Cleary Summit Aurora Glass House Luxury Northern Lights Tour

Glass house should be called glass windows

Our driver/tour guide did not talk much/did not inform us that our photos will be sent to our email. He let us stay too long that people fell asleep waiting for him to tell us to go. He failed to consider other travelers' need to be early the next day for another tour. Instead, he let is stay there up to 2 AM. The glass house is deceiving because it gave me an idea that it is glass throughout including the roof top. Instead, it was an ordinaryhouse with glass windows.

via Viator

Would not recommend

Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing experiences of our trip. First, the booking process is incredibly frustrating. You are required to go through Viator, and there is no way to communicate directly with the actual tour company ahead of time. Any questions or special requests have to be funneled through Viator, which handles hundreds of tours and was not able to provide clear or helpful information about this specific experience. To make matters more confusing, there is no clear public-facing presence for the operator—we didn’t even know the actual company name (Lucky Bear Tours) until just a few days before via email. That lack of transparency made planning difficult and unnecessarily stressful. Safety was also a real concern. The driving did not feel careful or conservative given the icy conditions. At one point the driver went through a red light (acknowledged with an “oops”), and also passed another vehicle on what felt like treacherous terrain. For a tour in winter Alaska, safety should be the absolute top priority, and we did not feel confident in that regard. In terms of value, the experience is extremely overpriced for what is provided. We paid $1,250 for what essentially amounted to transportation, access to the glass house, and very minimal refreshments (prepackaged snacks and hot cocoa). For that price point, expectations are understandably high, and this did not come close to meeting them. After a disappointing night, communication with the company was also frustrating. Rather than feeling heard or supported, the response felt rigid and dismissive, with little willingness to acknowledge concerns or work toward any kind of resolution. A more customer-focused approach would have gone a long way. The one bright spot—and the reason this is not a zero-star review—is the photographer, who did a fantastic job capturing beautiful photos for our family. That piece of the experience was genuinely well done. Overall, this did not live up to expectations in terms of booking, safety, value, or service. I would strongly encourage others to carefully consider alternatives before booking.

Response from the operator: Hi Suzanne, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the photos — our photographer will truly appreciate your kind words. On the night of your tour, the aurora forecast was level 2, and we were fortunate to experience a stronger display, reaching approximately level 4 activity. We’re glad we were able to capture those moments for your family as keepsakes. As noted in our booking information, the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and cannot be guaranteed in terms of intensity or appearance. Regarding safety, we take this very seriously. All of our drivers are experienced in operating in Alaska’s winter conditions, and the tour was conducted in accordance with local traffic laws and safety standards. We understand that expectations for premium experiences can vary, and we appreciate your feedback. We continuously strive to provide a meaningful and enjoyable experience for all of our guests. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. Best regards, Aurora Glass House Tour Team

via Tripadvisor

A fantastic way to view the aurora!

While there’s no guarantee you’ll see the aurora, this is a fantastic way to try!! We were very lucky and had a terrific aurora the night we went, but regardless, the host managed all the details perfectly! The transportation was on time and comfortable, the glass house was amazing in a great location and very comfortable. It was warm and cozy with nice snacks and hot drinks, comfy chairs, a clean rest room, and the possibility of terrific views through the floor to ceiling windows. The hosts were friendly and helpful, alerting us when the aurora was appearing so we wouldn’t miss it. One of the hosts very expertly took our pictures outside with the aurora behind us and conveniently sent them to us afterwards. We highly recommend this experience! It was definitely worth it!

via Viator

Best Northern Lights Tour

This was the best northern lights tour ever ……go to this glass house and let the lights come dancing to you

via Viator

Amazing views from inside and outside the house

Micheal was amazing. He picked us up at the hotel on time and when we got to the glass house the Northern Lights were in the sky and he took professional pictures of everyone so that each person would have a wonderful picture (not a selfie) of themselves with the lights. When the lights were not out we were to sit inside in and stay warm. Micheal would let us know when the lights were out again so you didn’t have to worry about missing them. I would recommend going to the Clearly House if you are in Fairbanks.

via Viator