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The centerpiece of the park is the South Nahanni River. It's carried by four impressive canyons that squeeze the river into a thunderous torrent at Virginia Falls, where it tumbles over a precipice either side of Mason's Rock to continue barreling downstream.
The Mackenzie Mountains form part of the Yukon-Northwest Territories boundary. The highest mountain of the range is Keele Peak, in Yukon. Mount Nirvana, the second-highest, summits at 2,773 m (9,098 ft), and is the loftiest peak in the Northwest Territories.
Even at its most placid, the river challenges experienced canoeists and rafters. Indeed, Nahanni is frequented as a whitewater destination by adventure seekers from around the world.
Paddlers are presented with four canyons to negotiate. Pictured is The Gate, a relatively calm section of the river that snakes through Second Canyon.
The jewel in the Northwest Territories' outdoor attractions—and one of the treasures of northern Canada—is the Nahanni National Park Reserve. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its wild and untamed splendor, the park unveils itself over the Dehcho Region across a portion of the majestic Mackenzie Mountains.
The vast, seemingly endless Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest national park in Canada, and the second largest on the planet. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, this immense sanctuary encompasses land both in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, an environment that protects the world's largest herd of free-roaming wood bison.
The park also contains the world's largest inland delta, which in the fall becomes a staging point for over a million waterfowl.
Besides the magnificent beast it's named for, Wood Buffalo National Park is renowned for a particularly rare bird. This is the only natural nesting habitat for the whooping crane, a species the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Back in civilization, visitors to Yellowknife, the Northwest Territories capital city, have a number of cultural options to explore in this destination named for the long copper blades used by the local First Nations.
Even in the depths of winter, Great Slave Lake is a magical destination, especially when illuminated by the aurora borealis, or northern lights.
About 50 km (31 mi) east of Yellowknife is Hidden Lake Territorial Park. This is a great option for anyone wishing to experience the great outdoors but without traveling too far into the wilderness. Visitors are rewarded with the impressive Cameron Falls, easily reached by a scenic hiking trail.
Yellowknife is the largest community on the shores of Great Slave Lake, North America's fifth largest lake and the continent's deepest, reaching depths of more than 600 m (1,968 ft) in places. The lake is frozen for eight months of the year, but in summer house boaters use it as a home away from home, its icy blue waters providing a playground for yachts, canoeists, and some great fishing.
The tiny hamlet of Fort Providence located west of Great Slave Lake is reached by way of the Yellowknife Highway and the Deh Cho Bridge, which spans the Mackenzie River. While the majority of its population is made up of indigenous peoples, Fort Providence is known for its historic Our Lady of Providence Roman Catholic church and mission.
Set on the southern bank of the lake lies Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park and another fabulous Northern Territories natural wonder, the mighty Alexandra and Louise Falls. The park is set near the port town of Hay River—the first Hudson's Bay Company trading post in the area in 1868.
The Mackenzie River twists and turns through boreal forest to percolate into the second largest drainage basin of any North American river after the Mississippi. In fact, the delta encompasses nearly 20% of Canada and is an important resting and breeding area for resident and migratory birds.
Set on the Mackenzie River within the Arctic Circle, Inuvik, which means "Place of Man" in the Inuit language, is recognized for its landmark Our Lady of Victory Roman Catholic Church, built to a distinctive igloo design. Despite its remote location, Inuvik is noted for several hugely popular annual festivals including the Great Northern Arts Festival, the Sunrise Festival, and the Muskrat Jamboree.
If you've ventured this far north, you're on the doorstep of the Northwest Passage. The first person to successfully navigate the fabled sea route was Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen, in 1903–1906. Today, icebreakers and scientific expedition vessels plie these icy waters, which also attract certain species of whale.
