Canadian
Arctic Holidays is Nunavut's largest outfitter,
specializing in travel to Arctic regions since 1993.
Email:
Phone
or fax from internationally: +1 (819) 459-1794
363
Pritchard Road
Alcove, Québec
J0X 1A0
Canada
How to get there
We would like to thank
the following people for their wonderful photographic contributions
to our web site:
Bryan Aller
Pierre Belanger
Gerald and Buff Corsi
Gretchen Freund
Keiki Gutierrez
Jean Huard
Hiro Ichikawa
Dirk Van Wijk
Nansen Weber
Richard Weber
Doc White
Flora
& Fauna
During your stay at Arctic Watch, you will have the opportunity to view the various animals including the following:
Beluga Whales:
From mid-July through to the first week of August, Approximately 2000 beluga whales co-habit Cunningham inlet and the river’s estuary. The whales come to the inlet to breed, raise their young, shed their skin and enjoy the warm river water. From the shoreline, one can come from within a few feet of the magnificent animals.
Listen to the beluga whale sounds recorded at Arctic Watch!:
Polar Bears:
During the summer of 2006, we observed polar bears every week. However, polar bears, being unpredictable animals, are nearly impossible to predict viewings from Arctic Watch. Polar bears tend to be out on the pack ice that travels Lancaster Sound. We therefore believe that each guest has a good chance to see these animals on our excursions that lead us along the Northwest Passage, roughly 10km from Arctic Watch.
Muskox:
Muskox are inland animals, who roam the tundra from large vegetation areas to the next. There are nearly always muskox within the vicinity of Arctic Watch. The daily chances of observing these animals on several of the offered excursions are excellent.
Caribou:
The Caribou on Somerset Island are of two species: the endangered Peary caribou and the barren land Caribou.
Narwhal:
Narwhal migrate through the North West Passage past Cunningham inlet and northern Somerset. They are extremely shy creatures that do not enter the bay. It is difficult to view the animals from the shoreline.
Birds:
There is a large variety of marine and land birds within the Cunningham Inlet area, including arctic terns, three types of jaegers, snow buntings, guillemots, kittiwakes, fulmars, three species of loons, snow geese, brant geese, rough legged hawks and peregrine falcons.
Arctic Foxes:
Seen mostly along the shoreline, these creatures can also be seen at a local fox den approximately 8km south of the lodge.
Plant Life: Equally enticing, Somerset Island is home to an abundant variety of plant life, including the Arctic Poppy, Alpine Saxifrage, Arctic Butter Cups, Bladder Campion, Purple Saxifrage, Tufted Saxifrage and Arctic Willow.
