Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/651528
TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA because of their songs. The Explore Nunavut Travel Planner lists prime viewing areas, as well as outfi tters for nature tours (www.nunavuttourism.com ). Sport fi shing lodges, camps and outfi tters offer single to multi-day trips for trophy-sized catches. Anglers can ice fi sh from April to June. In summer, boats and fl oat planes transport fi shermen to outpost camps. Whether you want to fl y-cast for Arctic char or grayling, battle a massive lake trout or reel in a big northern pike on a fl y-in canoe trip, Nunavut Tourism's Sport Fishing Guide provides the details ( www. nunavuttourism.com/images/guides/ fi shingguide.pdf ). Adventurous travellers can hike in Sirmilik National Park and Devon Island (Dundas Harbour), sea kayak at Ellesmere Island (Alexandra Fjord), as well as Pond Inlet, and canoe the Soper River on southern Baffi n Island ( www.blackfeather.com ). HERITAGE AND CULTURE The Nunavut Arts & Crafts Association represents artists and hosts annual art festivals and exhibitions where you can watch Inuit carvers coax spirits of polar bears, muskox and birds from stone, antler and whalebone (www.NACAarts.org). Reminders of Nunavut's historical past are scattered across the territory. Near Rankin Inlet, Marble Island is an important Inuit historical site with sunken ships, old camps and remnants from the whaling era which began in the 1830's (www.rankin inlet.ca/tourism_marble.html ). On Beechey Island, you can see the graves of three men from Sir John Franklin's 1845 expedition. In September 2014, one of Franklin's ships, the HMS Erebus, was found by a remotely operated underwater vehicle near King William Island. In Qaummaarviit Territorial Park, near Iqaluit, visitors can examine semi-subterra- nean house pits used by Thule people between AD 1200 and 1700. Stone rings mark the locations of skin tents occupied by nomadic Inuit during the summers ( www. nunavuttourism.com/parks-special- places/territorial-parks/qaummaarviit ). MUST SEE, MUST DO View dancing northern lights (aurora borealis) in the dark fall and winter sky. Go birdwatching. Two huge colonies of thick-billed murres occupy Coats Island and thousands more nest on Bylot Island. As well, Coburg Island has a colony of thousands of seabirds. Queen Maud Gulf Migratory Bird Sanctuary has most of the world population of Ross's geese. Vast numbers of migratory birds, including Arctic loons and sandhill cranes, arrive between late May and early June and depart around mid-August. Look for beluga whales, sea birds, seals and polar bears. Floe edge (where the sea ice meets open water) tours on dogsleds or snowmobile-drawn sleds depart from the coastal communities of Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet and Igloolik. In Iqaluit, enjoy day trips, hiking, cultural presentations, boat tours, snowmobile excursions and town tours ( www.tour iqaluit.com; www.inukpakoutfi tting.ca). PARK PICK UKKUSIKSALIK NATIONAL PARK Located southwest of repulse Bay and surrounding Wager Bay on Hudson Bay's northwest coast, Ukkusiksalik national Park is named after the soapstone found there. the 20,885 sq. km (12,701 sq. mi.) park is home to polar bears, arctic wolves, caribou, birds of prey and water- fowl. in summer, visitors can hike in a vast landscape, discover revers- ing tidal rapids, explore ancient inuit campsites or photograph the former Hudson's Bay Company trad- ing post. Visitors must contact the Parks Canada offi ce in naujaat well in advance of their trips to obtain the appropriate permits and safety briefi ng. Call 1-844-524-5293 toll- free in Canada or visit (www.parks canada.gc.ca/ukkusiksalik). More info on National Parks and Historic Sites: www.pc.gc.ca • 1-888-773-8888 SLeD DoG teaM, CitY of iQaLUit • nU toUriSM/freD LeMire