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Home Story Big City Lights: Experience the World’s Best Aurora

Big City Lights:
Up here, they're just a bit different

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.

Aurora Village

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.

The SnowKing's castle

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.

By snowmobile

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!

Great Slave Lake

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.

From your tent

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.

Or the coolest spot of all

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.

Fly-in fishing lodge located 150 air miles (240 kms) south of Yellowknife. Full American Plan or unguided....

DISCOVER A MOMENT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME. Aylmer Lake Lodge is located in Rocknest Bay, which is on the Barren......

Offering four-hour Aurora tours including the ice road and City of Yellowknife. Pick-up and drop-off available. Small groups. Service in......

With over 30 years of living in Yellowknife, we offer a variety of tourism experiences for our guests. We are......

Book an adventure with us at Trail Blazer Tours for an unforgettable experience! Your adventure with us will create lasting......

We are a local Aboriginal tour company based in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Our focus is on......

“Like No Other Place On Earth” We are the only fly-in lodge located a 50 minute float plane flight from......

We offer winter clothing rentals. Our winter clothing will keep you warm and comfortable for your outdoor fun – ask us......

Northern and Remote Wilderness Adventures Ltd. (NARWAL) is a small, friendly, majority Aboriginal owned and operated family business. Our reputation......

One of the finest Pike and Lake Trout waters in North America, on the 60th Parallel. Enjoy luxurious private cabins......

Yellow Dog Lodge is a comfortable lodge with 3 private cabins for our guests. The lodge is a short (15 minute) floatplane ride from Yellowknife. Located on Duncan and Graham Lakes, the lodge is your hub for adventure. Choose from an additional 5 lakes for guided day trip excursions. Each lake is unique and offers unspoiled first class fishing. We are the only lodge that operates guided trips on each of these remote lakes located in the NWT taiga wilderness. Packaged trips feature superb sport fishing and safe outdoor adventure. The lakes and streams offer the finest Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye and Arctic Grayling in the region. As an added bonus, our guests will enjoy the midnight sun and may even catch the northern lights later in the fall or early spring....

Peterson’s Point Lake Lodge provides you access to known waters teeming with monster lake trout. Their current record is a......

Aurora Village – A Class of Its Own Aurora Village is a unique Aurora-viewing facility situated 25 minutes from downtown......

We operate a fully equipped luxury coach and offer City Tours, Aurora Tours and tours to the Nahanni National Park Reserve......

Our goal is to provide unique customized services for high-end customers. We excel at making personalized tours. You can see......

Book this entire cabin in the remote wilderness of the stunningly breath-taking, Mackenzie Mountains. This cabin is hands down the......

With us, you will find a unique Northern fishing experience with no distractions. Our amenities include Starlink Wi-Fi, standard queen-sized......

Raven Tours is a tour operator in Yellowknife, NT, Canada. We offer Aurora Viewing, Snowshoeing, and Hiking Tours. We hope to......

Our professional tour guides will take you on amazing Aurora viewing tours, city tours, ice road tours and much more.......

World class dogsled tours! We are one of the largest professional sled dog kennels in Canada. Over 150 happy, healthy......

Remote private wilderness paradise on Little Doctor Lake, 100 km west of Fort Simpson. Accommodates 20 in cabins. Fishing, swimming,......

Authentic Arctic Experiences Tundra North Tours is an Inuit company based in Inuvik, Northwest Territories that was established with the dream of being......

100% Indigenous owned!  We are the world’s first Aurora Hunting tour company, we know Aurora. Learn about Aurora, why Yellowknife is the......

Your Dene Connection in Yellowknife. B. Dene Adventures is a Traditional Dene Culture Camp business which teaches the Dene way......

Join us on an Aurora hunting adventure. Our skilled tour guides know all the best places around Yellowknife to capture......

Arctic Tours Canada is a Yellowknife based tour operating company that offer Aurora Hunting and Viewing tours, Yellowknife sightseeing tours,......

Come experience world-class Aurora Borealis viewing in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are the only guides in the Northwest Territories......

Exceptional fishing on Gordon Lake, 100 km northeast of Yellowknife. Fish for Lake Trout, up to to 56 lbs! Fly in by......

Great Slave Lake Tours offers winter and summer trips on Great Slave Lake, the ninth biggest lake in the world......

If are looking for a spectacular weekend retreat nestled in the serenity of the Mackenzie Mountains at Ten Stone Mountain Lodge. North-Wright......

Pehdzeh Ki First Nation is located in the community of Wrigley, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are a Designated Authority in......

Best Northern Road Trip! Now you can drive all the way to the Arctic ocean linking Canada from coast to......

Northstar Resort is a remote fishing lodge located on Thekulthili Lake, 95 miles (152 km) northeast of Fort Smith. Operates from......

Welcoming and friendly with a rustic charm and all modern conveniences, Grey Goose Lodge immediately catches your eye as you......

Yellowknife Online produces Yellowknife specific articles and content for visitors, residents, and newcomers. Yellowknife Online has recently transferred that knowledge......

Aurora photography tours for groups of 25 or less, available in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. Our tours offer specialized knowledge......

Warburton Bay has a magic of its own. Located on the southwest end of Mackay Lake, it is close to......

Remote naturalist’s lodge snuggled in the Mackenzie Mountains, in the largest mountain wilderness in North America. Located along the Canol......

Fish for Trophy Lake Trout and Arctic Grayling at our all-inclusive lodge located in East Arm, Great Slave Lake. Fly......

Join us on a subarctic adventure! Spend five nights viewing the Northern Lights, enjoying outdoor activities, and experiencing the culture......

We offer Yellowknife daytime and aurora viewing tours. Please contact us for more information! ...

An Arctic Barrenlands trophy fishing adventure for the serious sportsman. Located on Lynx Lake (420 km east of Yellowknife) Lynx......

Aurora viewing tours, city tours, and hikes at Cameron Falls. We book all your activities and  accommodation....

Summer and winter packages on the Taltson River. Drive out by snowmobile from Fort Resolution or fly out from Fort......