Maia's Aurora Tours

Want to be guided by a professional aurora chaser, photographer, and aurora forecasting expert?

Maia Hartwigsen is one of the best aurora guides in Fairbanks and provides intimate, personal, and professional aurora tours. Maia is unlike other aurora tour guides - she understands space weather and how to forecast the aurora. As someone who chases full time, she is committed to giving you the best experience under the lights! Book with Maia for an unforgettable time under nature's most spectacular light show.

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Tour details:

$350 (solo traveler)
Private tours: $1500 (group of five; $250 savings, each additional person is $100 up to a max. seven people)
Photos included
For all ages!
6-9 hours
Pick up/drop off from Fairbanks-area hotels

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What to expect:

Pickup from a hotel or Airbnb in Fairbanks 1-2 hours after sunset
Drive to aurora chasing locations near Fairbanks
Drive back to Fairbanks. Drop off at hotel around 2-4 am

Depending on cloud cover and auroral activity, you may travel futher away trom town. The goal of the tour is to see the northern lights, so be prepared to chase all night long! If you're a photographer, you will have lots of chances to take photos of the northern lights, and Maia will help you! Aurora portraits are included in the tour! If you are a serious photographer, we recommend booking a private tour.

Make sure to read the FAQ section below if you still have questions, or contact me!

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What makes Maia's tours unique?

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You will be guided by an expert aurora chaser and photographer.
Maia is a full-time aurora chaser and photographer, meaning she knows how to predict and capture the aurora better than anyone else! Unlike the majority of aurora guides, she actually understands how to read and interpret space weather data, and she uses this knowledge to maintain a high success rate of seeing the lights on her tours. If you have a question about the science of the aurora, I've also prepared Maia with free copies of my Beginner's Guide to Aurora Chasing which will help you become more educated how the aurora is formed and can be forecasted.
Enjoy a more personal experience under the aurora.
Capped at three guests per night (with the exception of group bookings which can accomodate up to four people), Maia's tours are small and personal. This means you will get the attention you deserve, and Maia will take time capturing the best portraits of you underneath the lights. Many aurora tours cram 10-20 people in vans, and while this allows for large-scale operations, it can leave you feeling like an ant in an ant farm with no personalized attention. As part of a small group with Maia, you'll be able to move around more quickly to find clear skies and have a more enjoyable experience.

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Guided by a professional

Maia is an insured and certified guide, and you will feel safe and comfortable chasing the lights with her! As a full-time aurora chaser and photographer, she knows the more spots for aurora viewing and photography than even some of the most experienced guides. She has even seen more auroras than me, and I often rely on her field reporting to inform my followers about aurora visibility in Fairbanks. I am stoked to be promoting Maia's tours and offering you all one of the best experiences you could book to see the northern lights here in Alaska.

If you have any questions about Maia's tours, don't hesitate to contact me, but don't wait to book, her calendar is filling up FAST!

Spring 2025 dates are almost completely sold out, so make sure to book now or you may miss out all together!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the booking process?

You will reserve the dates you want a tour and payment will be collected up front. You may cancel the tour up to 72 hours before the night of your booking.

What if it's looking cloudy the day of the tour?

Maia is looking at the forecast just like you are, but it takes a local to be able to interpret cloud cover. Apps like Apple Weather, Weatherbug, and AccuWeather are not reliable in Fairbanks. If it looks too cloudy for an aurora tour, Maia will cancel and you will be placed on a waitlist for the next available tour slot.

What is your refund policy?

Tours are FULLY refundable up to 72 hours prior to your INITIAL tour departure date and time.

If your tour is rescheduled, the 72 hours timeline does NOT transfer to the new date. You need to either let us know 1. the new date will work (non-refundable) or 2. the new date will not work (full refund).

If you no-show or cancel a rescheduled tour that you agreed to in writing (e.g., text/email) to attend, you will not be refunded!

Cancellations based on overwhelmingly poor weather or aurora conditions will be refunded in full as soon as possible. Cancellation requests less than 72 hours from initial booking departure date will only be granted if the tour is called off due to weather or other conditions. We will accommodate reschedules based on availability. You may decline to be rescheduled, and you will receive a full refund in that case.