Extraordinary aurora experiences to light up your next incentive

Witnessing the northern lights is a transformational experience that many people wait years—even a lifetime—to see. The promise of viewing this natural phenomenon in person is just the kind of once-in-a-lifetime reward that top performers dream of as they push to reach their goals. One of the best places for incentive groups to witness this magical spectacle is in Northern Canada.

Within reach, but beyond belief, the aurora borealis sets Canada’s northern night sky alight in a blaze of light and colour. The mesmerising ribbons of colour are best seen dancing across the night sky during winter’s darkness (from December through to April); the perfect time of year to experience snowshoeing, dog sledding, ice-fishing and more by day, and the splendour of the lights by night.

We take a closer look at two of the best locations in Canada for incentive groups to experience the aurora – Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Credit: © Destination Canada

Northwest Territories

At 400 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle, Yellowknife has been dubbed the ‘Aurora Capital of North America’, but the entire territory provides unrivalled opportunities to see the skies explode with reds, blues, and greens. It’s remote location, paired with vibrant local culture and the infrastructure of a modern city, make it a prime place for embarking upon a subarctic adventure. 

There are multiple ways for groups to see the northern lights in the Northwest Territories, from adrenalin-fuelled aurora hunts to more relaxed experiences. If adventure is what you’re looking for, kick into high gear and hop onto a snowmobile. Your team will glide over the frozen Great Slave Lake to a secluded cabin to get a clear view of the aurora. 

Yellowknife Tours offer groups the opportunity to enjoy the northern lights in comfort, in the brand-new Aurora Station. This newly built station boasts its own sky-deck observatory and lodge for warming up with a hot drink. Alternatively, the Aurora Village provides a V.I.TeePee aurora viewing experience. Your peak performers can marvel at the wonder of the lights and enjoy a locally sourced dinner, while revelling in local legends and keeping cosy in their private tepee.

Credit: © Martina Gebarovska, Blachford Lake Lodge

Take a 30-minute scenic flight from Yellowknife by bush plane for an unforgettable stay at Blachford Lake Lodge, an oasis of rustic luxury in the wilderness. Here, groups don’t need to head out in search of the aurora, as they often dance right above the lodge. Your top performers can marvel up at the sky from one of the decks, from the hot tub, or snuggled under a duvet in their room. The lodge even offers an overnight wake up service so that guests can catch the northern lights at their best.

And there’s more…

While aurora viewing is one the main outdoor attractions during the winter months, it only happens after dark. During the day there's an array of outdoor adventures from dog sledding to snowmobiling and skiing to snowshoeing, as well as dozens of ways to keep warm in the unspoiled, uncrowded Yellowknife area.

Imagine whizzing along a trail with your colleagues behind a team of huskies or snowmobiling across awesome landscapes. Learn how to fish through the ice on a nearby lake, glide along on skis on a gentle trail, or soak up the silence of the Boreal Forest, watching for plentiful ptarmigan or a lone fox.

Getting to Yellowknife

Incentive groups can reach the Northwest Territories from any major city in North America by connecting through the gateway cities of Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, or Ottawa. Then make easy connections with frequently scheduled jet service to Yellowknife and beyond.  Air Canada, Canadian North, Westjet and Air North are among the airlines that fly into Yellowknife.

The Yukon

Fortune-seekers and dreamers first journeyed to the Yukon in search of gold during the great Klondike Gold Rush of 1896. Today, it’s the prospect of adventure, trophy fishing and the quest to witness the northern lights that draws people here.

Whitehorse, the capital and only city of the Yukon, provides the perfect base for your top performers to experience unforgettable winter incentives. Head just 20 minutes into the wilderness outside Whitehorse to watch the northern lights at their brightest in winter’s complete darkness, with Northern Tales Travel Service. Their unique viewing site is a comfortable prospector-style wall tent once used by gold seekers and fur trappers. 

Bundle up and head outside to marvel as the night sky billows with mysterious curtains of rainbow colours from green and yellow to red and blue. If you get chilly, step inside where it’s toasty and be warmed up by a wood-fired barrel stove, as your hands heat up on a mug of hot chocolate. Hear stories of northern life form local guides as they make maple taffy right in front of your eyes.  

One of the most exhilarating ways to see the lights is on a dog sled ride. Race along snowy trails, through snow-covered valleys and across frozen rivers led by a pack of sled dogs. Park up with a flask of something hot to watch the lights.

The Northern Lights Resort and Spa is another fantastic location to enjoy the spectacle in comfort, and far from any light pollution. Your top performers will be treated to amazing views of the northern lights from the large viewing deck, the viewing site by the resort’s communal tepee or the privacy of their cabin. For the ultimate experience, check into one of the new ultra-modern Aurora Glass Chalets, with large floor-to-ceiling wrap-around windows that open into the northern sky.

And there’s more…

Although the evenings will be kept busy with hunting for the northern lights on a winter Yukon incentive, there are plenty more activities to keep your group busy during the daytime including flightseeing tours over the frozen landscapes, caribou spotting and heli-skiing. This territory is one of the best-kept secrets in North America, with pristine wilderness, secluded national parks, wide-open roads, and mountains for days.

If your group is up for something a bit different, why not try the “monster truck of biking”, otherwise known as “fat biking”. The thick, oversized tyres can manoeuvre in the snow, across frozen lakes, and through untouched trails. Or try a cross-country skiing adventure. The Yukon has endless trails and routes to glide across – Whitehorse alone has 85 kilometres of world-class groomed trails.

Getting to the Yukon

There are many ways to get to the Yukon but flying is the easiest. Incentive groups can catch regular flights with Air North, Yukon’s Airline, from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Kelowna, Victoria, and Yellowknife. For international incentives, there are a variety of convenient flights arriving in the Yukon via other major airlines such as Air Canada, Westjet and Condor. 

This content is sponsored by Destination Canada Business Events. Explore more unforgettable Canadian winter incentives here or contact Jennifer Attersall to see how Destination Canada Business Events can help create the perfect reward for your group.