Blachford Lake Lodge Office — Hotel in Yellowknife

Blachford Lake Lodge is only accessible by air in spring-summer, and by winter ice road between freeze-up and break-up (dates cary depending on weather) The main lodge houses the kitchen and dining area, five bedrooms, as well as washrooms and showers on the main floor for all guests. There are panoramic views of the lake from both the main and second floors, with a particularly lovely balcony off the second floor common seating area.

There are five cozy cabins dotted about the property. Each unit has its own composting toilet, wood stove, comfy beds, outside deck and fire pit.

There is a sauna near the lake shore amidst the cabins, with a small dock nearby for a refreshing - some might say bracing - swim between saunas. There is a hot tub outside the main lodge where you can relax and enjoy magnificent views of the lake, the surrounding forest, or the crystal clear night sky (the star gazing here is off the charts beautiful).

There is no data coverage here, and limited WiFi. (guests get 250 Mb access per day; anything beyond that limit is extra) But to be candid, if you’re jones’ing for internet connectivity while you’re here you’re doing it wrong!

Staff here are well trained (including EMT certified team members), knowledgeable, accommodating and very kind. There is an openness to the people here that one encounters only rarely in the more frenetic world south of 60°. Everything that needs to get done is done with quiet efficiency and on time.

The food - which is served buffet style - is very good and varied. Breakfasts are hearty and fuel any activities until lunch, and dinners are very generous as well. There always lots of veggies and salads, with meat and fish options to satisfy every palate. Highlights included: a rich beef bourgignon; a delicious braised lamb stew; perfectly executed char grilled chicken; and, a fabulous Tuscan fish bake. (including locally sourced Lake Trout, Whitefish and Arctic Char, as well as prawns) There’s also a small but well-stocked bar if you wish to order wine or cocktails, all very reasonably priced.

Best of all, someone in the kitchen bakes world-class breads (fabulous with their homemade jams), perfect raisin scones, decadent brownies, addictive pear & walnut and banana breads, and tasty blueberry muffins. Try as we might we couldn’t stop going back for more of these fabulous baked treats, including the banana bread and muffins that were left out all day if you needed a snack with the the all-day coffee and tea.

There’s no shortage of things to do during your stay: fishing; boating; canoeing; kayaking; paddle boarding; hiking; pine salve workshops; star gazing; and, of course, Aurora Borealis viewing and photography. The kayaks and canoes are top-of-the-line models - a real treat. There are some fabulous trails of various lengths for you to explore, with various lookouts that allow you to rest and soak up the spectacular solitude of the space.

If you want to go fishing (Pike; Pickeral; Lake Trout) you can choose either a guided trip, or take out a small boat on your own. If you choose to go on your own one of the experienced guides will sit down with you and orient you with a topographical map of the lake with precise directions to the best fishing spots for each species. And people catch fish here - often very big ones - abundance. Of note, this is a catch-and-release lake, in keeping with the sustainable approach at BLL.

No matter what activity you choose the staff here take your safety very seriously. There is a sign-out/sign-in accountability sheet in the main building, as well as air horns and bear spray that you can take along in case of emergencies.

Total for three nights (including float plane, all meals and activities, taxes and gratuities) was $2,277/person - and worth every penny. Highly...

Visiting Blachford Lake was the experience of a lifetime! I am not an especially outdoorsy person, nor am I used to -10+ degree Fahrenheit temperatures! But regardless, I had an amazing time visiting at end of March with our 8-person group for 4 days/3 nights from the USA. If you have ever been a fan of a cozy ski-trip type of vibe, Blachford Lake reminded me of this; just with the opportunity to do new and different activities. Our time at the lodge was equal parts relaxing and exhilarating. We saw the northern lights 2 of 3 nights in all their dancing glory (a huge bucket-list check, of course!) and found the entire lodge and cabin experience very clean, cozy, cute and thoughtful with really nice indigenous-owned toiletries. We got to experience igloo-building, ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing… you name it! It was really cool. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. It was a nice bed-and-breakfast feel as they guided us on signing up for activities and giving tips on aurora viewing, with everything from how to set up your iPhone settings to take the best northern lights pictures to a dedicated staff member who will wake you up when the “show” begins! They were also very accommodating and thoughtful about our group’s dietary restrictions (no red meat for some of us).

On top of all the great wintry fun, our group raved about the delicious food, snacks and cocktails served at the three mealtimes… everything from bison lasagna (a big hit) to cosmopolitans, freshly baked cookies, muffins, thai dumplings and chicken Caesar wraps. Everything was so fresh. It was certainly something of note for the foodies in our group!

This was just such a pleasant and unique experience for a trip and awesome for bonding with loved ones over shared meals, new activities, or indoor cozy activities like crafts, board games, puzzle-making or sipping delicious lodge cocktails. Can’t recommend enough.

The only thing to note, is to really think about the best time of year for you to do this trip. The last days of March were great for us, as it was cold… but not so bad that activities were intolerable. It was also a particularly great time to see the northern lights, when they are most active. Be sure to do thorough research on when the best time to see the lights are, if that is your big goal. It is not the same high chance all year-round.

Also of course be sure to have the right cold weather attire if visiting in winter/spring. Necessities were certainly a hearty coat, snow pants, base layers, snow boots, ski socks, hats, gloves and balaclavas (a true must as the cold can whip your face, especially if it is a bit windy). If the gear preparation is intimidating, there is a convenient service in Yellowknife to rent winter gear that our family used and found very helpful— the Lodge can help coordinate. In general, the Lodge is very communicative in the weeks leading up to your travels with detailed PDFs on everything from packing recommendations to books they recommend on the area. The bush plane ride out to the Lodge is fun and quick. As someone a little spooked by tiny planes, it was a pleasant experience— just know flights can easily be delayed for low visibility (we had a 5-hr delay leaving due to a blizzard).. something to...

This is an excellent way to experience the wilds of the Northwest Territory in a luxurious style! The friendly staff are very attentive, knowledgable and did a fantastic job in meeting our expectations while addressing the needs of the current pandemic.

The food is fantastic but the activities keep you from outgrowing your clothes. Cross country skiing and snowmobiling give you a great view of the surrounding area - you cant throw a snowball without hitting a lake up there. Finish off the day in the hot tub under a clear sky (the trip in and out at 30 below zero is much less traumatic than one would imagine and adds to the experience).

Definitely a great way to get a taste of an off grid lifestyle while remaining relatively connected. Internet access is available and does pose some minor limitations but if connectivity is going to be your top priority, you’re on the wrong vacation!

We were very fortunate to have 2 great nights of Northern Lights and courtesy of the wake up service, did not need to keep a constant vigil in...