Birding in the land of the midnight sun...
In the heart of the Canadian High Arctic, Cambridge Bay comes alive in July. As the tundra thaws under the 24-hour daylight of the Midnight Sun, this remote community in Nunavut transforms into a vital breeding ground for a dazzling array of species. From Long-tailed Jaegers and Yellow-billed Loons to King Eiders, American Golden-Plovers, and Peregrine Falcons, Cambridge Bay offers a truly unique birding experience, boasting dramatic scenery with vast open spaces and pristine natural beauty. Even in the town itself, we will see nesting Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs, and White-crowned Sparrows, and venturing out on some of the dirt roads surrounding town, we will try our best to encounter many of the numerous migratory shorebird species that breed in this environment.
Highlights
✅ Yellow-billed Loon, as well as Pacific Loons and Red-throated Loons
✅ King Eider and Common Eider in breeding plumage
✅ Displaying shorebirds on nesting territories
✅ Long-tailed and Parasitic Jaegers
✅ Sabine's Gulls and Glaucous Gulls
✅ Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs are abundant
✅ Arctic Hare and Arctic Fox are possible
✅ 24-hours of daylight
✅ King Eider and Common Eider in breeding plumage
✅ Displaying shorebirds on nesting territories
✅ Long-tailed and Parasitic Jaegers
✅ Sabine's Gulls and Glaucous Gulls
✅ Snow Buntings and Lapland Longspurs are abundant
✅ Arctic Hare and Arctic Fox are possible
✅ 24-hours of daylight
Tour Information
Dates: June 30-July 5, 2026 (6 Days): The dates for this tour have been selected as they fall within the peak time for birding in Cambridge Bay as it aligns with heightened breeding activity in the arctic.
Leader: Gavin McKinnon
Cost: $5995 CAD The tour fee above its based on double occupancy and includes all ground transportation, accommodation, internal flights and professional guiding services. The price does not include meals, items of a personal nature and travel to and from Yellowknife (YZF). A single supplement is available for $775 CAD. All prices are subject to 5% GST.
Deposit and Cancellation Information: $2000 CAD The deposit for this tour becomes non-refundable 120 days prior to the starting date of the tour. The remaining balance is due by April 1, 2026.
Group Size: 3-5 participants with one guide or 7-9 with two guides. This small group size and high guide to participant ratio ensures that everyone will have an enjoyable experience on this tour and get the most out of their experience.
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Itinerary
June 30: Arrive in Yellowknife
Today we will arrive in Yellowknife (YZF) where we will spend the first night of the tour. If time allows we will spend the afternoon birding along the shores of Great Slave Lake. In the evening we will gather as a group for dinner and we will discuss the upcoming days and get to know each other.
July 1-4: Birding Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq)
On the morning of July 1st we will travel 820km north by plane from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay. Arriving in the late morning, we will drop off our luggage at the lodge and begin birding. One of our primary targets over the course of our stay will be the stunning Yellow-billed Loon which breeds in the area, we will spend time looking for this species if it is required. Depending on the lemming populations, we have a good chance to see Snowy Owls in a much different setting than we are used to seeing them farther south during the winter. We may also see Rough-legged Hawks, Short-eared Owls hunting as well. Another major draw of Cambridge Bay is that it is possible to see all-three jaeger species. Waterfowl we may see includes Greater White-fronted Goose, Cackling Goose, Tundra Swan and both Common and King Eiders. Over the course of the five days we spend in this remote northern community, we will make numerous trips outside of town to the adjacent rugged arctic tundra. On one day, assuming road conditions allow, we will drive to the base of Mount Pelly, where we hope to see Long-tailed Jaegers Semipalmated Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, and Stilt Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalaropes, American Golden Plovers, Black-bellied Plover, and Semipalmated Plovers, Arctic Terns, Lapland Longspurs, and Snow Buntings. On the interior of the island we can hope to see Red Phalaropes, Parasitic Jaegers and Redpolls. In town, the sewage lagoons and the dump can be productive for species such as Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull, Sandhill Crane and shorebirds like Red-necked Phalarope, Stilt Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover.
July 5: Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq) to Yellowknife
Today we will spend the morning birding in Cambridge Bay and take an afternoon flight back to Yellowknife. The tour ends upon arrival in Yellowknife.
Today we will arrive in Yellowknife (YZF) where we will spend the first night of the tour. If time allows we will spend the afternoon birding along the shores of Great Slave Lake. In the evening we will gather as a group for dinner and we will discuss the upcoming days and get to know each other.
July 1-4: Birding Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq)
On the morning of July 1st we will travel 820km north by plane from Yellowknife to Cambridge Bay. Arriving in the late morning, we will drop off our luggage at the lodge and begin birding. One of our primary targets over the course of our stay will be the stunning Yellow-billed Loon which breeds in the area, we will spend time looking for this species if it is required. Depending on the lemming populations, we have a good chance to see Snowy Owls in a much different setting than we are used to seeing them farther south during the winter. We may also see Rough-legged Hawks, Short-eared Owls hunting as well. Another major draw of Cambridge Bay is that it is possible to see all-three jaeger species. Waterfowl we may see includes Greater White-fronted Goose, Cackling Goose, Tundra Swan and both Common and King Eiders. Over the course of the five days we spend in this remote northern community, we will make numerous trips outside of town to the adjacent rugged arctic tundra. On one day, assuming road conditions allow, we will drive to the base of Mount Pelly, where we hope to see Long-tailed Jaegers Semipalmated Sandpipers, Baird's Sandpipers, and Stilt Sandpipers, Red-necked Phalaropes, American Golden Plovers, Black-bellied Plover, and Semipalmated Plovers, Arctic Terns, Lapland Longspurs, and Snow Buntings. On the interior of the island we can hope to see Red Phalaropes, Parasitic Jaegers and Redpolls. In town, the sewage lagoons and the dump can be productive for species such as Glaucous Gull and Iceland Gull, Sandhill Crane and shorebirds like Red-necked Phalarope, Stilt Sandpiper and Semipalmated Plover.
July 5: Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq) to Yellowknife
Today we will spend the morning birding in Cambridge Bay and take an afternoon flight back to Yellowknife. The tour ends upon arrival in Yellowknife.
Please completed the form below to register for this tour. Please submit one form for each participant.