From the Delta to the Arctic Ocean: Along the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway to the edge of the world

Nele Remstedt
7 hours ago
4 min read

Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway - Credit: Kristian Binder/NWTT

There are roads that take you from one place to another – and roads that tell a story. The Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highwaybelongs firmly to the second category. Stretching across the far north of Canada’s Northwest Territories, it links two very different worlds: vibrant Inuvik, a colourful hub set within the maze of the Mackenzie Delta, and Tuktoyaktuk, a small and captivating community on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Between them lies a landscape shaped by tundra, sky and a silence so deep it seems to hold every story ever told.

Inuvik – where the delta speaks

Anyone arriving in Inuvik immediately senses the pulse of the Western Arctic. Often described as the capital of the Mackenzie Delta, it is a meeting point of cultures, creativity and northern heritage. A natural first stop is the Western Arctic Regional Visitor Centre, where museum-style displays bring to life the region’s wildlife, environment and Indigenous traditions – a reminder of how closely the land and its people are connected.

Not far away stands one of the most photographed buildings in the North: the Igloo Church. Completed in 1960 and decorated with murals by Inuvialuit artist Mona Thrasher, it is an unmistakable symbol of the community and a striking piece of Northern architecture.

Along Mackenzie Road, small local shops sell everything from Gwich’in and Inuvialuit artworks to traditional Ulu knives, bead-trimmed mittens and iconic Mother-Hubbard style parkas with sweeping fur hoods. Each piece reflects traditions that have shaped daily life here for generations.

A short walk from town leads into quiet boreal forest. Trails around Boot Lake offer gentle exploration, while the overlook in Jak Territorial Park reveals a sweeping panorama of the Delta – a complex network of waterways that is both habitat and historic homeland.

Summer brings colour and creativity to Inuvik. The Great Northern Arts Festival transforms the town into a lively Arctic arts centre, drawing creators from across the circumpolar world. And during the weeks of the midnight sun, when daylight refuses to fade, time seems to stretch and blur into one long golden moment.

From river channels to mountain ridges

Inuvik is a launchpad for journeys that reach deep into the surrounding wilderness. A boat trip through the Mackenzie Delta reveals stories passed down from the days when families moved with the seasons, travelling by canoe through the labyrinth of channels. Captains still know the places where wildlife gathers and the old sites of hunting and fishing camps – traces of an enduring way of life.

Those drawn to the open road can follow the Dempster Highway south to the Arctic Circle, travelling through Gwich’in communities and over wide rivers before climbing into the rugged Richardson Mountains, home to eagles, moose, wolves and the occasional grizzly bear.

Others prefer to take to the skies. A scenic flight to Herschel Island offers views of the Arctic coast, where seals, whales and rare birds move along the shoreline. Historic buildings and stories of the island’s whaling past bring another layer of Northern history to life, and archaeological work sometimes reveals traces of much older human presence.

But the most remarkable journey begins just outside town: the road to Tuktoyaktuk.

A highway that reshaped the North

Opened in 2017, the Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway is often described as a feat of Northern engineering. Construction teams from both communities began at opposite ends, meeting in the middle to create a permanent link between the Delta and the Arctic coast. The 138-km route runs along a raised gravel embankment designed to protect it from shifting permafrost, cutting through rolling tundra that changes colour with the seasons – from soft greens to deep purples and golds.

The landscape along the way is alive with small wonders: berry patches, wide open ridges, and stretches of tundra where foxes, migrating birds or even caribou may appear against an immense Northern sky. The road feels less like an intrusion and more like a slender thread joining two remote Northern worlds.

With every mile, the Arctic Ocean draws nearer – andTuktoyaktukcomes into view.

Tuktoyaktuk - land of the pingos

Known affectionately as “Tuk”, this Inuvialuit community sits on Kugmallit Bay at the edge of the Arctic Ocean. It is one of the northernmost coastal settlements in Canada, shaped by sea ice, coastal winds and traditions that have endured for countless generations.

Long before arriving in town, the landscape reveals one of its most unusual features: pingos. These ice-cored hills rise from the tundra like ancient monuments, formed by the freezing and uplifting of groundwater. The tallest of them – Ibyuk Pingo – reaches the height of a 15-storey building and is one of the largest in the world.

In town, guided tours lead to remnants of the Cold War-era DEW Line Site, to the historic schooner Lady of Lourdes, and to traditional sod houses that echo the architectural style used by Inuvialuit families in generations past. Each stop offers another glimpse into a culture shaped by resilience, innovation and the rhythms of the Arctic environment.

And then there is the ocean itself – vast, cold and unforgettable. For many visitors, dipping a toe into the Arctic Ocean is an irresistible rite of passage. Some brave the full plunge, others opt for a quick touch of icy water, but either way, a photograph is practically mandatory; without it, locals like to say, it never really happened.

A journey shaped by the light, land and people

The Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway is more than a road. It is a story of connection – between a bustling delta town and a quiet Arctic community, between ancient landscapes and contemporary Northern life. Inuvik offers creative energy and cultural richness; Tuktoyaktuk offers stillness, coastline and a profound sense of place. Between them lies a landscape that writes its own narrative, shaped by tundra, sky and the footsteps of those who have called this region home for generations.

Travelling this route means entering a world that is both powerful and subtle, austere and full of warmth. A place where the past and present meet – and where every bend in the road feels like the beginning of a new chapter.