Bright Lights in the Midnight Sky.

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Many are aware of Alaska's significant potential as a destination for visitors in the summer; however, Alaska's winters are spectacular with beautiful vistas, untouched fields of snow, and crisp winter nights. The short hours of daylight allow for many opportunities to see one of Alaska's unique offerings, the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. Many Interior and Arctic businesses offer tours and packages to give Alaska's guests their best chance at catching a glance of this elusive, all-natural, outdoor light show.

Northern Alaska Tour Company, founded in 1986, offers a variety of tours that feature the Auroras including overnight trips, driving tours, and driving and flying tours.

For Example: The Homestead Aurora is a night of guided Aurora watching in Joy, Alaska. Tour groups meet with a friendly, informative Alaskan guide; head north on the historic Elliot Highway, crossing over Wickersham Dome to enter a remote region featuring a pristine winter sky; and watch the night skies for "nature's greatest light show."

In Their Words: "Northern Alaska Tour Company is an Alaskan-owned tour operator based in Fairbanks... to provide unparalleled travel and touring experiences in Alaska's Arctic for guests while maintaining the highest standards of safety and commitment to traditional culture and the environment." northernalaska.com

Go Alaska Tours offers several winter tour options, including Northern Lights Adventures, the majority of which are multi-day packages that span Alaska and Northern Canada and include daytime winter activities such as dogsledding or visiting the Ice Museum.

For Example: The Fairbanks & Chena Aurora Winter Tour starts in Fairbanks, where guests are given ample time to explore the surrounding area, including an optional afternoon tour before transferring to an Aurora viewing lodge twenty miles north of Fairbanks. For the final night of the package, the tour moves to Chena Hot Springs Resort, known for its geothermal waters.

In Their Words: "We conduct ourselves with uncompromising integrity and honesty as individuals, as a travel team, and as a tour operating company." goalaskatours.com

Several Aurora tours are available through 1st Alaska Tours with a range of prices and options, such as a visit to Chena Hot Springs, dining under the Aurora sky, a photo workshop, sled dog tour, and ice fishing.

For Example: The Aurora Dinner with Dog Sled Tour is the combination of Northern Lights viewing, dog sledding...