• Stop in at the territories capital, Yellowknife, which is situated on the north shore of Great Slave Lake. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre details the area's aboriginal history. Nearby are the still largely traditional Dene (First Nations) settlements of Dettah, Rae-Edzo, N'dilo and Wekweti, or Rock Lake.

• Visit Nahanni National Park, a wonderful UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mackenzie Mountains. Access is only by air from Fort Simpson, Fort Liard (BC) or Watson Lake (Yukon). Boat and raft tours visit the magnificent 100m- (312ft-) high Virginia Falls, twice the height of Niagara.

• See Canada's biggest herd of free-roaming bison in Wood Buffalo National Park, also one of the largest parks on earth. Meanwhile the cliffs and valleys of Tuktut Nogait, the territories' newest national park, harbour birds of prey and offer lush habitat for caribou and musk oxen.

• Make the most of abundant wildlife-viewing opportunities. See 700,000 caribou migrating across the territories and calving by the Beaufort Sea. Moose inhabit boreal forests, grizzly bears roam freely, Dall's sheep graze the mountains and beluga whales and polar bears dot the coastline.

• Take the Waterfalls Route, a 325km (203-mile) driving route through several parks and past impressive waterfalls. Twin Falls Territorial Park, just north of Enterprise, has two waterfalls. Louise Falls and Alexandra Falls are linked by a 3km (1.9-mile) hiking trail along the spectacular Hay River Canyon.

• Discover the Arctic coastline's spectacular landscapes and fascinating history. Inuvik, on the majestic Mackenzie River Delta, is accessible in season by road. Delta cruises and Dene (aboriginal) settlements such as Aklavik are prime attractions. Aulavik, on Banks Island, has 3,000-year-old archaeological sites.

• Witness the landscape taking on a surreal quality during the midsummer when light lasts all night.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.