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Yellowknife Aurora Hunting Tours by Bus

Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Yellowknife, Canada
Popular pick
Booked 10+ times last week!
  • 4 to 5 hours (approx.)
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

5.0
·
· Michelle_K ·
Apr 2026
Luke was a great guide in the aurora hunting/chasing tour. Prompt pickup with great knowledge of places to visit, even allowing detours to get better view of the lights. He also took pictures for us, which he gave to us as soon as the tour ended. I would highly recommend and I kind of need to know the recipe of his hot chocolate!
· Joseph_L ·
Dec 2025
Our guide was excellent. On a cloudy evening he was consistently searching aurora. We went to various locations in our hunt, mainly on property. Nice lodge with snacks and kitchen with drink for us. Good aurora close to evenings end and we stayed until all had pictures and clouds came back in around 1:30. Great experience.

Overview

While you can never guarantee to see the Northern Lights, Canada’s Northern Territories is one of a few places where you have a great chance of doing so. After being picked up from your Yellowknife hotel, travel into the wilderness of the Yellowknife River Territorial Park on this aurora-hunting experience.
  • A chance to see the Northern Lights in the Northern Territories
  • Safety a priority: Guides are trained in wilderness first aid
  • Convenient pickup and drop-off at your Yellowknife hotel
  • Includes a photo of you enjoying the aurora

What's Included

  • Shared Transportation and Shared Tour to Aurora highlights
  • Snacks
  • Tour guide
  • Professional photo taking by us of you and aurora!
  • meals

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Operating hours
.9:00 pm

Itinerary

1

Yellowknife River Territorial Park Day Use Area

1 hour Admission Ticket Free

2

Madeline Lake Territorial Park

1 hour Admission Ticket Free

3

Pontoon Lake

2 hours Admission Ticket Free

4

Prelude Lake Territorial Park

1 hour Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0
based on 49 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

great for the most part!

Songie_K, Apr 2026
It was a really nice tour 😄 I saw the northern lights and the guide was super friendly! It was supposed to be a bus, but since there were only four of us including me, we went in a minivan instead. I didn’t mind at all it was nice having a small group

The sky comes alive with color!

Miller_C, Apr 2026
Hunting down the Aurora is an exercise in patience albeit a cold one! Our guide Luke was both gracious and friendly and knew exactly where to go to find the lights. At first I was a disappointed in what I was seeing but our last stop made up for it. Seeing the night sky alive in green and red was quite something. As a note, you can’t see the colors without a camera. The naked eye just sees white cloud like shapes that take time to build and then the color action starts. Prime viewing time is 10pm to 2am so during the winter months including April be prepared to dress warmly paying particular attention to your feet. You will be out standing on frozen lakes for periods of time and running shoes wont cut it. Hot chocolate and snacks were provided. Hotel pick up/drop off included. well worth it for a unique experience.

Northern lights in Yellowknife

RaymundGeorge_C, Apr 2026
Awesome seeing the aurora on our first attempt. Our guide Luke was very helpful and patient. Certainly knows a lot about the science behind the northern lights.

Luke was so enthusiastic,...

Natalie_B, Apr 2026
Luke was so enthusiastic, warm, friendly and immediately memorized everybody’s names! He was very responsible and responsive so we didn’t have to get nervous if we are not in the right spot. The bus was warm; the hot chocolate was the best I tried in my life (honest!). The aurora was a bit pale and he was honest about it so we didn’t have our expectations high. We decided to try our luck again, booked again the next day (should I say he walked an extra mile to accommodate us) and OMG. The experience of a lifetime. The aurora was breathtaking and Luke took wonderful pictures of us. My kid and I keep bragging about the tour. I highly recommend it!

Luke was a great guide in...

Michelle_K, Apr 2026
Luke was a great guide in the aurora hunting/chasing tour. Prompt pickup with great knowledge of places to visit, even allowing detours to get better view of the lights. He also took pictures for us, which he gave to us as soon as the tour ended. I would highly recommend and I kind of need to know the recipe of his hot chocolate!

Thanks, Luke!

tay, Apr 2026
This tour was great! Luke is lovely, communication is clear regarding hotel pick up time, the bus is comfortable, and there is great value for the price compared to other similar tours. Luke brought us to great spots to view the aurora, and took great pictures for us. It’s a laid back and relaxing atmosphere, we got on and off the bus a bunch so we could warm up before going out again. We had our 2 kids, 1 age 8 who slept some of the time, and our 11 year old. Hot chocolate was a nice touch. We had booked 2 days in a row with Luke before we came and are glad we did. We got lucky and the second night was spectacular! Thanks, Luke, for a great trip!

Book this tour.

Elizabeth_G, Mar 2026
This is a small group and Luke is fabulous! He took us to where he thought there would be lights and not necessarily a preset place. He was flexible and would stop if there was a great display going on. He also sent us back outside of the small van and let us know when the lights became active. I would’ve done this a number of nights had I known how good it was.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thanks for the kinds words.

Auroras Experience.

Antonio_V, Mar 2026
General information about auroras. Enjoy the nature and what God give to all his people. Every body came to get the chance to see the aurora.

