Gamètì, Northwest Territories Travel Guide
Gamètì is a Tłı̨chǫ community between Great Slave Lake and Great Bear Lake, in the North Slave region of the Northwest Territories. The name is commonly translated as “rabbit-net place.” It is a small fly-in community with a strong land-based identity: hunting, fishing, beaded craftwork, lake travel, and the Tłı̨chǫ decision to make a permanent home in a longtime seasonal-use area.
How Gamètì Started
Gamètì began as a Tłı̨chǫ hunting and fishing place. The NWT Bureau of Statistics describes it as a relatively new permanent community that originated from a hunting camp established by Dogrib, or Tłı̨chǫ, people who wanted to continue a traditional lifestyle. It became more permanent in the early 1970s, when a community hall, teacherage, store, and airstrip were built.
NWT tourism sources add that families settled between Rae Lake and Lac Ste. Croix, in ancestral territory used for generations by Tłı̨chǫ and Sahtu Dene people. The community was previously known as Rae Lakes, and the name was officially changed to Gamètì in 2005 with the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement.
What Gamètì Is Like Today
Gamètì has a population of 283, based on the 2025 territorial estimate. The Government of the Northwest Territories lists Tłı̨chǫ as the Indigenous language connected with the community. Daily life is shaped by air access, family connections, lake country, harvesting, and community services at a small northern scale.
Travellers should understand Gamètì as a community rooted in land use, not as a conventional tourism town. The peninsula setting, nearby waterways, and local craftwork are the main visitor context. The strongest visit is arranged carefully, with respect for local capacity and weather.
That scale is part of the experience. Community buildings, aircraft movement, family travel, and time on the land are more important here than fixed attractions.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Fishing is one of the best-known visitor draws. NWT tourism highlights grayling fishing, and canoe travellers may know Gamètì from the Marian Lakes and Camsell River route, also known as the Idaa Trail. These are serious northern trips, not casual afternoon outings. Weather, aircraft schedules, route knowledge, and safety planning matter.
Local craftwork is another reason visitors pay attention to Gamètì. Beadwork and handmade items connect travel to active Tłı̨chǫ skills and family knowledge. Ask locally about what is available and how to purchase respectfully.
Quick Facts
- Community: Gamètì
- Territory: Northwest Territories
- Region: North Slave
- Population: 283, based on the July 1, 2025 NWT Bureau of Statistics estimate
- Former name: Rae Lakes
- Access: Primarily by air, with road access from Whatì noted by official tourism sources
- Language context: Tłı̨chǫ is listed by the Government of the Northwest Territories for Gamètì
Travel Notes
Plan Gamètì with local arrangements in place before travelling. Flights, weather, lodging, and guide availability can shape the entire trip. Summer is the main season for fishing and paddling. Winter travel requires careful attention to road or air conditions, cold, daylight, and local advisories.