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Home Story Why the Aurora is Awesome in Summer
The Aurora Borealis blazes out over the landscape in the Northwest Territories

Why the Aurora is Awesome in Summer

A dogsled, a snowy trail, and the Aurora. That’s how prospective visitors imagine the Northwest Territories – a winter wonderland, bathed by glowing lights. But increasingly, Aurora-watchers are discovering that the lights are visible long before Old Man Winter arrives.

While it’s true that skygazers must stay up a bit later to enjoy the cosmic light show in early August and through September, they’re in for a treat when the sky finally turns dark enough for the Aurora to emerge. According to many, seeing the Northern Lights is best in summer.

The Aurora Borealis fills the sky and is reflected in a lake in the NWT

NORTHERN LIGHTS DANCE THROUGH THE SUMMER

The Northern Lights don’t just fire up in winter and then fizzle when summer rolls around. They’re in no way seasonal. Rather, they flash and flicker year-round, their intensity dependent entirely on unpredictable solar events. If a flare of plasma erupts from the sun, spewing charged particles toward the Earth, the Northern Lights will appear above any time of year, be it June or January. In the Northwest Territories, though, the midnight sun lights up the sky from around mid-April to late July keeping us from seeing the Aurora during this time.

Curtains of Northern Lights blaze out in the sky over a floatplane docked on a river in the NWT

GOODBYE MIDNIGHT SUN. HELLO SUMMER AURORA

In mid-June, when the everlasting midnight sun blazes in the Northern sky, you can’t really glimpse the Aurora – nor the moon or the stars. But as after summer’s peak passes , we trade one celestial show for another. By early August, the midnight sun fades and darkness creeps back to the North’s night skies. By late August, Fort Smith, at the Alberta border, enjoys four hours of pitch-blackness each night and plenty of twilight on either side. Yellowknife is inky for at least two hours, with lots of additional dusk and dawn. By late September, of course, the dark is back in force, creating prime Aurora-viewing conditions for 12 hours per night or more.

The Aurora fills the sky at Aurora Village in the NWT and is reflected in a lake

CLEAR SUMMER SKIES SET THE STAGE

While it’s true that our cold, dry winters offer crisp views of the cosmos, Yellowknife also enjoys remarkably cloudless summer skies – the clearest of any capital city in Canada. Grey days do indeed become more common as autumn approaches, but Yellowknife’s Septembers are overcast only about 30 percent of the time. Hay River, south of Great Slave Lake, is even more clear – all but 25 percent of the time in September. Only in mid to late October do the clouds roll in, causing most tourism operators to pause and resume Aurora-watching in mid-November.

The Northern Lights fill the sky over Aurora Village and lit teepees.

AURORA TOURS AREN’T JUST FOR WINTER

Our Northern Lights tour operators welcome guests during two high seasons – in summer, from August to early October, and again in winter, from November to mid-April. The tours run the gamut, from cultural experiences under the Northern Lights, to stays at fly-in wilderness lodges, or day-tours in our capital city, Yellowknife.

The Aurora fills the sky over an RV parked in a campground in the Northwest Territories

STILL SPECTACULAR IN SUMMER AND WINTER

It’s wonderful to watch the Northern Lights shimmer in a brittle-cold sky. But the summer Aurora experience is awesome too. It can take the shape of a boat tour beneath the Lights as the colours dance on the water. Or fishing, hiking, or camping as the Lights wriggle overhead. Or even basking in the coziness of a sleeping bag atop a stately outcrop of Canadian Shield, or kicking back around a crackling campfire, and enjoying summer’s balmy warmth as the heavens put on a spectacular show.

Inspired by the magic of the Aurora? Learn more about the best seasons to visit, the cultural importance of the Aurora, and available Northern Lights hunting tours. There is always another unforgettable experience to have under the best Northern Lights in the world.

Being the home of the best Northern Lights in the world is a pretty big claim, but we’ve got the facts to prove it. Before you come to see for yourself, read these 7 reasons why the NWT has the world’s best Aurora.

