Big City Lights: Experience the World's Best Aurora

Looking for Northern Lights that set the night sky on fire? The Northwest Territories is the best place in the world to see them.

Nearly every evening of the year, excited light-chasing visitors and residents get geared up and head out to enjoy the ever-changing Aurora Borealis show.

Thanks to our ideal location under the Auroral oval, we’re the global epicentre of Aurora-watching. If you can see the stars in our night sky, there’s a better than 99% chance you’ll see the Aurora.

Look no further than this list for the best spots in NWT to view the spectacular Aurora. 

Call it the village that never sleeps: Aurora Village is a short 20-minute drive outside of Yellowknife.

With heated Aurora-viewing seats, cozy teepees where you can warm up, and no light pollution to dim the show, Aurora Village is a unique attraction, popular with visitors and NWT residents alike.

See the Aurora like a king or queen – in Yellowknife's glittering palace of ice and snow, created each winter on Great Slave Lake.

The palace is the site of the March-long SnowKing Festival. Dance to the music of a concert in the castle as the mysterious Northern Lights sway overhead.

For some quiet contemplation of the Aurora, a short ski-plane trip to Blachford Lake Lodge is the ticket. Enjoy the pristine wilderness and see the star-filled sky from the comfort of your room.

Blachford's outdoor hot tub offers luxurious Aurora viewing even on the coldest nights.

For a more active adventure, there's a snowmobile trip to Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures’ cabin on the shore of Great Slave Lake. It’s a great spot to see the Aurora sparkling overhead and getting there is half the fun!

It's worth a wander down to the shore of Great Slave Lake in the fall to see the Aurora shimmering in the night sky above and reflected in the rippling water below. In winter, walk out along the frozen lake and see the eerie glow of the Aurora on the snow beneath your feet.

Camp under the Aurora to catch its full majesty all night long. In winter, you could choose a spot on a frozen river or lake. A big open sky means more room for the Northern Lights to do what they do best - be spectacular.  

Consider hanging out in an igloo to watch the celestial lightshow for a personal experience you can't get anywhere else in the world. 

When the time is right, make your way to the Northwest Territories - the Aurora capital of the world. You'll find our nightlife is like no other.

For more information, check out our Spectacular Aurora section to find plenty of stories, packages and operators that will show you how and where to catch the Northern Lights.