Itinerary ALASKA/CANADA
Thursday, June 21st, 2007WOULD BE ONE OF A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!

Dogsledding- a hands-on activity will have you
assisting the guides with harnessing the dogs and attaching them to the
sleds. Once ready to go, you will enjoy an exhilarating ride on the
sled with breathtaking views of the Spray Valley.
Arctic native cultural snowmobile expeditions- Snowmobile with professional
Inuvialuit guides across Canada’s frozen Barrens and Arctic islands. Be
an "Explorateur et Exploratrice d’Arctique", and follow in the
footsteps of the adventurers from the 1800’s searching for the
NorthWest Passage. Sleep in an igloo, embrace the full moon, dance with
the Aurora Borealis, walk with: muskox, caribou, wolves. Breathe in
deeply… and experience the clean air, and the stark never ending
beauty of the Arctic expanse. More of the gifts you will enjoy: Polar
deserts, brilliant aurora, 3 hr sunsets, ancient Thule Inuit sites,
sometimes polar bear, always friendly people & stunning spectacular
country. Once you are on the trail you will likely see no other humans.
This will be an "exceptional adventure", nearly a 1000 kilometers past
the treeline & the norms of life. Here life changes to the
essentials, and that’s when the journey begins!
Native cultural homestays on Baffin Island- Enjoy the hospitality of the
town of Kimmirut on this comprehensive native cultural homestay
program. Located along the south shores of Baffin Island, the small
Inuit community of Kimmirut is the perfect location for an authentic
native cultural experience. Your homestay includes northern cuisine
prepared daily by your hosts. You will learn about northern family life
and a get a first hand view of the community.
Barrow is the northernmost city in the United States, 330 miles north of the Arctic Circle. As Alaska’s
largest Eskimo village, in Barrow knowledge of the environment and animal
behavior continues to be essential for day-to-day survival. On your Barrow
Sightseeing tour witness ceremonies and traditions of the native culture as you
tour the Inupiat Heritage Center,
a National Park Service Affiliated Site. Take part in local music and dances
plus participate in a demonstration of the traditional blanket toss. Your tour
includes a chance to examine the tundra, search for hundreds of bird species,
view the ice of the Arctic Ocean and walk on a
beautiful sand beach as far north as you’re ever likely to go. Throughout you will have a chance to interact
with local residents who enthusiastically enjoy sharing their stories and
culture. Extra brave guests can join the most prestigious Polar Bear Club in
the world by choosing to swim in the Arctic Ocean (optional).
Harp Seal Tours- Each March, 250,000 harp seals enter the Gulf of St. Lawrence to bear
their young on the vast floating ice fields in the waters surrounding
the picturesque Magdalen Islands. These adorable pups shed their snowy
white fur and turn gray within three weeks. For hundreds of years these
seals were hunted for their immaculate white fur. Now, some herds of
baby harp seals are safe and small groups of visitors can comfortably
spend heartwarming moments with these captivating animals as they enjoy
peace on the ice. Someday, we hope the same can be said for all harp
seals. Natural Habitat Adventures is extremely proud to be the
innovator of these adventures that not only allow interested travelers
an incredibly moving and meaningful travel experience, but also help to
protect these magical animals through ecotourism. Location of Adventure: Magdalen Islands, Quebec, Canada
2009 Dates
Feb 26 - Mar 5 (8 days)
Mar 3 - 9 (7 days)
Mar 7 - 14 (8 Days)
Mar 13 - 20 (8 Days/Harps & Hoods)*
*Harps & Hoods visits the harp seals and the rare and elusive hooded seals!!
2009 Fees
Costs
are based on the number of flights to the seal herds you choose during
your entire Seal Watch adventure. The fourth flight (3 flight limit on
the 7-Day expedition) can be booked upon arrival to the islands for
$400 and will depart contingent upon enough demand.
7-Day Expedition
1 Flight: $4,695
2 Flights: $5,095
3 Flights: $5,495
8-Day Expedition
1 Flight: $4,895
2 Flights: $5,295
3 Flights: $5,695
Harps & Hoods Expedition
1 Flight: $5,195
2 Flights: $5,595
3 Flights: $5,995
Deposit: $500 (non-refundable)
Single Supp.:
7-Day Trip: $455
8-Day Trips: $525
"Days 3-6: Magdalen Islands, Seal Excursions & More
While
in the Maggies we can visit the seal herds every day that the weather
allows. After a brief safety presentation, our guides issue expedition
suits and prepare you for your adventure. The journey can take between
five minutes and one hour, depending on the location of the seals.
After the pilot chooses a suitable ice pan, we set down a couple of
hundred yards from the herd. Then, we will spread out among the seals,
giving each traveler ample opportunity to have his/her own personal
private time with these remarkable animals. With approximately sixteen
guests on the expedition in total, and a plan for only eight travelers
on the ice at one time, we enjoy a very private experience. Our
Expedition Leaders play an important role in the success of your trip
as they are highly knowledgeable in seal biology and behavior. When we
approach the seals, they all have different reactions: some will bark
at us like little puppy dogs, others will scurry away and still others
will roll on their backs, almost encouraging us to scratch their
bellies.
Photography opportunities abound as the seals and the ice tend
to make for wonderful images. When we are not visiting the seals,
travelers can participate in a variety of outdoor activities (weather
permitting) such as snowshoeing, cross country skiing and hiking, as
well as indoor activities such as slide shows and lectures on wildlife
and photography. We will also have the opportunity for island tours and
visits to the many unique northern crafts shops in the Maggies. All of
these activities are optional but are included in your fee. We will
also have a unique chance to explore and learn about how these areas
were formed. Pushed upwards from the floor of the ocean and sculpted by
the waves, winds, and currents of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the islands
are always in a state of change. Salt marshes, pristine sand dunes, and
towering cliffs of sandstone are just some of the habitats we can
explore. The Gulf of St. Lawrence has shaped the history of the islands
since it was first visited by the French explorer Jacques Cartier in
1543, and local fishermen still set their time to the pace of the sea.
Although often hidden from view, the Islands are home to many wintering
birds that find the landscape of the Maggies reminiscent of their
summer homes far to the north. Lobster pots and fishing nets tell us of
a world deep beneath the surface of the sea ice around us. "
The Polar Bear Adventures: The town of Churchill,
nestled on the shores of Hudson Bay, is 650 miles north of Winnipeg. It
is known as the "Polar Bear Capital of the World". Every autumn, polar
bears gather along the water’s edge near the town, anxiously waiting
for the sea ice to form. Once the bay freezes over, the bears move out
onto the ice where they will spend the winter. In a Tundra Buggy, you
will have the opportunity to safely observe these magnificent creatures
in their natural environment. The experience of a lifetime!
Yellowknife aurora: An aurora (plural aurorae/auroras) is an electro-static phenomenon, characterised by a bright glow and caused due to the collision of charged particles in the magnetosphere with atoms in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. An aurora is usually observed in the night sky, particularly in the polar zone.
For this latter reason, some scientists call it a "polar aurora" (or
"aurora polaris"). In northern latitudes, it is known as the aurora borealis (IPA /ɔˈɹɔɹə bɔɹiˈælɪs/), which is named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for north wind, Boreas.
Especially in Europe, it often appears as a reddish glow on the
northern horizon, as if the sun were rising from an unusual direction.
The aurora borealis is also called the northern lights since it is only visible in the North sky from the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to October and from March to April. Its southern counterpart, aurora australis, has similar properties. Australis is the Latin word for "of the South".




















