Yellowknife Attractions

Yellowknife at a glance

 

Yellowknife is the capital of the Northwest Territories and Canada’s most northerly city. This thriving community is located on the north shore of Great Slave Lake, and features endless summer days and incredible Arctic scenery. The city derives its name from copper knives used by the local Chipewyan tribe during the 1800s, and the area continues to be rich in a variety of minerals. It is a major gateway to the expansive and pristine world of the North, and most people fly through Yellowknife to reach other destinations in the NWT and Nunavut.

Geographical location: 62.27 N 114.22W
Elevation: 206 m (680 feet)
Population: 19,056 
Declared capital in 1967
http://www.yellowknife.worldweb.com/

Car Rental

National Car Rental: 1-866-878-5557
Hertz: 867 766-3838
Budget Rent-a-Car: 1-800-383-9211

Places of Interest

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

This cultural centre features information on the history and culture of the traditional and non-Aboriginal peoples of the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Tours are available. Gift shop and café on site. Open daily, year-round. 
1/4 Northwest Highway 4
http://pwnhc.learnnet.nt.ca/

Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly

Free tours are offered daily of this impressive building that features exterior walls and roof clad in panels of zinc. When the building was constructed, as few trees as possible where removed and, today, there is plenty of wildlife in the immediate vicinity of the building. Skylights surround the Chamber and Caucus room, providing an abundance of natural light to the entire building. The NWT has a consensus government without any party systems. This building also houses the largest art collection from the Group of Seven artists.
http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/home.aspx

Divak Diamond Mines Visitors Centre

Although Divak’s actual mines are located more than 300 km north of Yellowknife, guests to the Visitors Centre can enjoy demonstrations of diamond polishing and cutting. They can view some northern diamonds found locally and even purchase one as a special souvenir of the NWT. Visitors to Arctic Watch will fly over the mine en route to Arctic Watch. 
5007-50th Avenue
Phone: 867 669-6500

Gallery of the Midnight Sun

This gallery sells a wide range of northern and Aboriginal arts and crafts, with a focus on Inuit soapstone carvings. NWT diamonds and demonstrations of diamond polishing are also available here. 
5005 Bryson Drive
Phone: 867 873-8064
http://www.midnightsunyukon.com/shop/customer/home.php

Downtown liquor store 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Activities

Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures Ltd.

Carlos Gonzalas
158 Dagenais Drive
Frame Lake Area Outfitting on Great Slave Lake 
Offers guided boat trips for fishing pike or grayling. Also offers bird watching, photography, airplane tours as well as sightseeing and dinner cruises on Great Slave Lake.
A variety of trips are offered, ranging from 4 to 10 hours.


Phone: 867 444-8320
Email: ykoutadv@yahoo.ca

Arctic Escapes

Houseboat 28, Yellowknife Bay
Scot Robertson and his team offer boat tours, including fishing tours with a shore lunch. They also offer fishing for more dedicated fishing enthusiasts as well as bird watching tours and historical tours on the bay. Floatplane tours can also be arranged as well as canoe and kayak rentals.
Web: http://aetravel.ca
Phone: 867 445-2829, 1-888-464-6238
Email: go@aetravel.ca

Aurora World Corporation

4908-50th Avenue
Canada’s AURORA SPECIALIST hosting visitors since 1981. 
Hiking, dinner cruises on Great Slave Lake, sightseeing. 
Aurora season: Aug. 1 – Sept. 25. English/Japanese guide service. 
Phone: 867 873-4776 

Restaurants

Le Frolic

Web: www.lefrolic.com
Phone: 867 873-3614

Oldtown Landing

 Phone: 867 920-4473

L’Heritage

Phone: 867 873-9561

Bullock Bistro

Bullock Bistro was voted the best fish and chips in Canada by Reader’s Digest.
Phone: 867 873-3474

WildCat Cafe

Yellowknife’s oldest restaurant.
Phone: 867 873-4004 

Bookings and Reservations

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Testimonials

Yet again, we are truely impressed with the quality of guides, cooks and of course hosts. A few long walks, cannot do justice to the beauty available in the high arctic. Drifting carelessly in a kayak with sunny skies and a breathless wind observing the whales and seals offered an early glimpse of what heaven may be like. A sincere thank you for another wonderful life experience!

John, Patricia, Gordon and William Gouinlock


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Blog Posts

  • The Creativity Behind Arctic Watch: Matt Davidson and Andrew Milne

    The saying goes, once you’ve been bitten by the arctic bug, you can’t stop going back to the arctic. Nearly 25 years ago, my parents were first “bitten”. My parents did expeditions throughout the Arctic, on foot, kayak and ski. They skied to both poles, roamed the tundra during the summer and, in 2000, started Arctic Watch. Finally, the perfect  [...]

  • Enroute to Arctic Watch: Yellowknife N.W.T

    As the summer at Arctic Watch is quickly approaching, I’ve had several guests ask me what there is to be done in Yellowknife, NWT. Guests flying to Arctic Watch depart from Yellowknife, leaving the Northwestern Territories, for the final 4 hour flight, over to Nunavut and north to the Arctic Watch. The city of Yellowknife, located on Great Slave Lake,  [...]

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See out photography galleries for examples of photos that our guests have taken over the years.


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  • Josee with an African Penguin
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