How to see the northern lights in Canada with an Indigenous eye

The northern lights are a dance that starts out slowly and progresses through a long dark northern night. Sometimes they look like spotlights, other times ribbons of light swirl and twirl through the stars. On nights when the aurora borealis burns brightest, dramatic green and red waves of light cascade from one side of the horizon to the other in a soul-stirring display. No matter how the aurora borealis presents itself, one thing is certain: It needs to be seen with two eyes to be truly appreciated.

Canada’s Indigenous Peoples have a unique way of viewing the world and all things in it – including the northern lights. The Mi'kmaw word “etuaptmumk” means “two-eyed seeing.” One eye sees using Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing. The other eye sees with the strength of Western knowledge. The Mi'kmaw believe that we must learn to use both eyes together. If you see the northern lights without an Indigenous perspective, not only are you using just one eye, but you’re missing out on seeing a complete picture.

We’ve partnered with our article’s sponsor, The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), to curate this guide to the Northern Lights.

Canada is home to most of the world's prime aurora-viewing locations. Between 80 to 90 percent of the accessible land inside the auroral oval—the region with the greatest geomagnetic activity and the brightest and most frequent northern lights displays—is in Canada. The combination of northern latitude and low light pollution make it one of the best places on the planet for viewing the aurora borealis, or northern lights. Many different Indigenous groups live in Canada’s northern reaches and each Nation or group has its own beliefs and legends to explain the phenomenon of the northern lights. Exploring the legends and experiencing Indigenous culture is an important part of a Canadian northern lights viewing experience.

Dark, clear skies are essential for aurora viewing. The northern lights are most visible from mid-August to mid-April, and the best time to view them is between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. While it’s possible to see an aurora display during other months of the year, the best viewing occurs during these months. Certain websites recommend winter as the best time for aurora viewing, but some tour operators say otherwise. “The weather doesn’t need to be cold to see the northern lights,” says Tracy Therrien of Bucket List Tours. “My favorite season for aurora viewing is the fall. The weather is warmer and when you see an aurora over the water, you can get amazing reflections. It’s like seeing it twice.“

There are many places in Canada where you can view an aurora, but northerly locations like Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, Nunavik and Labrador provide the brightest and most frequent northern lights displays. Two of the most accessible places in the auroral oval are Yellowknife, NT and Whitehorse, YK. Yellowknife has been dubbed the “Aurora Capital of North America” thanks to its prime location, clear skies, excellent tour operators, and frequent aurora activity. Travelers to Yellowknife have a 95 percent chance of spotting the northern lights. And in Whitehorse, you can take advantage of the Yukon’s famously dark skies, abundance of clear nights, and excellent guides and tour operators. Both locations have large Indigenous populations who have lived on the land since time immemorial.

Scientists have learned how to predict auroras based on the sun’s activity, geomagnetic storms, and other factors. There are several websites that provide fairly accurate northern lights forecasts. Aurora Forecast is a good one. Booking your aurora viewing trip at the right time is essential. A darker sky is better for viewing, so avoid booking during a full moon and make sure you get outside the city and away from ambient light to allow for better views. Booking a tour with an expert Indigenous guide or a tour operator can also help.

For thousands of years, mankind has tried to explain the magical dancing lights of the aurora borealis, and learning the legends of the lights is almost as fascinating as seeing them. An aurora tour with B. Dene Adventures in Yellowknife is also an Indigenous cultural experience. Travelers can see the aurora borealis and learn the local legends. “The B. Dene Adventures camp is uniquely situated directly under the northern lights and aurora viewing is outstanding,” says Bobby Drygeese, owner of B. Dene Adventures. “Our aurora tours are unique because they include traditional drumming, cooking fish over a fire and the sharing of our language and culture. Guests love speaking with our elders and hearing the Dene legends and stories.” Those traveling to the Yukon can learn Southern Tutchone legends about the northern lights by arranging a storytelling session with James Allen of Shakat Tun Adventures.

Northern lights viewing is an intimate experience with Bucket List Tours in Yellowknife. The tour takes you to a cozy cabin 15-minutes outside Yellowknife. You need to dress warmly for outdoor viewing, but there is a selection of northern clothing at the cabin that can be used for fun photo ops. Enjoy fish chowder, bannock and a variety of hot beverages including northern teas for dinner. Local guides are long-time northerners who love to share their knowledge about the area and the northern lights.

You’ve got options when it comes to aurora viewing with North of 60 Aurora Adventures, a family-owned tour company just outside Yellowknife. If you want a more rugged experience, climb aboard a dogsled and watch the lights as you race across a frozen lake. A heated 15-passenger bus is a comfortable way to get to where the lights are shining brightest for the best views. The most comfortable option is watching the northern lights from inside a circular skydome with viewing windows, a wood-burning stove, sofas, lounge chairs, and tables where you can relax and enjoy the show while sipping hot beverages and nibbling on fresh bannock, a traditional Indigenous flat bread. Along the way, local guides will share Dene culture and traditions.

If you want to watch the northern lights in comfort, Aurora Village outside Yellowknife is the place to go. The Indigenous-owned village of 21 traditional teepees and hilltop viewpoints surrounds a pristine lake. You can warm up around a woodfire and enjoy hot drinks inside a cozy teepee while you wait for the northern lights to come out and dance. They also have heated outdoor seats that swivel to offer 360-degree views. Arrive early, and you can enjoy dinner before the aurora borealis lights up the skies.

Many Indigenous people reside inside the auroral oval and there is no shortage of amazing things to do during the day on a Canadian aurora viewing trip. If you are visiting in winter, consider taking a guided dogsled tour or try your hand at ice fishing. You can also drive on an ice road, visit an Indigenous village, go snowmobiling, shop for traditional handicrafts, and try local cuisine. If you visit during August or September, the early weeks of the aurora viewing season, you can enjoy guided wilderness hikes, wild buffalo viewing, canoeing, fishing, and a wide variety of Indigenous cultural experiences.

There are numerous Indigenous tour operators in Canada’s far north offering uncommon experiences. Tours with Arctic Bay Adventures in Nunavut could include the opportunity to view unique species like narwhal whales and polar bears. In Nunavik, you can watch herds of caribou migrating across the tundra, see muskox and polar bears, drive a dogsled or build an igloo with Inuit Adventures. You can also fish for Arctic char or hunt for ptarmigan, a species of grouse. When you’re not watching polar bears or looking for northern lights, you can drive a dogsled near Churchill, Manitoba with Wapusk Adventures. In the Torngats of Newfoundland and Labrador, you can experience Inuit culture along with a memorable aurora show in a truly wild place. Taking the time to see the northern lights and experience northern Canada with an Indigenous eye is an opportunity of a lifetime. It makes all the difference to use two eyes instead of one.

A statement from The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC): For millennia, Indigenous Peoples have called these lands across Canada home. We invite you to see the beauty of nature through our eyes, experience the best of our legendary hospitality, and feel a deep connection through our shared traditions and storied history. Join Indigenous guides on a transformative journey on their traditional territories, and enjoy the wit and wisdom of storytelling handed down through generations. Indigenous tourism awaits.

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