Northern Canada

Canada's three northern territories, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, known for the aurora, gold-rush towns and vast Arctic wilderness.

Scope: Following Canada's common four-region division, the North means the three territories of Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, which cover vast lands north of 60° N, are sparsely populated and rely on air travel and a few roads. Highlights: Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, lies directly beneath the auroral oval, with a high chance of seeing the aurora on clear nights, and is the sightseeing destination most familiar to Chinese travelers. Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon, is the gateway to the Yukon wilderness, where in winter you can see the aurora and go dog sledding, and in summer paddle canoes on the Yukon River. Dawson City preserves the boardwalks and old buildings of the Klondike Gold Rush era. Heading north along the Dempster Highway, you can pass Tombstone Territorial Park and reach Inuvik, then continue on to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean. Nunavut is represented by Inuit culture, polar bears, narwhals and Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island, but it is expensive and mostly requires joining a tour. Classic plans: a three-to-five-night aurora trip to Yellowknife or Whitehorse; in summer, a Yukon road-trip loop of Whitehorse–Dawson City–Dempster Highway of about 10–14 days. Getting there: Fly to Yellowknife or Whitehorse via connections in Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton; communities in Nunavut are essentially reachable only by air. Notes: Winter temperatures often drop below -30°C (-22°F), so professional cold-weather gear is needed; gravel highway stretches are long, so carry a spare tire and enough fuel when driving, and watch for wildlife.

Destinations

Itineraries