Upon your arrival in Anchorage we will greet you at the airport and transfer you to the Hilton hotel. In the evening we will gather for dinner at one of Anchorage’s fabulous restaurants.

After breakfast we will visit the Thomas Planetarium for a special, private show on the northern skies, curated by Bob Berman specifically for our group. The planetarium is located in the wonderful Anchorage Museum, which includes art, history and science exhibits which guests will have time to explore.

In the afternoon we will take a bus tour through Anchorage, including Earthquake park and Beluga Point, a viewing location on on the beautiful Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet.

Following breakfast we depart for an all-day train adventure from Anchorage to Fairbanks through Denali National Park.

Throughout the day you will see magnificent scenery of the Alaskan wilderness and, weather permitting, there will be numerous sightings of Denali,. the largest mountain in North America.

Upon arrival in Fairbanks, and after some time to rest and change at the hotel, weather permitting, we will board our coach and head to a dark location out

of town for our first chance at seeing the Northern Lights.

After breakfast we will head to the Morris Thomspon Cultural Center, which houses world-class exhibits about the Interior and Arctic Alaska and the history and seasonal flow of local lifestyles. After our excursion at the center, guest will have time to wander this unique and historic city.

In the afternoon, back at the hotel, we will join Bob Berman for one of his esteemed lectures, which are fun and approachable for both novice and seasoned astronomy enthusiasts.

In the evening we will head to the Fairbanks Ice Park, filled with incredible ice sculptures that are especially magnificent at night when illuminated by colored lights.

After breakfast, we will board our coach and make our way to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, one of the world’s leading centers in aurora studies. Here we will visit the Museum of the North, which offers fascinating exhibits on the nature, arts, and culture of Alaska.

Following the museum, we will travel to Chena for a two-night stay. Located sixty miles from Fairbanks secluded in the mountains, Chena Hot Springs Resort is ideal for observing the aurora and the northern skies. After settling in, we’ll gather for a Sno-Cat ride up a nearby summit where we’ll catch the sunset.

Tomorrow, you can take a dogsled ride in the forest and make sure you find time to relax in the outdoor, natural hot springs.

The day is yours to explore Chena and enjoy the Alaskan wilderness. A dogsled ride through the forest and access to the hot springs, pool house and surrounding trails are all included in your package. Chena also offers sno-mobile excursions, and cross-country skii rentals, among other offerings, at an additional cost.

Chena is also one of the “greenest” places on Earth! Scientists around the world have traveled to observe its modern green technology. You will have an opportunity to tour the remarkably progressive facilities and learn about their recycling program (everything is recycled), the self-sustaining power-generation system which uses the hot springs to heat all buildings and create electricity, and the greenhouses where much of the resort’s food is grown.

After dinner we’ll join Bob for a late night outdoor Star Party, where he’ll identify constellations and teach us about their significance.

All in all, this promises to be an unforgettable experience.

In the late morning we will depart Chena and return to Fairbanks. Along the way, we will stop at the Alaskan Pipeline, a great architectural feat in the harshest of climates.

Next we will head to the Fountainhead Antique and Auto Museum, which hosts a “world-class collection of vintage automobiles and period fashions complemented by fascinating exhibits, accessories, photographs and archival videos” and welcomes guests “on a vivid journey through the automotive age, from Victorian times through the Art Deco era.”

After checking back into our Fairbanks hotel, guests will have the rest of the afternoon free to prepare for their flights home and do any final shopping in Fairbanks.

In the early evening we will gather for our farewell dinner at the Pumphouse, a local favorite which was reconstructed to create an 1890/s “Gold Rush” motif and houses many impressive antiques.

Breakfast will be provided at the hotel. Hotel check-out is at 11:00 am, but late check-outs may be available upon request. Transport for guests returning to the airport will be available throughout the day.