5 DAY SPRING AURORA BOREALIS VIEWING
TRIP DESCRIPTION
Yellowknife is a place where traditional indigenous culture blends together with modern amenities, for a truly remarkable experience while discovering the mystery of the Aurora Borealis. On early spring nights the Aurora Borealis is often so vivid it seems close enough to touch. Far from city lights, watch the night sky light up. It’s a marvel that seems to embody the mysteries at the crossroads of Heaven and Earth in all of its elegance and raw beauty.
Please Note: Aurora Viewing happens late at night, typically between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am.
Please Note: Aurora Viewing happens late at night, typically between 10:00 pm and 2:00 am.
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Start Location: Yellowknife
End Location: Yellowknife
TOP HIGHLIGHTS
- Yellowknife City Tour
- Dog sledding excursion in the snowy wilderness
- 3 Nights of Aurora Borealis Viewing and Aurora Hunting
- Authentic Dene Cultural Indigenous Experience
- Indigenous ice fishing demonstration with hot lunch
- 3-Day Full Winter Clothing Package Rental (includes jacket, boots, snow pants, mitts, polar fleece balaclava)
ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrive in Yellowknife, NWT
Welcome to Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories and the Diamond capital of North America! Yellowknife is a place where traditional indigenous culture blends together with modern amenities, for a truly remarkable experience while discovering the mystery of the Aurora Borealis. On early spring nights the Aurora Borealis is often so vivid it seems close enough to touch. Far from city lights, watch the night sky light up. It’s a marvel that seems to embody the mysteries at the crossroads of Heaven and Earth in all its elegance and raw beauty. You will take the complimentary hotel shuttle service from the airport, and tonight, there will be a tour briefing and our first group dinner with our Tour Leader to prepare us for the adventures to follow. Depending on the flight arrival time, we may go out and get our winter clothing package this evening and be prepared for our adventures over the following days. (Dinner provided if arriving before 6:00 pm)
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Yellowknife, NWT - City Tour and Aurora Borealis Viewing
We begin our time in Yellowknife with a guided tour of the NWT Legislative Assembly Building, where you will learn about our consensus-style, non-partisan government, one of only a few in Canada.Following the Legislative Building, we will make our way to the site of Giant Mine. Rich in the history of Yellowknife’s gold mining days. There is an outdoor museum available to view. In winter many of the displays are covered in snow but we will hear of history from the comfort of our vehicle. Then we make a quick stop at YKEA and look for local treasures!! Next, we drive to Buffalo Airway’s home of the popular TV series, Ice Pilots with the Star of the show being Buffalo Joe McBryan, owner of the largest DC 3 ‘s and DC 4’s in North America. We will visit the hangar filled with vintage aircraft. These are propeller-operated WW2 legendary aircraft.We return to the downtown core and stop in at the NWT Diamond Centre that showcases diamonds from two of NWT local mines. Next, we drive to The Old Town / Latham Island and N’dilo. We will first visit Ragged Ass Road, the street immortalized by Tom Cochrane on his third album by the same name and then a drive on the frozen Great Slave Lake. The Great Slave Lake is the second largest lake outside of the Great Lakes in Canada, and the deepest lake in North America at 614 metres, and the tenth-largest lake in the world. We will get a close view of the colourful, local houseboats. Next is N’dilo, a small Dene community is located on tip of Latham Island, which is an isthmus extending from Yellowknife into Great Slave Lake. The land was set aside for use by “status Indians” by the Government of Canada in 1947. The name was officially changed to N’dilo in 1991, which means “end of the island” in the local Dene dialect. We continue our tour with a stop at Yellowknife’s first bank (Bank of Toronto) a privately owned, historic log cabin. Next is a photo stop at the Bush Pilot’s monument, Yellowknife’s most popular lookout rises above Old Town, providing a stupendous view over Great Slave Lake, Back Bay and the northern reaches of the city. The monument is high up on “The Rock,” and is accessed via a winding staircase to the top. It is dedicated to the bush pilots and engineers whose lives were lost as they flew the wilderness skies of the Northwest Territories. Finally, we stop at at Weaver and Devore, Yellowknife’s first Trading Store and a local carver’s shop. Local artists will be invited to showcase their artwork. The tour ends at the Visitor Centre where you can get your Yellowknife pin and your North of 60 Certificate. We visit the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, a museum that chronicles Aboriginal and European history in the North and features environmental exhibits. After dinner, we head out for our first aurora viewing experience in a cozy intimate cabin located 15 minutes drive away from Yellowknife in a private dark location. There will be a light midnight lunch of fresh local fish chowder, fresh bannock, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. There are a limited number of camera tripods which are available to share and there is a generator, so power is available to charge batteries. There is an outhouse for the washroom, which is heated. Return to your hotel around 1:00 am.
