Visiting Yellowknife: frequently asked questions

No operator can guarantee the aurora, and any that promises it is overselling. What Yellowknife offers instead is the best odds on the continent: the city sits directly under the auroral oval, so even a quiet solar forecast often produces a show, and NWT Tourism puts the chance of seeing the lights at least once over a 3-night stay in season at 98%. Cloud is the real enemy, which is why chase-style trips like the aurora hunting tour move between viewpoints looking for clear sky rather than waiting under one. If the forecast turns before your night, most tours let you cancel free up to 24 hours ahead and rebook.

Two windows: mid-August to early October, and mid-November to early April. Autumn brings lights over open water and milder nights; winter brings the longest darkness and the deep cold. Between mid-April and late July there is no aurora viewing at all, because the sky never gets dark enough, with close to 22 hours of daylight around the June solstice. Our guide to the best time to see the lights compares the months in detail.

More than you think, in layers: thermal base layer, fleece or wool mid layer, then a serious insulated parka, insulated boots, mitts rather than gloves, and something for your face. January nights average around minus 27 Celsius. The good news is you do not need to buy any of it, since operators in town rent full arctic clothing sets, parka, pants, boots and mitts. The full packing list is in our what to wear guide.

The basics: put the camera on a tripod or something solid, switch to manual, open the aperture as wide as it goes, focus manually on a distant light or star, raise the ISO, and use an exposure of a few seconds. Modern phone night modes do surprisingly well if you brace the phone and hold still. If you would rather not fiddle in the cold, the flagship aurora hunt brings a photographer along and includes your photos free.

Often yes, with caveats by trip. The city tour is the easiest family pick and has car seats available. Dog sledding suits most ages. Aurora tours are the hard one for young children: pickups run about 9:30 to 10:30pm and you get back between 1:30 and 2:30am, in serious cold. Snowmobiling is not for pregnant travellers or people with back problems, per the listing. Each Viator or GetYourGuide listing states its own age rules, so check the one you want before booking.

Yes, just not for the aurora, which does not appear between roughly mid-April and late July. Summer Yellowknife is mild, sometimes t-shirt warm, with nearly 22 hours of daylight around the solstice. Old Town and the Bush Pilots Monument, the houseboats in Yellowknife Bay, the free Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and Legislative Assembly, and Cameron Falls about 45 minutes from town fill a pleasant few days. Our guide on whether Yellowknife is worth visiting weighs it honestly.

Yes. An NWT sport fishing licence is mandatory on every fishing trip and it is not included in tour prices, on any operator. It costs about CA$15, per the note on the Viator listing. Budget for it on top of the ice fishing tour price, and the same applies on North Star Adventures' trips. Details on the ice fishing tours page.

No, and this catches people out. Most of the tours we list cancel free up to 24 hours before departure, but two do not: the Alaskan husky sledding at Enodah Kennel and the city tour with the wildlife gallery are both non-refundable from the moment you book. We flag the cancellation terms on every tour card, and the listing itself always states them. Read that line before you pay, especially if your flights are not fixed yet.

Tipping is not mandatory, but tipping guides for good service is a normal custom in Canada, the same as in restaurants. There is no fixed rule for tours, so give what feels right for the experience you had. Cash is easiest for guides to receive, and Canadian dollars are the practical choice.

Honestly: it depends on the tour. The flagship aurora hunt carries a "likely to sell out" badge on its Viator listing, and group sizes are capped, 16 on that trip and 14 on the husky sledding, so dates around the holidays and the deep-winter peak fill first. Once your flights are fixed, booking is low-risk anyway, because most listings cancel free up to 24 hours out. The two non-refundable tours are the only ones worth holding off on until your plans are certain.

Late. Pickups run about 9:30 to 10:30pm and tours return between roughly 1:30 and 2:30am, because aurora activity tends to peak near local midnight. Plan the next morning accordingly, and if you are doing a daytime activity too, put dog sledding or ice fishing on a different day than a late aurora night if you can.