Arctic Wildlife and Inuit Cultural Basecamp Trip
This trip is an excellent opportunity to learn about the Inuit, their culture, and the arctic wildlife that have sustained them for generations.
This trip is an excellent opportunity to learn about the Inuit, their culture, and the arctic wildlife that have sustained them for generations.
| Date(s) | Price(s) |
|---|---|
| August 17-24, 2025 | $6,520 |
The region north of 55 degrees north latitude in what we now call Quebec is known as Nunavik, “the great land” to the Nunavimmuit (Inuit). We will fly from Montreal to Kuujjuaq, the regional capital of Nunavik and spend a day there before taking a short float plane flight to Amoraq (Wolf) lake.
The area around Wolf Lake offers sightings of musk ox, arctic fox, and possibly wolf and black bear. Raptor and bird sightings include gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, rough-legged hawk, ptarmigan, snowy owl and a variety of Arctic waterfowl. August is an excellent time to explore the tundra, as there are fewer bugs and the region’s fall colors begin to show! As the days become shorter, the longer night sky should provide spectacular displays of the northern lights!
Our guide for this trip will be Allen Gordon, an Inuk from Kuujjuaq, with whom we have also guided dog-sledding trips for many years. The cabins we will stay in in Kuujjuaq were his caribou hunting camp for many years, and he knows the area well.
We’ll have 6 days at base camp, and will take day trips from there to look for Arctic Wildlife and visit several Inuit archeological sites.
RECOMMENDED READING:
MORE INFO ABOUT NUNAVIK:
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Kuujjuaq
https://www.avataq.qc.ca/en/Nunavimmiuts/The-land/The-Region-of-Nunavik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfO815ljDQ
For trip itinerary, click here
All MGS guides maintain current Wilderness First Aid/Wilderness First Responder and CPR certification.
We carry a satellite phone that works in all northern latitudes where we operate our cultural trips.
Having Indigenous guides with us is a huge safety factor. No one knows the area, weather, ice conditions, water levels, etc. better than them.
8/17
8/18
8/19-22
8/23
8/24
Deposits are non-refundable. From 0-14 days before trip starts, no money is refundable. Within 14-30 days before the trip starts, money is non-refundable, but you may apply the amount to another trip for one year (on a space available basis) minus your deposit. If you cancel within 14 days of the starting date, money is non-transferable and non-refundable. We go in all conditions including rain and thaws. If extreme weather conditions prevent you from traveling to Maine for your trip, you may use the full amount less the deposit for another trip for one year from the trip starting date. You may wish to purchase vacation insurance to cover this possibility. If you have to cancel due to Covid related issues we will not be able to give a refund, but will lock in the price of the trip and give a 2 year credit to be used toward any of our trips.
We only cancel a trip for safety reasons (i.e. flooding, bad ice, extreme windchill or lack of conditions – not enough snow or ice.) For canoe trips we may need to cancel due to safety issues such as extremely high or low water on rivers. If necessary we may need to change the itinerary to a river or route that is passable from the trip you signed up for due to the extremes of climate change (i.e. low water, flooding). If we need to cancel, we try to reschedule people to another trip. If we need to cancel for safety or lack of conditions you may use the full amount toward another Mahoosuc trip for 2 years.
If you are having any symptoms of Covid before your trip please test yourself before arriving at Mahoosuc Guide Service and if positive contact us to reschedule your trip.
Mushing can be physically demanding. We cannot predict trail conditions as they change daily, sometimes hourly. You should be in good physical condition for an overnight dog sledding trip. The dogs are strong; however, there are limits to their pulling ability. Therefore, we ask individuals who weigh over 215 lbs. to contact us prior to sending in their reservation form.
For canoeing trips sometimes there are portages around falls and we need to carry all of our gear and canoes around them. The better shape you are in will make these carries easier for you.
Tips are appropriate for your guides. If you feel you would like to recognize how hard they worked to provide a safe and reliable trip for you. A common amount is 5% – %10 of your trip cost. At Mahoosuc we split tips evenly among whoever is working on the trip unless people want certain amounts to go directly to certain guides. In this case they should give it to them individually.
Since I was a teenager it was always on my bucket list to paddle the Allagash. In 2018 I retired from a burdensome career and signed up to paddle the river with Mahoosuc guide service (mgs). It was better than wonderful. All I had to do was show up. They provided all the gear and it was good stuff. The river was beautiful, the sights, smells, scenery, distant mountain views were gorgeous. Polly and associate guides were wonderful and fun to be with. They were attentive, careful, observant and caring and brought campfire cooking to an epicurean level. In March 2019 I went on a dog sled winter camping trip with Kevin and Polly and several other guides. It also was great. Safety was paramount. The dogs were eager, energetic, focused and affectionate. The camp was something out of a Jack London novel. Each tent had a small wood stove and was roasty toasty warm. Food was great and plentiful. Kevin and Polly are so much fun to be with. They always made sure I was warm, well fed and happy;
Then in May 2019 I went on a two night canoe trip with my wife and another couple and they are not campers. We had a great time. The four of us, two lady guides (Polly and Jean) and we saw loons and moose and beaver and sunsets.
And then in August I went with MGS to paddle 170 miles on the Yukon river in Alaska. I am getting older, if I don’t do this stuff now, when will I?? It was better than wonderful. I reminisce about all these trips every day. Time is short, life is short, I need to pack it in. Once this pandemic is over, Polly and Kevin will not be able to get rid of me. Polly and Kevin are the models of Maine Master Guides against whom all others should be compared.
