Arctic Canada - Dance with Caribou

  Canada

Dates: Three departures: August 21-28, 2009 / August 28-September 4, 2009 / September 4-11, 2009

Description: Nunavut mainland tundra & tree-line:

This special tour is a remarkably diversified catered wildilfe tent camp expedition that begins with a 150-250 airmile aircraft charter flight out to the remote tundra from either Baker Lake Nunavut or Stoney Rapids, Saskatchewan. Here we offer a comfortable Quonset tent camp set up on the beautiful sand esker systems on the Thelon, Back or Kazan Rivers nearby the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary: the largest and most remote wildlife refuge in Canada. Which specific camp we will use depends exactly on where the animals are from season to season, which is determined weeks prior to the tour by aerial reconnissiance. From the tent camp we will embark on escorted daily interpretive programs to see & photograph caribou singles & small groups in full winter pelage during the late summer migratory lull when they are easiest to approach; also musk-oxen herds during the mating period - also in full winter pelage; a variety of migratory waterfall as they stage in preparation to fly south.

During the course of this one week or optional two week tour, we will also visit abandoned turn-of-the-century native villages and gravesites, historical portage routes and archaeological sites dating back thousands of years, that often includes the discovery of ancient tent-rings, chipping stations, and stone tools such as arrowheads, spear points, stone knives & scrapers.

All this in a backdrop of of wonderful autumn colors by day, and curtains of fantastic northern lights displays viewed by campfire at night!

Highlights: Throughout this very special week on the mainland Arctic during the autumn period, we will have excellent chances to see migrating barren ground caribou, musk-oxen herds mating, incredible autumn colors and fantastic displays of aurora borealis (northern lights).

Cost in US$: $4595.00 USD single / $8,450.00 USD double

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Canada Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 3-5

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Great Canadian Wilderness Adventures's Mission Statement: Our mission as wildlife guides and interpretive trip leaders is to take interested and concerned clients safely into the most remote Arctic wilderness areas of the North American continent to see wildlife and rare birds in their true natural habitat. These wilderness areas include the remote Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary and Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary, both located on the mainland Arctic of Nunavut, Canada. Examples of wildlife species include the Great Summer Caribou Migration, tundra wolves and their pups during the den cycle; musk-oxen herds, wolverine, Arctic & cross fox during the den cycle; barrenland grizzly, black bear, and moose. Examples of bird species include peregrine & gyrfalcon; rough-legged hawk; Arctic terns & jaegers; all three sub-species of loon; plus a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds during the nesting, molting and migratory staging period. We practice strict field ethics regarding the non-harrassment of wildife or birds, and we teach these methods on the field to our clients during our special tours. This is our 38th year of operating and guiding wildlife expeditions in Canada's Arctic, and we offer the best of references by request.

Year Founded: 1992