Tuktoyaktuk (commonly called "Tuk") is located on Kugmallit Bay near the Mackenzie River Delta at 69°27'N and 133°02'W, 137 km north of Inuvik and 1,130 km northwest of Yellowknife. It is the most northerly community on mainland Canada, with a 2005 population of 990, of which 95% are Inuvialuit (Inuit). There are 279 homes, of which 178 are rented public housing units. Electricity is provided by a diesel generator, and Internet service is provided with a T1 land line. Most bulk supplies and non-perishable food is barged in during the short period when the Beaufort Sea is not frozen (the photo to the right was taken on June 21, the longest day of the year - click to enlarge it).

    History: The traditional name of the community is Tuktuujaartuq, which means "looks like a caribou". Between 1890 and 1910, American whalers brought influenza and decimated the local population. Many Alaskan Inuit moved to the area and settled. A large movement of people from Herschel Island to Tuktoyaktuk in 1928 coincided with the construction of the Hudson’s Bay Company post. The Roman Catholic Mission was constructed in 1937. The Anglican Mission, a school and an RCMP detachment had arrived by 1950. During the 1970's during the 1970's rising oil prices, and the advent of the National Energy Program, encouraged significant investment in the Beaufort and Mackenzie Delta. During some years, annual investment in the region exceeded $1 billion. While significant deposits were found, the elimination of the National Energy Program and falling prices witnessed the end of extensive exploration in the region by the mid-1980s. (History courtesy of the Government of NWT)

    Tourism: Tuk is accessible only by air during the summer, and the airport has a gravel runway suitable for specially-equipped jets such as Boeing 737s. The community has 2 hotels, both with restaurants (the Tuk Inn has 18 rooms and the Pingo Park Lodge has 24), and a well-equipped gocery store. The modern health center is staffed by 4 nurses, and medevac service to Inuvik hospital or beyond is available. In the winter, a 150 kilometer long ice road provides access to the community, and each winter a few particularly hardy visitors arrive (see our Dempster Highway links for proof).

Tuktoyaktuk
A description from Wikipedia.

Tuktoyaktuk Panoramas
Four Quicktime 360-degree images of Tuk.

University of Tuktoyaktuk
The "Tuk-U" shop has lots of souvenirs of this mythical institute of higher learning - the entire Web site is hilarious!

Pingos
An aerial photo of the one of the largest pingoes near Tuk.

Pingos of the Western Arctic Coast
A brief look at their formation and where to find them.

Dempster Highway
A complete guide to the road, including an illustrated mile-by-mile road log.

Inuvik
A guide to the "gateway" community for Tuktoyaktuk.

Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk
Davis Simmons has 34 photos in his album.

Tuktoyaktuk Logistics
From ALIAS (Arctic Logistics Information and Support), detailed information about the community from the research expedition perspective.

Tuktoyaktuk Flag
A graphic and description from FOTW.

Invasion of the Beer People
In 1995, Molson Brewery flew 500 contest winners to Tuk for a "Polar Beach Party", the largest rock concert the North had ever seen.