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3: Yellowknife, NWT - Ice fishing and Aurora Hunting
After an easy morning, we start late to drive out to one of the many frozen lakes outside of Yellowknife, hear the ice crack as we drive on the lake, and try and catch our own northern Canada freshwater fish!! On our way, we will see the Yellowknife-Dettah Ice Road, the Highway of Ice. Our local guides know the best spots and have been ice fishing on these frozen lakes for years. When they find a suitable spot, they will help us drill some holes into the ice and get everything set up for ice fishing! While you are fishing, the guides will cook for you so you can enjoy a genuine Canadian ice fishing cookout meal. Once on the frozen lakes, listen to the quietness of Mother Nature, while breathing in the cool, clean fresh air! Following our adventures, we have some time at our leisure, with time to explore Yellowknife, or relax before tonight's dinner. After dinner on your own, we go Aurora hunting today. Yellowknife is the best place in the world to view Aurora! If skies are clear, you have a 98% chance to see Aurora! However, if skies are cloudy, the chances are low. We aim to increase our chances to see the aurora and go out and “hunt” for the aurora! When we reach a suitable viewing place, we park, and view and talk all about aurora, identify some stars, the Milky Way and maybe even see wildlife while driving from location to location! Each night we don’t exactly know where we are going, as it depends on the weather and the aurora, and where we go there is nothing but wilderness, wildlife, and Aurora. Depending upon weather conditions, we may choose to substitute our second or our last night’s Aurora viewing outings.
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4: Yellowknife, NWT - Indigenous Led Dogsledding and Aurora Viewing with Dene Families
After a late breakfast and again an easy morning, we set out for our Indigenous dogsled tour. Watch as our guides take the excited dogs one by one from the dog kennels and harness them up to the sled. Get to know and pet the dogs, learn their names, and get a photograph with them. Every dog is friendly and likes to meet new people. We then get into the dog sleighs and get ready to hit the trail. We will team up the dogs and head out on the frozen lake for a 30 minutes dog ride along a secluded and well-maintained dog trail. We end the tour in a heated teepee or trapper’s camp with hot beverages and Bannock as we listen to stories about how the dog teams played an important role in the daily lives of both the Indigenous peoples and western settlers in the old days, and how they helped people survive. The dogs were like family and are still treated that same way today. This activity is carried out in collaboration with an indigenous family business who want to keep the cultural traditions and teachings that they have learned from their grandparents and have decided to share it with others in an enjoyable way. Through their dog sledding they aim to promote respect for Indigenous culture and share the survival ways of people living in the cold subarctic areas.Tonight, after dinner, we experience an authentic Indigenous aurora experience and spend an evening among the Dene people, with northern lights, storytelling, Dene history, and legends, traditional drumming, hand games demonstration, and samples of traditional foods such as local Great Slave Lake fish, and freshly made bannock. We travel by snowmobile over the frozen lake to a Dene campsite on the shores of the frozen Great Slave Lake near the village of Dettah and spend time in a heated cabin and teepees and comfortable seating for everyone.
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Depart Yellowknife, NWT
Our northern Canadian Yellowknife experience comes to an end this morning. Following breakfast, we will transfer to the airport for our return journey home. (Breakfast provided if departure flight is after 10:00 am)
Meals: Breakfast
DATES & PRICES
We accept 
AVAILABILITY
START DATE
END DATE
PRICE
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
DEPOSIT
BOOK
CAD (does not include 5% tax).
Flights can be booked to arrive and depart at any time.
Flights can be booked to arrive and depart at any time.
Applicable taxes vary depending on travel destination and are not included. Please ask your sales agent what extra taxes will be payable for your tour.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- 4 nights of accommodation (3.5 - 4 star, or best available)
- Professional Tour Leader
- Transportation from local company
- 9 meals: 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch 4 dinners
- 3 day winter clothing rental (includes jacket, boots, snowpants, mitts, polar fleece balaclava)
- Roundtrip airport transfers in Yellowknife
EXCLUSIONS
- 5% provincial tax on top of tour base rate
- Gratuities to driver (Recommend $3-$4 per person per day)
- Gratuities to guide (Recommend $5-$7 per person per day)
- Meals not listed
- Attractions not listed
- Credit card payment fees, where applicable
- Airfare - domestic and international (unless specified)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended, ask us for a quote!)
Why Take An Anderson Tour?
Seasoned Tour Guides
Get a deeper understanding with storytelling tailored to your interests.
