Life with ArielFor intrepid travelers who want to explore the rugged landscapes in northern Alaska, an Arctic Circle Tour is a must. The Arctic Circle tour is not just about reaching a geographical milestone, but also about understanding the indigenous communities, witnessing the magic of the Midnight Sun, learning about the history behind the famous Trans-Alaska pipeline system and Gold Rush, and truly embracing the spirit of Alaska. I joined a land tour to the Arctic Circle sign and here’re the 7 things to expect on this tour.
Tour Company
Northern Alaska Tour Company provides all types of one-day or multi-day tours to the Arctic Circle, by air, by bus or both. By the end of the tour, everyone will receive a certificate of crossing the Arctic Circle with your name and tour date on it. Unfortunately, just like almost all other tours, none of the Arctic Circle tours are dog friendly. So Ariel stayed with a boarding facility.
I chose to travel on land and joined the “Arctic Circle Midnight Sun Drive” tour because I have had multiple flying trips in Alaska and wanted to try something different. It took about 15-16 hours roundtrip to go from Fairbanks to the Arctic Circle sign (about 200 miles). And we were in the bus most of the time. The trip was time-consuming because the only road in Alaska that crosses the Arctic Circle, the famous Dalton Highway, is unpaved and rough. Driving at 30mph would be aggressive. I couldn’t imagine driving it by myself.
If you have more time, I suggest an overnight tour on which you will reach further into the Arctic Circle, spend a night at Coldfoot, and return the next day. Most people choose to ride the bus one way and fly the other way so that they can experience it all.
1. Arctic Circle Trading Post
We departed around 9:45am in Fairbanks. The first stop was the Arctic Circle Trading Post for a bathroom break before we entered the Dalton Highway. The trading post was not in use any more and the bathroom was just an outhouse with pit toilets. But the tour guide told us an interesting story about the trading post.
It was originally a residential home of a family. In one summer, the children of the family set up a lemonade stand at the front of the house to make some extra money. They cleverly dug a hole on the ground and used Alaska’s natural permafrost as their refrigerator to keep their drinks cool. And they became a popular stop for truck drivers and started earning even more than their father. So the father decided to expand the lemonade stand into a general store which later turnt into today’s Arctic Circle Trading Post. You can find the original lemonade stand on site.
2. Trans-Alaska Pipeline System
As we were driving to and from the Arctic Circle on the Dalton Highway, the tour guide shared several short movies about all aspects of Alaska: the Gold Rush, the fishing life along the Yukon River, the unique permafrost underneath Alaska’s vast tundra, etc. Among all, I liked the Trans-Alaska Pipeline movie the most. We also made a stop to the pipeline and took a closer look at it.
When you drive around Alaska, you will spot this 800-mile pipeline almost everywhere. It’s such a famous landmark, an impressive construction, and an important turn for Alaska’s economy, but also an ugly scar cutting through this beautiful land.
When the Prudhoe Bay oil field was discovered in late 1960s, building a pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez, the northernmost ice-free port in North America, was the only reasonable way to transport the oil to the rest of the world amidst rising global oil demands. But its construction faced myriad challenges, from the state’s extreme cold to its seismic activity. Engineers devised innovative solutions, like heat pipes to prevent permafrost melting and sliding supports for earthquake resilience. This project also brought billions of dollars into Alaska and created thousands of jobs from the pipeline’s construction and continued maintenance, turning Alaska into a wealthy state.
However, its environmental impact has always been a concern, especially after the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill. This massive pipeline disturbs Alaska’s pristine wilderness and its native species. Any small leakage would be disastrous. Many natives consider it a scar on their homeland.
3. Arctic Tundra
On the Arctic Circle tour, most of our journey was going through the Arctic tundra, a vast expanse stretching across a land of extreme silence and magnificence. Other than the Arctic Circle Trading Post and the Yukon River Camp (mentioned below), there’s no trace of human intrusion. Arctic tundra is characterized by its treeless plains, permafrost grounds, and short growing seasons. In summer, it offers a mosaic of blooming wildflowers, mosses, and lichens and teems with life, although it’s hard to spot wildlife on this particular tour.
4. Permafrost
Permafrost stands for the perennially frozen ground that underlies much of Alaska’s ground. This subterranean layer, often extending hundreds of meters deep, has remained frozen for thousands, if not millions, of years. It plays a crucial role in the Arctic ecosystem, influencing everything from vegetation types to the behavior of large mammals.
During the Arctic Circle tour, we were offered an opportunity to touch the permafrost beneath the Arctic tundra. The soil felt pillowy under my feet. But it got harder and harder as the tour guide was digging a hole for us. Once I put my arm in the hole, I immediately felt the cool air with a taste of damp soil. That’s Mother Nature’s touch from thousands of years ago.
