We DROVE to the ARCTIC OCEAN!
The Dempster Highway is an almost 900 km (one way) UNPAVED drive through two of Canada’s territories and is one heck of an adventure. Between the insane mountain views and nonstop scenery, seeing some wildlife, interacting with locals, crossing into the Arctic Circle, trying local cuisine, doing a polar bear plunge into the Arctic Ocean, and checking off a bucket list item by seeing the Northern Lights, it is hands down one of the best things we have EVER done! It wasn’t fully without unexpected surprises, but the experience is one we will cherish forever and we are so excited to share our journey on this road!
Watch our previous videos in the Yukon ⬇️
Driving the Alaska Highway through the Yukon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8G0TOlhREU
Exploring Dawson City in the Yukon (The heart of the Klondike Gold Rush)!: https://youtu.be/G7TEzVAkQg0
EPIC day hike to Grizzly Lake at Tombstone Territorial Park (Canada’s Patagonia 😍) in the Yukon!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgExShbJHxs&list=PLZKRTK1yCEM5Ezia234soDoJp0NIvtFSu&index=1&t=5s
🔗Links
Watch our Adventures in Alaska: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKRTK1yCEM5XwFFPSYE6Ifj_KdXL5UwM
Missed our drive to Alaska? See the journey here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKRTK1yCEM5UxLKP3MI17m-syJkqYABj
Our camera + hiking gear: https://adventuresofaplusk.com/gear/
⌚Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:20 About the Dempster Highway
01:48 Starting off with a van issue
03:00 History of the Dempster Highway
06:28 Thoughts on the drive so far
08:18 A hike we hoped to do
09:30 Fueling up in Eagle Plains!
10:56 We made it to the ARCTIC CIRCLE!
12:27 Crossing into the Northwest Territories
13:47 Seeing the NORTHERN LIGHTS!!!
17:38 Ferry crossings in the Northwest Territories
20:22 Our first (and only) bear!
21:02 Paved roads, baby!!!
21:42 The largest town on the Dempster: Inuvik
25:00 Camping at the Jax Campground in Inuvik
25:30 Driving to Tuktoyaktuk
27:21 We made it to the ARCTIC OCEAN!!!
28:30 Polar Bear plunge in the Arctic Ocean!
30:00 Exploring Tuk + a local encounter!
33:23 Kayaking at the Pingo Canadian Landmark
36:40 Trying muktuk at Grandma’s Kitchen
39:06 Camping on the Arctic Ocean
39:54 Starting the drive back
40:08 We had van engine troubles…
42:23 Unexpected twist: a bridge is closed
49:37 We survived the Dempster Highway!
50:05 Final thoughts on the Dempster Highway
📍Locations in this vlog
Boondocking spot by the Northwest Territories border: https://www.ioverlander.com/places/173210-top-of-the-hill
Boot Lake in Inuvik: https://goo.gl/maps/334nrPU8xQmeUPa99
Jak Campground in Inuvik: https://goo.gl/maps/tszcthFKAPZw5ZhTA
Pingos Canadian Landmark: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/nt/pingo
Grandma’s Kitchen: https://goo.gl/maps/m5EjCogrvi3NKkQ77
Tuk Campground: https://www.ioverlander.com/places/62746-tuktoyaktuk-sandspit
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📷 See ALL of our gear: https://adventuresofaplusk.com/gear/
🚐 Our Van Life products: https://adventuresofaplusk.com/blog/van-conversion-cost-tour-mistakes
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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/adventuresofaplusk/
🌎 See everywhere we have been + view our blogs and travel guides:
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👋🏼 About us
Hi y’all! We’re Adam, Kathryn, and Kona, an adventurous married couple (+ pup!) living on the road in our self-converted sprinter van! You can often find us driving all around the US and Canada, scoping out the best coffee shops, eating tacos and ice cream (we’re a 5+ taco and 2+ scoop household), and enjoying nature.
We help travelers spend less time (and stress!) planning their trip and more time enjoying it! Our detailed travel guides, YouTube videos, and travel resources share the must-visit local eats, popular and off the beaten path sights, and tons of tips to make planning your next adventure a whole lot easier.
Note: We’ve linked a handful of items so you can see exactly which products we take with us. Full disclosure–if you click on these links and make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. We will only ever recommend products we truly love, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too!
30 Comments
This video was filmed in early September 2022 and may not reflect current conditions.
