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Blachford Lake Lodge

Blachford Lodge Wilderness and Northern Lights Holiday Canada

There are no roads to Blachford Lodge which is located 20 minutes by ski plane from the city of Yellowknife in Canada’s North West Territories. Often cited as one of the best places to view the Northern Lights for its clear skies, Yellowknife has a feeling of exclusivity and remoteness like no other place we know of. Visited by the Royal Duke and Duchess of Cambridge William and Kate during their honeymoon in 2011, Blachford Lodge has the perfect mix of wilderness and luxury. This three night trip next to the Great Slave Lake offers the chance to search for the Aurora and choose from a range of day and evening winter activities. Perfect for honeymooners, families and romantic getaways, please get in touch with us to customise your holiday.

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SUGGESTED ITINERARY

WHAT, WHERE & WHEN

DAY 1:

Arrival to Yellowknife to pick up the charter ski-plane to Blachford Lodge. Settle into your room either in the main lodge itself or in one of the cosy rustic cabins dotted about on the site next to the frozen Great Slave Lake.

All meals are included and the menu features a plethora of local northern ingredients including fish, meat and home-grown vegetables. The in-house chef is a passionate cook and keen to share the delights of the surroundings with guests and diners. Everyone loves “Tire sur la neige” – a delicious maple syrup served on fresh snow beside the lodge.

Staying at: Blachford Lake Lodge

DAY 2:

Today you are at leisure to relax or join an optional guided excursion.

Snow shoes, ice-skates and skis are available for all guests to use free of charge during their stay, so the temptation is always there to explore the surrounding winter wilderness. In traditional Canadian style, guests are known to break into an impromptu game of ice-hockey or curling on the lake.

Each evening, if the weather obliges you’ll have an opportunity to marvel at the northern lights. Choose your viewing spot from one of the viewing decks, the hot tub or the Aurora viewing windows in the main lodge.

DAY 3:

Today we recommend joining one of the lodge's signature snow mobiling tours to explore the surrounding wilderness.

Snow mobiling adventures include:
Whiteman Loop (2 hours)
This easy route follows a series of three small lakes and bush trails joining Blachford and Long Lakes, and back to the lodge. Included in this trip is experiencing the now abandoned Cadieux family cabin on the Francois river system.
Ice-fishing by snow mobile (2.5 hours)
Choose to travel by snow mobile for the ice-fishing trip as above.
Ice Pressure Ridges on Great Slave Lake (3 hours)
A pleasant winding trail heads from the lodge at Blachford to Thor Lake, a rare mineral exploration camp. From there you head south on bush trails and join an old mine access road to overlook the East Arm of mighty Great Slave Lake and Blanchet Island. Then wind down a trail to the lake itself, to see close-up how the constant pressure of wind, currents and moon can create cracks on the surface and throw up blocks and ridges of ice.
Watta Lake - Historic Cabins and Waterfalls (6 hours)
Travel the network of lakes around Blachford and visit what's left of the 1950s homestead of Henry and Mary Cadieux at Francois River. See open water rapids before crossing beaver ponds and travelling across more lakes and portages to visit a waterfall on the Beaulieu River. Head to an abandoned log cabin where many travellers’ names are inscribed on the walls and enjoy lunch around a camp fire.
Ice and Exploration - The Ultimate Great Slave Circular Tour (8 hours)
Covering almost 100km, this is the ultimate trip to view the majesty of North America’s deepest lake. Follow a series of winding trails to an old geologist’s cabin and the remains of the ‘Rex Cafe’, a mining camp dating back to the 1930s. Then it’s down onto the lake’s East Arm to see the incredible ice pressure ridges. Search the shorelines for prehistoric rocks then head back to the mainland and snuggle into the ‘Hole in the Wall’. This inlet provides shelter from the frequent high winds of the East Arm. Warm by a roaring campfire with a hot lunch before making your way back to the lodge.

DAY 4:

Departure via ski-plane to Yellowknife. If you're not ready to leave, we can add extra nights and excursions to extend your Northern Lights holiday in Canada.

BUDGET

From £1395 for three nights excluding international flights

This roughly converts to: 1,604 EUR | 1,827 USD

Remember that each trip we craft is unique, and you'll receive a personalised trip proposal based on your travel dates and preferences, and in the currency of your choice (GBP, USD, or EUR).

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Additional Info

This trip has weekly set arrival and departure days on: Wed, Fri, Sun

Many of trips can be tailored to your requirements and departure dates. Please get in touch with us for a tailored quotation and details of availability for your preferred travel dates. All trips and departures are subject to availability.

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IDEAL TRIP LENGTH:

3 nights

Reviews

Blachford Lodge Wilderness and Northern Lights Holiday Canada

5/5

We could not imagine a better place to view the Northern Lights. The Lodge sits within a pristine wilderness, far away from city lights. One needn't wander far from the entrance to the Lodge to see the lights. In fact, we experienced some dazzling views in the middle of the night through the window of our bedroom. The weather cooperated and we enjoyed impressive displays three nights out of four. The ideal location of the Lodge is further attested by the 19 visits of Hiroaki Shintaku, a talented photographer who specializes in photographing the Aurora. While the challenge of photographing the lights in frigid weather is daunting, we felt privileged to share our time at the Lodge with Mr. Shintaku and grateful for his willingness to share his images. The Lodge is run primarily by a multicultural group of young volunteers from all over the world. They contribute an energy and joie de vivre that adds significantly to the experience. Their patience was also very helpful as we engaged as neophytes with the various winter activities offered.

by Rick Moskovitz, Ocala, FL on Mar 01 .

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