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Revenue managementDynamic pricingChannel managementOTA managementBooking.com managementListing optimizationVacation rental marketingFlexible duration — guided tour prioritising optimal locations for maximum Northern Lights visibility, including hot drinks, snacks, and professional photography service.
This guided tour focuses on maximising your chances of witnessing the Northern Lights by choosing the best viewing locations based on weather conditions and aurora forecasts. Pickup and drop-off is available from any hotel or BnB in Yellowknife, with no time limits set, allowing for an unhurried experience under the night sky.
Included are hot drinks and snacks to keep you warm during the wait. Additionally, a professional photography service is offered, with images shared at the end of the tour. Dress warmly, as the evenings can be cold while you await the elusive auroras.
Reviews
I missed the tour bus because the operator failed to communicate effectively. I was waiting in my hotel lobby for the bus, and after some time, I reached out to the operator. They informed me that they had stopped by and waited for four minutes before leaving. Their service and communication were extremely lacking; they only stayed in the bus instead of coming in to inform me or contacting me by phone or text. All my other tour experiences included someone coming to locate me or at least giving me a call. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here. To make matters worse, they refused to issue a refund despite not providing any services. I encourage others who face similar issues to dispute the payment with their bank for a refund.
This was an incredible experience. I highly recommend this tour to everyone. Unlike another tour I had booked that ended up being cancelled, they were prompt and fulfilled their promises. It's definitely worth it.
I have delayed writing this review due to uncertainty about how to express my experience. Unfortunately, it turned out to be quite negative. Having traveled extensively, I can confidently say that my "tour" with Northern Lights Tours in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories was the most poorly organized I've encountered. While I acknowledge the necessity of flexibility in travel, the continual changes to our schedule during the tour were frustrating. In the beginning, communication was responsive, but once they received our payment, that shifted. Responses became slower, and the information on their website did not match what was provided in our invoices. Though I managed to resolve some issues before our arrival, it was a hassle. When we got there, all our prepaid tours were rearranged at the last minute, often with little notice. Explanations were generally only given when requested, and we encountered various discrepancies between the website claims and actual provisions. On our first evening, we were to meet in the hotel lobby at 5 p.m. for warm clothing rentals, but no one arrived until 5:25 p.m. We had adjusted our dinner plans accordingly. When we finally received the gear, they had run out of boots in my size, forcing me to participate in activities without proper footwear. The first night, we weren't informed of our pick-up time until late, which led to a scramble on our part to get ready. Ultimately, we were lucky enough to see the lights that night after a delay, though I felt embarrassed for holding up the bus. Day 2 brought more frustration as our dogsledding trip was canceled due to "not enough snow," and my son's ice fishing excursion was also dropped. Instead, we were sent snowmobiling. Later, I was given ill-fitting boots and snow pants, which exacerbated the issues. Again, the driver showed up late, telling us to hurry and cutting into our time for snowmobiling, which didn’t feel safe. The snowmobiling experience lacked a proper safety briefing, and the helmets provided were too tight. The promotional materials claimed we would have plenty of photos and a video taken, but that was not the case. Additionally, the promised snack offerings turned out to be just a cookie. On our second night of the Aurora tours, we drove far to avoid city lights but returned to pick up other passengers, which cut into our time. We were also told that bathroom breaks had not been considered previously. When trying to reach them about rescheduling the postponed ice fishing, communication was almost impossible. Julian, the company owner, was consistently late, offering excuses each time, though other companies were successfully operating dogsledding during our trip. Finally, we learned that our ice fishing would occur after the City Tour, which had been shortened as well. Lunch consisted of a small piece of fish and some chips, which felt subpar given the description of the tour. Despite some insight offered during the City Tour, it was disappointing that the Ice Palace wasn't open as expected
The tour guide was excellent and very approachable, but the experience did not match the description. We were on a school bus with 32 people, making two stops, one of which was on the highway shoulder, obstructing long exposure photos due to passing cars. The description promised washroom access at each stop, but we only found facilities at the airport during our halfway break. It's clear that this is the budget option for a reason.
One of the guides, Sheldon, was outstanding—knowledgeable, helpful, and funny. In contrast, Julian was arrogant, rude, and disorganized. He moved us to two different spots, suggesting we would see better lights, but the new location was disappointing. The experience with Julian was significantly inferior to that with Sheldon. This company may be inexpensive, but it lacks proper infrastructure; we had to stay in the bus to keep warm, with no teepees or fire available.
We had a fantastic experience witnessing the northern lights. Our guides took us to a stunning frozen lake for the viewing, where they captured wonderful photos of us under the Aurora. They provided warm tents for relaxation along with hot chocolate when clouds began to form. After the sky became overcast, we boarded the bus to find another spot. Sadly, the cloud cover was thick, making the first hour the highlight of our adventure.
Northern Lights operates three buses with experienced guides. Pickup and drop-off are around 9:00. On our first night, Mo, a skilled bush pilot, led us but the clouds obstructed the view. Despite their efforts, we saw nothing. However, on the second night, Sheldon took us out and we were fortunate to see the lights right away. He expertly used his Nikon and fisheye lens. While you can try photographing the scenery, his equipment makes a significant difference. We visited 3 or 4 locations, observing the lights as Sheldon predicted colors like green, purple, and hints of pink. At our last stop, we were treated to hot chocolate and cookies before heading back around 2:00 am, spotting some foxes on the way. Be ready for up to 3 nights of potential viewing in case of clouds, but the likelihood of seeing the lights is very high.
I had a truly majestic experience with Northernlightstours.co. We opted for a three-night aurora hunting package that included accommodations at the Chateau Nova hotel in Yellowknife. The hotel was clean, equipped with a microwave and fridge, and conveniently located next to Niven Lake, which was lovely to explore in the mornings. Our guides, Isaac and Hailey, were exceptional; they took us to various spots and frozen lakes for the aurora displays. We were fortunate to witness the aurora all four nights between January 18 and 22, enjoying stunning dancing rings and other beautiful shapes in greens and pinks, captured on our iPhones and by the guides' cameras. Hailey brought an energetic vibe to the experience. Isaac also guided us ice fishing, preparing delicious pike and chips (from Great Slave Lake since other lakes may contain arsenic) after my wife caught a large northern pike in Cam Lake while we were cozy inside our tent. Isaac was friendly, curious, and very accommodating, making our northern lights and ice fishing tour unforgettable. I highly recommend Northernlightstours.co and encourage anyone to visit Yellowknife in winter or during September or March for the aurora and other activities. Just go for it.
The guide was friendly and really appreciated the effort put into finding the Aurora. I managed to take great photos, and the explanations were clear and engaging. I look forward to traveling with this agency again.
Avoid using this service. Julian was disrespectful to both my wife and other guests. When my wife fell on the ice while boarding the bus, she requested assistance, but he refused to help, claiming he couldn't leave the bus. She ended up on the bus while I was in the lobby waiting for friends, and when she inquired about returning for me, Julian had no answers. A fellow passenger asked him to assist, but he responded rudely. He later returned to our hotel to pick me up with another couple, yet the clothing he provided again didn't fit. When I requested different sizes for the next outing, he brought the same wrong sizes. We ultimately decided against going out with him a second time.
Reviews are paraphrased traveller feedback sourced from Viator. Original ratings and sentiment preserved.
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