Many many outfitters and guides in both Canada and Alaska can get you on Caribou for much less than 8-12k. Travel costs are what gets you. Bush pilots aren't cheap. At least not the ones I would want to fly with anyway. I usually get away with spending around around 4-5k in total but I go drop in. I don't use a guide. Just the knowledge of the pilots and guides around letting me know the best place to run across the migration at that time of year. A guide or outfitter may put you over that cost some but not a whole lot. Just make sure you do your due diligence and get referrals for every outfitter/guide you are considering. And contact them. Don't just take the word of the outfitter/guide.