Canada is together with Iceland one of the privileged countries where you can see the Northern Lights, spectacular meteorological phenomena that occur in few places in the world.
Seeing a Northern Lights in Canada will leave you speechless and convinced that the beauty of our planet is unique. Let's know in this article where to see the so-called polar auroras in this North American country.
What are the best places to see the Northern Lights in Canada?
The northern or southern auroras are luminous phenomena that occur near the poles, when particles from the sun collide with the atmosphere. Those of the north pole are called northern lights and those of the south, austral.
Canada is next to Alaska, Iceland, Norway and other countries with territories near the North Pole, in the Northern Lights corridor.
The auroras require specific conditions to be seen from the ground. These are:
1. Sufficient solar activity to produce a certain amount of particles.
2. Total darkness. The auroras are not seen during the day because the brightness of the sun does not allow it. Therefore, the best places to observe them are those with long nights for several months a year.
3. Clear weather and little environmental pollution. If it is cloudy they will not be seen.
4. Light pollution produced by city lights and moonlight also affect visibility.
The 9.98 million km2 Canada leaves Canadians and foreign tourists many places to see these meteorological phenomena. The following are among the best in the world.
1. Churchill
Residents of Churchill, north of Manitoba province on the Churchill River estuary, say they see up to 300 northern lights a year.
The best auroral period in this city is from January to March when a festival of northern lights is celebrated.
Natural Habitat Adventures installed a dome with glass walls and roofs on the outskirts of Churchill, to observe with 360-degree vision, comfortably and in the middle of nowhere, the northern lights.
2. Whitehorse
The capital and only city of the Yukon is an accessible place to enjoy a northern lights in Canada, so much so that in its outskirts there are magnificent hotels to admire the natural phenomenon. Also, Northern Lights hunting tours depart from Whitehorse to more remote locations.
The Northern Lights Resort and Spa is a complex of cabins equipped to spend charming days and with unobstructed views for guests to enjoy the spectacle of the northern lights.
3. Torngat Mountains National Park
The Torngat Mountains National Park, at the northern tip of the Labrador Peninsula, is ideal for viewing the Northern Lights.
The word “Torngat” means in the Inuit language, “place of the spirits” and in these remote places the Inuit people have hunted, fished and lived in their igloos since time immemorial.
The mountains are separated by deep fjords and narrow lakes are formed in the hollows surrounded by steep rock walls.
You can only go to the Torngat Mountains National Park by air and water. Each traveler must register and listen to an orientation talk.
4. Lake Muncho Provincial Park
This secluded park near the edge of the Yukon is a great place to see the Northern Lights most of the year.
The park is named after Lake Muncho, a body of water in British Columbia bordering in one of its sectors with the Alaska Highway.
The lake has a length of 12 km and a width that varies between 1 and 6 km. The beautiful jade green color of the waters is produced by the copper oxide present in the rocky mantle.
5. Battle Harbor
The low light pollution of this fishing station declared a "National Historic Site", makes it a great place to watch the Northern Lights in Canada. Only open between June and September.
Battle Harbor was a major salting center for cod and fish in the 18th and 19th centuries, being called the "Capital of Labrador."
The old fishing facilities and boats of the past have been left as a museum, where tourists take the opportunity to take pictures to remember.
6. Dawson City
People visit Dawson City on the banks of the Porcupine River to learn about its fascinating past and to see the northern lights, which according to the city's official portal, form between the end of August and April.
The Aurora Inn hotel offers packages that include Northern Lights sighting tours.
Dawson City was declared a "National Historic Site" with residents who have made the town a theme park about the gold rush, with the old buildings and people dressed in the style of the time.
The cabin in which the American writer and author of White Fang, Jack London, lived in Dawson City is still preserved.
7. Saskatchewan
In this Canadian province of vast prairies between Alberta, Manitoba, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the states of North Dakota and Montana, in the USA, there are places known for the frequency and beauty of the northern lights, which made it be known as, "Land of the Living Skies."
One of these places is Melfort, also called the “City of the Aurora Borealis”, which also has an 18-hole golf course and there is a great passion for ice hockey.
Another town in Saskatchewan that is a site for viewing the Northern Lights is La Ronge, on the edge of the Canadian Shield and Lac La Ronge Provincial Park.
