DISCOVER & EXPERIENCE THE LEAST INVADED HEAVEN “THE GREAT NUNAVUT”

NUNAVUT

One of the least human invaded ecological zone on earth is Arctic. Canada is blessed with such extreme and powerful zone where modernism has not impacted nature and its beauty very deeply.

Nunavut is the unique combination of Nature, Beauty and Beasts.

Cultures of thousand years old are still being followed. If someone really dreams to experience the warmth inside IGLOO in such extreme climate, or enjoying slag ride given by glacier dogs, or snowmobiling or campaigning, tracking and hiking under natures embrace, then your search ends here “Welcome to the Glaciers of Nunavut”.

Nunavut plains, iced  sea and mountains are the natural kingdom of char who swiftly - swim its icy rivers, those of polar bears who grab their meals in the sea-ice; it is the home of lichens (unique combination of photobionts and cup fungus) blooms & fruits, and of “Inuit” (resident humans), for whom icy plains and sea are their motherland.

Nunavut is segmented in to three regions viz :- Quikiqtani, Kivalliq and Kitikmeot regions. Experiencing three non similar and exceptionally different geography, itself, is a miracle. Wherein one region offers incredible and extremely adventurous Mountains of Qikiqtani, whereas second region offers you permanently frozen subsoil open landscape and the great rivers and lakes in kivalliq region and so on along with different culture, lifestyle and heritage of people living in the colonies in these distinct regions, accompanied with different wildlife.

Nunavut is a Territory that is diverse in both geography and culture. In a land as great as Nunavut, this diversity is inevitable and will give you a wide range of unforgettable moments and memories associated with the land and the people. From the incredible fiords and mountains of the Qikiqtani Region, to the rolling tundra and big rivers and lakes of the Kivalliq and Kitikmeot region, there is a wealth of extreme possibilities in Nunavut.

Imagining itself is so fascinating hearth bouncing, being surrounded by beautiful wildflowers. The valley of Saxifrage and Draba offers you the real-time sensual and colorful experience of touching, feeling and admiring the nature’s beauty.

Especially night brings you the surprising and never erasable moment of life time, when sky turns into natural projector screen and the wonderful natural color pattern which keeps changing appears in the sky as if laser show is being projected in sky. Locally the residents of Nunavut define them as the “Spiritual dance of human soles, gather together for celebrating wonderful nature” (aurora borealis).

Important places to visit:

There are 10 important Territorial Parks and 5 National Parks

Territorial Park

 1)      The Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park

It is a territorial park of its own kind, located 8 or 9km northwest of Rankin Inlet, Nunavut in Canada. The park is located in the valley of Meliadine River. One can make up to it by foot or vehicle whichever convenient to them, though experiencing walk is more pleasing and satisfying.

Iqalugaarjuup-Nunavut-Caribou 

Iqalugaarjuup-Nunavut- Canada Valley 

stone structure iqualugaarjuup Nunavut territorial park

2)      Katannilik Territorial Park ("the place of waterfalls")

Katannilik Territorial Park, This in itself is natures one of the most mesmerizing heaven of waterfalls  Katannilik Territorial Park  was reserved as a territorial park in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada, was declared as reseve in 1993. Total coverage area of this reserve is of 1,262 km2 (487 sq mi) in the vally of The Soper River, which is one of the oldest heritage of Nunavut, Canada. This is most preferred location for campaigning. Feel the nature blessing by experiencing many varieties of plants and animals as well as over 4000 years of Inuit history.This is wonder world easily accessible by dogsled, snowmobile, boat or aircraft, with a natural runway for small aircrafts.

Katannilik Territorial Park  Nunavut Snow falls

 Katannilik Territorial Park  Nunavut Dog Sledge

Katannilik Territorial Park  Nunavut River falls

3)      Kekerten Territorial Park

Kekerten Territorial Park, this is a remarkable location for witnessing the massive beasts of sea the one only one of its kind the great blue whale. Additionally it also has to offer you vivid wildlife and the natural opera of whales on the shore.

Best season to visit this reserve is spring or summer, accompanied with new unknown LOCAL FRIENDS from Pangnirtung most preferred by walk. One of the bad news about this park is “overnight camping here is not allowed” as this park is highly protected.

