Exploring Ellesmere Island: An Arctic Adventure Guide

Ellesmere Island, the tenth largest island on Earth, is a remote and captivating destination for intrepid travellers. Located in the Canadian Arctic, it boasts a varied landscape of ice shelves, fjords, and mountain ranges. With a sparse population and little human history, it is a place of untouched natural beauty. Getting to Ellesmere Island is an adventure in itself, requiring careful planning and a substantial budget. This guide will outline the key considerations for those seeking to explore this breathtaking Arctic island.

Getting to Ellesmere Island: fly via Resolute Bay or cruise

Getting to Ellesmere Island can be a long and expensive endeavour, as it is one of the most remote places on Earth. There are only a couple of ways to reach it: flying via Resolute Bay or taking a cruise ship.

Flying via Resolute Bay

To reach Ellesmere Island by plane, you must first get to Resolute Bay. This in itself is no easy feat. You can fly to Resolute Bay from Ottawa, with a layover in Iqaluit. From there, you can take a charter flight to Tanquary Fiord, located on the southern end of Ellesmere Island. This charter flight typically has just nine seats and can cost upwards of $7,000 round trip.

Travelling by Cruise Ship

A more scenic route to Ellesmere Island is by cruise ship. A handful of expedition cruises include Ellesmere Island as a stop during the summer months. These cruises typically explore the Northwest Passage, the Canadian High Arctic, or Greenland and Canada. While time on shore may be limited, guides will direct you to the best spots for landscape photography and wildlife watching.

Visiting in summer: May to August, the only option

Ellesmere Island is the northernmost populated place in Canada and the world's tenth-largest island. It is located in Nunavut and is only accessible during the summer months of May through to August.

The first option for reaching Ellesmere Island is to fly. This involves taking a flight from Ottawa, via Iqaluit, to Resolute Bay. From there, you can book a special charter flight to Tanquary Fiord, located on the southern end of Ellesmere Island. This charter flight option is offered by Parks Canada for $7,499, which includes dinner on the last night and a safety briefing upon arrival.

An alternative way to reach Ellesmere Island is by cruise ship. A small number of expedition cruise itineraries include stops at Ellesmere during the summer. While time on shore may be limited, guides will showcase the best spots for landscape photography and wildlife watching. Some cruises that may include Ellesmere Island in their itinerary are the Northwest Passage, Canadian High Arctic, Greenland and Canada, Northwest Passage, Ellesmere & West Greenland, and West Greenland, Baffin & Ellesmere Islands In-depth cruises.

If you are considering flying, it is important to note that Ellesmere Island is one of the most remote places on Earth, and the journey will be both lengthy and costly. The charter flights from Resolute Bay to Tanquary Fiord are operated by plane, with a capacity of nine seats.

For those interested in a cruise, it is worth noting that cruises typically only visit during the summer months due to the region becoming ice-bound in winter, making it inaccessible for tourists.

Practical considerations

When planning a trip to Ellesmere Island, it is essential to be aware of potential park closures between mid-July and early August due to heavy rainfall. These closures are implemented as the island's rivers become flooded and extremely dangerous to cross. Therefore, it is recommended to check for any updates or notifications from Parks Canada prior to booking your trip.

Additionally, even during the summer months, the temperatures on Ellesmere Island can be cold. Ensure that you pack appropriate clothing for cold and dry conditions.

Accommodation options

When visiting Ellesmere Island, there are a few accommodation options to consider. One possibility is the Grise Fiord Inuit Lodge, which is attached to a local co-op store offering native crafts and a limited selection of groceries. The lodge has eight rooms with 24 beds in total, and the rates include meals.

Another option is the South Camp Inn, located in Resolute Bay. This inn serves as a meeting point for some tour groups and provides accommodation for multiple nights before and after the trip to Tanquary Fiord.

Quttinirpaaq National Park: a backpacking option

Quttinirpaaq National Park, meaning "top of the world" in Inuktitut, is located on the northeastern corner of Ellesmere Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut, Canada. It is the second most northerly park on Earth, after the Northeast Greenland National Park, and covers 37,775 sq km (14,585 sq mi), making it the second-largest park in Canada.

