Board a small Zodiac craft and venture into the Beaufort Sea for a private whale-watching expedition, pursuing beluga and bowhead whales in one of the most biodiverse Arctic marine corridors on Earth — a once-in-a-lifetime encounter accessible to very few.
What to expect
You launch from Pauline Cove aboard a rigid inflatable Zodiac crewed by an Arctic-certified guide-naturalist, moving swiftly through the mirror-calm summer waters of the Beaufort Sea. The guide reads the water for signs of the annual beluga aggregation — hundreds of white whales that funnel past Herschel each summer — as well as the rarer, awe-inspiring bowhead. Binoculars and a polarising filter reveal seals, eider ducks, and the occasional polar bear silhouette on distant ice. The silence out on the water, broken only by whale exhalations, is extraordinary.
Good to know
Whale activity is highest in July and August when both beluga and bowhead migration peaks. Book directly with the Inuvik operator well before departure; seat numbers are strictly limited to 6–8 per Zodiac. Waterproof drysuits or float suits are typically provided. Coordinate departure time carefully against your ship's all-aboard call.
More to do in Herschel Island
- Herschel Island Guided Wilderness & Wildlife Day Expedition
- Pauline Cove Whaling History Walk with a Territorial Park Ranger
- Arctic Tundra Hike to Collinson Head: Dramatic Coastal Panoramas
- Inuvialuit Cultural Immersion: Traditional Crafts & Oral History
- Arctic Photography Expedition: Tundra, Wildlife & Midnight Light