Destination Highlights

Iqaluit A journey to Iqaluit, the capital of Canada’s youngest territory of Nunavut, is simultaneously a study of Inuit culture. About 85% of Iqaluit’s population of 7,740 are Inuit. Nunavut has supported a continuous indigenous population for over 4,000 years. Visitors who make the trip to nearby Qaummaarviit Territorial Park, a tiny island12 kilometers (seven miles) west of Iqaluit, can view archaeological remains of the ancient Thule people, who were ancestors of the Inuit. The area around Iqaluit is marked by ice-capped mountains and tundra valleys, which are home to abundant caribou and Arctic foxes.

Pond Inlet First-time visitors to the remote hamlet of Pond Inlet never know where to point their cameras — at the fjords, glaciers, icebergs, or large pods of narwhal. Located on the northern tip of Baffin Island near the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage, Pond Inlet is also known by its Inuktitut name, Mittimatalik. The traditional Inuit settlement of 1,600 people overlook Eclipse Sound and the mountains of Bylot Island, a migratory bird sanctuary.

Pangnirtung Pangnirtung, called ‘Pang’ for short, resonates with adrenaline-seekers and art-lovers alike. The Inuit hamlet of 857 people, located 50 kilometers (31 miles) south of the Arctic Circle at the north end of Cumberland Sound, is known for its traditional Inuit hand-woven tapestries and lithographic prints. Also, because Pangnirtung Fjord is the southern gateway to the Auyuittuq National Park, the town attracts legions of hikers, climbers, and skiers. Polar history buffs frequently make a day trip to nearby Kekerten, an uninhabited island that was a major whaling destination in the 1800s.