Region
Queen Elizabeth Islands
Go only if you have a reason and a budget: no roads, no rental cars, flights from about $2,300 return.
Key facts · Canada
- Best months
- Jul–Aug
- Currency
- Canadian dollar (CAD, $)
- Language
- English and French
- Plugs
- A · B · 120 V
- Time zone
- Six zones: UTC−3:30 to UTC−8
Rules in force · 9Crossing 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 ↗Many communities ban all alcohol by local law. Do not bring alcohol into a dry community; RCMP may inspect luggage on arrival.
- Nunavut ↗There is no 9-1-1 in Nunavut. Save the local seven-digit numbers for police, fire and ambulance in each community.
- Nunavut ↗A free wildlife export permit is required to take animal products (carvings from antler, furs, narwhal tusk, polar bear hide) out of Nunavut, even to the rest of Canada.
The Queen Elizabeth Islands are the northernmost populated land in Canada: Ellesmere, Cornwallis, Devon, Axel Heiberg and the rest of the Arctic archipelago, plus two small communities, Grise Fiord and Resolute, and a national park that needs a chartered Twin Otter. There is no road in, no rental car, no hotel chain and no cheap season. Treat it as an expedition, not a holiday: pick one base, book flights months ahead, and expect weather to move your dates.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
- Resolute (Qausuittuq)Planned
Cornwallis Island; the air hub for the region and the usual first stop.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Grise FiordPlanned
Ellesmere Island; Canada's northernmost civilian community, reached from Resolute.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 4 nights
- Resolute 3 nights with a local guide, fly out
- 7 nights
- Resolute 3 + Grise Fiord 3, with a weather buffer day
- Weather can delay departures or returns by days. Build a buffer before any onward international flight.
- Quttinirpaaq is polar bear country: travel with an armed guide or outfitter, not alone.
- Magnetic compasses are unreliable this close to the magnetic north; carry GPS and paper maps.
- Any rescue here is expensive and slow; resources may have to come from outside Nunavut.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grise Fiord | Resolute | 90 min | unknown | Twice weekly (Mon and Thu) flights, about 90 minutes; book the return at the same time. |
| Quttinirpaaq National Park | Resolute | 240 min | unknown | Chartered Twin Otter only, roughly 4 hours; no scheduled service, so this is a multi-day commitment. |
Bags between cities
There is no luggage forwarding; everything you bring flies with you and counts against tight baggage limits on the Twin Otter.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunavut (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High ArcticEllesmere, Cornwallis and the surrounding islands | cold | cold | cold | cold | cold | ok | best | best | cold | cold | cold | cold |
- High Arctic
- Midnight sun from roughly late April to late August; polar night in winter. Summer daytime highs are typically a few degrees above freezing, with snow possible any month.
The usable window is short: late June to August for boats, hiking and park access. Outside it, expect deep cold and no visitor services.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iqaluit | Resolute | Canadian North, via Arctic Bay | ~4 h 30 including the Arctic Bay stop | About five flights a week, Monday to Friday; 2026 estimate from about $2,300 return. |
| Resolute | Grise Fiord | Canadian North | ~90 min | Twice weekly (Mon and Thu); 2026 estimate from about $1,800 return. Borek Air and Air Nunavut also fly cargo and charters. |
| Ottawa or Trenton | CFB Alert / Eureka | Military or government aircraft | check | Not open to ordinary travellers; access is official business only. |
Regional passes
Quttinirpaaq National Park entry
checkRegistration and fees apply and access needs a charter; confirm current rules with Parks Canada before you book flights.
Guided day trips in Resolute or Grise Fiord
buySnowmobile, boat and glacier trips run with local Inuit guides; this is the practical way to see anything beyond the settlement.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Local fish and game | Grise Fiord and Resolute | Locally caught char and hunted game appear when available; ask your host. |
| Groceries from the community store | Grise Fiord and Resolute | Everything is flown or shipped in, so prices are very high; bring what you can. |
Go next
Nunavut
Fly back via Iqaluit
The territory hub for connections south.
Baffin Island
plannedCanadian North via Iqaluit
Easier access and more services than the high Arctic.
Kitikmeot Region
plannedConnections via Cambridge Bay
Western Arctic gateway with its own communities and parks.
Greenland (Sisimiut)
plannedNo scheduled link
Geographically close, but there is no regular passenger service.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source