Discover Canada’s epic north in the neighbouring territories of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, where dramatic mountains, untouched national parks, authentic cultural experiences and the dancing Northern Lights will take your breath away for an adventure you won’t find anywhere else on Earth.
Embrace radical openness across Canada’s remote north in the open spaces, open hearts and open minds of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Here, natural wonders are standout highlights, including Northern Lights adventures and countless opportunities for cultural immersions.
Radical Openness reflects the storytelling heart of Canada where travellers can connect directly with welcoming locals, diverse communities and the pristine natural environment for an enriching and unforgettable travel experience that is uniquely Canadian in context.
Hear the story of Joe Bailey aka the “Aurora Hunter” from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.
Access all areas
Air Canada and Qantas fly direct from Australia to Vancouver with domestic flights to the Northwest Territories capital city, Yellowknife, via Air Canada and WestJet. Fly from Vancouver to the Yukon capital, Whitehorse, with Air Canada and Air North.
It’s also easy to get around in the Yukon and Northwest Territories by road so you can explore beyond the capital city gateways. Car hire is available from Yellowknife and Whitehorse.
Chasing auroras and cultural experiences
The top two things to tick off your the Yukon and Northwest Territories list are Northern Lights viewing and a stay in a traditional wilderness lodge. Luckily, you can do both during an autumn and winter escape in Canada’s north.
With their ideal location above the Arctic Circle, the Yukon and Northwest Territories offer the perfect front-row seat to the aurora borealis aka Northern Lights dance across the night sky.
Cultural immersion is deeply embedded in the Yukon and Northwest Territories experience with First Nations and wildlife naturally entwined in all aspects of outdoor adventures and activities.
More than half of the population in the Northwest Territories is Indigenous, including First Nations, Inuit and Metis peoples, and 14 First Nations reside within Yukon Territory, offering an authentic connection to the community.
Go kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, snowmobiling, fat-biking, ice-fishing and snowshoeing on an immersive Indigenous tourism experience in the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
Wild about wilderness lodges in Canada’s north
Wilderness lodges are something else in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Stay at spots such as Frontier Fishing Lodge on the edge of Thaidene Nëné National Park in the Northwest Territories or Southern Lakes Resort in the Yukon on the traditional lands of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation for an unforgettable outdoor experience.
Wilderness lodges are the best base to embark on Northern Lights and wildlife viewing adventures, so you can live your best frontier life in the Yukon and Northwest Territories straight from your log cabin.
Meet Lu Baker Johnson from Southern Lakes Resort as she tells us about life in the Yukon during winter.
At the likes of Yukon Wildlife Preserve and other dedicated reserves, see iconic Canadian critters, such as moose, bears, lynx, arctic fox, muskoxen, mountain goats and elk.
You can also embark on epic outdoor adventures in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Wilderness lodges offer an array of natural and cultural immersions, such as First Nations-guided tours, locally sourced dining experiences and camping adventures.
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory
Where else in the world can you see the Northern Lights in a capital city setting? Aurora tour operators such as Northern Tales will whisk you into the wilderness just outside Whitehorse to witness the Northern Lights in prospector-style tents heated by wood-barrelled stoves and maple taffy and storytelling around the fire.
Listen to First Nations stories and learn about long-held traditions at cultural centres, such as Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, local galleries and on guided tours. Try the DIY Whitehorse Art Walk for an immersive and authentic connection to community.
Dawson City, Yukon Territory
Site of the Klondike Gold Rush, Dawson City provides another prime position to view the Northern Lights. The Klondike Experience weaves aurora viewing with Indigenous lore and snacks around the campfire just outside of Dawson City.
The Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in people lived here long before gold fever struck. Discover historic photos, artefacts and art at the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre, open May–September. For another perspective on prospecting, take a guided tour of the centre’s Hammerstone Gallery.
Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory
The best way to understand the sheer scope of Kluane National Park is from the sky. A flightseeing adventure offers the ideal vantage point of the largest protected area on the planet, featuring the soaring Saint Elias Mountain Range, wildlife and glaciers galore.
Land on the icefield for a pinch-me of Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan, and explore the national park on foot with Indigenous-owned Who What Where Tours on a Kluane Country tour – cameras at the ready for roaming wildlife on the Alaska Highway.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
For a personalised aurora experience, tap into the First Nations know-how of North of 60 Aurora Adventures. The Indigenous-led tour takes visitors 20 minutes from Yellowknife for a bespoke opportunity that blends Northern Lights viewing at the Skydome and dogsledding with cultural traditions and teachings of the Dene people. North Star Adventures offers a more intrepid quest, seeking out aurora sightings in the wild.
For further cultural immersion, go on a guided walking tour with Sundog Adventures in Yellowknife’s historic Old Town and stop by the Gallery of the Midnight Sun to shop traditional Indigenous crafts and northern souvenirs.
Wood Buffalo National Park, Northwest Territories
Bigger than Switzerland, the almost 45,000sqkm Wood Buffalo National Park protects the biggest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere, the rare and ‘chonky’ wood bison.
Hefty and hairy creatures aside, there’s plenty to pique your interest in this pristine natural wonderland in the Northwest Territories. Think sweeping evergreen forests, the massive Peace-Athabasca freshwater delta and the otherworldly Salt Plains.
Bringing it back to the aurora borealis, Wood Buffalo National Park is also the world’s largest Dark Sky Preserve. Visit in autumn and winter and stay out after dark to see the natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights.
Fast facts about NWT and Yukon
- How to get there: Air Canada flies direct from Australia to Vancouver with domestic flights available to the NWT capital, Yellowknife, and the Yukon capital of Whitehorse. You can also fly nonstop to Vancouver with Qantas or with one stop in Auckland through Air New Zealand or via Nadi with Fiji Airways.
- When to go: Autumn and winter to see the Northern Lights in the Yukon and Northwest Territories.
- Did you know? The 11-year solar activity cycle is currently at its peak, meaning the aurora borealis is particularly visible and spectacular right now. (Hint, hint).
- Another peak fact: You’ll find Canada’s highest mountain, Mt Logan, along with 17 of the country’s highest peaks in Kluane National Park, Yukon Territory. Go on a flightseeing experience for the best view.
- That’s gold: Home of the Klondike Gold Rush, you can still pan for shiny nuggets around the Yukon’s Dawson City.
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