Yellowknife-based business Bucket List Tours has been operating full-time for about a year, but its owner Tracy Therrien has decades of experience in the Northern tourism industry.

She started out as a travel agent and became the marketing agent for the M.S. Norweta cruise ship, which travelled up and down the Mackenzie River in the eighties.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Norweta used to sail from Hay River to Inuvik and in doing that, I had to learn far more about then North than I actually knew,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien.

In the days before the Internet, people would see the Norweta on television and then they would try to find the booking agent.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd then once they did, they had done a lot of other research into the North and would want to see possibly the Nahanni, they wanted to see Tuktoyaktuk, they wanted to see Wood Buffalo. So I had to learn about all of those areas and those things to see in the Northwest Territories,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Therrien has spent several years travelling the territory and visited most of the communities.

Now, as the owner and operator of Bucket List Tours, Therrien uses that knowledge to her advantage. Her summer tours take guests through the South Slave region.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey arrive in Yellowknife and we do Fort Providence, we make our way to Hay River, we spend two nights and do the whole area. Then KatlSA国际影视传媒檕deeche First Nation and the waterfalls and then we make our way to Wood Buffalo in Fort Smith. And we spend two days there,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien. One of her tours this year falls on the townSA国际影视传媒檚 Dark Sky Festival, before making its way to the Dehcho and Fort Simpson.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd we spend three nights there with the hope of getting in on the flight tour to Little Doctor Lake and Virginia Falls and the whole sightseeing tour of the Nahanni,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien. Located in Nahanni National Park Reserve, Virginia Falls is roughly twice the height of Niagara Falls.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 as amazing as it gets,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e been into the falls probably four of five times and my wonderment never changes.SA国际影视传媒�

Back in Yellowknife, she offers a tour that covers much of the citySA国际影视传媒檚 historical and cultural landmarks.

SA国际影视传媒淲e start with Giant Mine, we go to YKEA (the city dump), we visit Buffalo SA国际影视传媒� home of ice pilots, thatSA国际影视传媒檚 a huge interest for people. And then we explore Old Town in great depth,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien, adding that many visitors are interested in the history and origins of Yellowknife.

Therrien guides all of the tours herself, and the rest of her team is made up of Northerners. She makes a point of hiring Northerners, because it creates a more authentic experience for the guests.

SA国际影视传媒淛ust experiencing the history and the culture of Yellowknife, it comes best first-hand from locals,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien. SA国际影视传媒淏ecause theySA国际影视传媒檝e lived in the mines and theySA国际影视传媒檝e been here through the changes and theySA国际影视传媒檝e seen the growth of YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒�

A couple of her drivers are retired, long-time Yellowknifers full of knowledge and stories about the city.

SA国际影视传媒淎nd thatSA国际影视传媒檚 what people are interested in,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hey want to meet the locals, they want to learn as much about the community as they can when they visit. And your best resource for that is locals, so that is the goal, to keep the team local.SA国际影视传媒�

The tours also visit Ndilo and Dettah when the ice road is open, which gives visitors a good grasp of the area surrounding Yellowknife. TherrienSA国际影视传媒檚 aurora tours differ from other companies that drive tourists out of the city on the Ingraham Trail to see the lights. Located just 14 kilometres outside of Yellowknife, her woodstove-heated cabin is far enough from the light pollution caused by the city to make it a cozy aurora-viewing spot for guests.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 the dream of a lot of people to see the aurora and the chances are very high here, especially in our top peak seasons,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淐lear skies and northern lights, weSA国际影视传媒檙e good to go.SA国际影视传媒�

After working in tourism for all these years, Therrien said her favourite part of her job is seeing people discover the North.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 truly people that have no expectations or very little expectations of what the North is about and what they discover once they arrive,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of times I marvel in how they find our city to be so much more of an urban centre. I believe they really do believe theySA国际影视传媒檙e coming to the Wild Wild West, to a one-road town. So theySA国际影视传媒檙e very surprised when they see box stores, theySA国际影视传媒檙e very surprised to see what Yellowknife has to offer.SA国际影视传媒�

In terms of the future, Therrien has no plans to expand, but wants to keep groups on the smaller side and focus on establishing the business. With a maximum of 16 people, the tour groups are smaller than most, making them a more personal experience.

SA国际影视传媒淔or the next few years I hope to establish myself,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲here itSA国际影视传媒檚 an intimate, cozy experience and everyone leaves feeling satisfied.SA国际影视传媒�

Therrien wants her guests to leave with a good experience of the North, that will make them want to return.

SA国际影视传媒淗opefully enticing them to come back and visit other parts of the North because there is so much to see in Yellowknife and the surrounding areas,SA国际影视传媒� said Therrien.

SA国际影视传媒淔rom Inuvik to the South Slave to the Nahanni, itSA国际影视传媒檚 a big beautiful world.SA国际影视传媒