Page 161 - Travel Guide to Canada 2019

NU
38,396
Iqaluit
www.nunavuttourism.com
Flights to Nunavut depart from
Ottawa, Montréal, Edmonton,
Winnipeg, Churchill and
Yellowknife
Women wear homemade amauti jackets
that keep their babies tucked against their
backs.
Drum dancing, throat singing, storytell-
ing, sewing traditional clothes and carving
are still practiced throughout Nunavut and
locals are happy to share the experiences.
OUT ON THE LAND
While the communities are cultural outposts,
most visitors also want to experience the
mystical Arctic wilderness with its
dramatic scenery and wealth of wildlife.
Always choose licenced and insured
operators whether they are locals located in
most hamlets or southern-based outfi tters
that also off er a variety of adventures from
canoeing and hiking to dogsledding and
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cultural visits with specifi c dates using The world’s northernmost helicopter skiing
some locals as guides. Reservations are operation has launched near Clyde River on
required with both types of operators as Baffi n Island (www.weberarctic.com/
most trips are booked well in advance. adventures).
An increasingly popular way to explore
Canada’s Arctic is via cruise ships that An Inuit, family-run outfi tter in Igloolik is
hopscotch along the coast, stopping at off ering Arctic char fi shing trips which
several communities where locals welcome include sightseeing and wildlife viewing,
guests with performances, feasts and as well as winter igloo excursions (www.
handmade artwork and souvenirs. Often, iglootourism.com).
Inuit elders, artists and cultural experts will
travel on-board to enhance the experience. CITY LIGHTS
Nunavut’s capital of Iqaluit can easily be
EXTREME TERRITORY strolled on foot. Visit the igloo-shaped
Temperatures range from +30°C (86°F) in Anglican church and the Nunatta
summer to -50°C (-58°F) in winter when Sunakkutaangit Museum with its Inuit
much of the territory lies in almost 24-hour artefacts, as well as carvings and prints for
darkness as skies shimmer with the purchase in the gift shop. The Unikkaarvik
magical colours of the aurora borealis. So Visitor Centre features wildlife and cultural
most visitors come during the short exhibits, while the Nunavut Legislative
summers, when pleasantly cool days are lit Assembly building displays temporary art
around the clock by the midnight sun and shows alongside their permanent northern
the tundra comes to life with wildfl owers art collection including the Legislative
and wildlife and the waters teem with Mace carved from a narwhal tusk. Check
whales, walrus and seals. the Iqaluit Visitors Guide for local events
and places to stay, eat and shop (www.
WHAT’S NEW? nunavutnews.com).
In Cape Dorset, the Kenojuak Cultural
Centre and Print Shop opened last THE GREAT OUTDOORS
September, a long-awaited community Nunavut has fi ve national parks, 15
facility, art studio and exhibition space territorial parks and special places, four
for seven decades of world-class Inuit Canadian Heritage Rivers, as well as
printmaking (www.kenojuakcentre.ca). migratory bird sanctuaries and wildlife
reserves. But in reality, untouched Arctic
Parks Canada has partnered with wilderness wilderness starts on the doorstep of every
adventure outfi tter Black Feather for hiking hamlet.
opportunities in remote Quttinirpaaq From June through September there is
National Park (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ hiking, kayaking, whitewater rafting and
quttinirpaaq). marine mammal watching for narwhal,
POLAR BEAR, BAFFIN ISLAND, POND INLET • DESTINATION CANADA/
BLACK FEATHER THE WILDERNESS ADVENTURE CO./JOHN CARSWELL