The park features extensive glaciers, ice caps, and desert-like conditions, with wildlife including muskoxen, wolves, and polar bears. It is a polar desert with very little annual precipitation. The park includes Barbeau Peak, the highest mountain in Nunavut at 2,616 m (8,583 ft).

Quttinirpaaq National Park is a remote and isolated destination, featuring extreme wilderness. It is accessible only by air, with a shared charter flight from Resolute Bay to Ellesmere Island. A return flight from Resolute Bay costs around $60,000, and it is recommended to coordinate with other park visitors or ask park staff to help arrange the flight. There are no roads leading to the park, and the only way to reach it is by air or, in some cases, by boat.

There are no designated hiking trails in the park, but there are potential backpacking routes. Tanquary Fiord and Lake Hazen serve as common access points and can be used as base camps for day trips. It is also possible to hike between Tanquary Fiord and Lake Hazen, a rugged trek that takes 8 to 12 days. The park staff recommend visiting between late May and mid-August, when temperatures are milder and staff are on-site.

Backpacking in Quttinirpaaq National Park is a challenging and adventurous experience. The park offers a rare opportunity to explore vast arctic wilderness with no developed trails. Backpackers must be self-sufficient and capable of self-rescue, as rescue capabilities are limited. Additionally, due to the proximity to the magnetic north pole, compasses do not work in the park, so visitors must rely on maps and GPS for navigation.

Grise Fjord: the small native village

Grise Fjord, or Aujuittuq in Inuktitut, is a small Inuit village located on the southern tip of Ellesmere Island. It is the northernmost community in Nunavut and Canada, and one of only three populated places on the island. The village has a population of 144 residents, making it the largest community on Ellesmere Island.

The village was established in 1953 by the Canadian government through the relocation of Inuit families from Inukjuak, Quebec. The relocation was done partly to assert Canadian sovereignty in the High Arctic during the Cold War. The Inuit families were promised homes and game to hunt, but upon arrival, they found neither and had to quickly adapt to survive in the harsh climate.

Grise Fjord has a tundra climate with very short, cool summers and long, cold winters. The average yearly temperature is -16.5°C, making it one of the coldest inhabited places in the world. The village is surrounded by mountains and is cradled by the Arctic Cordillera mountain range.

The village has one school, one church, and one shop. Hunting is still an important part of the lifestyle for the mostly Inuit population. Ecotourism is also developing, as people come to see the northern wildlife found on Ellesmere and the surrounding islands.

There are no connecting roads to Grise Fjord, so the village is accessible only by air or sea. The small airstrip, Grise Fjord Airport, is surrounded by mountains and is considered one of the most difficult approaches for aircraft. Visitors can also travel to Grise Fjord by cruise ship during the summer months.

Wildlife: musk ox, Peary caribou, Arctic wolves

Ellesmere Island is home to a variety of wildlife, including musk ox, Peary caribou, and Arctic wolves. The island, located in the remote Canadian Arctic, has a fragile ecosystem with limited flora and food sources. This makes survival a challenge for its resident predators and large herbivores.

The musk ox, for instance, can weigh up to 700 pounds and are known for their ability to endure extreme cold temperatures. They graze in small herds across the Hazen Plateau, a tundra landscape in the south of the island. Musk oxen are also hunted by wolves, who must work together to isolate and take down these large prey.

The Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) is another notable herbivore species on Ellesmere Island. They are considered super-rare and are closely monitored by Canadian Wildlife Services.

Arctic wolves are the island's apex predators. They are the same species of gray wolf (Canis lupus) found in the northern Rockies and parts of Canada, Europe, and Asia. The wolves of Ellesmere have never been hunted by humans and are surprisingly tolerant of human presence. They are known to feed on musk oxen and Arctic hares, and their survival depends on their ability to cooperate and make the most of scarce food sources.

The wildlife on Ellesmere Island faces a challenging environment, and their survival is a testament to their resilience and adaptability.

Frequently asked questions