Page 156 - Travel Guide to Canada 2019
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and mountain goats travel on the craggy MUST SEE, MUST DO
Special Events slopes of the Mackenzie Mountains. During the summer, eat locally sourced
Prehistoric-looking muskox roam around reindeer dishes and fi sh and chips cooked
JANUARY
Banks Island. Black bears, moose, caribou inside a converted school bus at Alestine’s
• INUVIK SUNRISE FESTIVAL
and grizzly bears also call the N.W.T. home. and served on a terrace overlooking the
MARCH
See peregrine falcons, eagles and gryfalcons Mackenzie River in Inuvik north of the
• LONG JOHN JAMBOREE, YELLOWKNIFE
—the offi cial N.W.T. bird. You never know Arctic Circle.
• MUSKRAT JAMBOREE, INUVIK
when they may appear on your journey—
• POLAR POND HOCKEY TOURNAMENT, HAY
and theirs. Travel along the edge of scenic Yellowknife
RIVER
Bay in a 12-person voyageur canoe for a
• SNOWKING WINTER FESTIVAL,
YELLOWKNIFE HERITAGE AND CULTURE Floating Dinner Theatre experience in
• THEBACHA SKI LOPPET, FORT SMITH Experience local music and culture such as the summer with NARWAL Northern
JUNE jigging, drumming, drum dancing and Dene Adventures. Feast on a traditional meal of
• NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY, hand games at community events. Make soup and bannock, accompanied by lively
TERRITORY-WIDE your own crafts during artist-led workshops entertainment (www.narwal.ca/tours).
• NORTHWORDS NWT WRITERS FESTIVAL, at Inuvik’s renowned Great Northern Arts
YELLOWKNIFE Festival (www.gnaf.org). Learn about local Participate in the Thebacha & Wood Buff alo
JULY history at the Norman Wells Historical Dark Sky Festival, northern Canada’s only
• FOLK ON THE ROCKS MUSIC FESTIVAL, Centre (www.spectacularnwt.com/attraction/ celebration of space and science. This
YELLOWKNIFE
norman-wells-historical-centre), the family event is held in late August in Wood
• GREAT NORTHERN ARTS FESTIVAL, INUVIK
Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre Buff alo National Park, the world’s largest
• HAY DAYS FESTIVAL, HAY RIVER
(www.nlmcc.ca) and the Prince of Wales Dark Sky Preserve (www.tawbas.ca).
• OPEN SKY FESTIVAL, FORT SIMPSON
Northern Heritage Centre. Purchase Dene,
AUGUST Inuvialuit and Métis crafts at visitor centres, Get a bird’s-eye view of the landscape
• MIDWAY LAKE MUSIC FESTIVAL,
museums and shops. Feel the cashmere during a fl ightseeing tour (www.spectacular
FORT MCPHERSON
softness of a sweater that a local artist nwt.com/what-to-do/culture-and-touring/
• SLAVE RIVER PADDLEFEST, FORT SMITH
knitted from qiviut—wool that was fl ightseeing).
• THEBACHA & WOOD BUFFALO DARK SKY
harvested from shaggy muskox near Sachs
FESTIVAL
Harbour. Admire carvings made of soap-
www.spectacularnwt.com/what-to- stone, bone or antler and created by Quick Fact
do/summer-adventure/summer-events northern artists. Buy a Dene birchbark
www.spectacularnwt.com/what-to- NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HAS NO
do/winter-adventure/winter-festivals basket at the Acho Dene Native Crafts store POLITICAL PARTIES. IN ELECTIONS, PEOPLE
made by women in Fort Liard. The
VOTE FOR CANDIDATES BY NAME. THE MLAS
Inuvialuit Regional Corporation Craft Store THEN VOTE FOR WHO WILL BE PREMIER.
free-roaming bison in Wood Buff alo in Inuvik has a good selection of locally
National Park and the Mackenzie Bison made moccasins, carvings, jewellery, crafts
Sanctuary near Fort Providence. Dall sheep and some traditional food.
SCENIC DRIVES
WILDCAT CAFE, YELLOWKNIFE • NWTT/PAUL VECSEI Travel through two mountain ranges and
the Continental Divide, and take your photo
at the Arctic Circle when you drive the
iconic 740-km (460-mi.) Dempster Highway
from Dawson City, Yukon to Inuvik (www.
yukoninfo.com/Inuvik-nwt/driving-the-
dempster). Then continue on and drive all
the way to the tiny community of
Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.
Make like an ice road trucker. Drive the 6.5
km (4.0 mi.) winter road that links Dettah to
Yellowknife. There are also winter roads
that link Fort Simpson to communities in
the Mackenzie Valley and a route from Fort
Smith to Fort Chipewyan, AB.
FAMILY FUN
Climb into a sled and listen to the sound
of excited huskies barking with anticipa-
tion. Then silence descends when you hit
the trail and feel the power of a team of dogs
