A small community remains there, and you can visit some log buildings harking back to the days of rugged trappers and hunters. Other destinations that can be reached from Inuvik include Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk , both of which give the traveler a real taste of traditional Inuit life. Glaciers, valleys, Tanquary Fjord, the Hazen Plateau and Lake Hazen are all part of this beautiful area. Even though it s a true polar desert, there are thermal oases that are warm and moist enough to support plant and animal life. Wildlife includes numerous bird species, hares, musk ox, Peary caribou, arctic foxes and a few polar bears.
Winters are long and harsh, and summers are brief and cool.
It s a great trip for the true explorer . For travelers who want to see the areas that the highways don t reach, there are specialized tours that provide air and water transport to several of the high arctic areas. As you go inland in Keewatin , you ll find the lone community of Baker Lake , where Inuit use centuries-old craft skills to produce beautiful artifacts. On the Ingraham Trail east of Yellowknife, you ll find Prelude Lake Park and Reid Lake Park . Today, the settlement s well-developed infrastructure caters to ecotourists who reach Tuk by cruise b oat from Inuvik and marvel at the polar bears, musk ox and caribou herds under the midnight sun.