Best guide in town

Tyler_C, Jan 2026
Luke was an excellent guide for aura hunting. He took us out to spots that weren't crowded with other buses, explained the history and culture of the areas we were driving through, showed us how to hunt for the auras on our own, and took as many photos for us as we wanted.

An Incredible Aurora Hunt Against the Odds

Zaher_M, Jan 2026
Despite a very poor forecast that night, this tour turned out to be an unforgettable experience. Most other tours were unable to find the aurora, but Luke’s knowledge, persistence, and incredible effort truly saved the night. He continuously monitored the cloud movement and drove farther out, carefully timing clear breaks as the clouds shifted downward. Thanks to his determination and strong aurora hunting instincts, we were rewarded with beautiful sightings later in the night. There was no rushing at any stop, and everyone had plenty of time to enjoy the moment and take photos. Luke’s calm confidence and dedication made all the difference, and we left feeling incredibly grateful for such a memorable night.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thanks for the kind words 🙏

Second night even better

William_S, Dec 2025
This was the second night of aurora hunting for our family. Our operator proved his skill the first night, but it can be hit or miss. Our prayers were answered because the second night was excellent. We stayed out until about 1:30, and he saved the best for last. It was a really awesome experience, and I’ll let the pictures say the rest.

Excellent views

William_S, Dec 2025
The operator has good communications. He told us what his plan was, was responsive to people’s needs and friendly. Also, he has good Aurora hunting instincts. He got some excellent Aurora pictures and shared them with everyone in addition to our own pictures. The refreshments were pretty basic. Hot chocolate and cookies on this occasion. Rest stops not available on the East side, so plan accordingly.

Amazing aurora hunting

MC_C, Dec 2025
Tina is an excellent guide who took us aurora hunting in Yellowknife. She was very kind and patiently helped everyone on the tour take photos using a high-quality camera. We first travelled by bus to several different locations in search of clear skies. Afterwards, we visited a cozy lounge where snacks, hot chocolate, and washrooms were available for a short rest. Then we headed out to the lakeside to watch the aurora. Although the aurora index was low that night, we were still lucky enough to see the lights dancing across the sky. It was a magical experience and truly a highlight of our trip. Tina was also generous in sharing some of the beautiful photos she had taken with us after the tour.

Aurora ..........eventually !!!!

Joseph_L, Dec 2025
Our guide was excellent. On a cloudy evening he was consistently searching aurora. We went to various locations in our hunt, mainly on property. Nice lodge with snacks and kitchen with drink for us. Good aurora close to evenings end and we stayed until all had pictures and clouds came back in around 1:30. Great experience.

Chasing Aurora

LITA_L, Nov 2025
That was the cloudy day, we didn’t expect to see the light, but the guide made it happen. We saw the light in 3 stops and only our tour in that spots. Also, he sent all the pictures he took at the end of the tour. He was so cheer and friendly. I would recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thanks for the kind words 🙏

Northern Lights Tour

Paul_L, Nov 2025
Luke was a great guide and was very enthusiastic and welcoming. He picked us up right from our hotel and we drove for 4 hours trying to find a clear view of the lights. Although we were not successful in seeing the lights on the night we went, we did see some stars and still had a fun time. Luke even made everyone hot chocolate and brought cookies which we appreciated because it was very cold. We hope to come back to Yellowknife one day and do another tour.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thanks for the kind words 🙏

Our aurora tour was great, we managed to see northern lights from many observation points

Luis_M, Oct 2025
It depends pretty much on forecast but Luke was exceptional, he is a true northern lights hunter !!!

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thanks for the kind words 🙏

We had a wonderful night....

Anne_W, Oct 2025
We had a wonderful night. The weather was clear and there was plenty of activity in the sky to be seen. Luke was a wonderful tour guide who knew the area well. He was able to drive us to lookout points which optimised our view of the Aurora Borealis. He took wonderful photos for us and happy to answer all our questions. Overall we were totally satisfied with this tour.

Luke is very friendly and...

Matthew_C, Sep 2025
Luke is very friendly and knows some great spots for aurora viewing, away from the crowds. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time with Luke and enjoy his small, friendly tour.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words and support!

Luke was an exceptional...

Amos_S, Mar 2025
Luke was an exceptional guide and made the evening a wonderful experience even though nature was not cooperative and we did not see the Aurora.

Good time had by all

MariaGena_D, Feb 2025
Luke was an excellent guide and really made our tour special. He knows where to find great places to see the Aurora B.

Response from Host, Feb 2025

Thank you!

Ray.

GIHYEON_A, Jan 2026
Fantastic!!! I've never experience that before! So much good experience and fantastic Aurora, hard-working driver guide will never forget! Full-fledged.
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Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thanks for the kind words.

Merci Luke, Super guide !

pierre_N, Feb 2025
Merci Luke pour cette belle excursion ! Malheureusement nous n’avons pas pu voir d’aurores car le ciel était couvert mais Luke a fait tout son possible pour qu’on en voit et nous a partagé son expérience de vie dans le grand nord ! Je recommande cette excursion les yeux fermés !

From $87.49

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 41 days in advance.

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