Cup Noodles, and scorching drinks are supplied.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included
In a single day Fairbanks
Day 3 Fairbanks
At this time we go deep into the native tradition of curling! We’ll head to the Fairbanks curling heart, meet native curlers, and get hands-on on this distinctive sport! It might look easy on TV – however you’ll be stunned at how difficult – and FUN – it’s! We’ll actually have a pleasant group curling match to check out our new expertise!
Tonight we’ve a really particular deal with – we’ll take pleasure in an unique night with native Alaskans (Frank and Miriam), residing off the grid! Your hosts and their canine companions open their house to you 25 miles from Fairbanks and the town lights. Benefit from the silence, remoteness and get glimpse of off-grid residing. Regardless of in case you sit in entrance of the large panoramic home windows from the consolation of the cabin or head exterior to seek for aurora, this might be a particular night. Frank is an expert photographer and can help with aurora borealis images. If the aurora is robust sufficient, Frank will take skilled images of you below the aurora.
There might be a variation of scrumptious meals served to you all through the night. Typical Alaskan bbq has Frank’s Aurora Burgers, veggie burgers, and scorching canine with the fixins. Don’t overlook to attempt the Alaskan Salmon, corn on the cob, combined salad and desert. Drinks: Smooth drinks, espresso & tea and beer and wine are additionally included to make this night extra particular than simply an bizarre aurora tour.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
In a single day Fairbanks
Day 4 – Drive to Talkeetna by Denali
At this time we head south and benefit from the gorgeous panorama and views of Denali (hopefully if it’s clear!). Situated on the sting of Denali Nationwide Park and nestled in a small stand of spruce forest, we’ll cease at Moondog Kennel – house to the friendliest group of working sled canine round! Hailing from conventional freighting genetics and straight associated to the Denali Park Kennel, Brian and Courtney will share with you what life on the tundra is all about. Take pleasure in a sled canine meet and greet, and comfortable up on the sofa with snacks and a gaggle of retired canine as you study concerning the significance of freighting canine, historical past of the Denali space and acquire a greater understanding of life as native mushers in inside Alaska.
If time permits, we’ll additionally cease on the Denali Nationwide Park Customer Heart and speak to the ranger about wintertime within the nationwide park.
Arrive within the small city of Talkeetna and get cozy in your cabin! Right here we will additionally search for northern lights down by the river – a brief stroll from the cabins.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
In a single day Talkeetna
Day 5 – Talkeetna
Discover Talkeetna and it’s distinctive character! Cease in at Nagley’s and meet Aurora – the feline mayor! Benefit from the museum and study all about climbing Denali and the historical past of the area. Benefit from the outlets alongside Essential Avenue.
At this time we’ll go to the house of an Iditarod champion (he received final 12 months!), Dallas Seavey, and tour his kennel of lively sled canine. The tour begins on the kennel headquarters overlooking the canine yard and snowy boreal forest you’ll mush by. Highlights embody the hook-up, sled driving demo, and a six mile mush on the identical trails that Dallas trains together with his Iditarod crew. This time you received’t merely be driving – you may be mushing your personal crew of canine!
Every two company will share a canine sled and canine crew of Alaskan huskies on your mini-expedition! For the primary half of your journey, you’ll information your crew by the silent, snow capped birch and spruce forest, the one sounds are paws pounding, the sled’s runners gliding throughout the snow, and the occasional excited bark. Many photograph alternatives might be obtainable as you go to reproduction Iditarod checkpoints and race to the end line below the burled arch!
After your journey, be a part of us for a tour of the homestead, kennel operations and time with the youthful husky puppies. Ensure you take loads of images with the longer term Iditarod champions earlier than they’re well-known! End this distinctive expertise again at kennel headquarters, assembly different members of the skilled mushing crew and warming up with cookies and scorching drinks.
If climate permits, there might be an opportunity to go on a flightseeing tour of Denali! That is an non-obligatory exercise and aproximately $375 per individual needs to be budgeted. For these , we’ll verify climate for at the moment and tomorrow for a potential flight!
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
In a single day Talkeetna
Day 6 – Glacier View
Drive additional south to the Glenn Freeway – one in every of Alaska’s most dramatic drives and a private favourite of mine! You’ll drive by glaciers, mountains, and wildlife. Our vacation spot at the moment is Sheep Mountain Lodge the place you’ll get to remain in a comfortable cabin with unbelievable mountain views.
Right here you’ll have choices to do snowshoeing on their trails, and even do an non-obligatory snow cellular tour.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
In a single day Glacier View
Day 7 – Matanuska Glacier
A bucket checklist merchandise for a lot of – there’s nothing like standing in entrance of and on a glacier. The dimensions and energy of this magnificent pure marvel are humbling. We’ll spend an entire afternoon mountaineering on and studying concerning the Matanuska Glacier.
At this time we discover Matanuska Glacier’s many unbelievable options, comparable to moraine and glacial blue meltwater swimming pools, in Southcentral’s lovely Matanuska Valley. 1000’s of years outdated, this huge glacier is tucked up into the pinnacle of the Matanuska Valley. You’ll spend 2 hours trekking with our glacier guides by your facet, studying how the Matanuska Glacier was born and the way it formed the panorama within the Matanuska Susitna Valley. Discover blue meltwater swimming pools and awe-inspiring formations.
We’ll present our helmets, a trekking pole (strolling stick) and microspikes that connect to your footwear.
Cease at an area lodge for lunch and a gorgeous view to spherical out the expertise.
Elective snow cellular tour at Sheep Mountain Lodge that afternoon.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner included
In a single day Glacier View
Day 8 – Anchorage Departure
We’ll depart Glacier view behind and set our sights on Anchorage this morning. We must always get there in time to discover the town a bit, and perhaps even see a moose wandering round (we did final time!). We’ll take pleasure in a going away lunch after which bid farewell.
