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Mission: Caribou Photography and Caribou Migration

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

Dreaming of caribou herds stretching as far as the eye can see? Join us on this popular 8 day camping trip in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This trip is your best chance to get into the herd.

• Dates: June 24th through July 1st, 2013.
• Region: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, exact location to be determined by the migrating caribou.
• Cost: $4,500/ person from Fairbanks.

Sketch of the Arctic National Wildlife Caribou Base Camp trip:

Each and every summer the Porcupine River 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 cannot 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 just 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.
 
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 best place to set up our base camp. One summer we had 40,000 caribou pass by our camp for three 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 never could, or would 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 be 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 with or without the caribou.

With 24 hours of daylight and nearly limitless wilderness all around, there is no end to the exploration we can do. Each day we will head off in a different direction seeking wildlife and vistas. Without knowing where the camp will be it is difficult to predict the routes we will take, but there is no shortage of beauty in this arctic wilderness, nor any shortage of great hikes.

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