The Northwest Territories are Canada's last great frontier — a vast 1.3-million km² territory where the northern lights dance more than 200 nights a year, where the Nahanni River carves spectacular canyons, and where ice roads stretch across frozen lakes as far as the eye can see. With the aurora capital of the world (Yellowknife), Canada's largest national park, diamond mines, and vibrant Dene Indigenous cultures, the NWT offers experiences found nowhere else. Here are the 20 must-do experiences.
To explore further, see our provinces and territories guide and our Discover the Northwest Territories article. The unique landscapes of this region are also covered in our Canadian geography guide. Canada's wildlife and wilderness is equally remarkable here. You can also explore Top 20 — yukon.html and Top 20 — nunavut.html.
Yellowknife is considered the aurora capital of the world. Situated directly beneath the auroral oval, the city offers visible auroras up to 240 nights per year — a world record. Conditions are ideal: clear skies, low humidity and minimal light pollution. Companies like Aurora Village offer viewing experiences in heated tipis with hot tea. The lights appear on average three nights per week from August to April, with peak viewing between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Canada's most famous aurora viewing site. Aurora Village offers an immersive experience with heated traditional tipis, hot beverages, and expert aurora photography guides. Visitors can rent tripods and learn photography techniques to capture the lights. The company also offers multi-night packages to maximize viewing chances. About thirty tipis are scattered around a lake, providing an unobstructed 360-degree view of the sky.
Wood Buffalo National Park is the world's largest dark-sky preserve (44,807 km²), designated by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2013. Its position on the auroral oval means even modest geomagnetic activity produces spectacular auroras. Far from any city, the darkness is total — the auroras reflect in the lakes and wetlands of the Peace-Athabasca Delta for a breathtaking spectacle.
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Yellowknife is nicknamed the "diamond capital of North America." Canada's first diamond mines opened northeast of the city: Ekati in 1998, Diavik in 2003, and Snap Lake in 2008. The NWT produces exceptional quality diamonds that rival those from South Africa.
One of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites (1978) and a natural jewel of breathtaking beauty. Nahanni National Park Reserve spans 30,000 km² and protects deep canyons, hot springs, caves, and the spectacular South Nahanni River. The park was significantly expanded in 2009, growing from 4,766 to approximately 30,000 km². It's one of Canada's most legendary outdoor destinations, attracting adventurers from around the world.
Virginia Falls on the South Nahanni River is a jaw-dropping spectacle: a 96-metre drop, roughly twice the height of Niagara Falls. The waters crash down in a deafening roar between spectacular rock walls. Accessible only by floatplane, these falls reward adventurers with one of Canada's most grandiose panoramas. A central rock pillar divides the cascade into two majestic curtains of water.
Canada's largest national park at 44,807 km² — larger than Switzerland. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it protects the world's largest herds of wood bison and the only natural nesting habitat of the endangered whooping crane. The park also contains the Peace-Athabasca Delta, one of the world's largest inland deltas, as well as spectacular salt plains and complex karst cave systems.
The deepest lake in North America (614 m) and the tenth-largest lake in the world by area. Great Slave Lake offers world-class fishing — trophy lake trout (up to 30 kg), northern pike, and Arctic grayling. Indigenous-owned lodges like Frontier Lodge offer unforgettable fishing experiences. In winter, the lake freezes thick enough to support heavy vehicles, and Yellowknife's houseboat community has become an attraction in its own right.
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The Mackenzie River is Canada's longest waterway (4,241 km including tributaries) and the second-longest river system in North America after the Mississippi. It flows northward from Great Slave Lake to the Arctic Ocean. The Dene people call it "Deh-Cho" — the "great river."
A uniquely northern experience: driving on a frozen lake. The Dettah Ice Road crosses Yellowknife Bay on Great Slave Lake — 6 km of road on ice that's 1.2 to 1.8 metres thick. The Tibbitt-Contwoyto road, the world's longest ice road (600 km), serves the northern diamond mines. In winter, you can see people jogging, kite-skiing, or fat-biking right on the ice road.
The only road in Canada that crosses the Arctic Circle and reaches the Arctic Ocean. The Dempster Highway stretches from the Yukon to Tuktoyaktuk, the only Arctic Ocean village accessible by road in Canada. The final section (Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk, 138 km) was completed in 2017. The landscape transitions from taiga to Arctic tundra — an epic road trip through endless wilderness, with caribou and Arctic foxes along the way.
