Sponges, corals, egg cases, driftwood, and crustaceans wash up on the shores around Gambell. There are also multi-day guided birdwatching tours, which shape the stay for many visitors. The history of the Yupik community offers another perspective on Gambell: it reaches far back and remains alive today. Coastal finds, birdwatching, and cultural history are distinct topics, each offering its own perspective on the place.
Coast and Birdwatching
Birdwatching in Gambell is considered some of the best in Alaska. Most visitors come on guided, multi-day birdwatching tours organized from the town. This duration is important when planning your trip: birdwatching here is not described as a brief activity, but as a multi-day focus.
The tours explore the northwestern corner of Saint Lawrence Island on foot, by ATV, or by bicycle. The modes of transportation used may vary by provider. If you are interested in a tour, check before booking which option is included in that particular offering. This allows you to account separately for the multi-day format and the way the area will be explored.
The finds along the shores offer a different focus from the tours: they are about what washes up—from sponges and corals to egg cases, driftwood, and crustaceans. These observations add a variety of other coastal finds to the focus on birds, without implying any particular excursion program.
Yupik Culture and the Name Sivuqaq
Siberian Yupik culture in Gambell dates back several thousand years and remains strong and vibrant in the community. The place was originally called Sivuqaq. In the late 19th century, it was renamed to commemorate the community’s first missionary family: their boat sank on the return trip to the island. The former name and the story of the renaming offer different insights into Gambell’s past, while the living culture maintains its connection to the present.
The Gambell Sites and the Island’s History
The Gambell Sites include Hillside, Mayughaaq, Ayveghyaget, Old Gambell, and Seklowaghyag. These places are on Saint Lawrence Island near the town of Gambell. The sites were significant to the region’s prehistory: they helped establish a chronological sequence of cultures on Saint Lawrence Island and are important to the region’s prehistory.
At the same time, Inuit history on Saint Lawrence Island goes back two thousand years. The chronological significance and this long historical timeframe offer different emphases: one describes the sequence of different cultures, while the other reflects the broader timespan of Inuit history on the island. Together with the history of Sivuqaq, they provide several perspectives on Gambell’s cultural context.
Yupik Days
Yupik Days is an annual community event that the Gambell School helped support. The 46th annual event took place on March 27 and 28, 2025. The program at the time included cultural performances, Yupik dance and music, storytelling events, and NYO and Yupik games. This program describes the event on those two days; dates and activities may vary from year to year. So if you want to plan your trip around Yupik Days, check the dates for the relevant year.
Plan Your Trip
The state-owned Gambell Airport has a paved runway. Airport information updated on August 24, 2023, lists scheduled flights from Nome and charter flights from Unalakleet. These are different flight connections; check current flight times before your trip. If you are planning a multi-day birdwatching tour, take both your travel arrangements and the time needed for the tour into account.
Discover more destinations: Nome.
See the broader travel overview: Nome Census Area.
