Borealis Basecamp, the Alaskan resort known for its glass-domed igloos, will stay open in summer for the first time this year.
“Many guests have told us they’d be interested in staying here in the summer, so this was a natural extension for us,” Borealis Basecamp owner Adriel Butler said in a press release. “We used time during the pandemic to develop the offerings and the tours to match.”
The resort also will debut summer activities and new “cube” accommodations. The latter, like Borealis Basecamp’s 20 igloos, are optimized for viewing the aurora borealis (or Northern Lights) with a northeast-facing wall of glass. The cubes will open on Nov. 15.
Each cube room will be 12 feet tall, 13 feet wide, and 32 feet long. Bathrooms will include a flushable toilet, heated towel bar, and rainfall shower. One cube can accommodate a family of five, while the others are roomy enough for a couple with a child.
“We spread the cubes out more to allow for more privacy and to let guests immerse themselves in the boreal forest,” Butler added.
Rates for cube stays during Borealis Basecamp’s winter 2023-24 season start at $1,793.40 per person.
Summer season starts in June
The summer season for 2023 at Borealis Basecamp will run from June 7 to Aug. 18, making it a nearly year-round destination. Previously, the resort outside of Fairbanks, Alaska was only open from mid-August to early April.
The Fairbanks region enjoys almost 24 hours of sunlight in the summer. That’s great for activities, but not for sleep. So resort officials said their “first priority” was to add automated canopy beds for the glass-domed igloos.
Borealis Basecamp’s new summer activities will include:
- a guided driving tour of the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle
- UTV rides in the wilderness of the White Mountains Recreation Area
- an Alaska sled dog kennel visit to meet a sled dog team and their musher
- reindeer walking tours
One, two, and three night summer stay packages are available. Some include excursions, which also can be booked separately. All tours and overnight stays include roundtrip transportation from Fairbanks.
Borealis Basecamp’s newly expanded restaurant, Latitude 65, is also open to overnight and outside guests, serving lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch.
Borealis Basecamp pays net-rate commissions to travel advisors. For more information, visit borealisbasecamp.net.
