Northern Lights Tours
Yellowknife, Canada
- 4 to 6 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Maximize your chances of seeing the elusive aurora borealis on this northern lights tour from Yellowknife. Leave the bright lights of Yellowknife and delve deep into the Canadian countryside away to improve your chances of seeing the lights. Hear about the science band stories behind the natural phenomenon from your guide, and stay warm with a hot drink.
- Enjoy hassle-free round-trip transportation from Yellowknife
- Visit several viewing spots to increase your chances of seeing the lights
- Learn how the northern lights shine over this part of Canada
- Camera equipment isn't necessary as photos are included
What's Included
- Guide
- Beverages
- Snacks
- Transport by mini coach
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Coffee and/or Tea
- Professional photo taking by us of you and aurora!
- Dinner
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We pick up any where in Yellowknife. Pick up times vary by location. Please provide us your exact pick up location and we will respond with the corresponding pick up time.
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 08/25/2026 - 04/03/2027
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Itinerary
1
The Aurora Borealis Experience - Day Tours
5 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
WhereisKristen
Wonderful experience, Sheldon the driver and tour guide was excellent. He was funny, educated and enthusiastic throughout. He literally took us hunting for the Aurora on a cloudy night and with his vast knowledge of the area and nature we spent an incredible hour viewing the Aurora. It was a wonderful experience, 10/10 highly recommend
Reviews
4.4
based on 327 reviews
Nae_N, Jan 2026
One of the two guides, Sheldon, was awesome. Knowledgeable, helpful, funny. The other individual, Julian, wasn't really useful at all, he was arrogant, rude and disorganized. He took us to two spots on the promise of seeing better lights .... he promised that because he wanted to move us closer to town (ie. to end the tour sooner) - of course the lights at the new location were poor .... There was a big difference between going out with him vs. with Sheldon .... so there - for whatever it's worth .... this company is cheap but has no infrastructure, we stayed in the bus to warm up, no tee pees and no fire ....
Melanie_C, Nov 2025
They will do their very best to allow you to see the Northern Lights! It was cloudy, and they drove and drove till we found them. Tour was 5 hours and other than the fact I wish I had bought some water, it was perfect! We got amazing photos and the bus was warm and cozy until we did. I understand no one can control the weather, but they made the best of it and delivered. One hundred percent!
Jason_D, Oct 2025
Julian was an amazing driver and took us to great spots to see the northern lights. We got hot chocolate and maple cookies to warm us up.
Karina_Y, Sep 2025
Isaac was very hospitable and care for all the visitors. The bus driver was very accommodating. We were awe in seeing the beautiful Aurora and the picture taken sessions were quite relaxing.
Tania_A, Sep 2025
Looking back, it was probably my mistake to give this company a second chance after such a disastrous first night. Unfortunately, the experience only got worse.
The operator told me they would arrive before 10:25 PM. I was outside waiting, but because of the cold and heavy smoke, I stepped inside briefly for a glass of water when the time had already passed. At 10:26 PM, I suddenly received a message that they were outside, immediately followed by another one saying they couldn’t wait any longer. I rushed out within seconds, only to see the bus leaving.
I called and emailed right away, begging them to come back, but the operator didn’t respond until 10:31 PM, saying it was “too far” to return. In the end, I paid for a service I never received, and the operator showed zero willingness to solve the issue.
This was one of the most disappointing travel experiences I’ve ever had. I regret trusting them again after the first failure. For future travelers: don’t make the same mistake I did — avoid this tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Hello, and thanks for your feedback back. You joined us for 3 nights. On the first night you were waiting outside at the prescribed pick up time and had a great tour with amazing Aurora and photos. On your second night you were not outside and subsequently missed the bus. On your third night after your boyfriend promising us that you would be outside and on time you were again not outside waiting, however we waited several minutes for you to come outside.
Many of our guests stay in airbnbs, as a convenience to them (including yourself) we offer tour pick up service from all Airbnbs in Yellowknife. On some nights this service takes us across the city, so in order to prevent the pick up process from taking too long (so we can spend more time watching Aurora) we kindly ask people to wait outside their accommodation 2-3 minutes prior to their pick up time. For your second night we arrive at 10:22 for your 10:25pick up. After no sign of you being there left at 10:26. The Bnb that you booked was on the far edge of town, and the pick ups following yours were all across town, we could simply turn the bus around 5 minutes later when you responded as it would have made us terribly late for all of our other customers who were on time waiting outside. By the time the pick ups were finished it would have been 10-15 minutes to go back and get you, resulting in a net minus 20-30 minutes of tour time. For this reason it was not possible and not fair to on time guests to turn the bus back to get you.
Tania_A, Sep 2025
I have booked tours all over the world through Viator, TripAdvisor and similar platforms, and I have never had an experience as unprofessional as this one.
