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Offered languages
- English
- French
Go beyond the city lights on a true aurora-hunting adventure along Yellowknife’s scenic Ingraham Trail. Rather than waiting at one fixed location, we travel between promising dark-sky viewing areas based on the night’s weather, cloud cover and aurora activity. When the official ice roads are open and conditions are safe, we may even venture onto frozen lakes for breathtaking, wide-open views of the northern sky.
Stay warm between viewing stops in a heated 16- or 24-passenger bus while enjoying hot chocolate, maple cookies and chips. With convenient pickup and drop-off from selected Yellowknife accommodations, local guidance and a flexible route, this is a comfortable and memorable way to experience the magic of the North.
The locations visited depend on cloud cover, weather, road conditions, aurora activity and the guide’s judgment. Aurora sightings and ice-road access cannot be guaranteed.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Please be ready in your hotel lobby or at the main entrance of your pickup location at the confirmed pickup time. Your driver will meet you with a sign displaying your name and NWT Charter Services. As this is a shared bus tour with multiple pickup stops, please allow a few minutes for possible delays.
Itinerary
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1Yellowknife
Your guide will pick you up from a selected Yellowknife hotel or accommodation. Once everyone is aboard the heated bus, the group will leave the city lights behind and begin the evening’s aurora hunt. Approximate duration: 30–60 minutes, including multiple pickups
30 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2
Travel along the Ingraham Trail, stopping at dark-sky viewing areas selected according to cloud cover, weather, road conditions and aurora activity. The route may include lakes, day-use areas and other safe roadside viewing locations. Your guide may change locations throughout the evening when conditions suggest that another area could provide a better opportunity. Approximate duration: 2.5–3 hours
3 hours • Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
When the officially maintained Dettah Ice Road is open and conditions are suitable, the tour may travel onto Great Slave Lake in search of the Northern Lights. The frozen lake offers wide, unobstructed views of the northern sky and a memorable opportunity to experience Yellowknife’s winter landscape. Access is seasonal, weather-dependent and not guaranteed on every tour.
Admission ticket free -
Prelude Lake Territorial Park (Pass by)
Prelude Lake is known for its expansive scenery and distance from city light pollution. Open areas around the lake can provide unobstructed views of the sky and, under the right conditions, beautiful aurora reflections. When official ice roads are open and conditions are safe, the tour may include seasonal viewing from a frozen lake. This part of the tour is seasonal and cannot be guaranteed on every departure.
Admission ticket free -
Pontoon Lake Territorial Park (Pass by)
Pontoon Lake is another possible dark-sky viewing location along the Ingraham Trail. Its open lakeside setting can provide broad views of the night sky, while the surrounding wilderness creates a distinctly Northern experience.
Admission ticket free -
Madeline Lake Territorial Park (Pass by)
Surrounded by boreal forest and away from Yellowknife’s city lights, Madeline Lake offers a peaceful setting for aurora viewing. Depending on the night’s conditions, the group may stop near the lake to watch the sky, take photographs and enjoy hot chocolate and snacks.
Admission ticket free -
Yellowknife River Territorial Park Day Use Area (Pass by)
The Yellowknife River is one of several possible viewing stops along the Ingraham Trail. Its dark surroundings and open views across the water—or frozen landscape in winter—make it a beautiful place to watch the northern sky. Your guide may stop here when conditions are favourable.
Admission ticket free -
3Yellowknife
After the aurora hunt, relax in the heated bus as your guide returns you to your selected Yellowknife accommodation. Approximate duration: 30–60 minutes
30 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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