Sachs Harbour (Ikaahuk)

A Tiny Inuvialuit Hamlet Of About 100 People On Banks Island, Home To One Of The Largest Muskox Populations In The World, And The Nearest Community To Aulavik National Park. Polar Bear And Caribou Are Also Seen. Reached Only By Air, With A Short Summer Visiting Season And A Small Number Of Guided Trips And Rooms · Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories

Sachs Harbour, Ikaahuk in Inuvialuktun, is a tiny Inuvialuit hamlet of about 100 people on the south-west coast of Banks Island in the Beaufort Sea, Northwest Territories. There is no road in; you arrive by scheduled flight from Inuvik, about 500 km to the south-east, and weather can delay it. The island holds one of the largest muskox populations in the world, and polar bears, caribou, Arctic foxes and migrating birds are also seen. The hamlet is the nearest community to Aulavik National Park, reached on guided trips. Be honest about what this is: not a sightseeing town. There is no old quarter, no cafe and no tour desk. It suits adventure travellers, birders, photographers and people already working in the north, and the visiting season is short, roughly July and August. Visits run through local outfitters and the Hunters and Trappers Committee, groceries are costly, and visitors should ask before photographing anyone.

Sachs Harbour, the only permanent community on Banks Island in the Beaufort Sea, reached by scheduled flight from Inuvik; coordinates approximate, Sachs Harbour, Northwest Territories, Canada

Sachs Harbour has no visitor hours, since it is a living community of a hundred or so residents. The store, the community office and any guest accommodation keep their own schedules, commonly short weekday hours with closures at weekends and on holidays - confirm by phone before you fly. Boat trips and land trips with local outfitters run mostly from about July to early September, depending on sea ice, wind and wildlife. Spring brings snow travel and polar light, but few visitors come then. Winter is long, dark and very cold. Walking around the hamlet is free at any hour, and the sun stays up around the clock in midsummer. Public holidays are quiet, and flights are few, so check the weekly schedule first.

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