Yellowknife

Amid the droning bush planes and picturesque houseboats of Yellowknife's Old Town, bordering Great Slave Lake, it's still possible to detect a palpable frontier spirit. It's as if you're standing on the edge of a large, undiscovered and barely comprehensible wilderness – and you are. Draw a line north from Yellowknife to the Arctic Ocean and you won't cross a single road.

Friendly, multicultural, subarctic Yellowknife supports 50% of the NWT population and is a blend of Dene and Métis from across the territory; Inuit and Inuvialuit from further north; grizzled non-Aboriginal pioneers; get-rich-quick newcomers from southern Canada; and a sizable selection of more recent immigrants from different parts of the world.

Named Somba K'e (Place of Money) in the local Tlicho language, the city, a mining hub and surprisingly artsy place, has been the territorial capital since 1967 and is unsurpassed in winter for views of the northern lights.

Explore Yellowknife

P
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
Acting as NWT's historical and cultural archive, this well-laid-out museum overlooks Frame Lake. Expertly assembled displays address natural history,…
G
Great Slave Lake
Yellowknife sits on the shores of Great Slave Lake – the 10th largest lake in the world and the deepest in North America. It takes its name from the…
L
Legislative Assembly
In the impressive, igloo-shaped Legislative Assembly, you can learn about the territory's aboriginal-style government by joining their free hour-long tour…
O
Old Town
Many living people are older than Yellowknife but, despite the fact the Old Town only dates from the mid-1930s, its ramshackle streets wedged between Back…
Y
Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads
On a huge boulder by the road there's a striking work of art: a soaring eagle, a whirl of colorful handprints and the skeletal outline of a tipi. In front…
N
NWT Diamond Centre
A great place to buy your diamond bling, this gallery also provides a good overview of diamond mining in Canada's frigid north. The accompanying video…
F
Fred Henne Territorial Park
Located opposite the airport off Hwy 3, Fred Henne Territorial Park is popular with campers, and in summer there's chilly swimming at Long Lake Beach.
B
Bush Pilot's Monument
Perched atop 'The Rock,' a large outcrop in the middle of the Old Town, this simple needle pays homage to the gutsy bush pilots who opened up the NWT a…
R
Ragged Ass Rd
Named by prospectors who had gone stone-broke (ragged ass), this road was immortalized in a song and album by Tom Cochrane, himself the son of a bush…

P
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
Acting as NWT's historical and cultural archive, this well-laid-out museum overlooks Frame Lake. Expertly assembled displays address natural history,…
G
Great Slave Lake
Yellowknife sits on the shores of Great Slave Lake – the 10th largest lake in the world and the deepest in North America. It takes its name from the…
L
Legislative Assembly
In the impressive, igloo-shaped Legislative Assembly, you can learn about the territory's aboriginal-style government by joining their free hour-long tour…
O
Old Town
Many living people are older than Yellowknife but, despite the fact the Old Town only dates from the mid-1930s, its ramshackle streets wedged between Back…
Y
Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads
On a huge boulder by the road there's a striking work of art: a soaring eagle, a whirl of colorful handprints and the skeletal outline of a tipi. In front…
N
NWT Diamond Centre
A great place to buy your diamond bling, this gallery also provides a good overview of diamond mining in Canada's frigid north. The accompanying video…
F
Fred Henne Territorial Park
Located opposite the airport off Hwy 3, Fred Henne Territorial Park is popular with campers, and in summer there's chilly swimming at Long Lake Beach.
B
Bush Pilot's Monument
Perched atop 'The Rock,' a large outcrop in the middle of the Old Town, this simple needle pays homage to the gutsy bush pilots who opened up the NWT a…
R
Ragged Ass Rd
Named by prospectors who had gone stone-broke (ragged ass), this road was immortalized in a song and album by Tom Cochrane, himself the son of a bush…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Yellowknife.

See
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
Acting as NWT's historical and cultural archive, this well-laid-out museum overlooks Frame Lake. Expertly assembled displays address natural history,…
See
Great Slave Lake
Yellowknife sits on the shores of Great Slave Lake – the 10th largest lake in the world and the deepest in North America. It takes its name from the…
See
Legislative Assembly
In the impressive, igloo-shaped Legislative Assembly, you can learn about the territory's aboriginal-style government by joining their free hour-long tour…
See
Old Town
Many living people are older than Yellowknife but, despite the fact the Old Town only dates from the mid-1930s, its ramshackle streets wedged between Back…
See
Yellowknife Cultural Crossroads
On a huge boulder by the road there's a striking work of art: a soaring eagle, a whirl of colorful handprints and the skeletal outline of a tipi. In front…
See
NWT Diamond Centre
A great place to buy your diamond bling, this gallery also provides a good overview of diamond mining in Canada's frigid north. The accompanying video…
See
Fred Henne Territorial Park
Located opposite the airport off Hwy 3, Fred Henne Territorial Park is popular with campers, and in summer there's chilly swimming at Long Lake Beach.
See
Bush Pilot's Monument
Perched atop 'The Rock,' a large outcrop in the middle of the Old Town, this simple needle pays homage to the gutsy bush pilots who opened up the NWT a…
See
Ragged Ass Rd
Named by prospectors who had gone stone-broke (ragged ass), this road was immortalized in a song and album by Tom Cochrane, himself the son of a bush…

Guidebooks

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