Close your eyes and imagine Canada’s great north, with only glimpses of untamed wilderness and untamed adventure floating in the mind! Or maybe the mountains and pine forests of the Yukon are flooding the mind. Or perhaps paddling along the mighty rivers or lakes of the Northwest Territories.
But what seems like an endless expanse of tundra (treeless), with no trees in sight? What about sea kayaking among icebergs in the Arctic Ocean? As much as it seems, many people cannot think.
In fact, few of us would even consider traveling to Canada’s youngest northern province, Nunavut!
But the fact is, Nunavut is Canada’s youngest and indeed largest province or territory. In 1999, it seceded from the Northwest Territories and gained the status of a separate province, and Iqaluit was declared the new capital city. It is noteworthy that Nunavut occupies 21% of Canada’s land area. Home to only 38,000 people, it is often overlooked in tourism, politics and economics alike. But the more remote, yet enthusiastic adventure traveler is interested in traveling to Nunavut these days. Even if you are able and brave, you can travel to the capital city of Iqaluit, to save a unique life experience.
Don’t be surprised, if you visit from March to May, you can explore the frozen Arctic Ocean by snowmobile.
An adventure like riding a snowmobile on sea ice at 75 km/h can be truly soul-soothing. Scientists don’t know how much power the ocean tides have, but you get some idea. Iqalui, the capital of Nunavut, has the second highest tide in the world! Just as our chest rises and falls during breathing, you will rise and fall on the snow while riding a snowmobile.
And from July to September you can ride a sea kayak (a type of small boat invented by the indigenous people) in the Arctic Ocean. If you visit Nunavut in the summer, you can do some amazing sea kayaking in the Arctic Ocean, exploring the bends of icebergs. Not only can you usually hire a kayak for safety reasons, but there are some tour companies that you can choose from that will also take care of your safety.
Another important point here is that while kayaking around the iceberg bend, remember that the water below is freezing cold. If you fall into the water, you will feel an incredible frozen touch. So when you go to rent a kayak, they will also provide you with a dry suit (drysuit-heat protector). A drysuit is worn by divers, cold-water kayakers, and water sports enthusiasts when the body does not come into contact with water. A drysuit usually protects the entire body from contact with water except for the head and hands.
There are many beautiful hiking trails near the capital city of Iqaluit, spectacular tundra, treeless rocky paths that lead you to glaciers and coastlines. There are many long walking paths, you can walk in a big loop with good winter clothes.
According to many, ice is one of the most beautiful creations in the natural world. Although it sometimes creates surprising, complex shapes, the full moon reflects light in a beautiful pattern, creating a wonderful, enchanting atmosphere. Whether it’s hiking, snowmobiling, or kayaking, you can find plenty of solutions to get your snow on when you visit Nunavut.
Although sparsely populated, this vast region has four official languages: English, Inuktitut, French, and Inunaktun.
In different parts of Nunavut, sometimes the sun does not shine 24 hours a day, and sometimes the sun never sets! Yes indeed! The capital Iqaluit may seem north, but it is not north of the Arctic Circle. Here in summer the sun will disappear below the horizon for only four hours and in winter it will appear above the horizon for only four hours. That is, summer is almost always daylight, and winter is almost always dark at night. Communities north of Iqaluit are above the Arctic Circle, so they are immersed in 24 hours of sunlight in the summer and 24 hours of darkness in the winter.
One thing you can do in life if you want to is visit Ellesmere Island (only 508 miles from the North Pole)—the northernmost part of Nunavut—to experience the summer solstice. {Solstice: the time or date (twice each year) at which the Sun is at its highest or lowest point, marked by the longest and shortest days (often June 21 and December 22).}
Iqaluit has the second highest tides in the world (between 8 and 12 meters). However, the world’s highest tides occur at New Brunswick on Canada’s eastern Atlantic coast, sometimes rising to 16m, in the Bay of Fundy. The best way to experience this Arctic sea tide is to visit the bay when the sea ice is completely covered. Sea ice literally ebbs and flows like chest breathing. Note how low the sea ice is falling during the low tide, as the land-locked icebergs will be clearly visible for reference.
Many people don’t consider traveling to Nunavut, which is a mistake. If you ever get a chance to visit this amazing region, do. You will never regret experiencing Nunavut.
There are many countries for travelers to explore. You may not want to waste your time traveling to Canada for something as logistically inconvenient as Nunavut. Likewise, Canadians themselves will want to use their travel opportunities to explore somewhere completely different from Canada. Because not really understanding what Nunavut is like! In fact, the Canada we know is completely different from the one we know.
Canadians often don’t remember that Nunavut is even a part of Canada. If a Canadian tells friends “I’m going to Nunavut,” a third of friends will ask “Where?” The geographical location should be shown by dragging on the Google map. Although this region covers 21% of Canada’s landmass. The other two-thirds might look on in confusion and say, “Why? There’s nothing there but ice.”
The fact of the matter is that many Canadians don’t even know anything about Nunavut. Even many people living in Greater Toronto may not know that Nunavut is a part or territory of Canada, so consider traveling far.
The Arctic Ocean is diverse, with its icebergs and wildlife, dynamic, unpredictable and exciting for many travelers to experience. But when you travel, the doors of an indescribable world can open before your eyes and you will never forget. It’s not glamorous, Nunavut can bring about change in you.
Toronto, Canada
