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Come to a land beyond the reach of all roads, to a land that throbs with life during the brief northern summer.
As your aircraft circles to a landing 30 miles north of the Arctic Circle at Bathurst Inlet, the immensity of this land becomes reality.
Man is dwarfed by this landscape. Huge diabase sills tower over the Inlet's dark waters; the deep gorges hold in their depths the mystery of prehistory, and the tundra stretches a thin green cape across the rocky skeleton of the land.
In the midst of all this alien beauty, there is a warm welcome from the Warner Family and the Inuit of the Inlet.
A visit to Bathurst Inlet Lodge offers extraordinary experiences in a wild and ruggedly beautiful land, yet provides a level of personal comfort rarely found in such remote areas.
Our season is short, but there is something for everyone in each week. Early in the season, the small birds are nesting and the early flowers are blooming.
Any of the weeks are excellent for flowers, louseworts, bearberry, and great shows of heather, rhododendron, and mountain avens. Raptors, gulls, and loons nest throughout our season. Early in the summer, we can visit the sea ice, and later can range more freely on the Inlet, visiting ancient campsites and following the path of the Franklin expedition.
During most of the year, Bathurst Inlet residents live in the old ways, hunting caribou, musk oxen and seal, fishing, trapping, and travelling on the land and sea. A unique aspect of a visit to the Lodge is the opportunity to get to know the gentle people who make this harsh land their home.
You'll be lodged in a historic Hudson's Bay Trading Post and Oblate mission which have been transformed into a haven for naturalists. Bathurst Inlet Lodge was established in 1969, by Glenn and Trish Warner, longtime northerners with 20 years experience in the North with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The local Inuit, known as the Kingaunmiut or "people of the 'Nose Mountain'" (after a local landmark), are co-owners in the Lodge and proudly involved in its operation.
Bathurst Inlet Lodge provides comfortable accommodations, in a variety of buildings. You may be housed in the small church (3 rooms), in new cabins overlooking the Burnside Delta, in a 2 bedroom house called Taipana House, in a historic building that served as a warehouse in the trading post days, but now provides comfortable lodging, or in a building that was used to house radio operators during the building of the DEW-Line.
The Warners' love and care of the facilities is apparent throughout. Each room is carefully outfitted for comfort, decorated with photos or northern art. Beds are comfortable, and bedding is supplied; you do not have to use sleeping bags at Bathurst Inlet. Bathrooms in some facilities are shared; some cabins have their own. Most facilities have showers, but the new cabins share a heated shower house.
Breakfast is served from 8 AM to 8:30 AM; you can order your choice of eggs, and breakfast meat. Cereals, including porridge, and a special home-made Hoarfrost River granola, are also available.
Lunches are eaten in the field, in some beautiful settings. You make your own lunch from a variety of ingredients set out during breakfast, so you can have as many sandwiches as you wish.
Delectable sweets greet you on your return from our daily excursions -- and we take no blame for the extra pounds added by those who overindulge in these homemade delicacies!
Our dinners are served cafeteria-style with all hot foods kept hot in a steam table. After a day in the open air, appetites are usually healthy, and our food is tasty and plentiful. We usually serve arctic char twice during the week because it is such a treat for our guests. Other entrees include prime rib, roast turkey, ham, steak, and a chicken dish, plus potatoes or pasta and vegetables.
Our chef is quite creative with her salads, and guests often ask for the recipes. Desserts are simply wonderful, all homemade.
Over the years, we have learned how to deal with just about any special diet, from strict vegetarian diets to nut- or gluten-free diets and diets for those with diet-controlled diabetes. If you need extra meals, or snacks, we can easily provide these. We prefer to know your needs in advance if at all possible. Prior to your travel, we send out a form on which you can list any special needs you might have. This way, we can ensure that we have the right ingredients on hand when you arrive.
We are a licensed establishment, and offer what is likely the only "honour bar" in the North. You can mix your own drinks, simply recording them in a "bar book". Alcoholic beverages are not included in our rates, but tallied up on the last night.
In short, whatever your need, we will make every effort to see that all arrangements suit you; you have only to let us know what is needed.
Contact our Northern Tour Professionals for more information and costing at:
1-800-837-8922 or (780) 444-4111
Email: northerntours@topoftheworldtravel.com
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