For my first tour on April 29, I provided all of my accommodation details during the booking, since pick-up from the hotel was included. However, it seems the operator never received this information. He contacted me asking where I was staying, and I promptly replied. After that, I never heard back.
From 5:00 PM until the 10:00 PM tour start, I tried calling and messaging repeatedly with no answer. I even contacted Viator’s Help Center because I was left completely in the dark. In the end, only after my partner called the operator’s phone multiple times did we finally get a response. He told us to wait at 10:50 PM — but he didn’t arrive until 11:10 PM, leaving me waiting 20 minutes outside in the freezing cold.
Although I eventually joined the tour, I had already booked another one out of fear I would miss out, and I had to reschedule that tour at my own cost. This level of communication failure is unacceptable, and no traveler should go through this kind of stress.
LI_T, Mar 2025
Worst tour we've ever had! It was a very cold night with super clear sky and high chance to see the northern lights. 20 minutes before scheduled trip the tour company send a big bus, instead of a mini coach as it promised online, to pickup us, spending more than 30 minutes and stopped many times to pick up other people before the trip started. The driver driven around without any explanations or information and finally stopped at a dark and cold place by a lake. When we asked how long we'd stay there the tour guide rudly said "what's the problem with you guys! If you want to leave I can send you back now". After a long, cold and lack of instruction experience at the lake we went back to the bus naturally assuming we'd be driven to next stop since it was called "chasing light" trip, in that way we missed the huge aurora borealis explosion while staying inside the bus. During the very long waiting time, we heard the tour guy mentioned expecting something, when we asked what he's expecting he simple said nothing, without telling us there could be a huge possibility to see a large show of northern light later. After that northern lights explosion we asked if we could stay longer waiting for another chance he answered "if you don't want to leave you could stay here" then straight went back to the bus, left one of our family members fell on the snow in the darkness! He's SO rude and unprofessional! No information or instruction about the trip given to us during the whole time(especially about the toilet--not available, locked!). We'er all seniors in our group, traveling thousands of miles to chase northern lights, only to find that a chance to get a bad, incompetent tour guide is larger than a happenning of an aurora borealis minor storm! What a suffering and disappointing northern light trip! If I recommend this company to anyone I'm robbering.
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Thank you for your feedback regarding your recent Northern Lights tour. We want to clarify that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon that cannot be precisely timed or predicted. Our experienced guides do their best to interpret short-term visual signs to enhance your experience, which is why we do not specify tour end times. We understand that you and your party asked "when are we going back" several times during the tour. Despite our explanations, we recognize that it seemed you did not fully grasp the situation. At 1 am, we offered to send a car back to Yellowknife, but you declined. We also noticed that your group was dressed in light jackets, jeans and running shoes, which may have contributed to your discomfort as it was about -30C outside. While we provided heated tents and a heated bus, this limited your time outside to enjoy the aurora fully. Many guests who had their own or had rented winter gear had a wonderful experience, and we regret that you missed out. Despite these challenges, we captured numerous photos for you and served hot chocolate and cookies to enhance your experience. We strive to create memorable nights for our guests, but ultimately, we encourage everyone to prepare adequately for such an adventure. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.
Heidi_V, Mar 2025
Julian was enthusiastic and informative. And we were blessed with an amazing show by the Northern Lights
Pamela_C, Mar 2025
This experience was absolutely amazing! Our guide, Julian, took us to three different spots to give us the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights, and it happened! The sky came alive in a breathtaking aurora dance, painting endless shapes. Pure magic! Thank you!
HyeWon_K, Mar 2025
Theres lots of people in the tour, but it wasn't that matter. The aurora was wonderful and we could take a lots of picture.
KennethS_K, Mar 2025
After many failed attempts at Northern Lights spotting around the Arctic, this aurora hunt finally did the trick and I was treated to quite the sky show! Julian and his team are super profesh, chasing the aurorae around the forest-lined lakes outside Yellowknife to offer the best views. They include free personal pics and hot chocolate too! I highly recommend — just wear super warm socks and lots of layers! Brrrrrrrr! (Bus is heated and you can hop in and out, FYI)
Michael_A, Mar 2025
Julian did an amazing job driving to where there were few clouds so that we could see the aurora to the fullest.
WhereisKristen, Feb 2025
Wonderful experience, Sheldon the driver and tour guide was excellent. He was funny, educated and enthusiastic throughout. He literally took us hunting for the Aurora on a cloudy night and with his vast knowledge of the area and nature we spent an incredible hour viewing the Aurora. It was a wonderful experience, 10/10 highly recommend
Kunihiko_H, Feb 2025
What professional work! The day I booked this tour was completely overcast and snowy, but our guide drove east for an hour based on their aurora analysis, and we finally witnessed the dancing aurora lights!
While luck certainly plays a role, their effort was truly remarkable. If anyone tells me they want to see the aurora, I'll definitely recommend this tour in Yellowknife.