8. Jasper National Park
The northern lights are seen over the peaks of the mountains where Jasper National Park is located, from October to May. This is the northernmost park in the Rockies and is part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Park, a World Heritage Site.
The total absence of light pollution makes it a scenario of 11,000 km2 of extraordinary northern lights.
9. Iqaluit
Iqaluit, on Baffin Island in Frobisher Bay, is the capital of the autonomous territory of Nunavut. Its average 20 hours of darkness a day between October and April, plus its almost zero light pollution, make it a fantastic destination for observing the Northern Lights in Canada.
The small hotel infrastructure of Iqaluit is mainly used by tourists who go hunting for the northern lights.
10. Nunavik
Sparsely populated region in the extreme north of the province of Quebec where you will see the Northern Lights in unbeatable conditions, next to the Eskimo igloos.
The low light pollution and location below the auroral oval make Nunavik a charmingly remote place to see the northern lights in all their splendor.
11. Fort McMurray
Scholars say the best times to see the Northern Lights at Fort McMurray, in the Regional Township of Wood Buffalo, Alberta, are midnight on winter days outside of town.
Weather tours include hiking, skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and ice fishing, so you don't get bored while waiting for the festival of lights to arrive.
Best place to see the Northern Lights in Canada: Yellowknife
The people of Yellowknife claim that their city is the best place in the world to see the Northern Lights and they may not be exaggerating. The capital of the Northwest Territories is also called the "Capital of the Northern Lights in North America."
Yellowknife meets 3 particularly favorable conditions for the starlight function:
1. Flat landscape.
2. Clear nights.
3. Location. It is in the heart of the auroral belt.
The best time to appreciate the natural phenomenon is from mid-November to April. Tours depart from Yellowknife to popular nearby viewing sites such as Great Slave Lake and Aurora Village. Other places of interest are:
Northern Border Visitor Center
The Northern Border Visitor Center is open every day to guide guests on the best things to see and do in the city. It is in the center of Yellowknife with several attractions nearby. Ideally, it should be your first stop in the city.
Cameron falls
Cameron Falls is a trail with a picturesque suspension bridge and a beautiful waterfall that attracts tourists throughout the year. It is 1.2 km long and is frequented for walks, hikes and picnics.
Prince of Wales Heritage Center
The Northwest Territories were created as a political-territorial entity in 1870, when the powerful Hudson Bay Company, the oldest in Canada, sold these vast spaces to the Canadian government.
The Prince of Wales Heritage Center in the city of Yellowknife houses a museum about the legendary past of the Northwest Territories, including artifacts and historical documentation.
Historic Downtown Yellowknife
The old town of Yellowknife dates back to the time when the Hudson Bay Company made its fortune trading beaver, sable, elk, otter, squirrel and any other animal captured by Aboriginal trappers.
Old log houses and carefully preserved cabins are part of the vintage atmosphere of the city center.
Frame Lake
Frame Lake is in the heart of the city and surrounded by a 7 km trail, one of Yellowknife's favorites, leading to the Prince of Wales Museum, Legislative Assembly headquarters and the City Hall building.
The western side of the lake has a marshy appearance with rocky outcrops and rich wildlife including foxes, coyotes, muskrats, and waterfowl.
Monument to the Pilots
The main means of transportation to and from the most remote places scattered throughout the extensive Northwest Territories, have been small planes and seaplanes that live challenging the terrible weather conditions in that area of Canada.
This monument on an elevation in Old Town Yellowknife reached by a spiral staircase, pays tribute to the brave pilots who daily risk their lives, especially those who have lost it.
From the Pilots Monument there are nice views of Black Bay and the city of Yellowknife.
When to see the Northern Lights in Canada
The Northern Lights can only be seen at night. The most recommended time of year to see them in Canada is from September to April, when the nights are long and closed.
In the winter months, between December and March, there is less than 4 hours of sunlight and the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights increases. The best time window is between 10 PM and 4 AM. If you go to sleep, ask at the hotel reception to activate your “alarm clock for auroras”.
The Canadian regions and provinces with the highest occurrence of Northern Lights, such as the Northwest Territories, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the vast parks in the north of the country, have summers with much more sun than darkness. These summer seasons are great for many outdoor activities, but not for waiting for the natural phenomenon.