Kekerten Territorial Park Nunavut Historical evidences

Kekerten Territorial Park Nunavut North Hidden Corners

Kekerten Territorial Park Nunavut Remains from History

Kekerten Territorial Park Nunavut Whale Hunting

4)      Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park

Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park, this park is located in the Valley of Coppermine River with a coverage area of 25acers. It is situated about 9.5 to 10 miles southwest of Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada. It is another unbelievable heaven of Nunavut , it keeps in the unique and intense beauty, history and culture.

The name Bloody Falls (Kugluk) was kept after a massacre of local Inuits in the year 1771.

        

Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park Nunavut 

 Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park Nunavut Water Thrills

Kugluk (Bloody Falls) Territorial Park Nunavut Moon View

5)      Mallikjuaq Territorial Park

Mallikjuaq Territorial Park is also known as Mallik Island.  In local language Mallikjuaq stands for “big wave”. The elevations in this part are varying; It is one of the uninhabitated arctic islands. It positioned in Hudson straight between Baffin Island’s foxe peninsula and Dorset Island.

Hiking through the park furnishes encounters with countless archaeological remains aging upto 4000yrs old, from ancient rock and sod houses that provided early Dorset Inuit with shelter, to the remnants of food caches and kayak stands.

Best season to enjoy the marvelous duet of flora and fauna. In Nunavut’s  Malik park during summer season even life less rocks appears as lustful with life and entire park appears to have renascence.

In summer more than 60 breeds of birds migrate from different corners of world to this unforgettable heaven.

                      Mallikjuaq Territorial Park Nunavut Glaciers

Mallikjuaq Territorial Park Nunavut Nature and Life

Mallikjuaq Territorial Park Nunavut Bowhead Whale

Mallikjuaq Territorial Park Nunavut heavenly Beauty

Mallikjuaq Territorial Park Nunavut Summer Heaven

6)      Northwest Passage Trail

The Northwest Passage Territorial Trail cannot be categorized as Territorial park in practicality. It is positioned surrounding the hamlet of Gjoa Haven on King William Island, it is in fact an informative walk through knowledge centre of the repeatedly exploring European explores in  their search for ill-fated Franklin Expedition of 1845.

 

 Northwest Passage Territorial Trail “In The Wake Great Explorer” Nunavut

Northwest Passage Territorial Beautiful Nunavut

Northwest Passage Territorial Nunavut Passage Cruise

  Northwest Passage Territorial Nunavut Happy Meal

7)      Ovayok Territorial Park (Uvajuq)

Ovayok Territorial Park was formally known as Mount Pelly, this park is about 15 km /9.3 mil in the east of Cambridge bay Nunavut and the administrative region of Nunavut “Kitikmeot region”, spreading across from southern & eastern parts of Victoria Island, stretched up to Boothia Peninsula in main land. This park is spread over 16km square area, while comparing with other parks we can say it is a small park.

One can access park through gavel road. The main attraction of this park is vivid wildlife viz. Musk ox, subspecies of rain dear known as barren ground caribou, hare and fox of arctic and  Siberian brown lemming also known as North American brown Lemmings .

This park is blessed with several lakes habituating Arctic char or charr, Birds of several species viz Canada Geese, Snow Owls, Arctic terns and so on… It has three hills also known to be, Inuit’s legendary three hills representing the family of giants Father, Mother and their Son who died in search of food in Victoria Island.

Ovayok Territorial Park Nunavut Fresh water River

Ovayok Territorial Park Nunavut Waterfall 

 Ovayok Nunavut territorial park

 Ovayok Territorial Park Nunavut Mountain of Giants

8)      Qaummaarviit Territorial Park

Qaummaarviit Territorial Park also known locally as “place that shines”. It is located 12 km / 7.5 mi west from Iqaluit of Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is situated near Peterhead Inlet on a small island.

This Island is known to be inhabited by Pro-Inuits also popularly known as Thule, they are the ancestors of the all modern Inuits. They are believed that they developed in the coastal Alaska by 1000 and lived across earthen zone of Canada to Greenland, Ironically it is away from modern electrified culture of its neighboring Iqaluit’s Capital city.

 Qaumaarviit Territorial Park is a symbolic evidence of the strength and history of local Inuit. The archaeological remains from history narrate the episode of the centuries of the occupation of Inuits.

The area was known to be rich of great marine and wildlife. On this Island hunting and facilitating 3,000 plus tools and nearly 20,000 bones have been discovered. The  seal and whale bones suggest that the inhabitants used “Umiaks  “ it is a kind of boat boats used anciently by Inuits, this is a basically open skin boats used for commuting passengers through sea it is also known as “Ongiuk/Anaya” and “qajaq” in today’s modern time it is known as “Kayak” .