Eunnam_T, Feb 2025
Wow We saw very very beautiful aurora at 3 spots
They know well where is aurora and They took pictures us alot
very very goos trip thank you
Steven_W, Feb 2025
We booked two nights (1-30-25 & 2-1-25) to improve our odds of seeing the lights. We were fortunate to have clear nights and active auras. Each night, the lights were different and the intensity and “dancing” varied over the course of the evening. Julian did a fine job finding the lights both nights and provided a nice snack of hot chocolate and fresh cookies. He was communicative about pickup time at the hotel and arrived on time. Julian was also pleasant throughout the night as he shepherded the group to two different locations, taking numerous pictures at both sites. I highly recommend Julian and this tour.
kaichun_k, Feb 2025
We had a nice midnight trip, and the guide were good , too. But the bus was a little too fronzen for us.
Edgar_D, Jan 2025
Guide was very helpful and knowledgeable on the aurora! Able to catch it! Nice tour with hot chocolate and cookies was a plus!
Lynnely_S, Jan 2025
I did this tour twice. Julian made every attempt to get us to the best spots and time to view the northern lights. My first night gave us a beautiful show. The 2nd night was not as brilliant but that's mother nature! Would totally recommend this company!
MARCO_R, Jan 2025
Nice trip with Julian. We will comeback soon. Thank you. From 8 pm to almost 2 am. Too cold but great experience.
Chiara_B, Jan 2025
This four operator does not respond to communication and left us with the fear that he would not pick us up from our pickup point till the last moment.
Would avoid.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
You requested last minute clothing rentals because Air Canada lost your bags. We quickly put these items together however when it came time to deliver the clothes you said "sorry we dont need it anymore" We have all the text messages that were exchanged regarding this. As for the northern lights tour pick up time, we share this daily around 5pm after the final weather report comes out. We had however been in communication with you all that afternoon. You and your husband from Toronto joined the aurora tour that night which I had picked you up from 5022 Finlayson ave (your bnb) and dropped you off there after the tour. I got an email from trip advisor after where you stated "the tour guide never picked us up so we are requesting a refund". I have texted you regarding this but you never replied.
rosebrownie91, Jan 2025
The night started out cloudy though ended up clearing petty well. Cought some good pictures of that night's auroras. Both the driver and guide did really well picking the spot to stop. The auroras lasted well over an hour.
Tathagata_A, Dec 2024
We drove for 350 kilometers and didn’t see any Aurora. There was cloud cover everywhere. We came all the way from Southern California and spent a lot of money only to see Aurora! Therefore, naturally we are disappointed.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Yes, not seeing aurora is disappointing, but thanks for highlighting our extended efforts with trying to make it happen for you! You did however, only join a tour for one night which doesn't offer that high of a viewing potential. I am sure you spent a lot to get to Yellowknife and also on the hotel. The tour fees are actually the least expensive part of your trip. It is best to go every night to maximize your chances!
apmliu, Dec 2024
Initially, the sky was covered up with cloud and we barely saw anything, not even the stars. Later, when we moved to the west, the sky was cleared up a bit and we got to see the amazing aurora! Not very strong, but still can see it from the naked eye.
Seohee_K, Dec 2024
The best aurora hunting tour in Yellowknife. Plus, I have got to see many fallen stars with long aurora in the dark sky while it was snowing in yellowknife downtown,
The Guide, Julien, is passionate in finding an aurora and he did again. we saw a long wide red aurora during our tour. Recommend this tour with Julien!
While I wasted one night with another company (northern light adventure which I chose because it had a better google review) That team drove in routine without any efforts and of course 8 people sat down in a van and just watched snow falling. very disappointing.
Heeju_C, Dec 2024
I couldn't see the aurora very well because of the bad weather, but the guide worked hard to find the aurora view. And they took great pictures and the hot chocolate was really delicious.
Daniel_A, Dec 2024
This was an amazing experience. Our guide Julian, truly made this excursion a fun one. He was very knowledgeable and provided us with excellent photos of us under the northern lights. I would definitely recommend this tour. Hopefully, you guys can get Julian as your tour guide.
John_G, Nov 2024
A great experience overall! Our guide, Sheldon, was great as an “Aurora chaser” and took us to a couple of really great spots! He was also hilarious.
Ensure you dress very warmly (wear layers!) as you will spend a decent amount of time outside taking pictures, but also waiting in the bus while others do their picture taking and it can get a bit cold while waiting.
We also did a stop off at the airport mid-way to use some nice warm washrooms - very appreciated!
Mariana_R, Nov 2024
Everything was great, they took us into the most beautiful place, the sky was amazing and the northern lights were clear and awesome
JeanClaude_B, Nov 2024
On account of a cloudy sky, we did not see the auroras.
But our guide and driver deserve an A+ for trying. He drove 125km in an effort to find a free sky. But without luck. However we never got to eat its cookies and drink its coffee.
From $67.30
per person-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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