Whitehorse Northern Lights
Tour

Our Whitehorse Northern Lights Tour requires a moderate level of mobility.

Guests should be able to:

• Climb in and out of vans independently

• Manage stairs, and walk unassisted on uneven ground, including in the dark during the Northern Lights viewing

• Stand for extended periods of time on some outings, including the dog sledding

• Use basic restroom facilities, including outhouses for some off-grid activities

For the dinner at the Belly of the Bison, it is a 10-15 minute walk (around 4 blocks) down the street from the hotel. Your tour conductor can arrange a taxi for you if needed.

If you have mobility limitations, balance concerns, or specific accessibility needs, please contact us at info@classiccanadiantours.com prior to booking to discuss suitability.

We stay at the Hyatt Place Hotel, which opened in 2025. The rooms are comfortable and there is ample space in the lobby for our group to gather before heading out for our activities throughout the weekend. There is also the Carved restaurant on-site where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Please note that breakfast is not included and must be purchased separately.

Meals are not included in this tour, except for the group welcome dinner at Belly of the Bison, which features a pre-set menu, along with tea, soda, and drip coffee. All other beverages, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, are on your own. 

Dietary restrictions for the group dinner should be noted in your passenger information at the time of booking, or no later than 30 days before departure. We will do our best to ensure there are suitable alternative options for guests with dietary requirements when provided with advance notice. 

There will be light snacks and drinks available at the Aurora Viewing Site, including tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. 

For all other meals, your guides will recommend the best times to eat throughout the weekend in between activities. We also recommend bringing snacks with you for the excursions.

To travel to Whitehorse, Yukon, you will be booked onto a scheduled flight from your departure city (YYC, YEG or YVR) with Air North, Yukon’s Airline. Flight details and timing will be shared upon booking, but are subject to change.

You can change your requested departure city up to 6 weeks before the tour.

Guests will be allowed one personal item and one carry-on, not to exceed 10 kg (22lbs) combined and two pieces of checked luggage, not to exceed 45 kg (100 lbs) combined and no single piece heavier than 32 kg (70 lbs). Please review Air North's Luggage Policy for details, prior to departure.

FEBRUARY:

Temperature Range: Very cold, with average highs around -8°C and lows around -18°C, but could be as low as -40°C.
Clothing Tips:

• Base Layers: Wear thermal underwear (tops and bottoms) to keep warm.

• Mid Layers: Add fleece or wool sweaters for insulation.

• Outer Layers: A down or insulated winter jacket, windproof and waterproof, is essential.

• Pants: Insulated, windproof pants over thermal leggings.

• Footwear: Insulated, waterproof winter boots with warm socks (preferably wool).

• Accessories:

  • A toque (warm hat), scarf, and insulated gloves or mittens.

  • Balaclava or neck gaiter for extra face protection.

  • Hand and foot warmers for extra warmth.

MARCH:

Temperature Range: Cold, with average highs around -2°C and lows around -12°C, but could be as low as -40°C.
Clothing Tips:

• Base Layers: Thermal or moisture-wicking layers remain essential.

• Mid Layers: Fleece or wool sweaters; you may need lighter mid-layers on sunny days.

• Outer Layers: A warm, insulated jacket or a lighter winter coat depending on the day.

• Pants: Insulated pants or ski pants for colder days; consider fleece-lined pants for warmer days.

• Footwear: Waterproof boots with good insulation and wool socks.

• Accessories:

  • A warm hat, gloves, and scarf.

  • Sunglasses or goggles to protect against glare from snow.

SEPTEMBER:

Temperature Range: Cool, with average highs around 12°C and lows around 2°C.
Clothing Tips:

• Base Layers: A light, moisture-wicking shirt.

• Mid Layers: Sweaters or fleece are great for layering.

• Outer Layers: A waterproof and windproof jacket; mornings and evenings can be chilly.

• Pants: Comfortable jeans or hiking pants. Bring thermal leggings for layering if you plan to be outside early or late.

• Footwear: Waterproof hiking boots or sturdy shoes for walking.

• Accessories:

  • A beanie or light hat for cooler evenings.

  • Gloves and a scarf for mornings and evenings.

GENERAL TIPS FOR ALL SEASONS:

1. Layering Is Key: The Yukon’s weather can change rapidly, so layers allow you to adapt to varying temperatures.

2. Pack Extras: Bring additional socks, gloves, and base layers in case they get wet.

3. Daypack: A small backpack for carrying extra layers and water when exploring.

4. Stay Dry: Always prioritize waterproof outerwear, especially for outdoor activities.

Each evening, we will travel in vans to an Aurora viewing site approximately 25 minutes outside of Whitehorse to take advantage of the dark skies. Light snacks and drinks will be available, but you are also welcome to bring your own. 

