Introduction
Most of the province’s population and commercial activity is based in Yellowknife and around the Great Slave Lake. The smaller communities to the north of Yellowknife are largely populated by aboriginal people living a more traditional way of life. The Inuit and Dene comprise almost 50 per cent of the Territories’ population and tend to live in or around small communities that have existed for hundreds or thousands of years. Four of the Northwest Territories’ five tourism regions are featured below.
Yellowknife, the Territories’ capital, is a small city perched on the pre-Cambrian shield, which adjoins the Great Slave Lake. The city’s main industries are government/service industries and mining. Two major gold finds were made here in the 1930s, followed more recently by the discovery of diamonds north of Yellowknife. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre showcases northern Canadian culture and wildlife, with temporary art exhibitions. Boats and canoes can be hired for trips on the Mackenzie River and the Great Slave and Great Bear Lakes. These tours often follow old trapping and fur-trading routes. An experienced guide is essential. Near the capital are the Dene (aboriginal) settlements of Dettah, Rae-Edzo and Wekweti, or Rock Lake (formally known as Snare Lake), where a largely traditional way of life is still maintained.
Two highways serve the Big River Country to the west of Yellowknife and visitors may view this area from the road or fly deep into the interior. In the far southwestern corner of this territory lies Nahanni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mackenzie Mountains. Access to the park itself is by air from Fort Simpson, Fort Liard (BC) or Watson Lake (Yukon) as there are no roads in the wilderness area. Several operators offer boat and raft tours on the river taking in the magnificent 100m high (312ft) Virginia Falls (twice the height of Niagara).
Wood Buffalo National Park, south of the Great Slave Lake, is a noted centre for naturalists and birdwatchers. The Waterfalls Route, a 325km (203 mile) driving route beginning at the NWT/Alberta border on Highway 1, links the traveller with more than seven unusual territorial parks and waterfalls. Twin Falls Territorial Park, just north of Enterprise, has two waterfalls, Louise Falls and Alexandra Falls, which are linked together by a 3km- (1.9 mile-) hiking trail along the spectacular Hay River Canyon.
The Arctic coastline and islands of the territory have a spectacular landscape and fascinating history. The cliffs and valleys of Tuktut Nogait, the Territories’ newest National Park, harbour birds of prey and offer lush habitat for caribou and musk oxen. Inuvik, in the far northwest, sits on the majestic Mackenzie River Delta and is accessible by road from Dawson City in the Yukon (at limited times of the year). Cruises on the Delta and the Inuvialuit and Dene settlements such as Aklavik are the main attractions. Aulavik, on Banks Island, includes archaeological sites dating back more than 3000 years. Much of this rough and forbidding terrain is best visited as part of a package tour or with other experts.
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