The skies near the Earth’s magnetic poles are filled with nature’s most incredible light show in the fall, winter, and spring. In the Northern Hemisphere, colorful bands of light whirl and spin across a dark sky in a mesmerizing, ethereal display known as the Northern Lights or Aurora borealis. In 1619, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei named the phenomenon the Northern Lights, after Aurora, the Roman goddess of dawn, and Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind. But long before Galileo gave light a scientific name, the indigenous peoples who lived in the northern regions witnessed the magic of light. Today, indigenous tour operators and guides take visitors on auroral viewing Tours in the lands where their ancestors have lived since ancient times. Here are the best Northern Lights Tours led by Aboriginal people in Canada.
What causes auroras? Where can I see the aurora?
Auroras are magical phenomena that occur when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s atmosphere. Particles that enter the Earth’s atmosphere are gathered into Earth’s geomagnetic poles. When these particles are excited, they emit colors, forming glowing rings around the geomagnetic poles. These rings are called auroral ovals. While the Northern Lights can be seen in many northern regions, locations within the auroral ellipse offer the brightest and most frequent displays of the lights of the north. Parts of northern Canada, northern Alaska, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and Greenland are below the Northern Lights ellipse.
Northwest Territories, Canada
The Northwest Territories is one of the best places on Earth to see the aurora. Clear, dark skies, low humidity, and a strategic location under the auroral oval allow the Northern Lights to shine 240 nights a year. It is estimated that visitors to Yellowknife have a 95% chance of seeing the Northern Lights during the aurora season. This destination is also home to several indigenous-owned tour companies, each offering a unique aurora viewing experience.
360-degree panoramic heated seats
Aurora Village, located just outside Yellowknife, has been one of the best places to see the Northern Lights since it opened in 2000. This aboriginal-owned Northern Lights viewing destination has 21 traditional tepees and hilltop attractions around a pristine lake. On cold northern nights, guests can stay warm in a teepee, around a campfire, or on heated outdoor chairs that rotate 360 degrees for a view of the Northern Lights, one of the most comfortable ways to see the Northern Lights.
Dog sledding to watch the aurora
Bucketlist Tours offers small-group aurora viewing experiences, including Aboriginal storytelling and a delicious late-night snack at a cozy cabin outside Yellowknife. The meal includes traditional homemade fish chowder, hot pancakes, coffee, tea, and some herbal teas from the north. Conventional northern costumes are also available, so guests can dress up for photos while they wait for the Northern Lights. The company offers a variety of other Indigenous Tours throughout the year.
Learn the legend of the Northern Lights
There are countless legends about the Northern Lights – human attempts to explain a seemingly incomprehensible phenomenon. Learning about the legends of the aurora is almost as fascinating as seeing them as part of an aurora viewing tour with B. Dene Adventures. “Our Aurora Tours are unique because they include traditional drumming, cooking fish over a fire, and sharing our language and culture,” said Bobby Drivers, company owner. “Guests enjoy talking to our elders and hearing Dene legends and stories.” While waiting for the aurora to appear, visitors can relax in a warm cabin or tent at Akaiqiu Bay, located on the shores of Great Slave Lake outside Yellowknife.
Aurora hunt
Most auroral viewing Tours depart from base camp, but Polaris Expeditions does things differently. Instead of staying in one place and waiting for the northern lights to appear, they looked for the aurora. “Looking for auroras is like chasing a storm,” explains company owner Joe Bailey. “It’s exciting and can increase your chances of seeing the aurora.” If it is cloudy in one place, they will move to another in search of clearer skies and better views. Bailey called his trip “the Aurora Hunt” in homage to his Dene ancestors. As guests wait to see the aurora, Indigenous guides share the legends of the Dini people.
View the aurora from the Voyageur canoe
The Navar North Expedition offers a unique early aurora viewing experience from a 29-foot, 12-person canoe. During the fur trade, waterways were highways, and navigators used canoes to transport people and pelts. This special aurora viewing tour allows guests to be surrounded by light when the aurora in the sky is reflected on the water. A traditional meal of soups, cakes, and drinks is also served.
Stay warm in the brand-new Tepee Inn Aurora
Aurora viewing in winter is warm and comfortable in the brand-new Aurora Tent Hostel offered by Aurora Tours.Net. There are several traditional teepees and a large trap-type tent. The experience includes trying on traditional costumes and furs, enjoying storytelling, and comfortably waiting for the Northern Lights to dance in the sky outside the Yellow Knife.
Yukon, Canada
Yukon is known for its dark skies, clear nights, excellent guides and travel agents, and strategic location under the Auroral Oval.
Right in front of Kluane National Park
Shakat Tun Adventures’ Shakat Tun Wilderness Camp, located on the edge of Christmas Lake near Kluane National Park, is a great place to experience South Tuchini culture and see the Northern Lights in the traditional Champagne and Ashhik First Nations territories. The owner, James Allen, is a former chief and an incredible storyteller. In addition to telling you the best places to see the Northern Lights, he will also tell you about the Southern Tacion legend associated with the Northern Lights. The company also offers several other cultural experiences.
Manitoba, Canada
Churchill, Manitoba, is sparsely populated and directly below the auroral ellipse, so light pollution is low. This is a great place to see the Northern Lights, and several indigenous-owned companies can help you see them.
Dog sledding and Northern Lights viewing
Wapusk Expeditions offers dog sledding during the day and northern lights viewing at night on its property outside Churchill. Guests can stay warm in tents or cabins while they wait for the aurora to dance in the sky. Wapusk Expeditions is an award-winning company founded in 2001 by David Daly. He traces his Aboriginal ancestry to a 16th-century Msamutis community in the Red River Valley.
