Private Aurora Tour

Offered by Alaska Photo Treks In Anchorage, Alaska

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About us

Alaska Photo Treks (dba of Through The Lens Alaska, LLC) was founded in 2013 by a trio of professional photographers who had a mission to share this amazing state with others through the lens of their cameras. Today, we are a group of Alaska photography guides and associates. With extensive and unique backcountry photography experience, each of us is also a professional photographer in our own right, with many diverse clients and assignments when not instructing or guiding. We are well-versed in Alaska’s natural history and have much to share about our lives in the 49th state.

Our fun, photo-centric tours, workshops, classes, and guide services cater to all levels of photographers (and non-photographers on some of the day tours). Technical, creative, and regional expertise in Alaska’s most scenic locations is our specialty. We know where to be and when, and have a pretty good track record at finding wildlife too! Services are tailored to fit every skill set and level of interest. Whether you’re a serious shooter or dabbling in photography with a smartphone camera, our aim is to help you take home the best scenes and memories Alaska has to offer.

What we'll do

We have taken our popular Anchorage Aurora Quest and put a more high-end, private spin on it. Welcome to our Private Aurora Tour! Much like our Anchorage Aurora Quest, this tour is designed to maximize your opportunity to see the northern lights at scenic locations. We utilize a variety of science-based apps and websites, along with our historical data of recent aurora seasons, to determine the best nights and locations to go. We also provide photographic instruction to those desiring to photograph the northern lights, and provide complimentary professional portraits of you with the aurora, taken by our professional photographer guides.

But we add some special touches to this tour, including an initial presentation about the science of the northern lights at our office (along with drinks and snacks), a hot soup or stew with artisan bread, dessert, and a portable bonfire while out on location and a longer tour duration to maximize your opportunity to see the lights and enjoy them. Finally, unlike our Anchorage Aurora Quest tour, we will pick you up at any location within a two-hour drive of downtown Anchorage. This driving time would be included in the total time of your tour. (Of course, for locations that are farther away, the office presentation would not be available.)

Additionally, starting two days out from your tour, we give you a personalized forecast (at no extra cost) for both the weather and aurora conditions to give you an idea as to the likelihood that the tour will proceed on your scheduled night. If conditions are not looking good, we work with you early to potentially reschedule in order to maximize your success in seeing the northern lights.

What's Included

- Pick up and drop off at any location within two hour drive of Anchorage (driving time included in tour total)
- Narrative on the science and lore surrounding auroras provided by your guide.
- Handwarmers
- Creative and technical photography instruction is offered by your professional photographer guide.
- North Slope-rated heavy winter parkas/jackets are available for loan (indicate during booking if you need to borrow one).
- Soup or stew, artisan bread, dessert, hot drinks, and water (we strive to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the environment, so fresh water from a jug along with refillable cups).
- Portable bonfire on location
- Tripod and camera are available to loan. Camera flash card included in loaner camera. Let us know in advance if you wish to borrow a camera.
- Aurora portrait and high resolution digital files of all photos taken during the tour.

What to expect / what's provided

Who
This is a private, small group northern lights tour for photographers and sightseers alike.

When
Nightly, August 17 to April 24 when conditions are right, which means at least Kp1 and less than 50% cloud cover. We run the tour during these dates because there are at least six hours of nautical twilight in the night.
Departure is generally between 8-10 pm, depending on the season and cloud conditions. You will receive an email with tour confirmation and pickup time at your Anchorage location by text and/or email no later than 4 pm.
Duration is approximately 8 hours.

Where
We have several favorite spots within a 120-mile radius of Anchorage that offer wonderful views of the night sky, and great land features such as reflective lakes, forests, coastal waterways, and mountain peaks. After pickup at your Anchorage area accommodations, the locations we visit for this northern lights photo tour are based on conditions at the time. We may travel to 1-3 locations during the evening.

How To Prepare
Rest up before your scheduled booking(s).
Dress in warm layers! We may be away from the vehicle for up to 1-hour. It’s important to gear up appropriately and plan to keep moving while out. It’s also better to wear one pair of warm socks than two. This is because the more socks you add, the more likely you are to constrict circulation. Try to leave a pocket of airspace around your foot in the boot. Also wear a warm, moisture-wicking under layer, mid layer [preferably fleece] and thick, snow proof outer layer, along with hat, scarf and gloves. Arctic gear including bibs, parka and boots are available to rent at Sixth Avenue Outfitters or Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental in Anchorage. For purchasing your own winter gear in advance of your trip, visit our Winter Outdoor Gear idea list on our Amazon storefront!
Use the restroom in advance. There are very few restrooms open in state parks this time of year, and limited public options available in the wee hours of the early morning when the tour takes place… though there are complimentary trees and bushes available at all locations.

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your reservation at least 24-hours in advance if your plans change and we will provide a full refund. If you are not available for the night you reserved and the tour runs, you will be charged for your seat if it was too late to fill with another guest.

For those who book a four-day pass, that does not guarantee that the tour will run each of the four nights. It allows you to participate in the tour as many times as the tour runs during those four days. The four days must be consecutive. The only time we will provide a full refund is if the tour does not proceed at all during your four-day pass period. If the tour proceeds only one day, you are refunded your booking amount minus the rate for a single-day pass. If the tour proceeds only two days out of four, then no refund is provided (as the price for a four-day pass is slightly less than the cost of two single-day passes).

You will be notified if the tour is canceled due to cloudy, rainy, or snowy conditions. You will be fully refunded in such a case.

A 2-person minimum is required to run this tour. If the minimum is not met, you may be given the option to purchase a second seat, reschedule, or cancel.

Payment is confirmation of your acknowledgment of the risk inherent in this natural phenomenon; once it’s received and the tour departs, no refund will be issued if auroras do not appear as expected. However, if you do not see the northern lights during your tour, you can join us on another booked tour for free. Simply contact us to see if there is another booked tour during your visit, and we will reschedule you.

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