Inuvik – "Place of Man"

Whether you drive or fly, Inuvik is the headquarters for trips to other Western Arctic communities. The Western Arctic Regional Visitor Centre should be your first stop. You’ll receive a certificate of the Arctic Circle Chapter, Order of Adventurers, awarded to all travellers who cross the Arctic Circle.

Located on the East Channel about 60 kilometres into the Mackenzie Delta, Inuvik is built on frozen delta soils, called permafrost. Permafrost created unique challenges for the town planners, who decided to erect large buildings on piles driven into the ice, with open space beneath the buildings to dissipate the structure's heat. Central heating was supplied to the original community by utilidors. These raised box-like structures enclosed heat and water lines, and can still be seen linking parts of the central area. Today, power is supplied by gas generators fuelled by the first producing gas well in the Mackenzie Delta.

Our Lady of Victory, the Igloo church, is a must-see landmark with a heartwarming story of construction and decoration by volunteers. Inuvik offers a variety of authentic Arctic experiences, from touring, to great dining, to shopping, boat tours, and in winter, dog sled rides, cross country skiing and aurora watching.

Tell me more about Inuvik

Tell me about the Gwich’in in Inuvik

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