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Alaska's Arctic north is one of the state's most mysterious and intriguing regions. But there is also very little infrastructure this far north, so getting there is no easy thing. Many of Alaska's spectacular national parks are not connected by roads, so visitors need to find alternative ways to explore them. Alaska is home to many of America's largest national parks - and they truly are spectacular.

There are a number of tours offering a variety of expeditions all across Alaska. There are tours to the ultra-remote Gates of the Arctic National Park all the way down to the Aleutian Islands. If one would like to explore more accessible parts of the stay by oneself, then Alaska's most popular (and accessible) national park is Denali.

Day Trip Arctic Circle Flight & Dalton Highway

Many of the tours of the north take place from the northern Alaskan city of Fairbanks. For those short one time, there are one-day trips offered by Alaska Tours. Their one-day trip takes visitors to a historic outpost (Coldfoot) and deep in the north, where they can walk on the tundra. This is an all-day tour that lasts around 12 hours and is available mostly during the summer months.

  • Cost: Starting At $409-429 Per Person
  • Season: May 21 to August 20
  • Duration: 11-13 Hours
  • Departure Time: 1.00 pm
  • See: Arctic Circle Trading Post, the Dalton Highway, The Tundra

The tour departs Fairbanks and includes both a drive on the famous Dalton Highway (called an "ice road") and by small plane north of the Arctic Circle.

The tour gives visitors an inkling of the vast scale of the size of Alaska's Arctic region. People taking this tour should be staying in Fairbanks.

Related: The Dicey Dalton Highway Is The Only Road To The Arctic

The Arctic Ocean & Prudhoe Bay Trip

Many of the "Arctic" tours just go up to the Arctic Circle, but not anywhere near the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic Ocean and Prudhoe Bay Adventure travels along the famous Dalton Highway all the way to the Arctic Ocean.

The tour begins with a flight from Fairbanks to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay by the Arctic Ocean and then travels all the way down the Dalton Highway with a fully-guided van tour. On the second day, one will spend the night at Coldfoot Camp after driving for around eight hours. On the last day, the tour finishes off the tour in Fairbanks.

Along the way, guests get a taste of the Gates of the Arctic National Park, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska's North Slope, and the Brooks Range.

The tour includes:

  • 2 Nights Accommodation
  • A Flight From Fairbanks to Deadhorse
  • Overland Van Transport to Fairbanks

Note that meals are not included on this trip.

Deadhorse is the supply hub for the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and is the farthest north anyone can drive in the United States.

The tour will visit the Arctic Ocean on days that it is accessible - remember that the weather this far north is very inhospitable.

  • Cost: From $1139.00
  • Season: June 18 to September 6

This tour departs on Tuesdays and Fridays and runs from June 18 to September 6.

Related: This Is How To Reach Denali, The Home Of The Tallest Mountain In America

5-Night Northern Lights Tour

Go in the winter, and Alaska is a frozen winter wonderland. This is the perfect time to see the famed northern lights. The 5-night Northern Lights Tour provides for a longer opportunity to see the Northern Lights (they are not always visible due to bad weather etc.).

The tour begins with van transportation along the rugged Dalton Highway over the Arctic Circle to Coldfoot. Travel time for the day is around 8 hours. Arriving at Coldfoot, one will have rustic accommodation with shared bathrooms. After spending a few days at Coldfoot with optional activities, fly back to Fairbanks on a scenic small plane.

There are also outdoor activities to enjoy with optional excursions, including dog sledding, Aurora viewing in Wiseman, and mourning to the Brooks Mountain Range. So one doesn't need to be huddling the whole time in one's cabin out of the cold when not viewing the Northern Lights.

  • Included: 5 Night's Accommodation
  • Scenic Flight: A Scenic Flight From Coldfoot to Fairbanks
  • Cost: From $1,269

Meals are not included in this tour (budget for the meals, they are likely to be expensive in these remote settings).