Northwest Territories — Where to Go
Top Things to See
Yellowknife
The territories' capital, Yellowknife, is situated on the north shore of Great Slave Lake. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center details the area's aboriginal history. Nearby are the still largely traditional First Nations of Dettah, Behchokò, N'dilo and Wekweètì.
Untrammelled Nahanni
Nahanni National Park Reserve is a wonderful UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mackenzie Mountains. Access is mainly by air from a number of locations, including Fort Simpson (NWT), Fort Liard (NWT), Fort Nelson (BC) or Watson Lake (Yukon). Boat and raft tours visit the magnificent 100m- (312ft-) high Virginia Falls, twice the height of Niagara.
National parks
One of Canada's biggest herds of free-roaming bison lives in Wood Buffalo National Park, one of the largest parks on earth. It lies on the border between Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Meanwhile, the cliffs and valleys of Tuktut Nogait, the territories' newest national park, harbor birds of prey and offer lush habitat for caribou and musk oxen.
Caribou, moose and more
See thousands of caribou migrating across the territories and calving by the Beaufort Sea. Moose inhabit boreal forests, grizzly bears roam freely, Dall's sheep graze the mountains, and you might spot beluga whales and polar bears along the coastline.
Glittering waterfalls
The Waterfalls Route, a 325km (203-mile) driving route, goes through several parks and past impressive waterfalls. Twin Falls Territorial Park, near Enterprise, has two waterfalls. Louise Falls and Alexandra Falls are linked by a 3km (1.9-mile) hiking trail along the spectacular Hay River Canyon.
Coastal wonders
The Arctic coastline boasts spectacular landscapes and fascinating history. Inuvik, on the majestic Mackenzie River Delta, is accessible in season by road (see Getting There By Water for relevant information on ferries). Delta cruises and Dene (aboriginal) settlements such as Aklavik are prime attractions. Aulavik National Park, on Banks Island, has 3,500-year-old archaeological sites.
Midnight sun
The landscape takes on a surreal quality during the midsummer when light lasts all night.
Top Things to Do
Watersports
A favorite destination for canoeing and white-water rafting is the Nahanni River in the southern Mackenzie Mountains, featuring falls, rapids and torrents in a highland wilderness. Popular routes along its length take seven to 20 days to paddle. The Mackenzie River also offers good canoeing.
Fishing
Thousands of clear, unpolluted lakes are perfect for fishing. Chief catches are trout, great northern pike and grayling.
Photography
Visitors who take a camera with a macro lens may get beautiful photographs of the hosts of tiny wild flowers that cover the tundra area during its brief spring.
Lodges
In a wooden wilderness lodge alongside a lake, accessible only by air, you may have only wildlife for company. For a real getaway experience, the Nahanni Mountain Lodge (www.simpson-air.com) sits alongside Little Doctor Lake, near Nahanni National Park Reserve.
Hiking trails
Four national parks provide trails for hiking and other facilities. Sandy hills known as eskers offer easy hiking with good viewpoints. There's more challenging hiking on the Canol Heritage Trail, through mountains and valleys to the Yukon.
Historic waterways
You can hire a boat to take a trip on the Mackenzie River and the Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes. These tours often follow old trapping and fur-trading routes. An experienced guide is essential.
