Wildlife viewing in northern Yukon: Ivvavik National Park

Fully above the Arctic Circle and with zero road access, Ivvavik National Park sees relatively few visitors—and what a lucky few. This protected place borders the Arctic Ocean, Vuntut National Park and Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, serving up some unparalleled remote-wilderness opportunities.

Ride a raft down the mighty Firth River, a multi-day expedition that takes paddlers past the British Mountains and all the way to the Beaufort Sea. While most rafting trips include pulling up onto shore to hike, some visitors opt to spend their entire time here exploring on land. Photograph tiny wildflowers and giant sweeping landscapes. Cast a fishing line into the clear water and try for an as-fresh-as-it-gets fish dinner. And keep an eye out for impressive mammals like muskox, grizzly bears and wolves.

The region is also the part-time home of the legendary Porcupine Caribou Herd—named for the Porcupine River, not for what would be a very weird-looking hybrid animal. Each spring, the herd migrates toward the coastal plains to birth their young. These important calving grounds also give the park its name (Ivvavik is an Inuvialuit word for “nursery”).

The Inuvialuit and their ancestors have been on this land for centuries, and continue to practice their traditional way of life. Guided base camp trips with Parks Canada include an Inuvialuit cultural host sharing their language, stories and culture. Come to the Arctic to learn some of this ancient knowledge, observe massive mammals, and be immersed in the pristine wilderness. It’s a trip to the far north that will have you on top of the world.