The notebook of Aulavik et île Banks
Let the coast draw the route.
Polar Desert, Thomsen River and large herds of muskoxen characterize this expedition to Banks Island.
At your own pace
Identity summary
7 to 15 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn · Winter
Recommended car
Island · River · Nature
Variable accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
Aulavik et île Banks
Polar Desert, Thomsen River and large herds of muskoxen characterize this expedition to Banks Island.
Aulavik National Park, Thomsen River and Banks Island provide the most telling landmarks on Aulavik and Banks Island. Together, they form a destination where island landscapes, riverscapes and natural spaces meet, with atmospheres that change over the stages rather than just one uniform decor.
See all
For a stay of 7 to 15 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: conditions to be checked according to the season. A car is usually the easiest way to connect the different sectors. Accessibility varies from site to site and deserves to be verified step by step.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Aulavik National Park
- Thomsen River
- Banks Island
Before you choose
- Car often useful
- Conditions to be checked by season
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Nature and landscape
Aulavik National Park
Aulavik National Park protects a very remote portion of Banks Island, made up of tundra, low valleys and extensive habitats for muskox. The absence of roads gives the stay a dimension of shipping, with access by plane and complete autonomy. The landscape, almost stripped, reveals its details in traces, razed plants and changes of light.
River
Thomsen River
The Thomsen River crosses Aulavik in long, quiet meanderings, in an open tundra where the view takes a long distance. Its moderate current makes it one of the major canoe descent routes in the Canadian Arctic, for experienced and well-prepared travellers. On the banks, it is not uncommon to see muskoxen or migratory birds.
Nature and landscape
Banks Island
Banks Island offers an Arctic tundra, wind-torn coasts and valleys frequented by muskoxen. The island is discovered from Sachs Harbour or by expeditions to Aulavik, always with serious logistics. What marks here is open space: few built landmarks, many sky, and a nature that imposes its rhythm.
Place indismissible
Sachs Harbour
Sachs Harbour is the only community on Banks Island, which is located on the waterfront in a tundra and arctic seascape. Low houses, boats, hunting equipment and open views tell of a life that is seasonal in nature. For travellers on their way to Aulavik, this is often the last inhabited contact before shipping.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Similar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
