Discover Sachs Harbour

Sachs Harbour is the ancestral territory of the Inuvialuit and first became a permanent settlement in 1929. It is also the closest community to Aulavik National Park. This connection between Inuvialuit history and proximity to the national park gives a trip to Sachs Harbour a special context. When choosing a vacation rental, it is worth first considering the purpose of your trip: the national park, guided excursions, cultural history, or the White Fox Jamboree could be the focus.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

Sachs Harbour is accessible only by air; flights are available via Inuvik. This makes travel via Inuvik an essential part of deciding how to get there. If you choose Sachs Harbour as your destination, include the flight connection in your travel plans rather than assuming you can travel overland. Planning how to get there is therefore an important part of your preparations before you turn your attention to the different experiences available on site.

To help visitors find their way to Aulavik National Park, Sachs Harbour has a visitor reception centre that points the way to the park. The community’s role as the closest settlement and the centre’s purpose complement each other: the centre directs attention to the national park, while Sachs Harbour also has its own history and culture to discover.

Guided Excursions and Events

In Sachs Harbour, Inuvialuit guides are available for hunting and fishing. Another way to explore is with Back of the Earth Adventures, an Inuvialuit-run travel and guiding company. The company offers boat tours with an Inuvialuit guide to explore Banks Island and the surrounding waters. Hunting and fishing, on the one hand, and boat tours, on the other, offer different focuses. When planning your trip, you can consider which kind of guided activity interests you.

The White Fox Jamboree is a special event held in Sachs Harbour over the long May weekend. The program includes a fair, traditional games, a fishing tournament, and races. This mix offers a different way to get to know the community than a guided exploration of the island and its waters. If the Jamboree is a deciding factor for you, the long May weekend is the event date given.

Culture and History of Banks Island

In 2006, new exhibits on the culture and history of the people of Banks Island opened at the Aulavik National Park visitor reception centre in Sachs Harbour. When they opened, the exhibits also included a display of Arctic wildlife, as well as art and crafts created by Sachs Harbour residents. The exhibits thus brought together depictions of nature, island history, and creative work from the community.

The exhibits provide a historical point of reference if you are interested in the people and cultural history of Banks Island. The origins of the art and crafts are especially specific: they were created by Sachs Harbour residents. Along with the fact that Sachs Harbour is the ancestral territory of the Inuvialuit, this puts the local perspective at the centre and adds a cultural dimension to exploring the national park.

As another place to include in your travel plans, discover Tuktoyaktuk.

For the broader travel overview: Northwest Territories.