Northern Lights Tours by The Aurora Borealis Experience

As the temperature plunged and night settled over Yellowknife, the anticipation of our subzero excursion set in.

Logistics had been fluid from the start. I’d booked the tour through TripAdvisor before having a confirmed address, first planning an Airbnb stay with a rental car before ultimately switching to The Explorer Hotel. A week ahead of the tour, I updated my pickup location via a message to the host via Trip Advisor. The day of the excursion,  I also called the number stated on the ticket email I received, to reiterate that I’d be picked up from The Explorer Hotel. I thought that because I did my part, the host would do theirs. In fact, I was told - during my phone call - that I would receive a confirmation text at 5pm.

While we lingered over drinks at the hotel’s Trapline Lounge, Amanda received her email instructing participants to be in the lobby at 8 p.m. However, I never got the email. Okay, I remember thinking. I have screenshots and if they argue with me, we’ll have a disagreement – but, I’ll still get on.  Frankly, things have a way of working out in my favor. And this was no exception.

At the appointed time, I looked for the red bus mentioned in a previous Trip Advisor review. I found it odd – because it didn’t fit the description mentioned on the experience description. And I as spoke to Halley, the night’s guide – she didn’t find my name in the check in sheet. Even though I had a confirmation number and had purchased the correct night.

However, one conversation led to another and I was eventually allowed on the full 50 person red bus.

First Stop: Fiddler’s Lake

We arrived at our first stop, a frozen lake stretching into the darkness. Halley told us that we would spend some time there to wait, as she stepped out to scout the skies for signs of the aurora. Within 30 minutes, a faint shimmer appeared, subtle but unmistakable. I climbed out of the bus and stared in absolute awe. There the aurora borealis was above me.

This is what I came for.

As the lights illuminated the darkness, I began fumbling with my tripod and camera –  until I froze. That’s the thing about being in weather that’s below zero. Well, -30s under to be exact.

I felt something similar with trying to dial in everything all at once, during my time at Tiziri Desert Camp in the Sahara. That, combined with an inner burn for getting it just right created an interesting emotion on the ice.

Luckily, I walked over to Halley, who was taking photos of guests under the lights. I did a quick check of her settings on her Sony and – comparing it – dialed it in on my Nikon. I went into the bus to warm up a bit and defrost my camera. I double checked with PhotoPills app. Then, everything clicked.

I went back out, set up and settled into the comfort of the click of the shutter. Frankly, I managed to capture personally stunning images of the aurora borealis.

Eventually, we regrouped on the bus, grateful for the served cups of hot chocolate and a chance to warm up.

After about two hours at the lake, Halley let us know we’d be moving on. Our next stop, she explained, would be the airport for a quick bathroom break.

Bathroom Break: Yellowknife Airport

It was a quick stop at the airport for the bathroom break.

Second Stop: Yellowknife Highway

Our second stop was just across the highway, a less-than-ideal location for photography. Every time I set up a shot, headlights would slice through the frame as a car passed by, forcing constant resets. I shot with ISO 3000, an eight-second exposure, and an aperture of f/2.8, doing my best to work around the interruptions.

It was here that I realized that I should have rented one of the local Canada Goose sets, like Amanda did. Even though the Patagonia jacket kept my upper torso warm – my Lululemon pants underneath my Obermeyer snow pants still left my legs freezing. It felt that I was bundled up so much that I felt like a marshmallow – and still it wasn’t enough.

But, I still got the shots.

As the clock shifted closer to midnight, we all piled back into the bus for our drop off. Returning to The Explorer Hotel after a 4 hour experience, I noticed that some other groups were just heading out. I asked one group what company they were going out with. They told me Beck’s Kennels. Honestly, I would have preferred to go out and their 12:30am time – as it would be the maximum darkness and dryness for the area.

Photographing the Aurora Borealis

For my Nikon z8 using my Sigma 14 – 24mm, my settings were ISO 8000; 14-24mm; +1ev; f 2.8; 5 seconds.  I modified it from what PhotoPills suggested:  ISO 3000; 8 seconds; aperture 2.8. With her Sony camera, Halley’s settings were: 5 seconds; f2.0; +0.7ev ISO 1600. It’s literally a freezing rush to figure everything out before the camera freezes. But once you dial it in – wow.

Overall

The next evening, while having drinks at the Trapline Lounge at The Explorer Hotel, the bartender - Skye - told me that she remembered with the owner of the The Aurora Borealis Experience worked at Aurora Village and would come inside the bar with his business partner to talk about the business. I’d asked her what aurora experience she’d heard the best reviews from and she’d mentioned “the red bus.”

While I appreciated the intention of the business, I feel that the TripAdvisor details could have been more honest. It’s not a “max of 24 per group” – it’s 50 people in a red bus. The “hot drinks and washrooms” is one cup of powdered hot chocolate and one cookie. This tour also not include background information about the lights, even though “Learn how the northern lights are formed in this part of Canada” is in the description. However, I did appreciate that the bus had WIFI and Halley’s friendly conversation. But other notes – “washrooms, the warmth of your transportation vehicle, and, at certain stops, heated tents, and teepees” seemed cut and pasted from another experience listing in order to get bookings. Plus, even though I messaged updated information AND called – I still had to deal with not getting a confirmation email and having to rely on my friend’s reservation vs my own.

While I appreciate the results of my photos, I believe that the second tour I did - Northern Lights Tour Yellowknife by Yellowknife Vacations - was better in delivering what was promised on the experience description.

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