Yukon and the Northwest Territories
The northern lights.
Canada’s night-sky spectacle.
Green and violet curtains of light rippling across a dark winter sky. Canada’s north has some of the best places on earth to see the aurora borealis, and the long northern nights fall during New Zealand’s summer holidays.
Yellowknife
The capital of the Northwest Territories sits right under the auroral oval, with flat land and clear skies that give good odds of a display. Many visitors watch from heated lodges or cabins out of town.
Whitehorse and the Yukon
The Yukon pairs the aurora with wilderness lodges, dog sledding and hot springs, with Whitehorse as an easy base.
When to go
The aurora season runs from about mid-August to mid-April, with the clearest, coldest nights from January to March. Early autumn offers milder weather and the lights reflected in unfrozen lakes.
Giving yourself the best chance
The aurora is never guaranteed, so most trips allow three or four nights to give the sky a chance. Expert guides, warm clothing and a comfortable place to wait make all the difference.
Planned around you
Nancy can combine the northern lights with a ski holiday, the Rockies in winter, or polar bears in Churchill, and make sure you have the right gear and the right lodge.
Would you like to see the lights?
Plan a northern lights trip with Nancy