At 240 km (149 mi) long and 400 km (248 mi) across, Great Bear Lake is another impressive body of water sunk into the wilderness and nourished by the Mackenzie River. As with Great Slave Lake, it's frozen over for some eight months of the year. It's for fish that this huge expanse of water is justly famous for. The lake trout is the prize catch, but so too is Arctic char (pictured), which gather in the nearby Tree River.
As its name suggests, Great Bear Lake is known for its grizzlies, who patrol the shores in summer. Canadian martens are also numerous. In winter, the pinewoods are the domain of sturdy elk.
Anchored well north of the Arctic Circle, Victoria Island is perhaps the ultimate wilderness trip. This is the third largest island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, its largely featureless topography reminiscent of a lunar landscape. If you want to get lost, this is the place to hide.
But you won't be totally alone on Victoria Island: Canada's central Arctic region is administered and supplied from the tiny community of Iqaluktuutiak (Cambridge Bay) on the island's southeast coast. Hike inland, and you may well spot herds of aptly-named barren-ground caribou munching on lichen. And how about this; Ulukhaktok, on the west coast, regales visitors with a golf course.
If island wildlife is your your thing, then Banks Island offers up a real treat. This is home to at least 14 mammal species including the Peary caribou, the aforementioned barren-ground caribou, and polar bears.
Banks Islands' Aulavik National Park protects thousands of muskoxen, the largest population anywhere in the world.
And during the summer, Banks Island is home to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, including a large proportion of Canada's snow geese population.
Definitely worth a look-in is the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. This is where to glean a better understanding of the region's fascinating history and culture. Among other exhibits, the museum showcases the heritage of First Nations people and traces the influence of fur trade operation since the 18th century.
In winter, Aurora Village outside Yellowknife offers up what must surely be one of the most romantic nights out you're ever likely to experience, an overnight in a teepee under the shimmering aurora borealis.
Sources: (UNEP-WCMC) (IUCN Red List) (Gemological Institute of America)
See also: The northern lights: the most beautiful natural phenomenon
While in Yellowknife, make the effort to pause at the Bush Pilots Monument, which crowns the "Rock," a hill on the outskirts of the city. The obelisk and its plaque acknowledges the pilots of the 1920s and '30s who pioneered air travel in this remote corner of the world to connect otherwise isolated communities with their neighbors and the wider world.
If you feel so inclined, pay a visit to the Diavik Diamond Mine, 300 km (190 mi) northeast of Yellowknife, and be reminded of the 2015 discovery of the 187.7 carat Diavik Foxfire diamond, one of the largest rough gem quality diamonds ever produced in Canada. It's also here in 2018 that a yellow 552 carat diamond was unearthed. This is currently the largest diamond ever found in North America.
The Tuktoyaktuk Pingos are a collection of intrapermafrost ice-cored earth mounds set in the Inuvik region. These odd-looking landmarks studding the Tuktoyaktuk peninsula area constitute the greatest concentration of pingos in the world, with a total of 1,350 popping up from the ground.
The Northwest Territories cover an immense tract of land, a vast swathe of boreal forest and Arctic tundra nearly six times the size of the United Kingdom. This sparsely populated Canadian territory almost reaches the North Pole, and is a region defined by towering mountains, mighty rivers, and some of the largest lakes in North America. Indeed, it's a place of epic proportions, a destination in the extreme.
Are you seeking an outdoor adventure challenge in a brutal but beguiling wilderness? Click through, leave civilization behind, and discover the Northwest Territories.
The Northwest Territories: a destination in the extreme
Discover Canada's wildest land
TRAVEL Canada
The Northwest Territories cover an immense tract of land, a vast swathe of boreal forest and Arctic tundra nearly six times the size of the United Kingdom. This sparsely populated Canadian territory almost reaches the North Pole, and is a region defined by towering mountains, mighty rivers, and some of the largest lakes in North America. Indeed, it's a place of epic proportions, a destination in the extreme.
Are you seeking an outdoor adventure challenge in a brutal but beguiling wilderness? Click through, leave civilization behind, and discover the Northwest Territories.