Visited Provinces & Territories Map

The Northwest Territories is a vast northern destination known for aurora viewing, Dene, Inuvialuit and Metis cultures, Great Slave Lake, ice roads, paddling rivers, national parks, midnight sun, fishing, and remote wilderness. Spectacular NWT, the territory's official tourism site, calls the NWT one of the world's best places to see the northern lights, citing its location under the auroral oval, clear dry skies, and aurora activity on up to 240 nights a year. Yellowknife is the main visitor gateway and tourism hub.

First-time travelers often start in Yellowknife for aurora lodges, Indigenous cultural experiences, Old Town, galleries, fish restaurants, summer paddling, winter dogsledding, snowmobiling, and ice roads. Parks Canada notes that northern park access can be complex: Nahanni is typically reached by chartered flights from Fort Simpson, Yellowknife, Muncho Lake, or Watson Lake, and other NWT national parks may require flights, boats, snowmobiles, or seasonal roads. The territory suits aurora photographers, adventurous couples, anglers, paddlers, winter travelers, and visitors comfortable with guided remote logistics.

A Yellowknife aurora trip can take three to five nights; wilderness parks and river trips require much longer and specialist planning. Best aurora seasons are generally mid-August to late September and mid-November to early April; summer brings midnight sun and paddling. Visitor Tip: plan around season first, then transportation; outside Yellowknife, assume limited services, high costs, and weather-dependent access unless an operator confirms otherwise.

Information current as of 2026-07-19. Access, hours, prices, reservations, road conditions, closures, transit, accessibility, and other visitor details can change; verify current details with official sources before visiting.