One of the most legendary canoe expeditions in the world. Paddling the South Nahanni River offers canyons over 1,000 metres deep, Class III rapids, natural hot springs, and the awe-inspiring Virginia Falls. The full expedition typically takes 10 to 21 days and covers approximately 200 km of pristine wilderness. For experienced paddlers or with a professional guide — an adventure that changes your life.
The only place in Canada where you can drive to the Arctic Ocean. The small Inuvialuit hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk (population: ~900) is the gateway to the Canadian Arctic. Dipping your feet in the Arctic Ocean is an unforgettable moment. The village is also home to the Pingo Canadian Landmark, where eight spectacular ice-dome hills, including Ibyuk (49 m), the second tallest in the world, rise from the tundra.
The Dene, the largest Indigenous group in the NWT, offer authentic cultural experiences. B-Dene Adventures, an Indigenous-owned company, offers excursions into Yellowknives Dene territory with traditional storytelling, aurora legends around the campfire, and snowshoe making. In Dettah, visitors can tour ancestral lands by snowmobile and visit a traditional Dene camp. Indigenous peoples make up over 50% of the NWT population.
The main museum of the Northwest Territories, telling the story of the people, land, and history of Canada's North. Exhibitions cover Dene, Inuvialuit, and Metis culture, Canadian Shield geology, the fur trade era, and the diamond mining age. The museum features an exceptional collection of Northern Indigenous art and archaeological artifacts dating back thousands of years.
The Northern Images gallery is the premier outlet for Northern Canadian Indigenous art and crafts. You'll find Inuit soapstone and caribou bone sculptures, Dene drums made from dried caribou skin stretched over birch frames, hand-beaded moccasins, and fur mittens. Traditional NWT crafts also include beading, moccasin sewing, basket weaving, and hide work. Each piece tells the story of a thousand-year-old culture.
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The Northwest Territories recognizes 11 official languages — the most of any province or territory in Canada. In addition to French and English, these include Chipewyan, Cree, Gwich'in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Tlicho (Dogrib), North Slavey, and South Slavey.
Every March, a spectacular castle sculpted entirely from snow and ice rises on the frozen surface of Great Slave Lake. The Snowking Festival is a one-of-a-kind event: the approximately 1,100 m² snow castle features ice slides, a performance great hall, an ice bar, and children's tunnels. Concerts, shows, and craft markets run all month long. A celebration of the northern winter in all its splendour.
The traditional mode of transportation in the Far North, transformed into a thrilling tourist adventure. Several operators around Yellowknife offer dog sled excursions through boreal forest and across frozen lakes. Visitors can drive their own team or ride along while taking in the winter landscape. The enthusiastic and affectionate Canadian huskies are part of the experience. Some tours combine dog sledding with northern lights viewing.
The Ingraham Trail is Yellowknife's scenic byway, winding through boreal forest, lakes, and Canadian Shield rock outcrops. The Cameron Falls trail, a moderate hike in Hidden Lake Territorial Park, leads to a spectacular waterfall surrounded by Precambrian rock. Along the route, Prelude and Madeline lakes offer beaches, camping, and canoeing in summer, and skating in winter.
The largest lake located entirely within Canada's borders and the eighth largest in the world. Great Bear Lake is a 31,153 km² giant with crystal-clear waters. The community of Deline, on its shores, is the only village on the lake. Fishing is exceptional — lake trout, giant trophy trout, and Arctic grayling. The total remoteness of this lake gives it a unique wild beauty.
Yellowknife's historic quarter is a picturesque village of colourful houses perched on Canadian Shield rock, overlooking Yellowknife Bay. The famous houseboat community floats on Great Slave Lake — a unique way of life made famous by the TV series Ice Lake Rebels. "The Rock" monument offers a 360-degree panoramic view, ideal for aurora watching. The Pilot's Monument pays tribute to the bush pilots who opened up the North.
In summer, the Northwest Territories experience the midnight sun phenomenon — the sun doesn't set for weeks. In Yellowknife, the sun shines up to 20 hours per day at the summer solstice. In Inuvik, north of the Arctic Circle, the sun doesn't set at all for 56 days (late May to mid-July). Yellowknife golf courses host midnight golf tournaments. A surreal and unforgettable experience of Canada's Far North.
For the citizenship test: The Northwest Territories' capital is Yellowknife (since 1967). The Mackenzie River, Canada's longest, flows to the Arctic Ocean. The NWT is home to Great Slave Lake, North America's deepest lake, and Great Bear Lake, the largest lake entirely within Canada. Indigenous peoples — Dene, Inuvialuit, and Metis — make up over 50% of the population. Canada's first diamond mines opened in the NWT. Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada's largest national park. Check our provinces and territories guide to review the essential facts.