Itinerary – Approx. 5 hours | June 2024

Our journey to Kobuk Valley & Gates of the Arctic National Parks began with a flight from Anchorage to Kotzebue, a small Alaskan town about 30 miles above the Arctic Circle and the starting point for visiting two of America’s most remote national parks.

Upon arrival, we discovered our checked luggage hadn’t made it !

In this isolated town, daily essentials arrive by air from the mainland, and the airline had prioritized community supplies over passenger baggage. Fortunately, our luggage was delivered the next day.

In June, Kotzebue enjoys 24-hour daylight. We stayed at the Nullaġvik Hotel, a comfortable option with vegetarian choices in its restaurant. The hotel is within walking distance from the airport, though taxis are available for getting around.

Our charter flight with Golden Eagle Outfitters was pre-booked, but we had been advised to keep our schedule flexible due to possible weather-related delays. As it turned out, we couldn’t secure a spot on the next day’s flight, so we spent that day visiting the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center, which houses a small museum and screens films on the national parks. The rest of the day was spent relaxing in our room, as there isn’t much to do outdoors in town.

When the weather cleared, we boarded a small charter plane with eight other travelers for a five-hour tour of Kobuk Valley and Gates of the Arctic National Parks — vast wilderness areas with no roads, trails, or visitor centers.

Kobuk Valley is famous for its massive Arctic sand dunes. From the air, we enjoyed sweeping views of the dunes and the Salmon River, and we made a brief landing on the sand to take photos.

Our next planned stop was to be along the riverbanks near Matcharak Lake in Gates of the Arctic National Park. However, early June conditions meant the ice fields had not yet melted, preventing a landing. Instead, we enjoyed a spectacular flightseeing tour over the park’s towering peaks and glaciers.

By midday, we were back in Kotzebue in time for lunch.

The following morning, we flew to Anchorage and connected onward to Washington Dulles, closing out an unforgettable Arctic adventure.