JF Salgado's

Borealis Science & Photo Tour

About Our Tours

Join us on a subarctic adventure! Spend six nights viewing the Northern Lights, enjoying outdoor activities, and experiencing the culture of the First Nation people of the Northwest Territories (NWT) of Canada. Our tours are led by astronomer and photographer José Francisco Salgado and include nightly aurora viewing trips to the boreal forest, cultural field trips, aurora photography instruction, educational activities, hotel accommodations, local ground transportation, breakfast, and most meals.

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Meet Your Guide

Dr. José Francisco Salgado is an Emmy-nominated astronomer, science communicator, experimental photographer, and visual artist who creates multimedia works that communicate science in engaging ways. Dr. Salgado has spent years photo-documenting the natural world, the darkest night skies in remote locations, and astronomical observatories around the world. His scientific visuals have been featured in documentaries produced for the History, Discovery, BBC, and National Geographic channels.

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Our Science & Photo Tours

Join Dr. Salgado in the field for an unforgettable experience!

Tour Activities

  • • Aurora viewing from scenic locations along the Ingraham Trail in Yellowknife, NWT.
  • • A presentation about the science behind the auroras given by astronomer Dr. José Francisco Salgado.
  • • A visit to Aurora Village to enjoy the Northern Lights from the comfort of our own heated tepee.
  • • A visit to a warm and cozy cabin to enjoy a midnight snack of hot bannock and fish chowder under the Northern Lights.
  • • Instruction on photographing the Northern Lights by professional photograhers José Francisco Salgado and/or Dale Baskin. View our photo album and read our Digital Photography Review article.
  • • A daytime hike through the boreal forest.
  • • Tour of the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.
  • • Visit to Bush Pilots Monument in Old Town for a panoramic view of Yellowknife.
  • • Driving on ice roads and snowshoeing, dog sledding or snow mobiling (Winter tours.)
  • • You can rent Arctic clothing for Winter tours or purchase this recommended gear for Winter and Summer/Fall tours.
  • • Boat tour (September tours).
  • • Ground transportation to tour activities.
  • • Breakfast everyday and three tour group dinners.
  • • Six-night lodging. To facilitate travel schedules, additional nights of accommodation are available.
  • • A bilingual (English and Spanish) tour leader.
  • • An aurora print plus souvenir photos of the tour.

2024 Tour Rates and Dates

For additional information view our brochure or download it.

Price Sheet and Dates

• Winter 2024 Week 1: Sunday, March 3 - Saturday, March 9, 2024
• Winter 2024 Week 2: Sunday, March 10 - Saturday, Mar 16, 2024

• Late Summer 2024 Week 1: Sunday, Sept 1 - Saturday, Sept 7, 2024
• Late Summer 2024 Week 2: Sunday, Sept 8 - Saturday, Sept 14, 2024

Temperature and Clothing

Please read this document about temperature and clothing in March and September in Yellowknife and see our product recommendations. Arctic winter clothing is available for rent for tours in March. Contact for more information.

Photography Tips

Watch a series of videos about tripods, cameras, lenses, fisheye lenses, and aurora exposure settings.

For additional information please write to us at jf@jfsalgado.com or call 630-886-6443