In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Kangiqsujuaq
ᑲᖏᕐᓱᔪᐊᖅ
Go only if you have booked a boat or guide to Qajartalik: 2 nights, no road in, no rental car, no walk-up tours.
Kangiqsujuaq is a village of about 700 on Wakeham Bay in Nunavik, northern Quebec. There is no road in: you arrive on an Air Inuit flight from Kuujjuaq or Montréal. The reason to come is Qajartalik on Qikertaaluk Island, a soapstone petroglyph site with more than 150 carved faces, reached by boat in open water. Everything else is village life, tundra and fjords, and it is expensive and weather-dependent.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- ᑲᖏᕐᓱᔪᐊᖅ
- Best months
- Jul–Aug for boat access to Qajartalik
- Avoid
- Nov–May (cold, dark, no boat access); Sep–Oct for open-water crossings
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$250–400 excl. bed · Mid C$400–700 excl. bed · High C$700+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Co-op hotel room, per night | C$235 |
| Coffee or a snack at the store | C$4–8 |
| Simple meal in the village | C$20–35 |
| Guided boat trip to Qajartalik | C$250–400 |
| eSIM or data plan, about a week | C$30–60 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YWB · Kangiqsujuaq (Wakeham Bay) Airport
- Air Inuit from Kuujjuaq, Montréal–Trudeau, Quebec City and other Nunavik villages; small terminal, walking distance to the village core
Typical fares
- Air Inuit Kuujjuaq → Kangiqsujuaq
- about 1 h 30 min; fare varies by season, check
- Air Inuit Montréal–Trudeau → Kangiqsujuaq
- about 4–5 h with a stop in Kuujjuaq, check
- Boat to Qajartalik
- arranged with a local operator, weather-dependent, check
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is small enough to walk, including from the airport. There is no rental-car counter and no taxi rank; for anything beyond the village you need a local operator with a boat, quad or snowmobile. Confirm transport with your guide before you book the flight.
See and do
Known for
- Qajartalik petroglyphs on Qikertaaluk Island
- Wakeham Bay and the tundra around the village
- Douglas Harbour fjords
- Inuit rock art and Nunavik village life
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Qajartalik, Qikertaaluk Island | Boat with a local operator from the village, then a short landing and walk | Half a day to a full day, weather-dependent |
| Douglas Harbour fjords | Boat or charter, far south along the coast | Multi-day |
Sleep
- Village core (near the airport and Uvilulik St)
- The only practical base: the co-op hotel and the inn are both here, a few minutes' walk from the stores.
- Out on the land
- Some operators run camps or cabins for multi-day trips; ask before you book a flight, not after.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | ᐊᐃ (ai)ai |
| Thank you | ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᒃ (qujannamiik)koo-yan-na-meek |
| Yes | ᐄ (ii)ee |
| No | ᓇᒃᑲ (nakka)nak-ka |
| Where is the store? | ᓇᒧᖓ ᓂᐅᕕᖅᑎᕗᑦ? |
| I need help | ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑎᒍᓐᓇᕋᕕᑦ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- No road access: flights are the only way in, and they are expensive and can be delayed by weather.
- Qajartalik is reached by boat in open water: crossings are weather-dependent and only run in the open-water season.
- Book accommodation and any guide before you book the flight; beds are few and fill with workers and researchers.
- Food and fuel cost far more than in southern Canada; bring what you can and budget high.
- Summer brings mosquitoes and blackflies; pack a head net.
- Do not touch or chalk the petroglyphs; the site is protected and fragile.
The village is quiet and safe for visitors; the real risks are cold water, weather that cancels flights and boats, and going out on the land without a local guide.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kangiqsujuaq yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Qajartalik petroglyphs on Qikertaaluk Island
- Wakeham Bay and the tundra around the village
- Douglas Harbour fjords
- Inuit rock art and Nunavik village life
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nunavik Tourism: nunavik-tourism.com/
- Air Inuit: www.airinuit.com/
- Wikivoyage: Kangiqsujuaq, revision 4836941 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4836941
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kangiqsujuaqᑲᖏᕐᓱᔪᐊᖅ
check
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Nunavik; the US consulate general is in Montréal, and other countries' embassies are in Ottawa or Montréal.
Print this card before you fly: mobile coverage is limited outside the village.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kangiqsujuaq). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.