Dog Sledding FairbanksDogsled and Reindeer Day Trip to Borealis Basecamp
The Borealis Basecamp dogsled and reindeer day trip is the only listing here that fills a whole day: eight hours for $274.80, with an hour behind an eight-dog team, a 30-minute reindeer meet-and-greet, snow gear and a $20 lunch voucher for Latitude 65. A sprinter van collects you between 9:30 and 10:00 am for the 45-minute drive north on the Elliott Highway. Rated 4.5 from 50 reviews, and the only full day on the every dog sledding tour in Fairbanks list.
About This Day Trip
8 hours door to door; one hour of it on the sled
$274.80 per person, snow gear and a lunch voucher included
4.5 from 50 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor
Maximum ten travellers
Between 9:30 and 10:00 am; be ready by 9:15
UTVs replace the dogsleds when there is not enough snow
Listing at a Glance
The same fields on every tour page here, read from the operator's own listing in September 2026. Prices, inclusions and cancellation terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
- Tour name Dogsled and Reindeer Day Trip to Borealis Basecamp
- Operator Basecamp Adventures
- Booking platform Viator
- Product ID 165060P18
- Starting price $274.80 USD per person
- Price last checked September 2026
- Rating 4.5 out of 5
- Review count 50 reviews
- Review source Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
- Listed duration 8 hours
- Time on the sled One hour on the sled
- Pickup window Pickup between 9:30 and 10:00 am; be ready by 9:15 am
- Expected return Back in Fairbanks in the afternoon, eight hours after pickup
- Transport Black sprinter van, 45 minutes north on the Elliott Highway
- Group size Maximum ten travellers
- Guide language English
- Cold-weather gear Provided
- Food Included
- Drinks Included in the lunch voucher
- Hotel pickup Included
- Cancellation deadline 24 hours before the start
- Reserve now, pay later Available
- Minimum age Minors must be with an adult guardian; infant seats available
- Difficulty Easy; not suited to back problems or pregnancy
- Wheelchair access Not wheelchair accessible
- How the dogs are kept Local mushers run the sled portion; the reindeer herd is Alaskan-born and hand-fed by visitors
- Weather and season If there is not enough snow, UTVs replace the dogsleds
- Closest alternative One hour on the trail
Check Dates and Availability
Dates and prices for the Borealis Basecamp day trip. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer Eight hours, an hour of sled, a reindeer herd and a lunch voucher
The Borealis Basecamp dogsled and reindeer day trip is the only listing here that fills a whole day: eight hours for $274.80, including an hour behind an eight-dog team, a 30-minute reindeer meet-and-greet, snow gear and a $20 lunch voucher for Latitude 65. A black sprinter van collects you between 9:30 and 10:00 am for the 45-minute drive north on the Elliott Highway. Rated 4.5 from 50 reviews. One caveat the listing states plainly: when there is not enough snow, UTVs replace the sleds.
Key takeaways
- The only full day here: and the only one with reindeer
- An hour on the sled inside eight hours; the rest is the drive, the herd and lunch
- Low snow means UTVs, not sleds. The listing says so up front
- Just the sledding, in a fraction of the time: Rod's 30-minute private run
- Compare every Fairbanks sled tour on listed duration against sled time
What Eight Hours Actually Holds
This is the one listing where the long duration is the product rather than an artefact of the drive, so it is worth seeing how the day divides.
The shape of the day
A black sprinter van with a Borealis Basecamp sticker collects you from your chosen pickup point between 9:30 and 10:00 am, the listing asks you to be ready by 9:15, and drives 45 minutes north on the Elliott Highway into boreal forest with valley views. At the camp you get an hour behind a team of eight dogs, seated or standing, through snowy forest, plus a look at the kennels and a replica of a race checkpoint, the kind competitive mushers stop at for fuel and rest on long winter races. Then 30 minutes with the reindeer, and lunch on the voucher.
| Part of the day | Roughly | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup and drive north | 45 minutes each way | Sprinter van, Elliott Highway, be ready by 9:15 am |
| Dogsledding | 1 hour | Eight-dog team through the forest, plus kennels and a race-checkpoint replica |
| Reindeer meet-and-greet | 30 minutes | Feeding and photographing an Alaskan-born herd |
| Lunch at Latitude 65 | Your own pace | $20 voucher, no reservation required |
| Free time at the camp | The remainder | Winter trails and the domes; the reason the day runs eight hours |
Who the day suits
Travellers with one free day and no car, who would rather buy a planned day than assemble one. It removes the driving, the timing and the lunch decision in a single booking. It is the wrong buy if the sled is the point.
