Without a doubt, the most incredible display in nature has to be the auroras. They are jaw-droppingly amazing. Twisty green ribbons crawl across the sky, occasionally bursting open like a hand reaching down from space, with hints of pink and red, moving as if under a will of their own. The Milky Way, Big Dipper, and the Pleiades nearly pop out of the sky adding a beautiful backdrop to the aurora experience. Your camera will actually capture more colors than our own night vision can see, revealing colors you didn't know were there. And the resulting pictures are ones you'll treasure and want to share.  You'll find that seeing and photographing auroras will be one of most exhilarating experiences of your life.

And Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories is one of the best places to see and photograph them. I've been making the annual trek to Yellowknife since 2014 (barring two Covid years) and I never get tired of watching auroras do their thing.

Yellowknife sits right beneath the aurora oval and is known as a place that has one of the world's highest percentage of aurora sightings. Its geographic location also means a high percentage of clear nights. In Yellowknife, you can see the aurora an average of approximately 240 nights a year.

The best aurora viewing seasons in Yellowknife are from mid-August to the end of September/early October, and mid-November to mid-April. There are at least two advantages to visiting in September. One is that the temperature is comfortable, and the cool nights for aurora photography are tolerable. The other advantage is fall color. We'll see birch, and  Larch (Tamarack) as well as Willow, Mountain Ash, and wild rose. This can make for a color palette ranging from bright yellow, to orange, and red.

Even if this tour is mainly about photographing the auroras, we'll find more to see and do. There are parks with spectacular fall color. There are a couple of nice waterfalls to photograph as well as lake shores and nature trails. If we're lucky we'll encounter some wildlife too. Old Town Yellowknife also has its charms (the painted dumpsters are very cool) and there are visitor and cultural centers you're sure to find fascinating. Just take a look at the slide show at the top of the page for a tease of what you can expect.

It's hard to describe a typical day since we may be up photographing auroras past 2 or 3 a.m. Most likely we'll have a late breakfast or lunch and then take a trip out to photograph fall color. After returning to our hotel we'll take a break. After dinner we'll head out to our aurora site. Some nights we might just grab some boxed dinners and snacks and head out for a sunset location where we'll also wait for the aurora. These can be long nights but we'll be close to our vehicle for those needing to warm up.

There are a variety of locations from which to photograph the northern lights. Most of these are on lake sides so you'll be able to photograph reflections of the auroras.

And I will be there to help you capture those magical auroras. Even before the tour begins I'll be sending you information and tips on aurora and night photography so that you'll be as prepared as possible.

I'll be making recommendations for clothing, headlamps, and other gadgets as well as passing on some practical suggestions and a helpful reading list. All this so that when you're in the field and it's dark out and the auroras are dancing and you've been awestruck, you'll be ready to capture the magic.

Our itinerary may include Prosperous and Prelude Lakes, Prelude Lake Park, Cameron River and Cameron Falls, fall color along the Ingraham Trail highway, the Great Slave Lake area, Old Town Yellowknife, and more.

As this is a photo tour rather than a workshop, we may or may not have any formal classroom teaching. This doesn't mean we won't get together to share images and answer questions. It will be a matter of available time and meeting space.

Arrival and departure:

Plan to arrive some time on the first day (September 14). You're room will be waiting for you after check-in time. We will meet on the morning of September 15. Full details will be included in your welcome packet.

The Yellowknife airport is close to town and our hotel offers free shuttle service. Flight connections getting to and from Yellowknife can be....interesting. You may be arriving after 11 p.m. But not to worry, you'll have the chance for plenty of sleep as we won't be meeting as a group until lunchtime the next morning.

You should have enough time that morning to go explore the town and I'll give you some suggestions of what to see and directions to a grocery store that's within walking distance (all rooms have a refrigerator and microwave).

Plan on flying out on the last day of the tour (Sept. 21).

Hiking and exertion:
While the most tiring part of this trip will most likely be staying up insanely late to photograph auroras, there are a few short hikes we can try. The longest is the hike to Cameron Falls. This isn't a strenuous hike for anyone in average shape, but it does have some elevation gain and it does traverse some open rock areas that, while not too steep, may challenge those with balance or leg strength issues. There are stairs in some areas, making the hike a bit easier. It's 1.2 km each way (about .75 miles).

What's included:

• Seven nights lodging at the Chateau Nova.
• All meals from breakfast (at the hotel) on the first full day to breakfast on the last morning. Many of our meals will be in some of the finest local dining establishments.
• Snacks and water during our daily and nightly outings.
• Transportation in our comfy rental vans during the tour.
• Instruction and assistance in the field.
• Ample teasing.

What's not included:
Alcoholic beverages, tips for any guides we may hire, airfare, trip cancellation insurance, whining.