Want to change to a non-technical topic, though I am not a travel blogger, this time I really want to share the aurora (northern light) viewing experience in YellowKnife (Canada) just on last month (late September).

The weather there is really very nice and not cold. Around 5-8^°C during the night time. We stayed 3 nights in YK, and thank God that I can have a very spectacular view of aurora on the first and most of time in 2^nd night (Photo above). Though the 3^rd night is quite cloudy, still able to view a bit of aurora (below). When I saw this amazing show on the sky, how can't I sing the hymn How Great Thou Art!

Some people told me that they went to Euro to see Aurora, but can’t see much and some even unable to see.  As there are 2 factors affecting the visibility of aurora:

1. The weather – should be clean sky, not much cloud
2. Strength of the Aurora

Located in the northern interior part of Canada, Yellowknife has higher chance to have clean sky and it is also under the Aurora Oval i.e. it satisfies the above 2 conditions. Mentioned in the YellowKnife Village Website that they have up to 240 days per year that can see aurora.

To be able to see aurora, obvious it needs to be at dark. Since at summer, sunset will be very late. So the recommended viewing season is from late Aug to the early April (excluding Oct). Personally, for those (like me) who live in warmer place better go before end of September, as the temperature is still acceptable. One of my friends who visit at late Aug can also see very beautiful aurora and not so cold.

Besides the high chance of able to see aurora, the spending is not that much (compare to Euro). Excluding the round trip air-ticket between Hong Kong and Vancouver, if just counting the trip starting on Vancouver:

1. Round trip air-ticket between Vancouver and YellowKnife – around CAN 750/person
2. 3 night hotel plus tour (aurora village at night) package - around CAN 700/person

To fit your budget, I suggest 3 different options:

1. Book Flight+Hotel package, then book tour in each separate night
2. Book Flight only, then book Hotel+Tour package
3. Book Flight+hotel+tour packagefrom tour agent

Option 1 is the most flexible and should be the cheapest, as say if you go 3 nights, then maybe you already able to see aurora at first 2 nights, and weather forecast on 3^rd night to be cloudy, then you can save money and won’t go on 3^rd night. But you may need to consider the availablility of the night tour (book at the same day) especially on peek season, as it maybe full.

So to compromise (like what I did), can consider option 2. Though you may waste money and time if weather forecast for a particular night is not so favor, you guarantee have a seat.

While option 3 maybe the most expense, is obvious the easiest way. But we found that most of the travel agent only provide winter tour (not before Nov).

For photographing, I am not expert at all. But as general recommendation, before you go, you should get familiar of the manual operation of your camera (at least know how to set the ISO level, shutter speed and aperture) and how to use your tripod to point to different area of the sky. You know what, I spend less than half hour to practice, just few hours before going to view the aurora!