Things To Do: Northern Lights

If mesmerizing ribbons of colour swirling across the sky sounds like a must-see, we have you covered. Come to the Yukon and experience the northern lights, one of the great natural wonders of the world.

In the Yukon, the northern lights can appear as soon as dark night skies begin to return. That means you’ll often see dancing, shimmering lights before the first snowfall. Autumn shades here can mean brilliant golds by day and spellbinding auroras by night—talk about great fall colours!

Winter brings many months and plenty of ways to view this natural phenomenon. Shed your winter layers and sink into an outdoor hot tub to watch for the jades, greens and purples to appear. Curl up by the window of a cozy cabin, or tuck into a welcoming lodge with amenities, exceptional dining and lots of activities. Tour operators can also take you by snowmobile or dogsled out to the remote wilderness, where you can watch by the warmth of a crackling campfire. And there’s no need to worry about getting too cold. Many tour operators rent winter outerwear or provide it with their viewing packages.

The northern lights can be viewed from mid-August through to mid-April, so depending on when you come, you may not need a cozy parka at all.

While there are no guarantees in life but elk and taxes, Aurora forecasting technology does increase your odds of catching the lights. The higher the activity level, the higher the probability of northern lights appearing.