Tours

It seems that everyone who visits Inuvik [1] 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 [2]) 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 [3] 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 [4], 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.