Space To Breathe
We never max out buses even if we use the same size bus as the competition.
All Inclusive
No hidden expenses along the way. Competitors offer activities as an extra - we don't
Our guide training manual is accredited by ACTA/CITC Canadian Educational Standard Inc. Now used as the standard in educational college programs.
Can't find what you're looking for?
Our specialists can take away the stress and create a custom trip tailored to your exact interests and budget.
Get A Custom Quote
OR CALL
1.866.814.7378
Custom Trip Plans
You can see what you want, when you want, how you want.
Unique Experiences
Experiences that help you take in the region in a different way.
Freedom To Explore
Time to take in each place with only the tours you want to do.
Tour Questions
What is the maximum number of travellers in a group?
Anderson Vacations specializes in Small Group Fully Escorted tours. If the tour is classified as a ‘Classic Tour’ up to 24 persons may join the tour although tours commonly travel with anywhere between 18 to 24 travellers. If the tour is classified as a 'Tour of Distinction’ only up to 18 persons may join the tour and many 'Tours of Distinction' travel with 12 to 18 travellers.
What are Guaranteed Departures?
After dreaming about travel to an exciting destination, arranging for time off work, booking your flights the last thing you need is for your trip to be cancelled. Anderson vacation's pre-Guaranteed tours take the uncertainty away from planning your travel and give you peace of mind to book our tours. Pre-Guaranteed Tours are group tours that we have already confirmed as certain to travel on the specified date. All 'Guaranteed Tours' will travel except in the event of a natural disaster or a catastrophic event that is beyond our control. They may already have the minimum number of people booked or else are tours that are known to be popular. Only select departures of tours are 'pre-Guaranteed'.
What happens if I book on a tour that is not Guaranteed?
We pride ourselves on providing “a small shared group experience.” In the event that we have fewer than ten participants on a tour we will offer a “small-group surcharge” to ensure that the tour runs as scheduled. This fee, which is up to 15% of the “land” portion of the tour, will be offered to you as an option to continue with the trip. This fee will cover the costs associated with handling a smaller group.
What is the average age of passengers for this tour?
Our tours are suitable for all age demographics. The average age of travelers is typically 45+.
How physically demanding is this tour? Are you able to accommodate people with mobility restrictions/limitations?
Some tours are mainly coach based and may not be physically demanding while others may require walking inclines or on rough surfaces to access interesting locations. Please check with us and your booking agent carefully and discuss your mobility restrictions before completing any tour booking to ensure this style of travel is right for you.
Can you accommodate passengers with dietary restrictions (food allergies, vegan, vegetarian etc.)?
Yes, we do accommodate dietary restrictions (within reason) such as, food allergies, vegan, vegetarian, etc. There are many meals included on our fully escorted tours. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions at the time of booking so we can ensure there are alternative meal choices.
Booking & Flight Questions
Do you arrange airport transfers?
Yes, we can assist you with airport transfers for you in most locations at a reasonable extra cost. Several tours have airport transfers already included. Please contact us for more details.
Can you assist with booking additional accommodation?
Yes, we can certainly assist with booking additional nights of hotel accommodation for you before and after your fully escorted tour. This is available upon request and subject to availability. Please inquire for further information and prices.
How much luggage should I bring?
Each passenger may bring one large suitcase and one carry-on bag. The weight limit for baggage is 20 kilograms or about 40 pounds. Baggage handling is provided at the hotels in our tour packages but there may be places where you will be required to wheel in your bags for quicker access. Be sure to advise our reservations staff if you will be bringing additional items such as a cane, walker, or wheelchair. You may also bring one small soft-sided carry-on bag, which should easily fit into the overhead shelf of a coach. Each person is responsible for his/her own carryon luggage. Remember to check your airline baggage restrictions if you are flying, as they may differ from Anderson Vacations guidelines.
I am a solo traveller. Is there a single surcharge?
There are options for single travelers to join most tours. Solo travellers can choose to pay a Single Supplement and have their own room throughout the tour. For those willing to share with a co-traveller of the same gender, we have a Twin Share option that is offered for most tours where you share a hotel room with another same gender traveller. In this case, you will not be charged for Single Supplement.
Is it possible to book a triple share accommodation?
Yes, it is possible to book triple share accommodations on select trips. Please inquire or contact us regarding this option, as prices and availability vary from tour to tour.
Can we book this tour with our exclusive group?
Yes, you can! Anderson Vacations works with many private groups and helps to customize a tour to traveller’s needs. Please contact us for more details.
Are gratuities included in the tour cost?
