NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTO TOUR
March 2-8, 2020
**See itinerary below.
Why Take This Photo Tour With Us?
*The tour is scheduled when the aurora is strongest, and when this part of Alaska has its clearest skies.
*No place in the world is more reliable for being able to photograph the aurora.
*Never have to ride in a vehicle more than an hour.
*Stay in 2 lodges where we can step outside and photograph--so you can head in and warm up whenever you like, and they both have good food!
*Because we take advantage of a couple of locations, we have a variety of scenery to include with the aurora.
*With any luck, we'll be able to photograph a glowing snow shelter with the aurora.
*We include the Ice Museum and the World Ice Art Championships.
It takes about eight minutes for the charged particles of the solar wind to speed across the emptiness between the sun and our planet. When these particles strike the gigantic magnet that is the Earth, an incredible reaction begins at both poles of the magnet. Electrons are energized and photons of light emitted from various atoms in our atmosphere. The colors of that light, and how far from the poles that reaction spreads, depend on the amount of energy the sun is sending our way.
During the days, participants will have to choose between a variety of activities, including photographing winter scenics and activities--enjoying the World Ice Art Championships, dogsledding, cross-country skiing and relaxing in a hot spring. The nights are reserved for the Northern Lights.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Everyone will have arrived the day before, most likely, and be staying at the Best Western Chena Landing. We’ll let you sleep in if you like. Breakfast at the motel. You may want to go across the street to Fred Meyers and purchase some snacks or drinks for future days. This is also a good chance to check out your cold weather gear. We’ll be picked up around noon and head to our B&B for the next two nights. After getting settled, we’ll gather for aurora photography instruction. Your rooms will have both inside and outside doors, so you can stay inside and be warm, and you’ll be able to shoot right outside your door! We will be checking for the aurora throughout the night and we’ll wake you when it comes. You can check too if you would like—the more eyes the better. Photograph as long as we can. Breakfast and dinner are included, but no lunch, hence the snacks you may want to bring along. Coffee, tea, etc. are available all day/night. You can wander around the property and photograph during the day. We’ll try and build a quinzee (snow hut) that we can photograph at night, with or without the northern lights.
Day 2: Hopefully we have been up with the lights! Delicious breakfast by our hosts. Delicious dinners too (we’ll send you a menu choice ahead of time). Participant critique/sharing and rest/recharge time
Days 3-5: Breakfast, pack up and one last look around. Our ride will be there around noon and we’ll head to Chena Hot Springs. We’ll likely have to wait to check into our rooms, but you can wander around and photograph or have some lunch at their restaurant. Again, hopefully lights at night. One day we will have a tour of the Ice Museum, and entrance to the hot springs is included with your room. There are also free tours of their greenhouse and generating system. You can also purchase other activities on your own—dog sledding, dog kennel tour, flight seeing, snow shoes, etc. Each day you can go to breakfast anytime. We’ll have dinner together as a group.
Day 6: Last chance to look around Chena. Pick up at noon, head back to Fairbanks and to the Best Western. Early dinner and then head to the World Ice Art Championships—we’ll go at night when the sculptures are lit up. Photograph as long as you can.
Day 7: Head to the airport at your convenience.
$3,595
Deposit: $500
Airport: Fairbanks, Alaska (FAI)
Tour Cost Includes: Transportation, breakfast, dinner, snacks, water, lodging, critique and instruction as needed.