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Musk-ox, Moose & Inuit History

 

Thelon River - Nunavut, Canada

 

 

The Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary - the largest and most remote wildlife refuge in North America - was established to protect the last herds of musk-oxen from slaughter by European whaling ships.  In recent years the musk-ox population has increased dramatically and has spread outward in large numbers. Join us for a special one-week fully-catered pontoon boat cruise through the Thelon Sanctuary during the warmth of the Arctic summer for close-up encounters with these pre-historic shaggy beasts!

proud bull musk-ox stands guard / copyright Bill Silliker Jr.

pontoon boat on the upper Thelon River system

 

Join us this summer on a new and very special two-week pontoon boat expedition on the majestic Thelon River. We start this trip below Lookout Point at the Nunavut/NWT boundary, and follow the river past Big Bend, Usus Islands, to finally end at the historically-rich Inuit area of the Beverly Lake eight days later.

 

 

Musk-ox, Moose & Inuit History - 2008
Departure Dates
Seats Left
Prices Rates do not include GST.
August 1-8 - 2008
0
Single: $5,595.00 US - $5,595.00 CAD
Double:
$10,000.00 US - $10,000.00 CAD  

Click here to make your reservation on the 'Musk-ox, Moose & Hornby's Place' Expedition!

Musk-ox, Moose & Inuit History - 2009
Departure Dates
Seats Left
Prices Rates do not include GST.
July 29 to August 7 - 2009
5
Single: $5,595.00 US - $5,595.00 CAD
Double:
$10,000.00 US-$10,000.00 CAD  

 

 

overnight riverside campfire / photo by Oystein Kohn

 

The 20' river pontoon boat / photo by Tundra Tom

 

To begin this unique Arctic adventure, we will board a charter aircraft to fly 200 airmiles by floatplane over the remote Arctic tundra known locally as the 'Barrenlands'. We will then cross the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary boundary, to land near the Nunavut / NWT boundary below the Lookout Point area on the central Thelon River: one of the most isolated regions in mainland North America!

seemingly minature tents dot the distnat shoreline in a vast land - photo copyright Max Finkelstein|
The ' Gap' on the central Thelon River region

 

Click here to learn more about how to get to our wilderness trips, including maps.

 

 

Once on the Thelon River, we will then spend a wonderful week exploring the countryside for musk-oxen, moose, wolves, and incredible archaeology and history in the heart of the Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary, to locate & photograph the remarkable moose population that has flourished here over the past three decades.  We will also likely encounter musk-oxen, caribou, & wild tundra wolves!

 

 

 

 

 

 

musk-oxen herd along the Thelon /  photo by Max Finkelstein

 

Inuit tent ring along the Thelon River / photo by Jim Allen

Cooking up a storm along the Thelon - fresh food meals, salads, desserts  / photo by Alicia Kelly

Sleeping ground tents /  photo by Max Finkelstein

Dene' tent ring along the central Thelon River / photo by Jim Allen

 

Throughout the first week of this most remarkable journey, we will encounter several Inuit ' archaeological sites  that date back thousands of years. You can often find remnants of stone tools and spear points lying on the ground, left behind by the nomadic people who used to travel this region on hunting forays. 

 

This stretch of river has several traditional water crossings of the Beverly caribou as they leave their calving grounds to the North. Weather and schedule permitting, we will spend a day of rest below Lookout Point, a famous caribou water crossing that has been used by both Dene' and Inuit hunters. We will have the opportunity to investigate many of their old encampments. 

Pontoon boat: floating the Thelon in style / photo by Beverly Morse

A tundra frost heave known as a 'pingo' stands like a small mountain against the tundra landscape / phot copyeight David Welbourne
Musk-ox Pingo - Thelon Wildlife Sanctuary - photo copyright David Welbourne

Wonderful hiking opportunities abound on the open rolling tundra and occasional esker systems that snake across the remote countryside. At this time of year, participants are also likely to encounter grazing caribou bulls, tundra wolves during the end of their secondary stage den cycle, & roosting raptors such as rough-legged hawk, peregrine, & gyrfalcon.

An Arctic tern defends her nest /   photo by Max Finkelstein

 

Caribou bulls grazing the shores of the upper Thelon

 

 

 

The rich Thelon Oasis - a lush forest  far North of the tree-line / photo copyright Terry Elliott

 

Caribou herd swimming the upper Thelon

 

Musk-ox skull at sunset - photo copyright Courtney Milne

 

Tundra wolf pup near the den on the upper Thelon

During the brief Arctic summer, fishing is excellent for lake trout and Arctic grayling (catch & release - except for what we eat)

 

Lake trout are plentiful along the Thelon River /  photo by Max Finkelstein

Musk-ox bull getting in close / photo copyright Steve Maka

We will slowly float through the wildlife-rich Ursus Islands, and the historical confluence of the Tammarvi River, a traditional site where the Inuit used to travel hundreds of miles over thousands of years past in order to obtain tent poles from the last stands of stunted spruce tree growth, and then follow along the last stretch of river to Beverly Lake. 

From here we will will leave the pontoon boat behind, and - weather permitting - be met by Inuit who have traveled hereby boat to pick us up, and travel for the final 2-days through the immense tundra lakes of Beverly, Aberdeen & Shutlz, or be picked up by aircraft to finally end at the traditional Inuit settlement of Baker Lake, Nunavut. This marks the end of what will, without a doubt, be one of the most incredible trips of your life!


Camping in comfort by Thelon Bluffs in Nunavut : photo copyright Jim Allen

Many a surprise await you on this unique Arctic float adventure!

 

Musk-ox, Moose & Inuit History - 2008
Departure Dates
Seats Left
Prices Rates do not include GST.
August 1-8 - 2008
0
Single: $5,595.00 US - $5,595.00 CAD
Double:
$10,000.00 US - $10,000.00 CAD  

Click here to make your reservation on the 'Musk-ox, Moose & Hornby's Place' Expedition!

Musk-ox, Moose & Inuit History - 2009
Departure Dates
Seats Left
Prices Rates do not include GST.
July 29 to August 7 - 2009
5
Single: $5,595.00 US - $5,595.00 CAD
Double:
$10,000.00 US-$10,000.00 CAD  

 

 

Check out our other 'Dreamcatcher' Aboriginal history & cultural expeditions! 

Search for the Legendary White Musk-oxen
Arctic ocean, midnight sun, legendary animals and coastal Inuit history & culture

 Kayak the Thelon valley
Kayak remote, unexplored waters & visit esker archaeological sites along the tree-line and tundra

 

Great Canadian Wilderness

 


Come warm yourself by our fire.
Great Canadian Wilderness
Phone: 1-800-667-9453 (Canada & USA)
Overseas Phone: +807-727-3758
North American toll-free Fax: 866-416-5548
Email: tundra@thelon.com
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