Also known as the Arctic Coast, the Kitikmeot region includes a wide swath of Canada's northern mainland, as well as islands to the north. The largest population center is Cambridge Bay, located on Victoria Island. The Inuit name, Ikaluktutiak, means "place of good fishing." Aside from fishing for arctic char, highlights include the hike to Mount Pelly for sweeping views of the ocean and tundra, and the bird-rich area around Greiner Lake.
Where the Burnside River drains into the Arctic Ocean, an old Hudson's Bay Company post has been reborn as Bathurst Inlet Lodge (phone 867-873-2593; http://www.bathurstinletlodge.com), a place where nature lovers search out ringed seals, musk oxen and various species of rare shorebirds. As co-owners of the lodge, local Inuit inject their own interpretation of local flora and fauna in walks and talks.
At Gjoa Haven, the Northwest Passage Interpretive Trail tells the story of the search for the fabled passage to the East. In late May, Gjoa Haven hosts the Qavvarik Carnival, where prizes are handed out to winners in a blindfolded sled race and a harpoon throw.
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