It seems that everyone who visits Inuvik takes at least one tour, whether it’s around town, on the delta, or to an outlying community. Arctic Nature Tours (beside the igloo church on Mackenzie Rd., 867/777-3300, www.arcticnaturetours.com) offers an extensive variety of tours June–early September; those that require flying include transportation from town out to the airport. The town tour ($45) lasts approximately two hours, taking in all the sights.

Another popular excursion is Mackenzie Delta Legends Tour to the camp of an Inuvialuit elder ($160), where tea and bannock is served. In addition to Tuktoyaktuk tours, the company has trips to remote Herschel Island, located in the Beaufort Sea. The island was a major whaling station during the early 1900s, but today only ruins remain. This trip is especially good for bird-watchers because more than 70 avian species have been recorded on the island.

The flight to the island passes Ivvavik National Park in the northern Yukon, providing opportunities to see musk oxen, caribou, and grizzly bears. A two-hour stay on the island costs $425 per person, including the 90-minute (one-way) flight. Overnight stays begin at $805 per person.