Winter Exploration with Canadian Geographic
February 27 – March 4, 2025 (6 nights)
Experience the stunning beauty of the Northwest Territories at Blachford Lake Lodge. Your adventure begins in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, with a city tour and a seasonal activity.
You travel to Blachford Lake via bush plane. The 100 kilometer flight takes about 25 minutes. Historically, bush planes played a key role in opening up the north and today, with their very capable pilots the odyssey continues. The versatility of these small aircraft allows them to land virtually anywhere in the northern wilderness – on natural runways of water and ice.
Before your eyes stretches one of the last remaining pristine wilderness areas on the planet. There are no roads – only animal trails and those used by the Indigenous people, the Dene for thousands of years. En route, you may notice a few seasonal cabins and a snowmobile trail. Known as the Taiga Shield, it is a combination of the coniferous sub-arctic Taiga forest and the rocky Precambrian Canadian Shield. This granite nucleus of the continent constitutes most of the Canadian land mass – the heartland of our country. At 4 billion years, part of this ancient crust, known as the Acasta Gneiss, is the oldest known rock in the world.
During your time at the Lodge, a wide variety of guided and self-guided activities are available.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Yellowknife and join a welcome reception at the Explorer Hotel, followed by dinner.
Day 2: Enjoy a Yellowknife city tour with a local guide and a seasonal activity. Lunch is at the famous Bullock’s Bistro and dinner follows at The Woodyard, the NWT’s only brewpub.
Day 3: Travel to Blachford Lodge by bush plane. On arrival, you will receive an orientation and a lodge tour. The first night is a good opportunity to look for the Northern Lights from the hot tub.
Days 4 & 5: Enjoy the various activities that the Lodge offers. Depending on the season, guided hikes, snowmobile tours and cross-country skiing outings are available. Guests can also engage in a variety of activities on their own, such as snowshoeing, cross country skiing, hiking, skating, hockey, ice fishing, using the hot tub or sauna, or relaxing with a good book. The tipi will be open each night, with s’mores and hot drinks.
Day 6: Enjoy a last Lodge breakfast, or get outside on a trail for one more hike. Share more photos that you’ve captured during your stay, and say goodbye to your new friends. You return to Yellowknife by bush plane and transfer to either the Explorer Hotel or the airport.