Canadian Arctic

In Manitoba und Nunavut, you can discover Arctic Canada – and encounter polar bears, belugas and narwhals.

Photo: Shutterstock

whales: Canadian Arctic

The Canadian province of Nunavut is extremely large, highly remote and very expensive. But you can observe narwhals and bowhead whales right on the ice edge. In Manitoba, you can snorkel with belugas and meet polar bears in summer.

The Canadian Arctic is one of the most remote (and therefore most expensive) destinations for whale watching, especially the vast Nunavut with its difficult-to-access waterways of the Northwest Passage. However, you can meet very exotic whales here between May and September: narwhals, bowhead whales and belugas.

Like the bowheads, narwhals, also known as the unicorns of the sea, spend their entire lives in close proximity to the ice edge. In spring, they migrate in large numbers through the opening ice channels deep into the waters of Admirality Inlet, Lancaster Sund, Resolute Bay, Arctic Bay and Pont Inlet, where they spend spring, summer and autumn.

The fluke of a diving narwhal in the beautiful arctic evening light. Photo: Shutterstock

The best chances of encountering them are on Baffin Island and in the area around Pond Inlet, where you can go on multi-day narwhal and polar bear safaris directly on the edge of the pack ice in May and June. Problem: Travelling to Nunavut has the character of an expedition and costs accordingly – at least 5,000 Euros per person, plus flight.

In Manitoba, belugas can be observed very reliably in summer, especially from Churchill. There are probably around 25,000 belugas living in the entire Hudson Bay, with around 3,000 of them migrating down to Churchill from mid-June to mid-August.

With some operators, you can go on a whale-watching tour by kayak, and if you can stand the icy water, you can even snorkel with the playful animals. From June to the beginning of August, the Churchill Science Scenter also offers multi-day learning vacations on the subject of belugas.

Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

TO DO: Canadian Arctic

Travelling to the Canadian Arctic is quite expensive and can quickly have the character of an expedition. However, you are right in the middle of the Arctic and may encounter polar bears and walruses.

Nunavut is huge ( about the size of Western Europe) and the least populated part of Canada – not really touristy. The most accessible are Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet and Resolut Bay, small places with the atmosphere of a base camp. You can only get there by boat or aeroplane, there are no roads. The hotels are expensive (around 250 Dollars per person per night) and look more like an Arctic station.

Flights from the larger airports in Canada cost around 1,000 Dollars. But you are in the middle of the Arctic and can go on expedition-style tours. With Arctic Kindgdom, for example, you can go on an eight-day narwhal and polar bear safari from Pond Inlet directly on the pack ice edge in May/June (problem: 10,000 dollars per person).

“In addition to narwhals, belugas and polar bears, you can encounter numerous seal species and walruses in the Canadian Arctic. These massive animals only live in the northern polar regions and are highly endangered, as they were heavily hunted for their tusks and fat during the whaling era. ”

The area around Hudson Bay is much more touristy, especially Churchill, which is known as the "polar bear capital of the world": around 1,000 polar bears live here, spending the summer on the edge of Hudson Bay without eating to save as much energy as possible until the bay freezes again, clearing the way north for them to hunt for seals during winter.

During the summer months, polar bears can be seen everywhere in and around Churchill. From mid-October to mid-November, you can go on polar bear safaris on the frozen Hudson Bay with the giant tundra buggies (only available in Churchill), and sightings are almost guaranteed.

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In addition to narwhals, belugas and polar bears, you can encounter numerous seal species and walruses in the Canadian Arctic. These massive animals only live in the northern polar regions and are highly endangered, as they were heavily hunted for their tusks and fat during the whaling era.

The populations in the Pacific have since recovered well, but those in the Atlantic have not. Walruses prefer to stay in shallow coastal areas and in the drift ice of the Arctic and can best be observed around Baffin Bay in summer.

The Canadian Arctic lies far above the Arctic Circle, where the sun shines continuously until the beginning of August and is not visible in winter – but on clear nights, the magical Northern Lights dance high up in the sky.