Francisca Porras

Review of Northern Alaskan Tour Company

Booked the Overnight Aurora tour, 3 days, 2 nights...

Booked the Overnight Aurora tour, 3 days, 2 nights just before Christmas 2016. The tour involved driving up in a coach to Coldfoot, AK. It's about a 6-8 hours drive. We spent two nights in Coldfoot and then flew back to Fairbanks. The guides, every single one of them, were amazing. Ryan drove us up. It takes a lot of skill to drive up in the middle of the winter, and a lot of patience to make sure every single person in the group is comfortable and taken care of. Made plenty of stops along the way and plenty of time was allowed for admiring the beauty that surrounds you and take pictures. With one exception, all facilities on the way up are outhouse style. All guides at Coldfoot were just as amazing, friendly and professional. We booked one night Aurora viewing in Wiseman. I initially was going to skip it thinking I could see the Aurora from Coldfoot camp. Which you can, sometimes. But that would've been a mistake. Wiseman is an experience in itself. Highly recommended it. There's a cabin to keep you warm while waiting for the Aurora. Not something to be underestimated in the cold Alaskan winter. One our second day, we booked the Brooks Mt. Safari. A-mazing! Again, I was skeptical, but I was so wrong. Totally worth it. The trip up and past the Atigun Pass is breathtaking. Plenty of stops for picture taking and admiring this unbelievable scenery. The guides are so good at their job, it's hard to describe. Accommodating, kind, knowledgeable. The accommodations at Coldfoot are basic, but all you need. The Truckers cafe has a decent menu in the winter ( my understanding is that in the summer the menu is buffet style) and the portions are huge. Their coffee could use some improvement, though. The cooks are receptive to order changes, the cafe staff is extremely friendly, open for a chat with the tourists and knowledgeable as well. The only other thing that could use some improvement inside the cafe is better ventilation. When you leave, fried oils smell will stick with you. Overall an experience that I would repeat undoubtedly.