For convenience, gratuities for local guides and meals that are specified in the itinerary are included in the tour price. For meals not included in your tour package please remember that it is customary to tip your server 10-20% in North America. Gratuities for your Coach Driver (where appropriate) and Tour Director are entirely at your discretion. We recommend about CDN $5.00 per person, per day, for your Driver and CDN$7.00 per person, per day for your Tour Leader.
Ready? Have More Questions?
Over 25 years offering custom trips and small group tours.
INQUIRE ABOUT THIS TRIP
OR CALL
1.866.814.7378
Seasoned Tour Guides
Get a deeper understanding with storytelling tailored to your interests.
Space To Breathe
We never max out buses even if we use the same size bus as the competition.
All Inclusive
No hidden expenses along the way. Competitors offer activities as an extra - we don't
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Tour Code
YABS
5 Day Spring Aurora Borealis Viewing
5 days
Created On: 26 Sep 2023
Highlights
- Yellowknife City Tour
- Dog sledding excursion in the snowy wilderness
- 3 Nights of Aurora Borealis Viewing and Aurora Hunting
- Authentic Dene Cultural Indigenous Experience
- Indigenous ice fishing demonstration with hot lunch
- 3-Day Full Winter Clothing Package Rental (includes jacket, boots, snow pants, mitts, polar fleece balaclava)
Inclusions
- 4 nights of accommodation (3.5 - 4 star, or best available)
- Professional Tour Leader
- Transportation from local company
- 9 meals: 4 breakfasts, 1 lunch 4 dinners
- 3 day winter clothing rental (includes jacket, boots, snowpants, mitts, polar fleece balaclava)
- Roundtrip airport transfers in Yellowknife
Exclusions
- 5% provincial tax on top of tour base rate
- Gratuities to driver (Recommend $3-$4 per person per day)
- Gratuities to guide (Recommend $5-$7 per person per day)
- Meals not listed
- Attractions not listed
- Credit card payment fees, where applicable
- Airfare - domestic and international (unless specified)
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended, ask us for a quote!)
Dates & Prices
AVAILABILITY
START DATE
END DATE
PRICE
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
DEPOSIT
AVAILABLE
Sat, 06 Apr 2024
Wed, 10 Apr 2024
$2,620 USD
$460 USD
$500 USD
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Yellowknife, NWT
Welcome to Yellowknife, the capital city of the Northwest Territories and the Diamond capital of North America! Yellowknife is a place where traditional indigenous culture blends together with modern amenities, for a truly remarkable experience while discovering the mystery of the Aurora Borealis. On early spring nights the Aurora Borealis is often so vivid it seems close enough to touch. Far from city lights, watch the night sky light up. It’s a marvel that seems to embody the mysteries at the crossroads of Heaven and Earth in all its elegance and raw beauty. You will take the complimentary hotel shuttle service from the airport, and tonight, there will be a tour briefing and our first group dinner with our Tour Leader to prepare us for the adventures to follow. Depending on the flight arrival time, we may go out and get our winter clothing package this evening and be prepared for our adventures over the following days. (Dinner provided if arriving before 6:00 pm)
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Yellowknife, NWT - City Tour and Aurora Borealis Viewing
We begin our time in Yellowknife with a guided tour of the NWT Legislative Assembly Building, where you will learn about our consensus-style, non-partisan government, one of only a few in Canada.Following the Legislative Building, we will make our way to the site of Giant Mine. Rich in the history of Yellowknife’s gold mining days. There is an outdoor museum available to view. In winter many of the displays are covered in snow but we will hear of history from the comfort of our vehicle. Then we make a quick stop at YKEA and look for local treasures!! Next, we drive to Buffalo Airway’s home of the popular TV series, Ice Pilots with the Star of the show being Buffalo Joe McBryan, owner of the largest DC 3 ‘s and DC 4’s in North America. We will visit the hangar filled with vintage aircraft. These are propeller-operated WW2 legendary aircraft.We return to the downtown core and stop in at the NWT Diamond Centre that showcases diamonds from two of NWT local mines. Next, we drive to The Old Town / Latham Island and N’dilo. We will first visit Ragged Ass Road, the street immortalized by Tom Cochrane on his third album by the same name and then a drive on the frozen Great Slave Lake. The Great Slave Lake is the second largest lake outside of the Great Lakes in Canada, and the deepest lake in North America at 614 metres, and the tenth-largest lake in the world. We will get a close view of the colourful, local houseboats. Next is N’dilo, a small Dene community is located on tip of Latham Island, which is an isthmus extending from Yellowknife into Great Slave Lake. The land was set aside for use by “status Indians” by the Government of Canada in 1947. The name was officially changed to N’dilo in 1991, which means “end of the island” in the local Dene dialect. We continue our tour with a stop at Yellowknife’s first bank (Bank of Toronto) a privately owned, historic log cabin. Next is a photo stop at the Bush Pilot’s monument, Yellowknife’s most popular lookout rises above Old Town, providing a stupendous view over Great Slave Lake, Back Bay and the northern reaches of the city. The monument is high up on “The Rock,” and is accessed via a winding staircase to the top. It is dedicated to the bush pilots and engineers whose lives were lost as they flew the wilderness skies of the Northwest Territories. Finally, we stop at at Weaver and Devore, Yellowknife’s first Trading Store and a local carver’s shop. Local artists will be invited to showcase their artwork. The tour ends at the Visitor Centre where you can get your Yellowknife pin and your North of 60 Certificate. We visit the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre, a museum that chronicles Aboriginal and European history in the North and features environmental exhibits. After dinner, we head out for our first aurora viewing experience in a cozy intimate cabin located 15 minutes drive away from Yellowknife in a private dark location. There will be a light midnight lunch of fresh local fish chowder, fresh bannock, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. There are a limited number of camera tripods which are available to share and there is a generator, so power is available to charge batteries. There is an outhouse for the washroom, which is heated. Return to your hotel around 1:00 am.
