6 nights camping

Soak in Chena Hot Springs

Travel above the Arctic Circle, through the Brooks Range to the North Slope

Access the Arctic Ocean

Excellent hiking throughout (including the famed Arctic National Wildlife Refuge)

 

Detailed Itinerary Description

Please note: travel in the Arctic is unpredictable. Weather, animal encounters, and road conditions all conspire to shape travelers experiences in unforeseen ways. While we have an itinerary objective, we occasionally stray from the written trip itinerary to take advantage of unforeseen opportunities.

Day 1: Chena Hot Springs

Today we’ll travel north of Fairbanks (Alaska’s 2nd largest city) to Chena Hot Springs. En route we’ll experience one of the best locations in all of Alaska to view moose. This afternoon we’ll go for a hike near Chena to explore the fascinating geologic formations of the area. Tonight, we’ll camp at Chena Hot Springs, a peaceful natural hot springs set within the spruce and birch forest typical of interior Alaska. Chena Hot Springs is also the home of the first geothermal power plant in Alaska. This evening we can enjoy a soothing soak in the natural pools and perhaps a drink in the ice bar, the first year round ice structure in the world.

Days 2-6: The Arctic

Loosened up after a relaxing soak at Chena, we’ll be ready to travel north to the Arctic! We’ll spend our next days traveling north into the most remote region accessible by road in Alaska. We’ll cross the Yukon River, the Arctic Circle, and the mighty Brooks Range, on to the treeless plain of the North Slope. We’ll camp along the way with opportunities for remote hiking and outstanding wildlife viewing. Expansive wilderness will grace our entire trip.

Our daily schedule will be dictated by Mother Nature with an emphasis on exploring the areas we travel through, wildlife viewing, and sightseeing. Our goal will be to experience the most that we can in the limited time we have.

Note: North of Chena Hot Springs facilities are fairly limited.

Our schedule will go something like this:

Day 2:

We’ll depart Chena in the morning and head north, traversing the rolling green hills that stretch all the way to the Yukon River. Never covered by glaciers, this ice-free corridor served as the main highway of the Asiatic migration of ice age pilgrims such as the wooly mammoth, musk ox and North America's first inhabitants. This afternoon we’ll hike into the White Mountains and enjoy our lunch on a beautiful ridgeline with expansive views. This vast landscape conjures visions of Beringia (the land bridge to Russia) before us and beckons us further north. Later we will cross the mighty Yukon River and make our camp as the foothills of the magnificent Brooks Range loom ahead.

Day 3:

Deep into the northern forest now, we will spend the day searching out the modern inhabitants of America's last frontier; beavers, arctic fox, wolves, lynx and both black and brown bear all call this area home, while the skies are crossed by peregrine falcons, golden eagles and Sand hill cranes.  The primitive road maneuvers an intrepid path amongst miles of fireweed, lakes and unforgettable mountain skylines. After a visit to the brand-new arctic interpretive visitor center we will make our camp just south of the Brooks Range.

Day 4:

We will start the day with a visit to the charming village of Wiseman, once the site of
hardscrabble gold miners and now the home to a couple dozen souls who live off the vast wilderness that surrounds them. Later, we will cross the continental tree line and the incredible Brooks Range, over Alaska's highest road pass. Once across the Brooks Range we are in the treeless tundra of the arctic slope, a place like no other on Earth. Within this amazing landscape we will set our camp for two nights on the border of the fabled Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR. This afternoon we will hike under the midnight sun.

Day 5:

Today there will be opportunity to hike into ANWR, where 300 million years of geologic history have created an enormous salt lick attracting animals from throughout the region. Amongst this stunning boundless landscape we will seek out the herds of Dall sheep. Free of the dense north woods, we will dine in the endless light of the midnight sun.

Day 6:

As the continent tapers north towards the Arctic Ocean we find ourselves in a timeless landscape teeming with life and defined by migration. Caribou herds that number in the thousands traverse our path en route to the waters of the arctic, while hundreds of kettle ponds host migratory waterfowl from around the globe. Truly a birder's paradise, we will search for tundra swans, eiders and long tailed jaegers, to name a few. Near the northern terminus of the road, we will savor one last night in the great north. Lit by the midnight sun, the far north is place of sight and sound truly apart from the modern world and an experience you will not soon forget.

Day 7: Prudhoe Bay and the Arctic Ocean

On our final day we will arrive at the end of the road in Prudhoe Bay and will explore the Prudhoe Bay oil facilities and access the Arctic Ocean (anyone for a dip? It’s been done!).

At the end of the trip, participants can fly from Prudhoe Bay (day 7) to the location of their choice (not included in the tour price). Return flights to Fairbanks are approximately $350 and flights to Anchorage are approximately $400. Other destinations are available including Barrow, the most northern settlement in the U.S.
Trips that operate in reverse require a flight to Prudhoe Bay the morning of day 1.

Please contact our office with questions and assistance with making flight reservations.

Reserve this trip

References

We believe that our trips are outstanding, but we don’t expect you to take our word for it. Many of our past guests have offered to act as references for us. If you would like to contact our past guests we encourage you to. Get in touch with our office and we’ll be happy to send you their info.

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