Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/809166
NT 153 During the summer, eat locally sourced reindeer dishes and fish and chips cooked inside a converted school bus at Alestine's and served on a terrace overlooking the Mackenzie River in Inuvik north of the Arctic Circle. Travel along the edge of scenic Yellowknife Bay in a 12-person voyageur canoe for a Floating Dinner Theatre experience in the summer with Narwal Northern Adventures. Feast on a traditional meal of soup and bannock, accompanied by lively entertain- ment ( www.narwal.ca/tours ). Get a bird's-eye view of the landscape during a flightseeing tour (www.spectacular nwt.com/what-to-do/culture-and-touring/ flightseeing). SCENIC DRIVES Travel through two mountain ranges and the Continental Divide, then take your photo at the Arctic Circle when you drive the iconic 740-km (460-mi.) Dempster Highway from Dawson City, Yukon to Inuvik ( www.travelyukon.com/Plan/Itineraries/ Iconic-Drives/Drive-the-Dempster). By late 2017, you will be able to drive all the way to the tiny community of Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean. That's when a perma- nent road is expected to link Inuvik and "Tuk" —as it is known to locals. Until then, make like an ice road trucker when you drive the 185-km (115-mi.) winter road that's open from December to April. There are also winter roads that link Dettah to Yellowknife, Fort Simpson to communities in the Mackenzie Valley, and Fort Smith to Fort Chipewyan, AB. FAMILY FUN Climb into a sled and listen to the sounds of excited huskies barking with anticipation. Then silence descends when you hit the trail and feel the power of a team of dogs pulling you through the forest during a dogsledding excursion ( www.spectacular nwt.com/what-to-do/winter-adventure/ dogsledding). In summer, the Great Northern Arts Festival offers workshops for both kids and adults. PARK PICK AULAVIK NATIONAL PARK Aulavik means "place where people travel" in the local Inuvialuktun language. This remote, fly-in only Arctic park is located on Banks Island near the community of Sachs Harbour. Aulavik is home to the endangered Peary caribou and the world's highest concentration of muskox. The landscape includes rolling hills, buttes, badlands, river valleys and seacoasts. The Thomsen River, one of the continent's most northerly navigable river, runs through the heart of the park. The land has supported pre-Dorset cultures and the Inuvialuit people for more than 3,400 years ( www. parkscanada.gc.ca/aulavik). National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888 simpsonair.ca TOLL FREE 1-866-995-2505 TEL. 867-695-2505 simpsonair.nahannimountainlodge SimpsonAir1981 Rugged mountains frame swift waters where gorges and deep canyons cut beside natural hotsprings and thundering Virginia Falls. Experience flight tours, fishing, and wilderness lodging with Simpson Air – the gateway to Canada's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Talk to us & plan for adventure. N O R T H W E S T T E R R I T O R I E S : Y O U N E E D T O S E E T H I S YOUR NEW FAVOURITE ADVENTURE Spectacular Wilderness… we'll get you there. 1-800-665-0240 www.plummerslodges.com Arctic Lodges Five lodges to choose from on Great Slave Lake, Great Bear Lake, and the World Famous Tree River Home of the IGFA World Record Lake Trout, Arctic Char and Arctic Grayling Celebrating Experience it finally for yourself! "The World's Finest Fishing " NT 153