Where can you look for diamonds, go ice fishing, and play golf 24 hours a day? Easy! It’s Northwest Territories (NWT). Since the discovery of diamonds in 1991 NWT operates three diamond mines, which makes it the diamond capital of North America, and yet with area covering 1,140,835 sq km and a population of 41,464 this territory has wide expanses of wilderness. Among some interesting natural features is the highest point of Mount Nirvana near the border with Yukon, which reaches an elevation of 2,773 meters! Another natural feature and one that’s less physically-demanding to reach is Great Bear Lake – the largest lake in Canada. Water enthusiasts will find ample opportunities for recreation and wildlife viewing near other spectacular natural waterways including the Keller Lake and Great Slave Lake, as well as the Mackenzie River and the canyons of the Nahanni National Park Reserve which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The multitude of waterways link interspersed territorial islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, including Banks Island, Borden Island, Prince Patrick Island, and parts of Victoria and Melville Islands.
The adventure of NWT starts with transportation. To reach this remote region, visitors need to take a private plane to the Arctic tundra, only to continue the journey by a dogsled to the booked wilderness lodge. Don’t worry, you won’t freeze! Compared to the Arctic tundra, the Northwest Territories has a warmer climate due to its mostly boreal forest. Far from winter camping, these are 5-star luxury lodges complete with beds of fragrant spruce and tents warmed by wood stoves. The experience of true wilderness and the breath-taking views of the shimmering Northern Lights compensate even the biggest luxury traveler.
Known for its extensive system of protected areas, the Northwest Territories is also home to 34 parks which are typically open from mid May to mid September, offering campsites, day use areas, and kitchen shelters available for public use. NWT offers four categories of parks: Heritage Parks (e.g., Fort Smith Mission), Natural Environment Parks (e.g., Hidden Lake, Lady Evelyn Falls, Twin Falls), 17 Recreational Parks, and 12 Wayside Parks. Wood Buffalo National Park offers great opportunities to explore the boreal wilderness with the added bonus of spectacular landscape of salt flats and sinkholes carved by groundwater which has dissolved the bedrock. You may see pingos for the very first time – no, these are not penguins! These are mounds of earth-covered ice towering over the coast north of the Arctic Circle. Adrenaline-seekers may choose to ride a raft down the powerful South Nahanni River and portage around Virginia. Nature lovers will be thrilled to frequent grizzly bears, caribou, wolves, and muskox roaming free across the tundra in the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest wildlife refuge in North America.
Visitors interested in aboriginal culture will find much richness in the region’s traditional arts and carvings by the Dene, Inuvialuit and Metis who make up about 50% of the population. To keep the theme of the Northwest Territories you can dine on fresh whitefish, try a NWT special of caribou stew, or an aboriginal delicacies such as whale blubber – although this one not for the fainthearted!
Photo by Flikcr