Bucket List Tours - Aurora

Cozy Cabin Aurora Tours

Bucket List Tour Company

Activities

Aurora Aurora Day Trips Fall Aurora Tours Winter Activities Winter Aurora

We are local with plenty of Northern stories to share. Our tours are small and the cabin is cozy. This tour gives guest the opportunity to ‘hunt the aurora from the cabin’ while enjoying northern stories, a midnight lunch of fish chowder and hot bannock, and enjoy an assortment of teas. Guests are invited to […]...

$135

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Aurora Package

Yellow Dog Lodge, Inc.

Activities

Aurora Aurora Lodges Fall Aurora Fishing Nature and Wildlife Snowshoeing Tours Wilderness Lodges Winter Activities

Packages Include Accommodations – main lodge rooms Bush Plane charter or snowmobile transportation – return All home made meals All home baked snacks Complimentary coffee, tea hot chocolate, juice, water Paddling equipment: kayaks, canoes, peddle boats, paddle boards, float tubes Self guided paddling and nature trail hiking Satellite WiFi, satellite TV, satellite telephone, movies, games, […]...

Starting at

$2,143

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Nahanni, NWT, Canoe, Nahanni Park_2024_Nahanni River Adventures

Nahanni Canyons from Virginia Falls - 12 Day Rafting Trip

Nahanni River Adventures

Activities

Arctic Char Arctic Grayling Aurora Birding Boat Tours Camping Canoeing and Kayaking Experienced Paddling Fall Aurora Fishing Fly Fishing Hiking Tours Inconnu Lake Trout Nahanni to Dehcho Nature and Wildlife Nature Photography Nature Tours Northern Pike Novice Paddling Paddling Rafting Road Trips Tours White Water

This trip takes you through some of the iconic features for which this historic river is renowned, including Canada's deepest canyons and Nailicho / Virginia Falls - twice the height of Niagara! Our Nahanni River 12-day trip covers the same distance as our seven day trip but allows more time for additional hiking and exploring, as well as savouring the beauty of the Nahanni Valley area because… why rush if you don’t have to?...

$10,595

CAD + 5% GST + $220.48 CAD National Park fees.
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Enoch Pokiak_Region_Western Arctic_Polar Pack Arctic Adventures_Aurora_Witner_2024_2

Winter Package – Northern Lights Tour

Polar Pack Arctic Adventures

Activities

Aurora Aurora Day Trips Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean Nature and Wildlife Road Tours Tours Western Arctic Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Experience the Northern Lights on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Join us for a breathtaking tour along the stunning Mackenzie River, where we embark on an adventure to chase the mesmerizing northern lights. As we traverse the icy landscape, you’ll have the opportunity to spot a variety of wildlife! Tour Details: Time: 9 PM to […]...

Starting at

$500

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Dancing Skies Aurora Tours_Yellowknife_2024_1A

Intimate Aurora Chasing Adventure

Dancing Skies Photo Tours

Activities

Aurora Fall Aurora Nature and Wildlife Nature Photography Tours Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Unlike conventional tours, which often involve large groups and crowded spots, our tours focus on intimate experiences in small groups of no more than 5 people. This approach ensures tranquility and allows for a deep, personal connection with the starry sky and the mesmerizing auroras. Silence is key to embracing the beauty of the Northern […]...

$150

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Beaufort Sea Adventures - Arctic Luxury Experience

Arctic Luxury Experience - 3 nights, 4 days

Beaufort Sea Adventures

Activities

Aurora Boat Tours Cultural Demonstrations Dogsledding Fall Aurora Tours Western Arctic Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Step into a world where the Arctic’s beauty and culture come to life in ways few have ever experienced.  In Tuktoyaktuk, every moment is an invitation to connect with the land and its people on a deeper level. The vast tundra stretches endlessly before you, offering a sense of peace and wonder that can only […]...

Inquire for price

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Winter Aurora Package

Blachford Lodge

Activities

Aurora Aurora Lodges Cross-Country Skiing Cultural Demonstrations Ice Fishing Snowmobiling Snowshoeing Wilderness Lodges Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Welcome to Blachford Lodge. 2025 New Moon dates: January 29, February 27, March 29, April 27 Opening in December, 2024 will be our 5 newly renovated cabins. We are adding more comfort, beauty, and overall enhancements to your experience with us. Winter outdoor activities include cross-country skiing on 20 kilometers of groomed trails, snowshoeing, sliding, ice skating, […]...