Departure flight needs to be booked for afternoon 4PM or later.
Breakfast, Lunch included
I strongly recommend you get journey insurance coverage for any of your travels. Right here’s extra data on journey insurance coverage. I take advantage of Allianz Journey Insurance coverage for my very own private travels.
Discover out the place to go in Alaska for fall coloration
Who Ought to Take into account This Tour?
- Individuals who prefer to discover lesser-known locations, and be adventurous and lively.
- People who find themselves versatile. You have to be prepared to exhibit flexibility, as itineraries might change because of climate, and the aurora might not come out – it is best to have a ‘prepared to attempt new issues’ angle.
- Individuals who take pleasure in chilly climate actions and being open air.
- Individuals who can hike not less than 3 miles.
- People who find themselves okay with staying up late to view the northern lights. Typically we don’t exit for viewing till 10 PM and get again to the resort at 2 AM. However don’t fear – we provide you with time to sleep within the subsequent morning with late begins the subsequent day.
- People who find themselves amenable to touring with others.
What is going to the Climate Be Like?
You could be stunned to search out out that the coastal areas in Alaska don’t get as chilly as you suppose – they hardly ever fall beneath 20F aside from the occasional storm. Up within the Arctic areas, they don’t get a lot snow as a result of it’s thought of a desert.
Nonetheless, Alaska’s inside (Fairbanks) does get chilly and many snow. There chances are you’ll expertise temperatures dipping into the -20F and get numerous snow that can stick round all winter from October by March. All Alaskans know that you simply fight winter climate with the appropriate gear. When you have the appropriate gear – you’ll be able to take pleasure in Alaska winter – even in Fairbanks!
Uncover 7 of the very best locations to journey in winter for North People
What Winter Gear Will You Must Be Snug?
I’ve written this submit about what to pack for Alaska within the winter so please check out it – this provides you with an concept of the gear to deliver and possibly embody quite a lot of stuff you hadn’t considered! The bottom line is layers and good boots.
I’ll present an in depth packing checklist and might seek the advice of with you indiviually on what gear you’ll want. As well as, we’ll have a number of group calls previous to the tour to speak about packing and different logistics.
You don’t must exit and buy an entire new winter wardrobe although for this journey – you’ll be able to really hire gear from Alaska Out of doors Gear Rental. They hire high quality gear you can get delivered to your resort in Fairbanks and you’ll return to your resort in Anchorage. They’ve gear packages to hire or particular person objects. See extra at Alaska out of doors Gear Rental.
What do Folks Say About Ottsworld Excursions
“The Ottsworld Alaska Winter Tour is a bucket-list-checking good time! The Aurora viewing, canine sledding, snow shoeing, moose viewing, curling, and glacier mountaineering all occur at a cushty tempo in breathtaking areas, combined in with among the finest food and drinks stops you’ll be able to think about. Can’t say sufficient good issues – – – go!” – Heather
“I couldn’t have requested for a extra unbelievable option to expertise Alaska for the very first time than with Sherry Ott. Sherry’s information of distinctive locations and wonderful folks made all of it come collectively into a tremendous week!! A small group of us have been in a position to expertise the off-beaten path and met essentially the most real, genuine folks prepared to share their lifestyle in Alaska. It’s onerous to place into phrases how this expertise made me really feel. I fell in love with Alaska….the place and its folks! It was all so magical, from seeing the aurora borealis, to snowshoeing within the peaceable, spruce and birch forests, to mountaineering on a glacier, and truly mushing canine and canine sledding!! There was a peace there I had been on the lookout for. It was positively a visit I’ll bear in mind endlessly!! I’m eternally grateful to Sherry for sharing her information of this place. I sit up for different journeys Sherry might share, as I do know they are going to be distinctive!! ” – Debbie
“The winter Alaska journey with Sherry Ott was excessive in all respects, ie unbelievable guides, wonderful meals and off the charts surroundings. The tour firm, Salmonberry is a first-class operation. This journey was neck and neck with the highest ones of my lifetime!” – George
Led by Salmonberry Excursions
What makes this ‘Ottsworld’ worthy? I need to confess – that I’m type of a journey snob. I don’t love to do the ‘anticipated’ or see the standard sights; I like to hunt out the bizarre, and fewer traveled (which is why I like to go to Alaska within the winter!). I’ve labored collectively very carefully with Salmonberry Excursions to place collectively an itinerary that impresses even me!
Salmonberry is an area Alaska firm, women-owned, and Alaska consultants! And better of all they’re small however mighty. I like supporting small, native operators once I journey – and I believe you’ll love them too. They solely rent guides who grew up in Alaska – no transplants – they’re consultants on the terrain, wildlife, and tradition of the state. They are going to be our information and driver as we discover the winter wonderland!
Extensions – Iditarod, Alaska prepare journey, and extra!
You may as well simply prolong your journey on both finish and spend extra time in a particular space or I’m glad to recommend further actions. Salmonberry has quite a lot of further day excursions and nice issues to do across the space too.
The 2025 Iditarod is beginning shortly after our tour concludes on February twenty sixth! It is a nice alternative to remain and expertise Alaska’s spotlight of winter – the beginning of the Iditarod in Anchorage! Salmonberry gives particular staring line experiences.
You may as well select to journey the Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Practice again to Fairbanks in case you’d like a distinct perspective of the snowy panorama!
Or perhaps you need to stick round Anchorage and proceed the journey! Listed here are my favourite issues to do in Anchorage within the winter.
Questions?
Be happy to contact me at [email protected] with any questions you’ve gotten about this tour, the experiences, what to pack, and so on. I’m glad to reply something!
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