An hour of sledding inside eight hours is the lowest ratio in this catalogue. For that, the Yukon Quest trail run puts you on seven miles of trail for less money and takes an afternoon.
The Reindeer Are Not a Filler
Half the reviews of this day are about the animals that do not pull anything.
Thirty minutes with the herd
Borealis Basecamp keeps a herd of Alaskan-born reindeer, and the meet-and-greet is exactly what it says: handlers introduce them, you feed them, you photograph them, and they are considerably larger up close than photographs suggest.
It is the only listing on this site where you meet an animal other than a husky, and the reviews consistently rate it alongside the sledding rather than below it. On a family booking it is often the part the children talk about.
And the setting
The camp sits in boreal forest with panoramic views over the valley, and its geodesic domes are visible from the yard. It is a lodge as well as a day-trip destination, which is why the site is built to hold people for a whole day rather than turn them around. Lunch is a $20 voucher for Latitude 65 at the camp, and the listing says the voucher covers the majority of the regular lunch menu and needs no reservation.
The Snow Clause, Stated by the Operator
One line in this listing's small print is the single most consequential sentence in the catalogue, and it deserves to be read before booking rather than after.
UTVs instead of sleds
The listing states that if there is insufficient snow to run the dogsleds, UTVs are used as a replacement vehicle. Not a refund, not a reschedule. A different vehicle pulling you, or carrying you, over the same ground.
That is honest disclosure and it is also a real risk in the shoulders of the season. Early November and late April are when it bites; the deep-winter months are safe. The National Weather Service office in Fairbanks keeps the local snow-depth record if you want to check the ground before you commit.
The season guide sets out which months carry the risk. Booking in February or March removes the question almost entirely, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before means a bad forecast is recoverable.
Forty-Five Minutes North
The camp sits up the Elliott Highway north of Fairbanks, in boreal forest above the valley. You do not drive it. The sprinter vans do.
Every published meeting point in this catalogue is on the homepage map.
The Borealis Basecamp Day: Questions About This Tour
What happens on this day trip if there is not enough snow?
The listing states that UTVs replace the dogsleds when snow is insufficient. It is disclosed rather than hidden, and it is mostly a shoulder-season risk. Early November and late April. Booking in February or March removes the question, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before means a poor forecast is recoverable.
What does the $20 lunch voucher cover?
Lunch at Latitude 65 at the camp. The listing says the voucher covers the majority of the regular lunch menu, salads, mac and cheese, burgers and sandwiches, and that reservations are not required.
How long is the reindeer part of the day?
Thirty minutes with an Alaskan-born herd: the handlers introduce them, and you feed and photograph them. It is the only listing on this site where you meet an animal other than a sled dog, and reviewers routinely rate it alongside the sledding.
What time does pickup happen, and from where?
Between 9:30 and 10:00 am from your chosen pickup location, and the listing asks you to be ready by 9:15 am. Look for black sprinter vans with a Borealis Basecamp sticker on the side. It is a 45-minute drive north on the Elliott Highway to the camp.
Can children come on the Borealis day trip?
Yes. infant seats are available and minors must be accompanied by an adult guardian. The tour caps at ten travellers, is not wheelchair accessible, and is not recommended for travellers with back problems or for pregnancy.
What Riders Said About This Tour
Everyone we encountered, from the shuttle driver to the dog musher and reindeer handler, were top notch.
The dogsled ride was exciting, and it was amazing to see the strength and enthusiasm of the sled dogs.
Did the reindeer tour as well and the lady was very nice. We fed them and took photos.
Very good day tour. Saved a lot of money compared to staying there for two nights.
We especially loved dogsledding through the woods with our expert musher and her incredible team.
Excerpts from verified platform reviews of this listing, with the reviewer's travel month.
Page last reviewed September 2026. Price, rating and review count read from the listing on September 2026. Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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