Sadly, as global temperatures rise, this icy stronghold is beginning to thaw, bringing forth profound implications. The melting destabilizes structures, roads, and entire communities that have been built atop.
5. Yukon River and Yukon River Camp
We had our lunch and dinner at Yukon River Camp. It provides meals, but you have to order ahead of time when you check in with the tour company in the morning. You can also choose to bring your own food and dine there. It also has modern flushing toilets and a gift shop.
The tour guide shared an interesting story about the camp. It was once broken in by a black bear in a winter. Apparently, the bear didn’t get enough food before the hibernation season and got hungry and cold. It piled up all the hoodies in the gift shop and slept in them. Later, a brown bear (typically bigger than black bears) came in and chased away the black bear. By that time, the camp employees had been informed about the incidence and come over to check up on the camp. As they were looking around, they found themselves face-to-face with the brown bear in one of the rooms and had to shoot the bear to be safe. So the brown bear became an exhibit in one of the museums in Fairbanks; and the camp’s owner made good money by selling those hoodies that were slept in by the black bear.
The Yukon River, one of North America’s longest waterways, was right next to the camp. The Yukon River originates in British Columbia, Canada, goes through the Yukon Territory, and courses through the wild heart of Alaska. It spans roughly 2,000 miles and supports a rich biodiversity, including the renowned salmon runs, which, in turn, sustain local communities and wildlife. Compared to the section in Canada, the Yukon River in Alaska looked a bit more murky due to glacial silt. But it was still mighty and serene.
6. Arctic Circle Sign
Our final stop was the Arctic Circle sign where we had a little ceremony of crossing an artificial line (essentially a carpet) and sharing a delicious pound cake. The Arctic Circle sign marks the threshold to a realm of extremes. Serving as both a geographical indicator and a beacon for adventurers, this iconic placard denotes where the sun neither sets nor rises for at least one day annually. For me, it symbolizes the vast, raw beauty of the Arctic.
7. Midnight Sun
My tour was called the “Arctic Circle Midnight Sun Drive”. Did I really see the sun at midnight? No. First of all, we were almost back to Fairbanks at midnight. In early August, sunset was around 10-11pm in Fairbanks. Even for the Arctic Circle, sunset was before midnight in early August. You will have better luck seeing the sun at midnight in June to mid July. Moreover, there was wildfire in northern Alaska during my visit. I couldn’t even see the sun in daytime.
But it didn’t make this trip disappointing at all. This tour was a journey into an untouched land and nature in its purest form, as well as an immersion into Alaska’s history and evolution.
What to Bring on the Arctic Circle Tour
- Layers of clothes: As mentioned in my other blogs about Alaska, weather can change instantaneously. Besides, this tour takes an entire day from early morning to after midnight. So temperature will vary a lot.
- Comfortable shoes: Although you may stay in the bus most of the time, I recommend hiking shoes or at least comfortable shoes because you will be walking on Arctic tundra during breaks and when you go touch the permafrost. Moreover, your feet may swell after sitting in the bus all day long.
- Food and drinks: Other than the Yukon River Camp, there’s no other place to buy food or drink. So make sure you bring enough for the 15-16-hour day. The tour guide will provide drinking water, but it may not be enough for everyone on the bus to refill multiple times. So I suggest you bring enough water for at least half a day.
- Sanitization supplies: Other than the Yukon River Camp, you won’t have running water to clean up. So I recommend alcohol wipes or hand sanitizers before eating.
- Bug spray: Bugs especially mosquitoes are ferocious on this tour. The tour guide will provide bug spray. But I still recommend you bring your own so that you can put on more as needed.
- Something to entertain yourself on the bus: In case you don’t like the short movies on the bus, bring something to read or play with on the road.
- Cash for tipping as always
Other Blogs about Alaska
- Kayak to the Disappearing Columbia Glacier
- Places to Enjoy Anchorage, AK Like a Local
- World Famous Bear Watching at Brooks Falls
- Breathtaking Hike on the Matanuska Glacier of Alaska
- Best 10 Stops Along the Scenic Seward Highway
- Fishing in Seward: A Must-Do Summer Activity in Alaska
- 3 Ways to Enjoy the Wilderness of Denali National Park
- Best 10 Places for Summer Adventures in Fairbanks, AK
- Alaska’s Highways from Best to Worst
- Best 15 Stops on the Legendary Alaska Highway
[…] the hassle of driving on rough roads. I talked about these tours in detail in another blog (see this link). These guided expeditions travel through untouched wilderness. You will behold panoramic […]