Ivvavik National Park is located in the Arctic, a unique part of the world with a wide range of temperatures and daylight hours. Because of its Northern Latitude, in summertime the area within Ivvavik National Park experiences almost 2 months of 24 hour sunlight. Conversely, in winter the Ivvavik National Park experiences over a month of darkness. Due primarily to these extremes, much of the plant and animal located within Ivvavik National Park must be very adaptable to a shorter growing season, and a scarcity of food during the long winter.

In terms of climate, Ivvavik National Park also has a wide temperature range. The average temperature in summer is 14 degrees Celsius, while in winter it is -29 degrees Celsius. Like almost all Artic areas, the areas covered by Ivvavik National Park receive so little in the way of precipitation they can be technically classified as desert regions.

The most prominent physical feature of the Ivvavik National Park region are the British Mountains. The millennia-old mountains were formed out of an ancient land mass called Beringia. During the last glacial period, of 30 millennia ago, this region was home to a vast array of people and wildlife. As these glaciers receded over thousands of years the British Mountains were created.

One of the most popular undertakings at Ivvavik National Park involve the use of the Fifth river, which runs through the center of the park. The river has whitewater suitable for rafting excitement, and also provides an opportunity to take in some of the majestic scenery Ivvavik National Park has to offer. The river's water is very cold, and the rapids are Class IV, and for this reason rafters must be experienced whitewater rafter is order to undertake the remote journey along the river.

Another popular activity in Ivvavik National Park is hiking, and the wildlife and terrain contained in the park make it ideally suited to this activity. During a hike, a visitor will have ample opportunities for birding, wildlife photography, and simple wildlife viewing. If a visitor is fortunate, they may encounter any or all of the following wildlife on a hike: caribou, foxes, golden eagles, and even grizzly bears. Ivvavik National Park doesn't have specific hiking trails, but rather encourages the visitor to explore any number of general routes, and because of the major landmarks in place thought the park there is no danger of getting lost. Because of its northern latitude, the hiking season in Ivvavik National Park is rather short, being only between the middle of June to the middle of August. Remember, however, that fall comes earlier in the arctic, and so a visitor hiking on August is likely to see a wide array of beautiful fall colors.

Canada is a country rich in natural wonders, and Ivvavik National Park is no exception. Any visitor to Ivvavik National Park looking for scenery, plants, wildlife or especially all three will be duly rewarded by a visit - just remember to do it during the summer!