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Mission: Caribou, Photography and Caribou Migration Tour Itinerary

The Ultimate Porcupine-Caribou Herd Photography Trip in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR)

• Dates: June 25th through July 2nd, 2012.
• Region: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, exact location to be determined by the migrating caribou.
• Cost: $4,500/ person from Fairbanks.

Sketch of the Mission: Caribou trip

Each and every June the Porcupine Caribou Herd congregates in northern Alaska for one of the world's most inspiring wildlife migrations. By late June the herd swells to over 100,000 animals and we regularly see thousands and even tens of thousands of caribou climbing tundra ridges, and swimming icy rivers.It is a thrilling experience to watch a valley fill with caribou, and the sound of 60,000 caribou walking through your camp can not be described. But because arctic Alaska is so vast and the caribou vary their route from year to year it can be difficult to plan a trip to see this wildlife spectacle. Their movements are affected by snow depth, temperature, insect abundance, and wind direction to name a few factors. It is almost impossible to predict where they will be tomorrow never mind next June, but it is not Mission: Impossible... it is Mission: Caribou! We have a plan to get you into the herd.

For years we have guided professional camera crews and photographers in hopes of finding and filming the seasonal migration of the Porcupine caribou herd as it flows through the mountains to the Coastal Plain of The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It is always a challenge to be in the right spot at the right time to witness this extraordinary event. During the planning phase for both these trips, our advice to the camera crew was simple: be flexible! By using historic and real time data from radio- collared caribou, we were able to place ourselves in the path of the migrating herd three summers in a row.

We have timed this trip for the best chance to see the herd in large groups before they disperse on the coastal plain.

Before your arrival we will be gathering information from pilots, biologists and others in the field. On the day your trip begins, together with our bush pilot, we will decide where the best place will be to set up our base camp. Last summer we had 40,000 caribou pass by our camp for 3 days! Being around that many caribou also means we have an excellent chance of seeing large predators such as wolves, bears and wolverines, along with golden eagles soaring overhead looking for caribou calves to eat.

While we could never guarantee that we will “hit” the big migration, this trip will give you your best shot. The focus of this trip is to see large groups of caribou, but you will also have the added benefit of being in one of the most beautiful places on the planet! The wildflowers will be in full bloom, the hundreds of species of migrating birds will have returned and we hope the mosquitoes will have not yet hatched. It’s a wonderful time to be in the Arctic.

Join us on this 8-day adventure of Mission: Caribou!