Mode of transportation for reaching Qaumaarviit Territorial Park, Canada, Nunavut:-

1)      One can reach the island by boat from Iqaluit during summer season.

2)      During winter season we can reach by snowmobile, dog sled or skis.

*Bad news for individuals who wants to camping, since it is the showcase of historic remains, camping is not permitted.

Dance of human sole Nunavut by colorful light patterns

Kayaks

Dance of Human Soles Nunavut

Qaummaarviit Territorial Park Nunavut Umaiks 

9)      Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park

Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, this is locally famous as “Iqaluit Kuunga”. It is located 1 km away from capital of Nunavut “Iqaluit”, Canada. The Sylvia Grinnell River flows through the park. The name river “Sylvia Grinnell” is named after Charles Francis Hall’s friends daughter name “Henry Grinnell”. Charles Francis Hall was the American explorer of 1861 Era, who is also known to be as the first non-indigenous person to realize that Frobisher Bay was a bay, which was earlier believed to be as North-West passage for China.

Iqaluit in local language means “Place of many fishes”. The park also embraces Dorset culture and the Thule people archaeological remains, illuminating their great history.

“Caribous” a subspecies of rain dear is the attraction core of this park. About 40 species of Birds migrate to this phenomenal park in summer and spring season and other animals that can also be seen in their natural habitat are “Arctic Fox”, “Arctic Hare” and “Polar Bear”. In the interest of Inuits fishing by Non-Inuits is restricted; one has to take permit for enjoying fishing in Arctic.

Noirthen light Sylvia Grinnell Park Nunavut

Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park Dog ride Nunavut Canada

Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park Nunavut Canada

Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park nunavut canada

10)   Fossil Creek Trail

It is situated near Coral Harbor, Fossil Creek Trail is ideal location for Hiking and tracking activities. Fossil Creek Trail in itself embraces the treasure of known fossils narrating ancient history, it is believed that these Fossil’s remains are aging about 450 million years. These fossil’s origins stretch back over 450 million years and will give you and your family a taste of being paleontologists!

Fossil Creek Trail Nunavut 1

Fossil Creek Trail Nunavut

Fossil Creek Trail Nunavut 3

Fossil Creek Trail Plain Nunavut

Fossil Creek Trail waterfall 1 Nunavut      

National Parks

1)      Auyuittuq National Park

Auyuittuq National Park this name for the park is given by Inuits which means “ Land that never melts”  it is also named as “Baffin Island National Park”. This park is the living proof nature’s extremes, such as fjords, glaciers, and ice fields. 

You can experience this face of nature located between Panirtung and Quikiqtarjuaq, This place is the dream of every Extreme Adventure Loving Sportsmen, it is time to uncover the heaven lying on earth for skiers, Hikers and Tracking Lovers. This the location where nature throws challenge to the Guts of Hikers in the form of Mount Thor and Mount Asgard.

Good thing is Nunavut’s National Park offers visitors extra layer of protection to overrule unexpected contingencies.

                           Auyuittuq National Park Nunavut Blue

Auyuittuq National Park Glacier Nunavut              

 Auyuittuq National Park Nunavut

Auyuittuq National Park Nunavut Polar Bear

              Auyuittuq National Park Nunavut Land Never Melts

2)     Quttinirpaaq National Park

Quttinirpaaq stands for the “Land at the top of the world”. It is the second largest national park in Canada after “Wood Buffalo Park”. It is also second most northerly park on Earth after “Northeast Greenland National Park”. Formally it was known as “Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve” before the development of Nunavut, Canada.

Maximum part of park is covered by unimaginably marvelous Rocks and Ice and ice caps. In fact it is an amazing Polar dessert.

This park offers you experience of true Nature without human interferences. This is the land of nature’s mysterious events, you can experience real time 24hrs of sunlight in high Arctic Oasis, with abandon of water and greenery in and around Haze Lake. This is an ideal place for Hike camp under nature’s miraculous experience.

You can encounter many wild animals and amazing plants which with stand the polar temperature.