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3: Yellowknife, NWT - Ice fishing and Aurora Hunting
After an easy morning, we start late to drive out to one of the many frozen lakes outside of Yellowknife, hear the ice crack as we drive on the lake, and try and catch our own northern Canada freshwater fish!! On our way, we will see the Yellowknife-Dettah Ice Road, the Highway of Ice. Our local guides know the best spots and have been ice fishing on these frozen lakes for years. When they find a suitable spot, they will help us drill some holes into the ice and get everything set up for ice fishing! While you are fishing, the guides will cook for you so you can enjoy a genuine Canadian ice fishing cookout meal. Once on the frozen lakes, listen to the quietness of Mother Nature, while breathing in the cool, clean fresh air! Following our adventures, we have some time at our leisure, with time to explore Yellowknife, or relax before tonight's dinner. After dinner on your own, we go Aurora hunting today. Yellowknife is the best place in the world to view Aurora! If skies are clear, you have a 98% chance to see Aurora! However, if skies are cloudy, the chances are low. We aim to increase our chances to see the aurora and go out and “hunt” for the aurora! When we reach a suitable viewing place, we park, and view and talk all about aurora, identify some stars, the Milky Way and maybe even see wildlife while driving from location to location! Each night we don’t exactly know where we are going, as it depends on the weather and the aurora, and where we go there is nothing but wilderness, wildlife, and Aurora. Depending upon weather conditions, we may choose to substitute our second or our last night’s Aurora viewing outings.
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4: Yellowknife, NWT - Indigenous Led Dogsledding and Aurora Viewing with Dene Families
After a late breakfast and again an easy morning, we set out for our Indigenous dogsled tour. Watch as our guides take the excited dogs one by one from the dog kennels and harness them up to the sled. Get to know and pet the dogs, learn their names, and get a photograph with them. Every dog is friendly and likes to meet new people. We then get into the dog sleighs and get ready to hit the trail. We will team up the dogs and head out on the frozen lake for a 30 minutes dog ride along a secluded and well-maintained dog trail. We end the tour in a heated teepee or trapper’s camp with hot beverages and Bannock as we listen to stories about how the dog teams played an important role in the daily lives of both the Indigenous peoples and western settlers in the old days, and how they helped people survive. The dogs were like family and are still treated that same way today. This activity is carried out in collaboration with an indigenous family business who want to keep the cultural traditions and teachings that they have learned from their grandparents and have decided to share it with others in an enjoyable way. Through their dog sledding they aim to promote respect for Indigenous culture and share the survival ways of people living in the cold subarctic areas.Tonight, after dinner, we experience an authentic Indigenous aurora experience and spend an evening among the Dene people, with northern lights, storytelling, Dene history, and legends, traditional drumming, hand games demonstration, and samples of traditional foods such as local Great Slave Lake fish, and freshly made bannock. We travel by snowmobile over the frozen lake to a Dene campsite on the shores of the frozen Great Slave Lake near the village of Dettah and spend time in a heated cabin and teepees and comfortable seating for everyone.
Overnight: Yellowknife
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Depart Yellowknife, NWT
Our northern Canadian Yellowknife experience comes to an end this morning. Following breakfast, we will transfer to the airport for our return journey home. (Breakfast provided if departure flight is after 10:00 am)
Meals: Breakfast
