Hotels in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

A little about Yellowknife...

Yellowknife (62°27'N 114°21'W MST) is the capital of Canada's Northwest Territories, with a population of approximately 20,000 as of 2006. Located on the north shore of Great Slave Lake on the west side of Yellowknife Bay near the outlet of the Yellowknife River, Yellowknife and its surrounding waterbodies were named after the local Yellowknives tribe, who made tools from regional copper deposits. The current population is ethnically mixed. Of the eight official languages of the Northwest Territories, five are spoken in significant numbers in Yellowknife: Chipewyan, Dogrib, South and North Slavey, English, and French.

At the edge of the Arctic, in the heart of the wilderness, lies a city of youth, energy, adventure and prosperity. Yellowknife is a culturally rich capital thriving with diversity, and home to about 20,000 people. Located on the shores of the beautiful Great Slave Lake, only 512 km south of the Arctic Circle, we are known for our outdoor recreation, midnight sun, aurora borealis and an unusual blend of northern culture... a City where history is found throughout a modern, bustling metropolis.

In Dogrib, the city is called Somba K'e ("where the money is").

Top 10 for visitors:
Caribou Carnival
Held the last weekend of March each year, this festival puts an end to winter in Yellowknife. Big name entertainment, skidoo and dog races and feats of strength and skill. Fun for the whole family.

Canadian Championship Dog Derby
A three day, 150-mile race run on Great Slave Lake ice, held at the end of March, and part of the World Cup of dog sled racing.

Canada Day – July 1
This national holiday is truly a multicultural event in Yellowknife – with a parade, music and games, and citizenship ceremonies in the park.

Aboriginal Day – June 21
This territorial holiday honours the Aboriginal people of the North and features traditional entertainment, storytelling, and lots of caribou stew, bannock and tea.

Longest Day of the Year - Raven Mad Daze
When the sun is high in the sky all day and all night, June 21, Yellowknifers go raven mad. Street sales, live bands, and plenty of finger food keep the family hopping till well past midnight. Just when you think the sun has disappeared, it pops up again and its time to go boating, or tee off at the Midnight Sun golf tournament.

Midnight Sun Golf Tournament
A Yellowknife Golf Club annual event, sponsored by the folks at Canadian North.

Snow King Winter Festival
For the past nine years, the Snowking has built his castle. He dedicates his days to make this amazing, icy construction so the people of Yellowknife and visitors alike can enjoy his magical palace.

Folk on the Rocks – mid July
Actually, this two day folk-blues concert is held in a beautiful sandy amphitheatre on the shores of a shimmering lake.

Yellowknife International Airshow
The Air Show is held b-annually with Air Show Static adn live displays.

Mining week
It’s time to dust off your samples, schmooze with the mining execs and practice your skills as a hard rock gold miner. Or, like the teams from every mine in the NWT and Nunavut, compete in the annual Mine Rescue Competition, a test of skill and safety knowledge in a simulated mine emergency. Our teams measure up to the best in Canada.