Inuvik

A Gwich'in and Inuvialuit town above the Arctic Circle, with the Igloo Church, the Mackenzie Delta and a road that runs all the way to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean.

Inuvik lies in the far north of Canada's Northwest Territories, about 200 km above the Arctic Circle, on the East Channel of the Mackenzie River Delta. Its population of around 3,000 is made up mainly of Gwich'in, Inuvialuit and newcomers from the south, and it serves as the transport and service hub of the Western Arctic. There are two ways to get here: a 2–3 hour flight from Yellowknife or Whitehorse, or a two-day drive north from Dawson City in the Yukon along the roughly 740 km Dempster Highway, a gravel road that passes the Arctic Circle crossing. In town, the main sights are the Igloo Church, the Community Greenhouse, the above-ground utilidors, the Midnight Sun Mosque, the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre and the visitor centre; nearby are Boot Lake, the Jak Park observation tower and Gwich'in Territorial Park. The classic day trip is the drive of about 140 km up the Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway, opened in 2017, to Tuktoyaktuk, where you can dip your hand in the Arctic Ocean and then take a boat out to see the pingos. You can also tour the Mackenzie Delta by boat or small plane, or fly to Aklavik. From early June to late July there are about 56 days of midnight sun, and mid-to-late July and August bring the first hints of autumn colour on the tundra. December–January sees about 30 days of polar night; the northern lights are visible on clear nights from September to April, and winter temperatures often drop below −30°C. Mosquitoes are plentiful in summer and supplies are expensive; if driving the gravel roads, carry a spare tyre and extra fuel. Plan to stay 3–4 days.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries