Venture to Yellowknife in Canada’s remote north to witness the aurora borealis, a kaleidoscope of colour that has inspired legends for the ages.

Norse mythology described the northern lights as reflections of the Valkyrie warriors’ armour, while Chinese legend marked the iridescent waves as celestial battles between dragons. For Canada’s Dene people, the aurora is regarded as the spirits of ancestors dancing across the sky. As charged particles from the sun collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the Earth’s atmosphere, radiant swirls of green, pink and purple undulate across the sky — a spectacle that has captivated cultures for generations. Set beneath the Aurora Oval in Canada’s far north, the historic gold-mining city of Yellowknife is one of the best destinations in the world to experience this spellbinding phenomenon.

Thanks to its prime location, flat topography, and generally clear weather, spending three nights here gives travellers a 95 per cent chance of seeing the northern lights. A Yellowknife extension can be added to any Travelmarvel North America tour, where you’ll chase the aurora at remote locations, then enjoy the chance to soak up its splendour from a lakeside cabin and Indigenous teepee. With up to 240 visible days a year — compared to 200 in other prime viewing destinations like Iceland — the aurora can be seen in Yellowknife both on an enchanting winter escape and in the glow of late summer. In every setting, catching this celestial show is pure magic.

Words by Jemma Glucina-Henderson