Frequently Asked Questions

The aurora borealis is caused by charged particles from the sun colliding with gases in Earth's atmosphere. When these particles interact with oxygen and nitrogen at high altitudes, they release energy as light — creating the green, pink, and purple curtains you see in the sky.

The Kp index is a scale from 0 to 9 that measures geomagnetic activity. A higher Kp means stronger aurora activity and visibility at lower latitudes. In Whitehorse, a Kp of 2 or above is usually enough to see the aurora on a clear night. A Kp of 5 or higher can produce dramatic displays visible across the whole sky.

Short-term forecasts (27–48 hours) are reasonably reliable. We use NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, the University of Alaska Fairbanks aurora forecast, and real-time satellite data to plan each hunt. Longer-range forecasts are less reliable — aurora activity can change quickly.

Green is the most common colour, produced by oxygen at around 100 km altitude. Pink and red appear at higher altitudes. Purple and blue come from nitrogen. The colours you see depend on atmospheric conditions and the strength of the solar wind that night.

The aurora season in Whitehorse runs from late August through April, when nights are long enough to see the lights. Peak months are November through February, when nights are longest and skies are often clear and cold. September and March are also excellent — the equinox effect can trigger stronger geomagnetic activity.

We recommend at least 3–4 nights to give yourself a good chance of seeing the aurora. Cloud cover is the biggest variable — some nights are completely overcast, others are crystal clear. More nights means more chances.

Not for aurora viewing. From May through July, Whitehorse experiences near-continuous daylight (the midnight sun), which makes it impossible to see the northern lights. Summer is wonderful for other reasons — hiking, paddling, wildlife — but aurora season requires darkness.

We offer three experiences: The Real Aurora Hunt (our signature small-group mobile hunt, $285/person), the Private Aurora Hunt (exclusive to your group, from $1,140/group), and the Kluane Winter Escape day trip ($319/person). All experiences are guided in English and French.

The Real Aurora Hunt has a maximum of 5 guests per night. The Private Aurora Hunt is exclusive to your group with no maximum size. Solo travellers are welcome on all tours — you can book for just yourself.

Yes. Our guide is bilingual and all tours run in both English and French. Just let us know your preference when booking.

The minimum age for The Real Aurora Hunt is 10 years old. Children must be comfortable in cold winter conditions and able to stay warm for extended periods outdoors.

Choose your tour and date on our booking page, fill in your group details, and submit your request. No payment is taken at this stage. We confirm within 24 hours and send secure payment instructions.

Full payment is due within 48 hours of receiving your booking confirmation. We'll send you a secure payment link by email.

Absolutely. Proposals, anniversaries, birthdays — we've hosted them all. Let us know in the special requests field when you book and we'll do our best to make it memorable.

Not yet, but we're working on it. In the meantime, contact us via WhatsApp and we can arrange something.

The refund you receive depends on how far in advance you cancel, measured from the scheduled tour start time in Whitehorse local time.

If conditions are poor across the whole area, we may cancel or move your tour. We'll let you know as early as possible — usually the morning of or the day before.

You can then accept the new date (confirmed in writing by text or email) or decline and receive a full refund.

Any northern lights seen during your tour count as a sighting — even faint ones, including lights that only show up on camera and not to the naked eye. In that case your tour is complete and doesn't qualify for a refund or rebooking.

If the weather changes during your tour, we can't find a clear sky, and no northern lights are seen at all, you can choose: a 50% refund, or a free rebooking on another hunt this season (subject to available seats).

If we find a clear sky but no northern lights appear — not even on camera — you can rebook another hunt at 50% off. Your new hunt must take place within 30 calendar days of your original tour date, subject to available seats.

No payment is taken when you request a booking. We confirm within 24 hours, then full payment is due within 48 hours of confirmation. Refunds are returned to your original payment method and are processed within 5–10 business days. We are unable to issue refunds to a different card or account.