Keep Canada beautiful and PLEASE follow Leave No Trace principles: https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/
Watch more videos from Canada! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZKRTK1yCEM5Ezia234soDoJp0NIvtFSu
Our camera + hiking gear: https://adventuresofaplusk.com/gear/
NOTE: All drone footage was shot with a DJI Mini 3 Pro, which is under 250g and is legally allowed by non-Canadian citizens without a license. Read more about Canadian drone laws here: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/drone-safety/learn-rules-you-fly-your-drone/flying-your-drone-safely-legally
I got chills when yall showed the Northern Lights!! So stinking cool! Thank you both for sharing your adventures with us. We love it and love yall!
Beautiful scenery. Loved seeing the golden fall colors. Congratulations for making it to the Arctic Ocean. The Pingos were interesting The hamburgers looked inviting. So good to see you both. Looking forward to your next video.
Once again – WOW! So glad you took us where we will probably never have the chance to go. (When I worked in Canada, I looked at the cost of flying to Tuck but it was prohibitive at the time.)
Some years ago, I went along with 4 from a MAJOR MAGAZINE, I JUST HAD TO PROVE I HAD MY OWN INSURANCE,I was surprised just how the oven conditions were, nor that salty, not that cold either, I was the ONLY ONE IN A WET SUIT, sea life on bottom surprised me, do it again?whynot ;;;;;🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So how did u not get eaten alive by mosquitos when u were fishing. The tundra always has extremely aggressive ones too right?
Thank you for the wonderful video. My wife and I are in our late 60s so we probably will not be visiting that place, but your video brings us there.
I have dreamt so many times driving either Dalton and Dempster highway to Arctic Ocean. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching you accomplishing that in this episode of your adventure videos. It was informational as well as entertaining. Thank you for explaining why you have picked Dempster over Dalton. For me the climax was watching you seeing the Aurora Borealis for the first time. Seeing the raw emotion in your eyes and sincerity in your face made me emotional too. Thank you for sharing this with us. Looking forward to seeing many more adventures when you will share with us.
Ok all the panoramic views are spectacular but the Northern Lights were over the top!🎉
I watched this twice! Hubby wanted to watch after all the awesome things I was telling him!! Lol
Wow! Just looking at the map and how you guys got there is really amazing. Be safe on your travels ahead. God bless.
Awesome adventure! Thank you.
Why does the Arctic ocean look like a lake? Why were there no oceans like waves?
Awesome!!! I stayed in Fairbanks back in 2010 and drove the Dalton Highway to the Artic Circle stayed the night in ColdFoot and headed back to Fairbanks, I'll never forget it!!! I left my soul up there its so beautiful!!!
Thanks for making such great videos!
Your excitement for your journey to the Arctic Ocean in incredible! Then you were able to add the Northern Lights!! How awesome!! Such a really fantastic experience overall.
Such a great episode. I loved the aurora footage and the shot of Briscuit under the Northern Lights! What an adventure.
SO AWESOME!!!!! the drone shots were spectacular!!!!!!!!
In a Mercedes van home! Shame on you ,only in a two door pickup truck with big nobbyy tires ,singing and sinning merrily as you. Bounce and jangle all the way? Singing north to Alaska the rush is on!!!🇨🇦
Do people drive their RVs on that highway?
Just when I think this is the best video ever. You do it again.
Great video, an adventure of a lifetime.
Cool video guys! Very interesting area that one rarely sees anywhere else. Glad you made it without any bad issues and keep on truckin'.
You guys always do top notch videos.
Wow what an adventure. Thanks for sharing it.
I love how Kona gets so excited right along with you guys
Your videography is mesmerizing,can't thank y'all enough.
Enjoyed all the drone film. We drove the Dempster in July 2018, the first summer the Tuk road was open. Spent almost 2 weeks on the road, camping in the old gravel pits in our truck camper. One flat tire. Just missed the road being closed for 3 days on the way south. And tons of smiles. Thanks
OH,, yeh,
amazing beauty of the nature,,
very nice music too,, please tell me — the name of the mucis before you guys get to the arctic circle,,
thx.
That is so amazing you got to see the northern lights that is high on my list as well and I've been to Alaska twice but it's been in the summer. Awesome to see the Arctic Circle in all that area in the fall and your guise's excitement and joy is just catching. Happy trails