Region

Nunavut

Go only if you are flying in for a specific reason: aurora, wildlife or a cruise. There is no road in.

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Key facts · Canada

Best months: Jul–Aug
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Canadian dollar (CAD, $)
Language: English and French
Plugs: A · B · 120 V
Time zone: Six zones: UTC−3:30 to UTC−8

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…

North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Nunavut is Canada's Arctic territory: an area larger than Mexico with about 38,000 people, almost all Inuit, spread across 25 communities with no road or rail link between them or to the south. Every settlement has an airstrip, so you fly in and fly between places. That makes it a destination you choose for one thing — aurora from October to March, the midnight sun and marine wildlife in summer, or an expedition cruise — not a place you add to a southern Canada itinerary. Costs are high: food is flown in, and a basic B&B in Iqaluit starts around $260 a night (2026 estimate).

Where to sleep

5 places in this region

Sleep base

IqaluitCity guide
Capital and main air hub; legislature, museum, igloo-shaped Anglican church.
Best Apr–May
JFMAMJJASOND
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Rankin InletCity guide
Western hub for flights via Yellowknife and Winnipeg; Pakallak Time in April.
Best Jun–Aug, Oct, Jan–Mar
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Rankin Inlet →

Day trip

ResoluteCity guide
Beluga and narwhal from the beach in summer; gateway to Beechey Island.
Best Jun–Aug
JFMAMJJASOND
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Gjoa HavenCity guide
Franklin expedition and Amundsen sites.
Best Jul–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
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Cambridge BayCity guide
Ovayuk Territorial Park, 20 km (12 mi) of trails east of town.Ovayuk Territorial Park, 12 mi (20 km) of trails east of town.
Best Jun–Aug
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Cambridge Bay →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

3 nights: Iqaluit only: museum, Frobisher Bay walk, one guided day out
5 nights: Iqaluit 3 + Rankin Inlet 2, flying between them
7 nights: Iqaluit 3 + Rankin Inlet 2 + a northern community for aurora or wildlife

Flying between communities is the only option — there are no roads linking population centres.
Perishables cost far more than in southern Canada because almost all food arrives by plane.
Winter cold and wildlife are real hazards; read cold-weather and animal-safety advice before you go.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Frobisher Bay and Iqaluit surrounds	Iqaluit	30 min	unknown	Guided boat, fishing and trekking trips run from town; book before arrival.
Ovayuk Territorial Park	Cambridge Bay	30 min	unknown	20 km (12 mi) of trails, camping areas and interpretive signs; no facilities.12 mi (20 km) of trails, camping areas and interpretive signs; no facilities.
Iqalugaarjuup Nunanga Territorial Park	Rankin Inlet	30 min	unknown	Includes a Thule archaeological site; walkable from the community.

Bags between cities

No road or rail freight between communities; anything you ship moves by air and is priced accordingly.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Iqaluit	×	×	ok	go	go	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok
Rankin Inlet	go	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	go	ok	ok
Resolute	×	×	×	×	×	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×
Gjoa Haven	×	×	×	×	×	ok	go	go	go	×	×	×
Cambridge Bay	×	×	×	×	ok	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×
Canada (country-wide)	ok	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Arctic and subarctic NunavutMost of the territory, including Baffin Island and the high Arctic islands	cold	cold	cold	cold	ok	ok	best	best	ok	cold	cold	cold

best: dry, mildok: workable

Arctic and subarctic Nunavut: Polar climate in most regions; July is the only month that is reliably mild, and even then southerly continental areas stay under about 10 °C (50 °F). Winter is dark, with near-24-hour daylight in the northern communities in summer.Polar climate in most regions; July is the only month that is reliably mild, and even then southerly continental areas stay under about 50 °F (10 °C). Winter is dark, with near-24-hour daylight in the northern communities in summer.

Aurora is easiest to see from October to March; the midnight sun runs through the summer. Both are reasons to pick a season deliberately rather than a general 'best month'.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes1 partGet in

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Ottawa	Iqaluit	Scheduled air service	check	Iqaluit has scheduled passenger flights from Ottawa and Montreal, plus Rankin Inlet and smaller eastern communities.
Yellowknife and Winnipeg	Rankin Inlet	Scheduled air service via Rankin Inlet	check	Western access routes run through Rankin Inlet.
Cruise	Arctic communities	Expedition cruise ship	check	Cruises are a popular but expensive way to see the territory; several operators run Arctic itineraries.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Arctic char	Across Nunavut	A staple for thousands of years; often served smoked or dried as country food.
Caribou	Across Nunavut	Country food, sometimes with imported or traditional sauces.
Seal and whale	Across Nunavut	Raw seal meat is traditional; ask before photographing or joining a hunt.
Local berries	Summer, near communities	Cranberries, cloudberries, blueberries, gooseberries and crowberries; foraging is a summer activity.
Groceries	Co-op and Northern stores	Perishables such as milk, fruit and vegetables are flown in and priced far above southern Canada.

Go next

Northern Canada

planned

Regional overview

Compare Nunavut with Yukon and the Northwest Territories before booking flights.

Yukon

planned

Fly via southern hubs

Road-accessible Arctic-adjacent option with aurora in winter.

Northwest Territories

planned

Fly via Yellowknife

Yellowknife is a common connecting point for western Nunavut.

Baffin Island

planned

Fly to Iqaluit

The territory's southeast, where the capital sits.

Queen Elizabeth Islands

planned

Expedition or charter only

High Arctic islands a few hundred kilometres from the North Pole.

Kitikmeot Region

planned

Fly via Yellowknife or Cambridge Bay

Western mainland and islands, including Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 2 bases
Day trips: 3, 30 min
Nights suggested: 3–7 nights
Ways in: 3 listed
Best months: Jul, Aug

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

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Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialGovernment of Nunavut
officialDestination Nunavut
officialNunavut Wildlife Export Permits (NMRIRB)
secondaryWikivoyage: Nunavut, revision 5317389 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about Nunavut

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