Yellowknife: Aurora Hunting Tour with Aboriginal Guides & Photos

Summary

Yellowknife aurora hunting tour with local stories, wild skies and warm maple cookies

You’ll chase the Northern Lights outside Yellowknife with local Aboriginal guides who know where to find clear skies each night. Warm up with hot chocolate and Canadian maple cookies while your guide takes professional photos of you under the aurora. The route changes based on weather — it’s always an adventure — and you’ll hear real stories along the way.

What’s the experience like?

Someone’s pouring hot chocolate into my mug — steam curling up in the cold — before I even realize how numb my fingers have gotten. That’s Li, our guide. He grew up here in Yellowknife and knows every backroad and shortcut through the dark. We’d been driving for maybe half an hour, headlights bouncing off snowbanks, when he suddenly pulled over. “Clouds are moving,” he said, checking his phone and then the sky like he was reading a secret code. There’s no set route on this aurora hunting tour; you just follow wherever the lights might show up.

I didn’t expect how quiet it would be out there. Just us, some other hopeful faces from Europe and Japan (I think?), and that big northern silence broken only by boots crunching on snow or someone laughing nervously when they look up. The air smells sharp — like pine and something metallic — and every so often Li points out animal tracks in the snow. He told us about his grandmother seeing the aurora as a kid, said it’s different every night. And then, almost like it was waiting for us to settle down, green ribbons started flickering across the sky. It wasn’t loud or dramatic at first — more like a shy hello.

Li snapped photos of everyone (free, which is nice because my hands were shaking too much to try), and passed around these maple cookies that tasted way better than I expected at midnight in the middle of nowhere. Someone tried to say “aurora” in Dene — Li laughed so hard he almost dropped his camera. I still think about that moment: all of us standing there together, breath hanging in the air, not really saying much but somehow sharing something big.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Aurora hunting and viewing experience

• Depart for Aurora viewing locations
• Hunt for Aurora based on conditions
• Enjoy wilderness and wildlife surroundings
• Receive free professional Aurora photos
• Drink hot chocolate and eat cookies

Top questions

How long does the Yellowknife aurora hunting tour last?

The tour runs late into the evening but exact timing depends on aurora conditions each night.

Are washrooms available during the aurora hunting tour?

No, there are no cabins or washrooms; you’ll be out in wilderness areas.

Is hotel pickup included for this aurora hunting tour?

The tour includes pickup from central locations; check details when booking.

Are children allowed on this aurora hunting experience?

Children aged 5 years and older can join but must be accompanied by an adult.

What snacks are provided during the aurora hunt?

You’ll get hot chocolate and Canadian maple cookies during the outing.

Do I need to bring my own tripod for photos?

Small tripods are free to borrow; larger ones can be rented if needed.

Will a professional photographer take pictures of me with the Northern Lights?

Your guide will take free professional photographs of you under the aurora during the tour.

Is this aurora hunting tour suitable for all fitness levels?

The experience is suitable for all physical fitness levels since most viewing spots are accessible by vehicle.

What’s included

Your evening includes flexible pickup options near Yellowknife, guidance from Aboriginal locals who know where to find clear skies for Northern Lights viewing, free pro photos taken under the aurora, use of small tripods (with larger ones available to rent), plus hot chocolate and Canadian maple cookies shared out under open skies before heading back late at night.