Aurora Glass House Experience at Cleary Summit
An evening in a glass house on Cleary Summit, one of the viewing spots the University of Alaska Fairbanks names.
- 5 h
- 4.4★ (38 reviews)
You sleep under a 16-foot curved window in the roof, and staff call you any time of night when the aurora appears.
Key takeaways
- Borealis Basecamp, about 25 miles from Fairbanks, has igloo-shaped pods of fibreglass and acrylic, not ice, each sleeping 2 to 3 adults.
- Borealis Basecamp sells packages only, not single nights: for 2026–27 they run from $1,990 per party for 2 nights to $4,098 for 4 nights.
- Packages at Borealis Basecamp include your room, on-site activities and shuttle transport from Fairbanks airport and hotels, but dining is extra.
- Borealis Basecamp is a comfortable but expensive way to wait; it does not make the aurora more likely, which needs clear sky and activity.
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Sleeping under a glass roof
You lie in bed and look straight up, and the sky fills the room.
16 ftCurved window across the roof
12 ftCeiling height
2 to 3Adults per iglooFull bathroom with a shower
The real product is the wake-up call
Staff alert you any time of night when the northern lights appear. You don't have to set alarms or stand outside in the cold waiting: you can sleep until the sky is worth seeing, then watch from bed or step out.
Details on this page are compiled from Borealis Basecamp's own published packages, terms and FAQ, and GetYourGuide's listings and review counts for the tours below, as checked on 23 September 2026. We have not stayed there.
There are three places to eat on site, Latitude 65, The Pub and the Basecamp Cafe, each less than five minutes' walk from the rooms.
2026–27 packages
In short Packages run from $1,990 per party for the 2-Night Adventure to $4,098 for the 4-Night Have It All, with the same prices in autumn and winter.
| Package | Nights | From, per party |
|---|---|---|
| 2-Night Adventure | 2 | $1,990 |
| 2-Night Leisure | 2 | $2,115 |
| 3-Night Adventure | 3 | $3,154 |
| 3-Night Leisure | 3 | $3,319 |
| 4-Night Have It All | 4 | $4,098 |
What the packages include
Every package includes:
- Your room
- On-site activities
- Shuttle transport from Fairbanks airport and hotels
- Adventure or Leisure. The Adventure packages lean on things like snowmobiling (in winter) or UTV and dog-cart rides (in autumn); the Leisure ones are slower.
- Extras. The resort also offers dog sledding, helicopter flightseeing, reindeer visits, aurora photography sessions, a sauna, an Arctic Circle driving tour and day trips to Chena Hot Springs.
- Room types. Besides igloos, there are cubes and larger cube suites with clear ceilings or floor-to-ceiling windows. Package prices are per party, so a full room brings the cost per person down.
- Booking. You book directly with Borealis Basecamp; it isn't sold through the hotel sites we use.
- Rescheduling. Allowed twice per booking for a $50 fee each time, at least 45 days before check-in.
Is it worth it?
In short It suits you if you want a very comfortable way to wait for the aurora, but it is expensive and does not make the aurora more likely.
Good for
- A very comfortable way to wait for the aurora
- Sleeping until the sky is worth seeing, then watching from bed
Not for
- Tight budgets: it's an expensive way to wait
- Better odds: it doesn't make the aurora more likely. That still comes down to clear sky and activity
How many nights
In February and March, three nights in Fairbanks gives about even odds of a proper display (how many nights you need). If the budget is tight, a Fairbanks hotel plus two or three aurora tours covers more nights for less.
Other ways to watch from indoors
If you like the idea of watching from a warm room but not the package price, these Fairbanks tours put you in a glass house or cabin for an evening.
Dog sled + yurt · Fairbanks
Moonlight dog sled, dinner and northern lights, Fairbanks
A dog-sled ride, then a salmon dinner in a heated yurt while you wait for the aurora. The listing says the lights can't be guaranteed and there's no refund if they don't show.
- 6 h
- 4.5★ (140 reviews)
- Pickup included
Late-Night Yurt Dinner and Northern Lights
Dinner in a yurt, then aurora watching.
- 5 h
- 4.7★ (25 reviews)
Prices are GetYourGuide's 'from' prices for 15–20 Feb 2027, shown in INR and converted at 95.54 INR per US dollar, rounded to the nearest $5.
Borealis Basecamp: FAQs
How much does Borealis Basecamp cost?
It sells packages, not single nights. For 2026–27 they run from $1,990 per party for 2 nights to $4,098 per party for 4 nights. Dining is extra.
Are the igloos made of ice?
No. They're fiberglass and acrylic shells with insulation, and a clear curved window across the roof.
Will they wake me up for the northern lights?
Yes. Aurora wake-up calls are included in all stays, at any time of night.
How do I get to Borealis Basecamp?
Shuttle transport from Fairbanks airport and hotels is included in every package. The resort is about 25 miles from Fairbanks.
When is Borealis Basecamp open?
Autumn packages run September to November and winter packages November to April. The 2026–27 booking window is 3 September 2026 to 10 April 2027.
More places to watch from near Fairbanks
Sources (7)
- Borealis Basecamp: home page (checked 2026-09-23)
- Borealis Basecamp: packages (checked 2026-09-23)
- Borealis Basecamp: igloos (checked 2026-09-23)
- Borealis Basecamp: FAQ (checked 2026-09-23)
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute: aurora forecast and viewing guide (checked 2026-09-23)
- Our analysis of Fairbanks airport (PAFA) weather reports 2000–2026
- GetYourGuide Fairbanks listings, prices for 15–20 Feb 2027 (checked 2026-09-23)