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Nunavut · Canada
The capital of Nunavut, on Baffin Island: Inuit culture, tundra, Frobisher Bay with high tides and, in summer, days that are almost sleepless.
In the photo: Iqaluit and the Frobisher Bay coast in winter.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Iqaluit is the capital of Nunavut, the territory created in 1999 from the Northwest Territories, with a majority Inuit government. It is located on the southern part of Baffin Island, at the head of Frobisher Bay, and is reachable only by plane or, in summer, by ship.
The town is small and mixes colorful houses on stilts, because of the frozen ground, public buildings and traditional Inuit life: fishing, hunting, sleds and snowmobiles in winter. Inuktitut is spoken on the streets and written in syllabics on signs, alongside English and French. The Anglican cathedral is shaped like an igloo, and the town museum brings together Inuit art and objects.
Around it, the landscape is tundra, rocks and rivers. Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, on the town’s edge, has a river with waterfalls and trails through the tundra; by boat in summer you can reach archaeological sites of ancient peoples. The bay’s tides are among the highest in Canada.
In summer, daylight can exceed 20 hours; in winter, days are short and very cold, with a chance to see the aurora borealis.
This destination brings together 1 city: Iqaluit.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Boundaries: Statistics Canada (Statistics Canada Open Licence) / geoBoundaries. Adapted by Cidade Turismo.
✈ Iqaluit Airport (YFB) · 2 km to Iqaluit
Iqaluit Airport (YFB), about 2 km from downtown, receives flights from Ottawa and Montreal of roughly 3 hours. There is no road connecting Iqaluit to the rest of Canada.
The local experience
Tundra park on Iqaluit’s edge, with the Sylvia Grinnell River, waterfalls, trails and Inuit archaeological sites.
Iqaluit museum in a former fur trading warehouse, with objects, clothing, tools and Inuit art from Baffin Island.
Anglican cathedral of Iqaluit shaped like an igloo, with a rounded white roof and an interior decorated with elements of Inuit culture.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From June to August, with very long days, blossoming tundra and the bay ice breaking up, usually in July. From March to April there is sun, longer days and snow for sled trips. The aurora can appear from autumn through the end of winter.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Three days: one for the town, the museum and the cathedral, one for Sylvia Grinnell Park and one for a guided tour on the bay or in the tundra.
Hotels and guesthouses are in town, near the legislature and the bay, but limited in number; book in advance. Prices in town are high because almost everything arrives by air.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Only by plane, from Ottawa or Montreal in about 3 hours, or by ship for part of the summer. There is no road.
Three days for the town, Sylvia Grinnell Park and a guided trip.
Inuktitut, English and French. Inuktitut appears in syllabics on city signs.
Short, cool summers with long days; long, very cold winters with short days.
Eastern Time, same as Ottawa: UTC−5, and UTC−4 from March to November.
