Page 155 - Travel Guide to Canada 2019

NTT
Traditional drum dances are at the heart
of celebrations in communities across the
Northwest Territories.
The N.W.T. lies between the Yukon and
Nunavut but the southern part of the
territory is accessed by road from British
Columbia and Alberta. The landscape
features boreal forest in the south, tundra
north of the Arctic Circle, and the
Mackenzie and Richardson mountains to
the west. The Mackenzie River, North
America’s second-longest river, starts its
journey at Fort Providence before fl owing
more than 1,738 km (1,080 mi.) into the
Arctic Ocean. Great Slave Lake is the
continent’s deepest lake and Great Bear
Lake is the territory’s largest lake.
The N.W.T. has 33 communities divided
into fi ve regions: Inuvik region, Sahtu,
North Slave, South Slave and Dehcho.
Indigenous Peoples comprise half the
population—Dene, Métis or Inuvialuit.
Although there are 11 offi cial languages,
most people speak English. Drive up the Dempster Highway and take
AURORA HUNTING
The Northwest Territories sits directly
beneath the auroral oval. On a clear night,
check the aurora forecast on Yellowknife’s
Astronomy North website to fi nd out the
likelihood of spotting the northern lights
(www.astronomynorth.com/aurora-forecast).
There are diff erent ways to experience the
aurora (www.spectacularnwt.com/what-
to-do/aurora). Join a tour operator and head
out on the trail by snowmobile or dog team
to a cosy camp that off ers a clear view of
the night sky. Head out onto frozen Great
Slave Lake in an eight-passenger Bombardier,
or fl y out to a wilderness lodge for a few
days. the territory’s fi ve national parks and 34
FEEDING FRENZY
Summer brings opportunities to try
northern fare. Cast a line into a river or lake
for feisty northern pike, Arctic grayling,
Dolly Varden or lake trout. Dine on
whitefi sh that an outfi tter has prepared
over an open fi re for your lunch. Spend the
day fi shing near a community, or enjoy a
multi-day package at a remote lodge (www.
spectacularnwt.com/what-to-do/fi shing).
Weekly summer markets in Inuvik,
Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith
feature locally-grown produce as well as
homemade goods such as fi reweed jelly
and birch syrup. Stop by the Inuvialuit
Regional Corporation Craft Store in
Inuvik for some dry fi sh and other local
delicacies. Bush Pilots’ Monument. Take a boat tour of
UNIQUELY NORTHERN
a selfi e at the Arctic Circle. Compete in the
annual Billy Joss Open Celebrity Golf
Tournament on Ulukhaktok’s nine-hole
course, North America’s most northerly
course (www.arcticcharinn.com/arctic-
golfi ng.htm). Visit the popular Igloo Church
in Inuvik. The interior is decorated with
paintings by Inuit artist Mona Thrasher.
WHAT’S NEW? off ers guided and audio tours (www.
Be one of the few to drive the all-weather
road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. Start your
trip on the Dempster Highway and stop in
Inuvik before continuing your journey to
Tuk, as it’s known to the locals, and the
Arctic Ocean. multi-week backcountry experiences in
Leave the lights of Yellowknife behind
and fl y out to Yellow Dog Lodge to view
the aurora in fall (www.yellowdoglodge.ca/
aurora).
Participate in traditional and contemporary
craft workshops at the Hay Days Festival in
Hay River (www.haydaysfestival.com).
Sleep in a yurt or tour the Northern Farm
Training Institute, a working farm in Hay
River (www.nftinwt.com/tourism-hospitality).
CITY LIGHTS outfi tter or a multi-day package at a
Explore Yellowknife, the territorial capital,
on foot (www.extraordinaryyk.com). Enjoy
a 360-degree view of Yellowknife Bay and
surrounding Old Town from the top of the
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LUTSEL K’E, ARTS AND CRAFTS • NWTT/PAT KANE
Yellowknife Bay, home to North America’s
most northerly houseboat community.
Sandblast a northern motif on recycled
glass during a workshop at Old Town
Glassworks (www.oldtownglassworks.com).
The Yellowknife Farmers Market is held
weekly downtown throughout the summer.
The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage
Centre provides a peek into northern
culture (www.pwnhc.ca). Next door, the
Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly
assembly.gov.nt.ca/visitors).
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Choose from front-country campsites and
hikes to backcountry day hikes and epic
territorial parks (www.nwtparks.ca). The
historic Canol Heritage Trail near Norman
Wells is a very remote, extremely rugged
and rigourous hike (www.spectacularnwt.
com/attraction/canol-trail). Opportunities
for guided or self-guided paddling and
rafting trips are plentiful along one of the
N.W.T.’s historic rivers including the challeng-
ing Coppermine River, the meandering
Thomsen River and the world-renowned
South Nahanni River (www.spectacular
nwt.com/what-to-do/summer-adventure/
paddling). Enjoy fi shing day trips with an
wilderness lodge.
The territory’s wildlife has a schedule
all its own, but look for nesting pelicans on
rocky outcrops in the rapids of the Slave
River near Fort Smith. Keep an eye out for