ESSENTIALS

Getting there & around

British Airways and its partner airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines, offer the most efficient route to Fairbanks, with a single stop in Seattle. ba.com aa.com alaskaair.com

Average flight time: 15.5h.

From Fairbanks, local tour operators organise charters to the North Slope. These light aircraft face weather-related delays so flexibility is built into itineraries.

When to go

It’s best to visit between May and September, which sees highs of 8C and lows of -9C. Outside of this, flights become less certain and the weather colder (dipping below -20C from December to March). However, leaving it later increases the chances of seeing the Northern Lights. By winter, most of the bears will be out on the sea ice.

Where to stay

Latitude 71 BnB, Utqiagvik. From £303 per night. latitude71bnb.com

Marsh Creek Inn, Kaktovik. Price on request. marshcreekinnak.com

Pike’s Waterfront Lodge, Fairbanks. From £77. pikeslodge.com

More info

Kaktovik Arctic Tours. kaktovikarctictours.com

Iñupiat Heritage Center. nps.gov/inup/index.htm

Explore Fairbanks. explorefairbanks.com

How to do it

has seven days at the North Slope, bookended by nights in Fairbanks, from £6,100 per person based on two people sharing. Includes accommodation, meals, transfers, internal flights and polar bear guides in Kaktovik. Excludes international flights. gondwanaecotours.com