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You're not a true traveller til you've done this:

You're not a true traveller til you've done these 17 things

Up here in the Northwest Territories we get a whole pile of visitors, but most just skim the surface.

That's not a problem: After all, even our conventional touristy stuff is tons of fun. But if you're looking to really experience this place – to drink it down, to live it up, to be it – there are certain specific experiences you just can't miss.

Here's 17 ways to do the North to the fullest.

Musk ox

Seen the 'big four'

... by which we mean muskoxen, caribou, moose and bison. They're all on view in the Northwest Territories, providing a sort of polar safari.

Fishing

Landed a 40-pounder

Because any fish smaller is what we call "bait."

ski plane

Flown in the co-pilot's seat

(Extra points if it's a ski-plane.)

dog sledding

Mushed

Nope, riding in the basket doesn't count.

road by canoe

Driven to the end of the road

... or better yet, gone beyond the end of the road, by foot, canoe, skidoo, whatever.

frosted forest

Skied through a frosted forest

In the super-cool winter of the Northwest Territories, a coating of ice, called "hoarfrost," accumulates on every chilly surface, glazing your skiing route in glory.

sailed out of sight of land

sailed out of sight of land

Up here, the lakes are like freshwater oceans, giving you plenty of space to float your boat. Make the most of it.

colourful Aurora

seen the sky do this

Oh yeah, the elusive purple lights. It only does this during the most rockin' auroral storms.

race at canoe

raced a canoe

In the North's small towns, old fashioned paddling races are a feature of summer celebrations. Jump into a boat and join in.

a teepee

spent the night in a teepee

Camp here and you'll enjoy the best sleep ever – we guarantee.

waterfall

filled your water bottle from here

Steady now – this isn't the place for a swim.

sun set

Watched the sun spin circles in the sky

It's the weirdest thing: The sun is getting lower, lower ... wait, now it's rising again. No night. Just an endless dance of brilliance in the sky.

Parka

Been comfortably dressed at 40 below

In the Northwest Territories, parkas aren't for fashion. They're like space suits, allowing you to thrive in our vigorous interstellar cold.

street address

Strolled down this street

In Yellowknife's Old Town, the North's most famous lane is as wild and wooly as its name implies.

Odd machines prowl the Northland

Gone for a spin in this thing

Odd machines prowl the North, rolling through landscapes no car could endure. This amphibious vehicle transports tourists to a remote fishing lodge.

Dempster Highway

picnicked here

This is the Arctic Circle, on the Dempster Highway. Believe us, lunch tastes better at the top of the world.

river in the mackenzie mountains

awoken to this view

Need we say more?

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