Private Aurora Tour Yellowknife: Heated SUV, Small Group

Chase the Northern Lights on your own schedule, in a warm vehicle with a guide who reads the sky.

A private aurora tour in Yellowknife departs from your accommodation in a heated white Jeep Wagoneer carrying up to six guests and a driver-guide who adjusts the route based on forecasts and cloud cover. The guide shares stories about the Northern Lights, wildlife and life in the North while helping with photography; hot chocolate, maple cookies and snacks are included. Even on quiet nights, the tour offers stargazing and wilderness beneath the northern sky.

Step-by-step itinerary

Aurora hunting in Yellowknife area

• Pickup from Yellowknife accommodation
• Settle into heated Jeep Wagoneer
• Check aurora forecasts and weather
• Stop at Yellowknife River for aurora viewing
• Enjoy hot chocolate and photography help
• Stop at Madeline Lake for northern wilderness
• Learn about wildlife and local culture
• Stop at Pontoon Lake for stargazing
• Use tripod and camera assistance
• Warm up with snacks in the vehicle
• Stop at Prelude Lake for clear sky views
• Hear stories about land and aurora
• Optional stop on Dettah Ice Road on Great Slave Lake
• Stargaze and photograph on frozen lake
• Return to Yellowknife accommodation
• Relax and discuss the night’s experience

The Experience

Your guide picks you up from your Yellowknife hotel in a new white Jeep Wagoneer with heated seats and panoramic sunroofs running front to back. Before departure, they check aurora forecasts, weather reports and cloud-cover maps—but northern conditions shift fast, so the evening's route stays flexible. Instead of following a fixed itinerary, you chase the sky, stopping where conditions look promising and moving on if clouds roll in.

The tour visits several possible viewing stops along the Ingraham Trail and beyond. The Yellowknife River offers dark surroundings and open views across water or frozen landscape; Madeline Lake sits in boreal forest away from city lights, where your guide shares stories about the landscape and wildlife (foxes, lynx and occasionally wolves inhabit the area, though sightings are never guaranteed); Pontoon Lake provides broad views for stargazing and photography; Prelude Lake, one of the most scenic stops, sits far enough from light pollution to offer clear views of stars and aurora. When the Dettah Ice Road is open and conditions allow, the tour may venture onto Great Slave Lake itself—an extraordinary winter landscape with expansive sky views and minimal surrounding light. Your guide decides which stops to visit based on what the night offers.

At each stop, you step outside to look for the aurora, watch the stars and listen to the wilderness. Your guide helps with phone or camera settings, provides a tripod upon request and can photograph you with your own device or the tour's Sony camera. Between stops, warm up in the heated Wagoneer with hot chocolate, maple cookies and chips while music plays through the sound system. The tour lasts around four hours; when the evening ends, your guide returns you to your accommodation.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a heated white Jeep Wagoneer.
• bottled water, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, maple cookies and snacks.
• photography assistance and guidance.
• tripod available upon request.
• driver-guide who shares stories about the Northern Lights, wildlife and northern life.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by NWT Charter Services

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move with the sky instead of waiting at one spot—the flexible route and small group size mean your guide can follow forecasts and chase clear skies, and the heated vehicle lets you warm up between stops without losing the view.

Top questions

What are the viewing stops on the Yellowknife aurora tour?

The tour visits stops along the Ingraham Trail including the Yellowknife River, Madeline Lake and Pontoon Lake, with Prelude Lake as a possible destination offering expansive views far from city lights. When the Dettah Ice Road is open and conditions are suitable, the tour may also travel onto Great Slave Lake. Your guide chooses which stops to visit based on forecasts and cloud cover.

Can I bring my own camera, or do I need to use the tour's equipment?

You can use your own phone or camera—your guide provides assistance with basic settings and can take photographs with your device. A tripod is available upon advance request, and the tour also carries a Sony camera if you'd like portraits taken by the guide.

What happens if the Northern Lights don't appear?

Northern conditions change quickly and aurora activity is never guaranteed. Even on a quiet night, the tour offers stargazing and a memorable excursion into the northern wilderness beneath bright stars. Your guide shares stories about the landscape, wildlife and life in the North throughout the evening.

Is this tour suitable for families with young children?

The private format works well for families—infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller, and infants sit on an adult's lap. The heated Jeep Wagoneer provides comfortable space for up to six guests plus the driver-guide, and the flexible route means you can move on if conditions don't suit a long stop.

What's included in the tour, and what should I bring?

The tour includes private transportation, bottled water, snacks, coffee and tea. Bring warm clothing appropriate for a northern winter night—you'll step outside at viewing stops, though the vehicle remains heated between them.

How long does the aurora tour last?

The tour runs for approximately four hours from pickup at your accommodation to return. Your guide adjusts stops and timing based on sky conditions and forecasts.