OVERVIEW
This very intimate four person 8 day trip is set in the foothills of one of Canada’s remotest mountain ranges – the Torngat Mountains. Combining stunning scenery, the exquisite and awe inspiring northern lights, top-of-the-line remote accommodations in our new Arctic Igloo Dome base camp, delicious meals, and best of all – and the main reason for coming – up close and personal polar bear photograph opportunities under the professional guidance of local Inuit guides, this is a truly exceptional trip.
“More than 30 polar bears, the Northern Lights, outrageously good food…it was a joy to be able to see all that we have in the comfort of this great camp.”
—Alexa and Derek, London
Mid-March to April polar bears begin to move onto the sea ice and into the fiords near the Torngat Mountains of northern, Nunavik in search of seal pups. Large male bear – giants on the ice, juvenile bears as well as mothers and cubs can be found seen. The world of the polar bears and the cubs is a one of ice, a frozen land-scape and set in the foothills of the Torngat mountains. The entry point to the polar bear areas – potentially even denning areas, will be based out of the Inuit community of Kangiqsualujjuaq – or commonly known as “George River”, with a population of 600 mainly Inuit people.
We depart George River for the Arctic Kingdom exclusive base camp that will be set up approximately 60km from the community on an peninsula overlooking the sea ice of Ungava Bay.
This exclusive base camp, comprising of heated dome structures and and insulated habitats will be a comfortable, remote setting to conduct day trips by snowmobile in search of polar bear and potentially cubs. Arctic Kingdom works closely with local experienced Inuit hunters who know where polar bears, including cubs, linger on the sea ice in order to find seals and seal pups.
To augment the day trips that we will be conducted overland and sea ice with the snowmobiles, a helicopter will take you to explore the stunning Torngat mountain, the immense Korac and George River, over the newest national park of and out to the sea ice floe edge where polar bears should be found in large numbers. The floe edge can consist of much jumbled pack ice making travel by snowmobile difficult. Using a helicopter we can access an area of polar bears that has previously never been seen before by anyone but scientists and local Inuit.
Once the day has come to an end, and the sun has sunk below the horizon in fire of reds and oranges, the darkness of the night sky will reveal one of natures most awe inspiring sights – the Aurora Borealis – also known as the Norther lights. If conditions are right, we are in one of the best locations in the Arctic to witness this natural spectacle.
Highlights
- Experience the most comfortable remote wilderness accommodations – Arctic Kingdoms new “Arctic Igloo Dome Base Camp”
- Be one of the few to witness polar bears near the Torngat mountains in this extremely remote area at eye level.
- See the brilliant Northern Lights on clear night skies
- Fly over eastern Canada’s highest peaks in the Torngat mountains
- Visit three distinct regions – Torngat Mountain Foothills, the George River Plateau and the Ungava Coast.
- Helicopter to the floe edge to see polar bears
- Abundant wildlife such as Caribou, Arctic Fox and baby seals
- Watch Inuit hunters track polar bear tracks in search of polar bear
- Snowmobile along traditional Inuit routes to the Arctic Kingdom base camp
- Travel through Nunaviks newest park – Kuururjuaq as we cross the Koroc River to the basecamp
“Congratulations on the comfort of the camp, the professionalism of your care and the excellent cuisine. And the bears!! We counted 30. The evening Aurora Boreale (Northern Lights) were truly exceptional.”
—Nelly & Jean Pierre PARIS, FRANCE
Brief Itinerary
| Day 1 | - | Arrival in Montreal from home. Check into Montreal hotel. |
| Day 2 | - | Early morning departure for Kuujjuaq. Transfer planes and continue to George River ( Kangiqsualujjuaq) Nunavik. Overnight in hotel. |
| Day 3 | - | From George River community travel by snowmobile caravan (4-5 hours) to the Arctic Kingdom Torngat Exlcusive Arctic Dome basecamp near the coast of Ungava bay in the foothills of the Torngat Mountains. |
| Day 4 | - | Helicopter lands in Torngat Base Camp. Fly over Torngat mountains, Kuururjuaq and over to the floe edge. Location flown will be determined on conditions and where polar bears and Torngat caribou are believed to be. |
| Day 5-7 | - | Daily sorties via snowmobile and qamutiq tracking polar bears. |
| Day 8 | - | Return to George River by snowmobile and qamutiq. (4-5 hours travel including rest stops and photo opportunities. |
| Day 9 | - | Flight back to Kuujjuaq and on to Montreal. Overnight in Montreal. |
About Kangirsualujjuaq (George River)
Kangiqsualujjuaq is the easternmost village of Nunavik. It is located about 160 kilometres to the north-east of Kuujjuaq, situated 25 kilometres from Ungava Bay on the George River, nestled at the end of a cove called Akilasakalluq. The village stands in the shadow of an granite rock outcrop to the north of the bay. Despite its northerly location, the valley sheltering the village is rich with vegetation. In the 1960s, the village even operated a small spruce lumber mill.
About the Torngat Mountains
“At the northern extremity of the Labrador coast, a range of high barren mountains with sharp precipices extending inland from the sea was known to traditional Inuit as the abode of the master spirit in their mythology. Their name for the region, Torngait meaning a place of spirits, derived from the presence of Torngarsoak who was believed to control the life of sea animals and took the form of a huge polar bear.”
—Quoted from GSC Memoir 91: The Labrador Eskimo by Ernest W. Hawkes, an anthropologist who visited Labrador in 1914 with the Geological Survey of Canada
This region contains two distinct, contrasting landscapes: the George Plateau and the spectacular Torngat Mountains.The George Plateau is a level bedrock plain cut by deep river valleys sloping gently to Ungava Bay. The effects of glaciation are everywhere: drumlin fields, kame terraces (ridges of water-born sediments deposited by melting glaciers), erratics and eskers that snake over the plateau. The Torngat Mountains, among the highest, most rugged mountains in eastern North America and one of the world’s most beautiful wild coastlines, provide a spectacular counterpoint to the gentle George Plateau.
How do we get there?
We will be departing from Montreal Canada, to Kuujjuaq, Nunavik at the north end of the province of Quebec. From Kuujjuaq, we will fly on a scheduled flight to Kangiqsualujjuaq (George River) at the foothills of the Torngat Mountains.
Why George River (Kangiqsualujjuaq)?
With a rich Inuit culture, this is one of the best regions – not only scenery wise with big mountains and inspiring sea ice formations, but also a high likelihood of seeing polar bears as they begin to come inland from Ungava Bay looking for seal pups. The George River area is also well known for the huge Caribou herds that if we are fortunate, have already begun their spring migration north towards where we will be staying.
Kangiqsualujjuaq (George River), Ungava Bay, Nunavik, Canada
