What to Expect
Every year at the floe is different because the ice reforms every winter, but this is a relatively reliable tour to see narwhal as the ice is melting back and they are foraging under the ice.
Late May and early June is still cold in the Arctic. Temperatures may not be much above freezing and it could snow, but warm layered clothing along with the waterproof boots should keep you warm. It is usually sunny though and the sun is up 24 hours, so bring sunscreen. We will provide all the necessary camping equipment including a mattress and a warm sleeping bag for the nights camping. We sleep in “Arctic Oven” tents. They are relatively tall so you can easily sit up in them and you may be able to stand, depending on the tent and your stature. Single travellers get their own tent for an additional fee. There are small propane heaters in our sleeping tents. We have larger tents at the camp that we use for dining and cooking. Our toilet is set up inside a tent near the camp and we bring a toilet and tent when we are out for the day on the ice. We aim to make the camping as comfortable as possible. We are happy to accommodate dietary requests for our meals at the camp, but we require this information at least 60 days prior to the tour. There is a generator for charging electronics in the evening when we are back at the camp. Please get in touch if you have any questions.
Our top priority on our Arctic Bay polar bear and narwhal tour is to find narwhal! Often this means we need to sit and wait at the floe edge. In the meantime, we are always happy to watch for whatever other mammals and birds my come by for a visit! We will also get an opportunity to learn more about life in the far north from our welcoming Inuit hosts.
Walking is mostly easy, but you will be walking on ice and on some small hills and uneven tundra. While most of our time is at the floe edge, we may have a chance for an excursion on land if we have already had a great day of wildlife viewing and we are camped close to the land.
Travel from the community to the camp will take several hours and travel from the camp to the floe edge will generally take an hour or more depending on where the floe edge forms and the ice conditions.
While we have outlined the detailed itinerary, this schedule and our daily activities will be very dependent on the daily weather and ice conditions as well as possible schedule changes from the airline. In addition, we cannot guarantee single occupancy in our hotel in Arctic Bay. We reserve the flights for you and pay for them on your behalf. Tour dates are not confirmed until we can confirm the flight schedule.
Please note that the deposit for this tour is $1000 CAD/USD. Due to the remote nature of this tour and the high cost of evacuation, emergency medical insurance is required on this tour.