Starting at

$3,597

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person + $499 Air Charter + Gratuities (10%)

View this Package
Blachford Lake Lodge - Aurora

Autumn Aurora Package

Blachford Lodge

Activities

Aurora Aurora Lodges Canoeing and Kayaking Cultural Demonstrations Fall Aurora Fishing Lake Trout Nature and Wildlife Northern Pike Stand up Paddling Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Welcome to Blachford Lodge. Aurora watchers and stargazers agree there are few better places to see the Aurora than Blachford Lodge. From mid-August, when night skies turn a velvety black to late October when the lake begins to freeze, Blachford guests can be treated to late night shows of the northern lights. On calm nights […]...

Starting at

$3,597

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person + $499 Air Charter + Gratuities (10%)

View this Package
North Star Adventures group of tourists huddled under the green aurora in the dark sky in Yellowknife NWT.

Amazing Aurora Hunting Packages

North Star Adventures

Activities

Arts and Culture Aurora Aurora Day Trips City Tours Fall Aurora Tours Winter Activities Winter Aurora

If you’re looking for the complete Yellowknife Aurora experience then North Star Adventures is for you! As one of the world’s leading Aurora tour companies, we will go above and beyond to make sure your Yellowknife visit is a trip of a lifetime. We are 100% Indigenous owned. We know Yellowknife, we know Aurora....

Starting at

$1,699

CAD+ 5% GST + Per Person
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Petersons Point Lodge - Aurora Experience

Aurora Experience

Peterson’s Point Lake Lodge

Activities

Aurora Lodges Fall Aurora Nature Photography Wilderness Lodges

Approximately every 10 years the northern lights are stronger than any other time and that time is now. Book a special trip this autumn miles away from city lights and crowds of people, right under the auroral oval. Our remote fly-in lodge provides the ideal location to see the northern lights with viewing opportunities right […]...

$4,159

USD + 5% GST + Per Person
View this Package
North of 60 Aurora Adventures

Skydome

North of 60 Aurora Adventures

Activities

Aurora Aurora Day Trips Fall Aurora Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Experience the amazing auroras from our Skydome.  The geodome offers the comforts of a hot wood burning stove, couches, lounge chairs and tables for eating fresh bannock and hot beverages, while you take in the dancing auroras from above.  Book your seat or group up to 20 people. Ask us about our 15% discount when […]...

Starting At

$125

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
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Arctic Tours Canada

5 Days 4 Night Package

Arctic Tours Canada

Activities

Aurora Fall Aurora Winter Activities Winter Aurora

Let the Northern Lights enchant you in Yellowknife Experience an unforgettable adventure with our Yellowknife 5 Days 4 Nights Aurora Viewing package! Spend your nights under the stunning Northern Lights, each evening offering a unique spectacle. Enjoy comfortable hotel accommodations and thrilling Aurora hunting expeditions. Immerse yourself in cultural richness with a night at an […]...

Starting At

$835

CAD + 5% GST + Per Person
View this Package
Trail Blazer Tours aurora trip with the purple and green aurora in the sky over the lake and trees in Yellowknife NWT.

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Blachford Lodge

Summer Winter

What began as a “part time fishing lodge” has now become a “full time Aurora Wilderness Lodge” open year round......

Aurora Viewing Cabins

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Trail Blazer Tours

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

Trout Rock lodge aerial view in the summer time.

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Enodah Wilderness Travel/ Trout Rock Lodge/Enodah Kennel

Enodah Wilderness Travel / Trout Rock Lodge/ Enodah Kennel offer high-quality Aurora viewing experiences by night and dogsled tours by......

Bright green aurora blast over the sky with Ji Guang Tour in Yellowknife, NWT.

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Ji Guang Tour

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

Lynx Lodges in the NWT

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Andrew Lake and Lynx Tundra Lodges

Multi-day Trips Summer

Arctic Adventure & Wildlife viewing on the edge of the tree line of Canada’s Northwest Territories. Lynx Lake 400 km......

