The phrase "all-inclusive" gets used freely in the Alaska aurora tour industry. Some operators mean it genuinely — every meal, every transfer, every activity, professional photography, no surprises. Others use it to describe a package that covers a hotel room and a single aurora viewing attempt, with everything else billed separately.
I've been photographing Alaska's aurora for three years. I designed my own tour after experiencing — firsthand and through guest feedback — exactly what the industry gets wrong. This guide is what I wish existed before I started researching tours myself.
What "All-Inclusive" Should Actually Mean
A genuinely all-inclusive Alaska aurora tour should cover every core expense of your trip from the moment you land to the moment you depart. That means:
✓ Airport Transfers — Both Ways
You should be picked up at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) on arrival and returned there on departure. Private transfer, not a shared shuttle with 12 strangers and a 90-minute wait. If a tour's "all-inclusive" pricing requires you to arrange your own airport transportation, it isn't all-inclusive.
✓ All Accommodation
Hotel for every night of the tour — no gaps, no "you arrange your own lodging on night three." Centrally located, clean, comfortable. Not necessarily luxury, but genuinely good. In Anchorage, this means a property in or near downtown, not a budget motel 20 miles from everything.
✓ All Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner for every day of the tour. This is where many "all-inclusive" packages quietly cut corners — they cover breakfast only, or two meals, or leave lunches to you "for flexibility." A real all-inclusive tour feeds you properly every day. On aurora chase nights that run until 2am or later, in-vehicle snacks and hot drinks should also be included.
✓ Private Transportation Throughout
A dedicated vehicle — not shared buses, not "we'll arrange transport as needed" — that is yours for the duration of the tour. For aurora chasing specifically, this is non-negotiable: cloud cover can force a 90-minute drive north at 11pm. You cannot do that on a shared shuttle schedule.
✓ All Activity Fees
Every activity on the advertised itinerary should be included in the price. Glacier guide and crampons for a glacier walk. Entry fees. Dog sledding charges. If the itinerary mentions an activity and the fine print says "additional cost," that's not all-inclusive.
✓ Aurora Chase Nights — Multiple
A single aurora viewing attempt is not a chase. Alaska weather is unpredictable. A genuine all-inclusive tour includes multiple nights of aurora pursuit — three is the practical minimum for a serious attempt — with a guide who actively tracks KP index and cloud forecasts and moves the group when conditions warrant.
What to Watch For: The Fine Print
⚠ "Aurora viewing opportunity" vs. "Aurora chase"
This phrasing distinction matters enormously. "Aurora viewing opportunity" typically means the operator takes you to a fixed location and you stand there for 90 minutes regardless of conditions. "Aurora chase" means active pursuit — monitoring forecasts, driving to clear skies, staying out as long as the display warrants. Ask operators directly: if it's cloudy at the primary viewing location, do you drive to find clear skies?
⚠ Minimum guest numbers buried in terms
Many tour operators require a minimum of 6, 8, or even 10 confirmed guests before a date runs. If they don't reach minimum, they cancel — sometimes with only weeks' notice, after you've already booked flights. Always ask: what is the minimum group size, and what happens if it isn't reached? What are your options if the tour is cancelled?
⚠ Maximum group size — read carefully
A "small group" tour that fits 40 guests on a coach is not a small group experience. True intimacy in an aurora tour means a maximum of 8–12 guests. Above that, logistics slow down, individual attention disappears, and the experience becomes a crowd management exercise.
⚠ Photography — "photo opportunities" vs. actual photography
Many tours advertise photography as a feature. What they mean is: they bring you to photogenic locations and let you take photos with your own device. A genuinely photography-focused tour means a professional photographer is with you — documenting your experience, not just mentoring your selfies. Ask: is a professional photographer included, and what do guests actually receive?
⚠ Weather cancellation policy
Alaska weather is real. Glaciers close. Roads ice over. Aurora chase attempts get weathered out. Before booking, understand exactly what happens if a specific activity is cancelled due to weather. Is it substituted? Refunded partially? Simply skipped? "Weather is beyond our control" is not an adequate policy — it's an excuse. A good operator has a specific written response to weather disruptions.
⚠ Hidden gratuity expectations
Some tours have strong cultural expectations of tips that aren't disclosed upfront — effectively making the advertised price misleading. Ask directly whether tips are expected and for which staff. This is a question of transparency, not cheapness.
⚠ "Includes flights" — almost never what it sounds like
A handful of tour packages advertise flight inclusions. Read the details carefully. These almost always mean internal Alaska flights (e.g., Anchorage to Fairbanks), not your international or domestic flights to Alaska. Your round-trip flight to Anchorage is virtually never included in any tour package at any price point.
Questions to Ask Before You Book Any Alaska Aurora Tour
- What is included in the price, specifically? Can you send me a written list?
- What is the minimum and maximum group size?
- How many aurora chase nights are included?
- If it's cloudy, do you drive to find clear skies — or stay at the primary location?
- What happens if a specific activity is cancelled due to weather?
- What happens if the tour doesn't reach minimum guest numbers?
- Is professional photography included, and what do guests receive?
- Are tips expected, and for whom?
- What meals are covered, and what are the options for dietary restrictions?
- Is airport pickup and drop-off included in the price?
A reputable operator answers all of these questions clearly and in writing without hesitation. If any answer is vague, deflected, or unavailable in written form — take note.
What My Tour Actually Includes
I'll be direct about what my Alaska Northern Lights Tour covers, so you have a concrete benchmark:
- Airport pickup on Day 1 and drop-off on Day 4 — private Sprinter van
- 3 nights premium hotel accommodation in Anchorage
- All meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day
- In-vehicle snack and hot drinks station for every aurora chase night
- 3 dedicated aurora chase nights with active forecast monitoring and vehicle mobility
- Matanuska Glacier tour including crampons and glacier guide
- Dog sledding at Happy Trails Kennel — home of 4× Iditarod champion Martin Buser
- 4 days of professional photography by me — high-resolution, edited, delivered digitally with full copyright transfer
- All activity entry fees and transportation throughout
- Maximum 12 guests per tour
The only costs not included: your round-trip flights to Anchorage (ANC), travel insurance, personal shopping, and tips (appreciated but never expected).
Everything else is handled. That's what all-inclusive actually means.
If you have questions about the tour or want to compare it to other options you're considering, I'm happy to answer directly through the contact page.
— Hasan Akbas, Aurora Photographer & Tour Host · Anchorage, Alaska
Alaska Northern Lights Tour
Stop researching. Start chasing.
4 days. 3 consecutive aurora nights. Matanuska Glacier, dog sledding, and a National Geographic photographer who knows exactly where to position you — and when.
View the Alaska Northern Lights Tour →Starting from $4,999 · Maximum 6 guests · Fall 2026 & Winter 2027
