Signature Full-Day Adventure

Sandy Hills Excursion

Groups

Guests: Minimum 3. For more, contact us first.

Inuvik

Departing By Boat

8 Hours

Boating, Hiking & Fishing

Jun 20 - Sep 30

Open-Water Season

Full-Day Boat, Hike and Fishing

A Journey into the Mackenzie River

This is our signature full-day Mackenzie River excursion and the best single Inuvik day tour we run. We leave Inuvik by boat on the Mackenzie River and work toward Sandy Hills, the rolling hills that sit roughly halfway between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, then stop at a cliff for the day, with boating, hiking and fishing packed into one long day on the water and the hills. We take three to five guests at a time, the rate is $1,250 per person plus 5% GST, and the trip runs from June 20 to September 30..

  • Up To 5 Guests
  • Locally Guided
  • Cliff Top Picnic

Along the Mackenzie Delta

From Inuvik to Sandy Hills

We start on the water in Inuvik and travel by boat up the Mackenzie, which is how we reach Sandy Hills. The river keeps changing around us the whole way, and we slow down where it is worth looking rather than holding one fixed line. Your guide fills the run with the place names, the families, and what people have done on this water for generations.

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What the Day Looks Like

On the Water

The day splits into three parts. We boat up the river, then walk up to the cliff, where the view takes in Sandy Hills, the Mackenzie River and the wide country around them. We eat our picnic up there. After that we fish along the shoreline below the cliff, and we keep watching the banks the whole time, because caribou, birds and beavers are all part of this stretch of river.

The Boat Trip

We set off from Inuvik by boat and travel up the Mackenzie, through the channels, toward Sandy Hills.

The Hike To The Cliff

We walk up to the top for the view across the hills, the river and the widest country in the Delta.

The Fishing

At the base of the cliff, try your hand at catch and release fishing. Rods and all the gear are provided.

River Views

Hiking Sandy Hills

The hike up to the cliff is the part of the day most people remember. From the top you get the best view of Sandy Hills, the Mackenzie, and the landscape surrounding them, which is why we stop here rather than somewhere else along the bank. We take the time to stand in it, so bring layers and footwear; you do not mind getting dirty on the hillside.
  • Walk Up To The Cliff
  • Views Over The Delta
  • Fishing At The Base

Three Parts of the Day

Out to Sandy Hills

We start on the water in Inuvik and boat up the Mackenzie toward Sandy Hills, the rolling hills halfway between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. It is an open run up the river, and a good deal of what you see on the day is spotted from the boat rather than from the shore.

Hikes and Shorelines

Above the landing the ground rises into the hills, and we walk up to the cliff where the Delta opens out below. This is where we stop for the picnic, and where the view takes in Sandy Hills, the Mackenzie River and the country around them.

Fish the Delta Waters

At the base of the cliff, try your hand at catch-and-release fishing. Rods and all the gear are provided.

What to Bring

Bring layers you can add and remove, a windproof and waterproof outer shell, a warm hat and gloves even in July, sunglasses and sunscreen for the long daylight, footwear you do not mind getting wet at the shore landings, and a camera with more battery than you think you need.

How Booking Works

We do not take payment online for this trip. Send us the dates you are looking at by email or give us a call on 867-678-0758, and Enoch replies personally to confirm whether the water and the weather suit those dates before anything is settled. We take a minimum of three guests and a maximum of five, the rate is $1,250 per person plus 5% GST, and the season runs from June 20 to September 30. A traditional tasting of dried whitefish, moose meat, local cranberry jelly, traditionally baked bannock, and muktuk is available on request.
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Frequently Asked Questions

You are able to have more people, but please contact us first so that we can make the appropriate accommodations for your group.

Sightings depend on the season and the day, and we run the route where they are most often found, though no operator on this coast can guarantee them.

Climbing the pingos and flying recreational drones inside the Landmark are both prohibited by Parks Canada, and we view them from the shoreline and the water instead.

The trip depends on open water in the Delta and along the coast, which usually means June through September, and freeze-up ends the season each year.
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