Sightseeing to see the Northern Lights Canada
From Mexico to Canada is a portal that promotes travel between the two countries through Cactus Rock New Media. These are 2 of their packages:
1. Package "Northern Lights in Spanish 2018-2019"
Prices: from 991 USD, plus plane.
Departures: daily, between 11/12/2018 and 04/09/2019 (minimum 2 people).
Duration: 7 days.
Itinerary
Day 1 (Mexico - Vancouver): reception at Vancouver airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation and information on itinerary starting the next day.
Day 2 (Vancouver): walk through Yaletown and Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in Canada. Visit of Gastown, Canada Place, Stanley Park, English Bay, Burrard Bridge and Granville Island. Optional activities in the afternoon.
Day 3 (Vancouver): Free day in this British Columbia city for optional visits such as Whistler, North Vancouver and Victoria.
Day 4 (Vancouver - Whitehorse): reception at Whitehorse airport, a city on the banks of the Yukon River; accommodation, information about the next day's itinerary and the rest of the day at leisure, for an optional tour of the town that you can do on foot.
Day 5 (Whitehorse and surrounding areas): City tour including the Visitor Center, SS Klondike paddle ship, Fish Ladder, Log Skyscraper, and MacBride Museum. Night out in search of the Northern Lights.
Day 6 (Whitehorse and surrounding areas): Free day for activities in the city. Night out in search of the Northern Lights.
Day 7 (Vancouver - Mexico): return flight and end of the tour.
2. Package "Northern Lights in Spanish"
Prices: from 958 USD, plus plane.
Departures: daily until 04/09/2019 (minimum 2 people).
Duration: 7 days.
Itinerary
Day 1 (Mexico - Vancouver - Whitehorse): arrival and reception at Whitehorse airport. Transfer to the hotel near the bank of the Yukon River, accommodation, information on the next day's itinerary and the rest of the day free for optional activities.
Day 2 (Whitehorse and surrounding areas): City tour including the Visitor Center, SS Klondike paddle ship, Fish Ladder, Log Skyscraper, and MacBride Museum. Night out in search of the Northern Lights.
Day 3 (Whitehorse and Northern Lights): Free day for optional activities. Departure at 9:30 pm in search of the Northern Lights. Return to the hotel at 2 AM.
Day 4 (Whitehorse - Vancouver): reception at Vancouver airport, transfer to hotel, accommodation, information about the next day's activities and rest of the time for optional activities.
Day 5 (Vancouver): walk through Yaletown and Chinatown. Optional activities in the afternoon.
Day 6 (Vancouver): Free day for optional visits such as Whistler, North Vancouver and Victoria.
Day 7 (Vancouver - Mexico): return flight and end of the tour.
Northern Lights Canada in Toronto
Although big cities are not the ideal destinations to appreciate the Northern Lights due to light pollution, in Toronto it is possible to do it from certain places.
The most frequented place to observe these lights in the sky in the capital of the province of Ontario, is the shore of Lake Superior.
Northern Lights Canada in Quebec
It is not uncommon for Northern Lights to occur in Canada with intensities that exceed the light pollution of large cities.
Although Quebec City is not a common destination to see the natural phenomenon, you may be pleasantly impressed by a show of beautiful multi-colored lights, if you find yourself in "The Old Capital" during the long auroral season.
The Québec capital has interesting places such as the “Old City”, a World Heritage Site, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Notre Dame des Victoires church, the oldest in the country; the Plaza Real and the Museum of Civilization.
Other places to visit in Quebec are the Laval University, the Cartier-Brébeuf park and its museums, and near the city, the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and the Montmorency Falls.
The Winter Carnival draws hundreds of thousands of people with its parades, sled races, ice canoeing on the St. Lawrence River, and hockey and snowboarding competitions.
Pictures of Northern Lights in Canada
Videos of Northern Lights in Canada
Did you imagine that the northern lights could be so spectacular on the American continent?
Share the article with your friends so that they also know about this splendid natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights in Canada and encourage them to take an aurora hunting group trip very soon.
See also:
Learn about the best dates to see the Northern Lights in Iceland
See our guide to the 10 most important cities in Canada
These are the 10 best cities in Canada to visit
Read here our about 30 things to do in Vancouver, Canada
