A holiday in Barrow is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Barrow is the northernmost settlement on the North American mainland, and the second northernmost large town in the world, and has probably the most severe weather in Alaska. It’s over 500km inside the Arctic Circle and the temperature can plunge to -30C on a bad day.

As a destination, Barrow is unique. Home to a largely Eskimo population it’s a great place to see some of the world’s rarest wildlife and Inupiat natives in their natural habitat. Grey, killer and beluga whales make this area home, and polar bears roam the shores and sea ice in the vicinity. If you’re interested in birding, polar bears, or dog-sledding, Barrow is the place to be between October and May. Your best bet to see polar bears is after the autumn whaling season. The bears seldom ever make it into town so you would need a tour to see them. Check with your Travel Counsellor about polar bear spotting opportunities.

For the average traveller, the most practical, and least expensive, way to see Barrow is to take one of the tours offered from either Anchorage or Fairbanks. Either a day tour or overnight tours are available, and are much better value than a return air fare, so ask your Travel Counsellor to make the best booking. But be warned, a too lengthy stay in this region can be difficult for the uninitiated.

The sun never sets from early May to early August and never rises between November and January, making it a difficult place to acclimatise to, but the effort is worth it. On clear nights this is a good time to view the northern lights, the best times are in winter, when it’s the darkest and coldest. The sight of these curtains of red, green and blue lights filling the sky make the arduous journey worthwhile.

Barrow’s football team are called The Whalers

Barrow boasts the northernmost supermarket in the USA. It’s constructed on stilts to prevent the central heating from melting the permafrost

Barrow’s airport is the Wiley Post – Will Rogers Memorial Airport