Nanook Aurora Tours green and purple aurora dancing in the sky over a large lake in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

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Nanook Aurora Tours

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

Arctic Chalet Tours dog sledding with man on skidoo snowmobile transporting supplies in winter in Inuvik Northwest Territories.

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Arctic Chalet Tours

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

Morning Star Travel green aurora in the dark blue sky over a brightly lit city in the Northwest Territories.

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Morning Star Travel

Feel the best Aurora Tours...

Destination NWT

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Destination NWT Ltd.

Day Trips Northern Lights Winter

Destination NWT Limited is a tourism operator located in Yellowknife, Canada. DNWT specializes in outdoors adventures, aurora photography, and cultural experiences: Best rated Snowmobile Tour, winter gears included, exciting trail riding Aurora Tour in a Luxurious lakeside Lodge Unique Aurora tour while Ice Fishing indoors Full panoramic moonroof vehicle for Aurora Viewing DNWT’s tours allow […]...

Explore Yellowknife Year - Round Adventures

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Explore Yellowknife Year - Round Adventure

Day Trips Northern Lights Winter

Explore Yellowknife is an adventure tour operator based in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.We offer authentic northern tours like no other. Witness......

A woman holding up a large Lake Trout at Aylmer Lake on a fishing trip in the NWT.

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Aylmer Lake Lodge

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

Green aurora shooting across the dark Yellowknife sky picture by Aurora Dream tours.

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Aurora Dream Tours

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

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Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures

For a Great Northern Experience! Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures offers a variety of day trips ranging from 2 to 10 hours......

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Beck's Kennels

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

Great Slave Lake Tours Bombardier snowmobile (B12) driving on snow under the purple and green aurora dancing in the night sky in Hay River Northwest Territories.

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Great Slave Lake Tours

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

Yellowknife Tours Spectacular Aurora green and purple in the sky in the NWT.

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Yellowknife Tours

Northern Lights Summer Winter

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

A dancing green aurora captured by Sonny Aurora Tours in Yellowknife.

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Sonny Aurora Tours

Day Trips Summer Winter

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

Dancing Skies Photo Tours

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Dancing Skies Photo Tours

Northern Lights Winter

Dancing Skies is a new tour operator in Yellowknife, led by an experienced northern lights chaser and photographer with a passion for contemplation. Specializing in private tours and small groups of up to 5 people, we prioritize silent, serene observation and photography of the aurora, far from the crowds. With expertise in Space Weather data, […]...

My Backyard Tours city tour with visitors on a trail in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.

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My Backyard Tours

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

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Arctic Tours Canada

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

Narwal Northern Adventures voyageur canoe on Great Slave Lake

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NARWAL Northern Adventures

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

Yellow Dog Lodge aerial view among trees on a bright sunny day along the Duncan and Graham lakes in the Northwest Territories.

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Yellow Dog Lodge, Inc.

Multi-day Trips Northern Lights Summer

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....

AuroraTours.net logo with a rainbow feather business in Ndilǫ NWT.

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AuroraTours.net

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

Aerial view over Peterson's Point Lake Lodge in the Northwest Territories.

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Peterson's Point Lake Lodge

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

aurora village tipi yellowknife

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Aurora Village

Indigenous

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

The green aurora dancing in the sky above the Raven Tours cabin in Yellowknife, NWT in the winter.

Raven Tours

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

Jeep Gladiator under the blazing green northern lights in Yellowknife with Lonely Traveler.

Lonely Traveler

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

Pehdzeh Ki First Nations picture of picnic benches on a cloudy day in Wrigley with the Mackenzie mountain range in the background in the NWT.

Pehdzeh Ki First Nation

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

Yellowknife Online logo - Aurora Tours in the Northwest Territories.

Yellowknife Online

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

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Land Acknowledgement

Northwest Territories Tourism acknowledges that we are located in Chief Drygeese territory. From time immemorial, it has been the traditional land of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, and more recently, the homeland of the North Slave Métis Alliance. We respect the histories, languages, and cultures of Inuit, First Nations, Metis, and all First Peoples of the NWT and Canada, whose presence and cultures continue to enrich our vibrant communities.

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