Attractions of Northwest Territories, Canada

Foaming waterfalls

According to topschoolsintheusa, in addition to Virginia Falls, there are many other great waterfalls in the Northwest Territories. The 325 km long waterfall route takes drivers to impressive masses of water that plunge into the depths. There are also beautiful campsites along the way, close to each of these natural attractions. The route begins at the Alberta border, where Alberta Highway 35 becomes NWT Highway 1. In Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park near Enterprise there are two spectacular waterfalls on the Hay River: Alexandra Falls and Louise Falls. Both are connected by a 3 km long hiking trail through the Hay River Canyon. Lady Evelyn Falls cascades down the Kakisa River near the Dene settlement of the same name. The Sambaa Deh Falls on the Mackenzie Highway are a natural spectacle on the Trout River.

National Parks: Vast, untouched nature

Wood Buffalo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located south of Great Slave Lake, is home to the world’s largest wild herd of bison, a noted wildlife and bird sanctuary, and the world’s largest dark sky reserve.

The Nahanni National Park Reserve (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is located in the Dehcho Region in the Mackenzie Mountains. Here flows the South Nahanni River, where the spectacular Virginia Falls falls from a height of 96 m. The park is only accessible by plane from Fort Simpson and Yellowknife or Watson Lake, otherwise only hiking trails lead into the wilderness.

In Nááts’ihch’oh National Park, visitors may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of grizzly bears, Dall sheep and mountain goats.

Tuktut Nogait National Park on the banks of the Northwest Passage is home to approximately 68,000 bluenose caribou.

Paddle through the wilderness

The river system of the Mackenzie Rivers with its tributaries offers canoeing and kayaking an almost endless terrain in untouched nature. Guided tours last about seven to twenty days. An experienced outdoor guide is essential. Paddlers love the Buffalo River, the Kakisa River and the East Arm of Great Slave Lakes.

In the Nááts’ihch’oh Park Reserve, the Nahanni and Natla/Keele river systems are great destinations for canoeists who prefer white water. South Nahanni features a continuous chain of rapids for 50km that cut right through the Rock Gardens. Several tour companies offer boat and raft tours that lead to Virginia Falls. There are also guided paddle tours on the Natla-Keele River.

The Slave River also offers rapids after rapids for adventurous kayakers on the edge of Wood Buffalo National Park.

Yellowknife

Located on the north shore of Great Slave Lake, Yellowknife is the capital of the Northern Territories. In winter, the wonderful natural spectacle of the northern lights and the beautiful snowy landscapes compensate for the arctic cold. Also fascinating are the winter ice roads that lead from Yellowknife to the diamond mines, the Dettah community and across Yellowknife Bay, among other places. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center offers in-depth insight into the history of Canada’s Aboriginal people. Boat trips are available on Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake. Canoeists, sailors, windsurfers and anglers will find paradise on and around the hundreds of lakes around Yellowknife in the summer.

hole golf balls

Who would have thought? The Northwest Territories offer golfers excellent opportunities to swing the golf club. In the months of June and July this is even possible around the clock, because then the sun never sets. Popular golf courses include the towns of Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Gamètì, Yellowknife, Hay River and Ulukhaktok.

Canadian Aboriginal Villages

Nearby Yellowknife are the villages of the Canadian indigenous people Dene (including Detah, Yellowknives, the Tlicho community of the Wekweèt, the Tłı̨chǫ community of the Behchokǫ̀, the Tłı̨chǫ community of the Gamèti and the N’dilo people) on Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake ), in which the traditional way of life of the tribes is largely maintained. If you want to learn about Native American culture and history directly from Canada’s indigenous people, you can visit the Dene.

Inuvik is located northwest in the Mackenzie Delta and is accessible by road from Dawson City, Yukon. The main attractions of the area are tours of the delta and visits to Inuit settlements such as B. Aklavik.

Hike through pure nature

Those who hike through the nature of the Northwest Territories pass countless lakes, rivers and dramatic canyons, can quietly enjoy the wide views over the untouched nature from high places and observe animals in the wild. Day trippers will find suitable hiking trails around the Hay River, Inuvik, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. Spectacular hiking routes take backpackers trekking for several days above the tree line on the Canol Heritage Trail through the Mackenzie Mountains from Norman Wells to the Yukon border. Also a popular destination is the Ram Plateau in the Nahanni Park Reserve for its dramatic scenery. All of the national parks in the Northwest Territories offer hikers wonderful terrain.

Big fish on the hook

The Northwest Territories are a true angler’s paradise because of their countless lakes and rivers. No matter which method you use, be it lure, fly fishing, ice fishing or deep sea fishing, etc., all anglers catch the really big fish here, such as pike, trout and char, and will have many great experiences to report back home. With a bit of luck, anglers can observe wild animals such as musk oxen, eagles, foxes, etc. at the same time.

Walk in old footsteps

Humans left their mark on the Northwest Territories more than 4,000 years ago. The artefacts from the settlement history of this area are in the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre exhibited at Yellowknife. Archaeological sites older than 3000 years can be visited in Aulavik National Park on Bank Island. The oldest are near Lake Shoran. Among other things, there are traces of oval dwellings of the Thule, of which stones laid in a ring shape, which served to weigh down the edge of the tent, still bear witness. There are over 360 archaeological sites in Tuktut Nogait National Park, most of which are along the coast and rivers. You can usually see tent rings made of stones, camp sites, places for drying meat or hidden hiding places for the hunters.

Numerous historic sites also bear witness to the Northwest Territories’ more recent history, such as the hamlet of Fort McPherson in the center of the Peel River / Mackenzie Delta on the Dempster Highway, the archaeological site of Kittigazuit on the island of the same name at the mouth of the Mackenzie River, and Pokiak, across from Aklavik. Not everywhere there is still something to see, but the old stories are still told.

Fascinating arctic coast

The arctic coast in the north of the Northwest Territories as well as Bank Island, Prince Patrick Islands and Victoria Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are transformed into an endless snowy landscape by the frozen ocean in winter. The region offers stunning sights and a fascinating past. Anyone who rushes by snowmobile from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic coast will get an impression of the beauty and vastness of the country. The two cities are now linked by the all-weather Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway (ITH). Spring is the peak ice fishing season here and the large herds of caribou head for their summer home next to Lake Beaufort. In the cliffs and valleys of Tuktut Nogait National Parknumerous birds of prey nest. Aulavik National Park on Bank Island is home to musk oxen in large numbers and the tranquil Thomsen River flows through the wide plains, while polar bears, seals and whales can be spotted along the coast with a bit of luck. In summer, hundreds of thousands of snow geese breed in the migratory bird sanctuaries on Bank Island.

Attractions of Northwest Territories, Canada