Since the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, we plan viewing for all three nights during our tour to maximize our opportunity to see them. Northern Lights are visible around 200 nights each year in Whitehorse, when cloud cover cooperates. Because the sky must be dark enough, the viewing season runs from late August through mid-April each year. The best time to see the lights is generally between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., so we time our viewing window around those hours. 

We travel as a group to and from the Aurora viewing site in two vans. For this reason, returning to the hotel before the scheduled time is generally not possible unless the entire group agrees to leave early. We recommend coming prepared for late evenings so you can fully enjoy the experience. The viewing site features a cozy cabin with a fireplace to relax or take a short rest during the evening.

MARCH

In March, average highs are around 0 to -5°C with lows around -12 °C. We recommend checking the weather ahead of your expedition so you can pack accordingly.

The weather can change rapidly, so we recommend packing layers for the excursions so you can layer up or down depending on the weather. We will be outside for extended periods at night to view the Northern Lights, so we do recommend bringing a warm winter coat, sweaters, gloves, toque, scarf, thermal leggings, insulated pants, and insulated winter boots. At the Northern Lights viewing site, there is a small cabin with a fireplace that serves as our home base, along with an outdoor fire to help keep the group warm.

SEPTEMBER

In September, typical high temperatures in Whitehorse are around 12-15°C with lows around 0°C. The weather can change rapidly, so we recommend packing layers so you can layer up or down depending on the weather. We will be outside for extended periods at night to view the Northern Lights, so we do recommend bringing a warm coat, gloves, toque, and thermal leggings. Some guests will want windproof pants to layer as well. At the Northern Lights viewing site, there is a small cabin with a fireplace that serves as our home base, along with an outdoor fire to help keep the group warm.

Our ground operator in Whitehorse offers excellent support for photographing the Northern Lights. They provide sturdy metal tripods for each participant and offer personalized instruction on how to best set up your camera for night shots. While it's important that you're familiar with your camera’s settings, particularly for low-light photography, their guidance is very helpful.

For those using newer Apple or Android smartphones, you'll be pleased to know that these devices can capture stunning photos of the Northern Lights. They can be easily mounted on the provided metal tripods, and most have built-in exposure settings ranging from 3 to 10 seconds.

When visiting the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, consider using a camera with a larger lens if you want to capture clear images of the wildlife. The animals are housed in large enclosures, so they might be at a distance that makes it challenging for cell phones to capture detailed shots.

In northern destinations like the Yukon, the aurora season runs from late August through mid-April. During the summer, the nights don’t get dark enough to see the Northern Lights even when solar activity is high. Statistically, auroras are most frequently seen around the equinoxes in March and September, due to Earth’s magnetic field being well aligned with the Sun’s. Classic Canadian Tours schedules our trips to Whitehorse during this ideal viewing window. To make equinoxes even more appealing, around that time, we also get a reasonable amount of nighttime to spend aurora chasing, and the weather is often milder than the favourably dark, but unfavourably cold winter. The best time to view active auroras is typically 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. local time, though it can vary depending on geomagnetic activity.

Learn more about the northern lights in our Aurora 101 blog.

Guests who live in warmer climates and do not own the warm outerwear, or those who do not wish to pack the bulky outerwear all the way to Whitehorse typically purchase this add-on package.

The winter clothing package includes:

• Winter outerwear pants with inner fleece liner

• Winter outerwear jacket with inner fleece liner

• Winter boots (Sorel Glacier or similar)

• Insulated mitts

• Insulated headgear / cap

We will collect sizing information from you ahead of time. You will receive the clothing package upon arrival at the hotel, and if anything does not fit, they will swap it out before the evening Aurora viewing. Packages will need to be requested 45 days ahead of the tour to ensure they are reserved for you.

Tucked into the Yukon wilderness, Eclipse combines Scandinavian bathing traditions with Japanese onsen style — hot mineral pools set against open sky and forest, with cold plunges (summer), saunas, steam rooms, warm lounging chairs, a stretching space, and more.

The mineral water flows naturally and is not heated, filtered or altered in any way. When it leaves the ground, the water has a temperature of 45.6°C/117°F. The bathing pools maintain a temperature ranging between 37-41°C (98-106°F).

You can grab a bite or a drink at the Hot Rock Cafe while there.

This add-on includes a 2-hour visit to the hot springs, plus round-trip transportation. Eclipse is an adult-only experience.

Classic Canadian Tours does not provide travel insurance. If you would like to purchase travel insurance we suggest that you first check with your credit card company, as it may be offered on purchases made with your credit card. Travel insurance may also be purchased through your car or home insurance provider or through a travel insurance company, such as AMA Travel Insurance. Trip cancellation and interruption insurance will ensure that you are covered in the event that you are not able to make the trip for a personal reason, such as illness or if your trip is interrupted for an unforeseen reason, such as weather. Travel medical insurance, will pay the upfront costs not covered by Provincial Healthcare, such as evacuation, if you do not have extended health benefits. Only your insurance provider will be able to let you know your exact coverage.