 

               Quttinirpaaq Polar Bear Nunavut Canada

Quttinirpaaq Glaciers of Nunavut Canada

    

Quttinirpaaq Land at top of the world

Quttinirpaaq mountain Nunavut Canada

3)     Sirmilik National Park

This National Park is located in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. This lies in the Arctic Cordillera which a natural dissection of land by the chain of mounts. This park is full of Nature’s blessing, it is very beautiful part of Nunavut, Canada, full of life in the form of wild plants,  wild animals and several breeds of birds.

This National Park offers it’s visitors with an forever memorable experience of Hiking, Skiing, Dog sledding and Snowmobile trips. You can find here very unique wild animals such as whale with tusks, seals, polar bears and more in this park. You will also experience jaw opening Hoodoos that narrates the nature’s marvelous and artistic carving of big stone by means of winds and erosions; it clearly defines the power of nature that can defeat and destroy anything which comes in its way.

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Sirmilik national park Nunavut Hoodoos

Sirmilik Nunavut Mountain Adventure 

Sirmilik National Park Glacier Nunavut

Sirmilik National Park Nunavut Giants Family

4)     Ukkusiksalik National Park

Ukkusiksalik National Park, covers the south of Arctic center, it comprises of Mudflats & Tundra and Naujaat (Hamlet of Repulse bay) of Kivaling region, Nunavut, Canada. It is the origination land of Brown river and it is surrounded by the Wager Bay. Ukkusiksalik means "where there is material for the stone pot".

Main attraction center of this National Park is reversing waterfall and nearly 500 archeological remains. Thought Ukkusiksalik National Park is the smallest in comparison with other four national parks of Nunavut, yet it is the sixth largest National park of Canada. Establishment of this park has increased over all numbers of Canada’s national parks from 40 to 41.

In today’s time one can go back to centuries and experience living heritage of Inuit’s by witnessing the remains of fox traps, tent rings, and food caches which have been discovered in the area. An astonishingly earliest Commercial firm named “The Hudson's Bay Company” had an operating trading post in the area from 1925 to 1947.

Only limited information is known about Wager Bay's early history, as until the 19th century the area was ruled by Inuit who passed down their history and heritage orally to their down line siblings.

However adequate numbers of stone relics, mainly tent rings from believed to be from Thule people, inuksuit, caches and shelters which provide evidence that the coast of Wager Bay has been inhabited for thousands of years. About 500 archaeological sites have been identified created by Dorset Culture ( paleo-Eskimo) and Thule Culture.

 Barrenland Inuit which is originally known as caribou-Eskimo were not all the same tribe, but were the down line siblings of somewhat different  groups:

Ø  Ukkusiksalingmiut who were originated from Back River and Hayes River valley.

Ø  Aivilingmiut from Repulse Bay region,

Ø  Qairnirmiut they are believed to associated with Baker Lake and Chesterfield Inlet regions

Ø  Netsilik Inuit (Natsilingmiut) they were among the last indigenous from around Kugaaruk and Taloyoak.

Ukkusiksalik National Park Nunavut Natural

Ukkusiksalik National Park Nunavut Fossils

Ukkusiksalik National Park The Nature

Nunavut's Ukkusiksalik National Park Ice Sea Burg

Ukkusiksalik National Park Nunavut Natural Projection

5)       Qausuittuq National Park

Qausuittuq National Park (pronounced Qow-soo-ee-tooq) in Inuit language it means “a place without sunrise”. It became the 45th national park of Canada after it inauguration in 2015.

This park has preserved the important Peary Caribou habitat. It falls north to the polar bear pass National Wild Life Zone. Main aim behind the establishment of this park is to protect and preserve the smaller Island surrounding this.

Qausuittuq National Park Wild Life

Qausuittuq National Park Nunavut Heaven

Qausuittuq National Park Nunavut Jumpic

Qausuittuq National Park Nunavut Tundra

Qausuittuq National Park Nunavut Caribou

Kindly make note of below mentioned important contact details which is inevitably required for experiencing this heaven sound and safe.

** Information Counselors: - Toll-free number 1-866-NUNAVUT (686-2888).

https://www.nunavuttourism.com/

With this write-out I have tried my best to provide all important points to make your tour more informed and pleasuring. Please do guide me if anything you wish to be corrected out of your personal experiences.

Wishing you safe and never fading away memories of Nunavut.

Signing off with smile

Devendra Kumar Singh

(Adventure Is Life)

This article is written with my Personal Experience with supporting reference from personal “WIKI and Nunavut tourism”.