City in Northwest Territories, Canada
Yellowknife for solo travelers
Is Yellowknife good for solo travel?
A small northern capital on Great Slave Lake and one of the most reliable places in the world to see the aurora. Expensive, extremely cold in winter, and practical only with tours or a rental car.
Solo travel at a glance
| Solo travel | 3/5 · Good, with some effort |
|---|---|
| Locals | Friendly |
| English | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Safety | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Solo women | Generally comfortable for solo women. Normal city precautions apply downtown at night; tour groups are safe and common. |
How to meet people in Yellowknife
Small-group aurora tours, hostel-style lodges, dog-sledding trips, Old Town cafés and the Snowking Winter Festival in March.
Good things to do alone
- Book a multi-night aurora tour in a heated cabin
- Walk Old Town and the Bush Pilot's Monument
- Try dog-sledding on Great Slave Lake
- Visit the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
- Ice fish or snowshoe on Frame Lake
Where to stay in Yellowknife
| Area | Good for |
|---|---|
| Old Town | Houseboats, bush-pilot history, cafés and Great Slave Lake views |
| Downtown (Franklin Avenue) | Hotels, restaurants, shops and tour pickups |
| Frame Lake | Quiet residential area with trails and the museum |
Solo travel across Canada
| Place | Solo | English |
|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | 5/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Montreal | 5/5 | Widely spoken |
| Toronto | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Banff | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Quebec City | 4/5 | Common in tourist areas |
| Whistler | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Ottawa | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Calgary | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Victoria | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Jasper | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Halifax | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Tofino | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Kelowna | 4/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Niagara Falls | 3/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Edmonton | 3/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Yellowknife | 3/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
| Mont-Tremblant | 3/5 | Widely spoken |
| Prince Edward Island | 3/5 | Spoken almost everywhere |
Quick answers
Is Yellowknife good for solo travelers?
Good, with some effort (3/5). A small northern capital on Great Slave Lake and one of the most reliable places in the world to see the aurora.
How do you meet people in Yellowknife?
Small-group aurora tours, hostel-style lodges, dog-sledding trips, Old Town cafés and the Snowking Winter Festival in March. On SoloSquare you can also join small plans with other travelers who are there now.
Do people speak English in Yellowknife?
Spoken almost everywhere.
Is Yellowknife safe for solo female travelers?
Generally comfortable for solo women. Normal city precautions apply downtown at night; tour groups are safe and common.
More about Yellowknife
Going to Yellowknife solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Yellowknife meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
Ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.