Activities, Adventures in Inuvik, Northwest Territory, Canada.

Things To Do, Inuvik, N.W.T.
Western Arctic Region, Northwest Territory, Canada

Some of the more popular Things To Do, Activities and Adventures in the community of Inuvik, Northwest Territory, Canada including the surrounding villages of Aklavik, Fort McPherson, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, Tsiigehtchic and Ulukhaktok, N.W.T.

Aurora Borealis : Inuvik is as north as you can get by road for viewing the Northern Lights. The green and blue lights dance across the skies. Best viewed in the winter months There are remote resorts, tours and guides catering to Northern Light adventures.

Hiking: There are some hiking trails in the community of Inuvik ideal for sightseeing and viewing the community up close like the Jimmy Adams Peace Trail circling Boot Lake and the Twin Lakes Trail running along the east channel of the Mackenzie River. Behind the village is a trail leading up to Hidden Lake and a viewpoint. Further out of town there is a short trail in Juk Park and another sightseeing trail leading to a lookout at Tithegeh Chii Vitaii.

Canoeing: Being that the community of Inuvik is neighbouring the many tributaries of the Mackenzie Delta and it is surrounded by a good assortment of lakes there are many canoeing opportunities nearby. Some lakes are day paddles like Campbell Lake and Boot Lake while others are multi day paddle routes with wilderness camping while exploring the Mackenzie Delta . There are tour operators in the region.

Flightseeing: Floatplanes, charter planes and helicopters provide transportation to remote work sites, alpine ski slopes and villages. Many also operate as flightseeing tour operators. The flightseeing tour is an excellent opportunity to reach remote wilderness sightseeing destinations while viewing the arctic by air. Tours include destinations like the Mackenzie Delta, Sachs Harbour on Banks Island, the Beaufort Sea and some of Canada's National Parks like the Ivvavik, Tuktut Nogait and Aulavik National Parks.

Fishing: The Mckenzie Delta rivers and tributaries provide plenty of opportunities for fishing. There are opportunities to catch fish like northern pike, Arctic grayling, lake trout, burbot, bull trout and Arctic char. There are charter flights servicing remote fishing destinations and there are sport fishing boat charters which operate from the local docks in Inuvik, NWT. A fishing licence is required to fish in the N.W.T.

Wildlife Sightings: The opportunity for wildlife sightings in the region are good. The Mckenzie Delta is 50% wetlands which attracts plenty of wildlife to the region.. plus the delta is at the crossroads of 5 bird migrating flight paths. Wildlife in the arctic includes black bears, wolves, moose, muskox and caribou. Wildlife sightings are sometimes enjoyed while exploring on a self guided outdoor adventure and, possibilities greatly increase when exploring with one of the local wildlife touring companies. They know where to go.

Birdwatching: The opportunity for birdwatching is excellent in the Inuvik region. The Mckenzie Delta is at the centre of 5 bird migrating flight paths. It is a major staging area for over 100 species of migrating birds. Some of the birds in the delta include tundra swans, ducks, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, owls, eagles and plenty of songbirds. Birdwatching is enjoyed on self guided adventures and with sightseeing tours. Some parks with hiking opportunities are ideal for birdwatching like the Jimmy Adams Peace Trail around Boot Lake and the Tithegeh Chii Vitaii Lookout. Binoculars are always recommended.

Boating: The community of Inuvik is located on the shore of the east channel of the Mckenzie River. the east channel is an ideal launching boat for boaters wanting to access the delta and beyond. There are boat tours in the region. There is a dock and launch in the community.

Sightseeing: There are tour companies providing sightseeing tours - some by boat others by plane. There are self guided driving tours like the Dempster Highway for summer tours. There are winter ice roads leading to some of the remote villages on the Beaufort Delta which are ideal for winter driving sightseeing tours. There are sightseeing opportunities on some of the trails in and around the community. During the winter months one of the more popular sightseeing attraction are the Northern Lights.

Snowmobiling: During the winter months the temperatures drop and the surrounding lakes and tributaries of the Mackenzie Delta freeze over. The snow begins to fall, then accumulates, transforming the lakes and rivers into snowmobile routes. There are winter adventure resorts and touring companies providing snowmobile adventures in the western arctic region.

Cross Country Skiing: In the Inuvik community there are over 15 kilometres of cross country ski trails. Many of the xc routes are the summer recreation trails covered in snow. The trails in the community are well maintained. Some adventure resorts in the back country also provide wilderness cross country skiing adventures. Best to bring your own cross country ski equipment as rentals are few.

Dog Sledding : Dog sledding teams operate from the community of Inuvik. One of the most popular dog sledding adventure destinations is the Mackenzie Delta and the Mackenzie River.

Ice Fishing: During the winter months the temperatures drop and the surrounding lakes and tributaries of the Mackenzie Delta freeze over. Soon later the ice shacks begin to pop up on the local lakes and rivers for ice fishing season.