Tuktoyaktuk

Tuktoyaktuk (Tuktuyaaqtuuq, lit. "it looks like a caribou"), commonly known simply as Tuk, is a tiny Inuvialuit village on the Arctic Ocean in the extreme north of Canada's Northwest Territories.

A view of the Arctic Ocean from Tuktoyaktuk in early April, 2008

Get in

By plane

• 🌍 Tuktoyaktuk/James Gruben Airport (YUB  ^IATA). Tuktoyaktuk Airport is served by Aklak Air two to three times a day from Inuvik, which in turn can be reached by First Air, Air North, and Canadian North.  

By road

The Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway, a 138-km gravel road, connects Tuktoyaktuk to Inuvik. This is the only ground route in or out of town.

Get around

While it is easy to get around on foot in the town, taking a snowmobile to the store or out on the land is very common. The weather is very hard on vehicles so if you decide to drive be prepared to let your vehicle warm up for a long time in the winter months. Sometimes there is a taxi service available. For trips out on the land or to the airport via the ice road, there are people who will drive you out, such as the charter van for Ookpik Tours.

See

Trans Canada Trail marker

• The Ice House. This freezer was dug in 1963 in the permafrost underneath the town and has been in use as a permanent fridge ever since. Very eerie but amazing. Used by locals to store meat collected during hunts. There are 19 rooms arranged into three "hallways". Strangely, it is coolest in the ice house during the summer months, but in the winter it warms up and meat is taken out to prevent molding. (updated Feb 2016)
• 🌍 The Pingos. Pingos are domes of earth-covered ice found only in the high Arctic. There are over a thousand in and around Tuk. Get to the pingos by snowmobile. Hike to the top and toboggan down! The Pingo National Landmark protects a group of eight Pingos 5 km west of Tuk.  
• DEW Line. During the Cold War, the American and Canadian governments created a Distant Early Warning (DEW) system in case the Russians attacked via the Arctic. One of the stations is in Tuk. You can't miss it, it looks like a few giant snowballs. 
• The Point (Go North on Beaufort Drive). Here you will find the historical roots of Tuk and look out on the Beaufort Sea. 
• Trans-Canada Route Marker, Beaufort Drive. Find this colourful route marker near The Point. Installed in 2000. 
• Sod Houses. There are a couple of reconstructed sod houses in Tuk that you can step inside. Historical flashback. 
• Our Lady of the Lourdes, Beaufort Drive. 
• Anglican Log Cabin Church, Beaufort Drive. 

Do

Pingos near Tuk

• Hunting. Sign up with a local guide to find caribou, polar bear, beluga whale, fox, wolverine, etc. 
• Swimming. For a few weeks in the summer there is a swimming pool open in Tuk. Otherwise, there is another swimming pool in nearby Inuvik. 
• Build an Igloo. 
• The Beluga Jamboree. This takes place in Tuk around the middle of April. A large cultural festival full of games, food and fun. Jamboree King and Queen competition. 
• Games night. Regular games night at Kitti Hall. Checkers, chess, and card games with the locals. 
• Ookpik Tours and Adventures, ☎ [phone]. Build an igloo, see the pingos, hunt for polar bear, experience Tuk with a local guide. 

Buy

• Stanton's, Intersection of Mangilaluk Drive & Beaufort Drive. Grocery store. Slurpees. 
• Northern (North Mart). Groceries, post office, tools, clothes, electronics, toys etc. 
• The Fruit Man. Every once in a while, the fruit man pulls his semitrailer into Tuk. You can purchase fruit, vegetables, among many other foods, often a bit cheaper and fresher than what is sold at Stanton's. He only stays for a little while so act fast. 

Eat

Drink

Sleep

• Tuktu Bed and Breakfast, Mangilaluk Drive (Next to Stanton's), ☎ [phone]. 

Connect

Go next

Drive out or fly to Inuvik. This is the closest place to go for restaurants, hotels, etc. Under 3 hours to drive.