14-Day Backpacking Trip in Sirmilik National Park

Pond Inlet is a small Inuit community, located in Nunavut on the northern tip of Baffin Island. You’ll instantly feel closer to nature, on the first day of our expedition, as Pond Inlet is surrounded by the vast mountain ranges. There, its floe edge, an endless number of icebergs, ice caves, and picturesque inlets create a sublime landscape that is unique to the Arctic!

We’ll greet you at the airport and take you to a hotel where you’ll be treated to a delicious supper. We’ll have a chance to meet other members of the group, discuss the upcoming days of adventure, and perform a gear check.

After a hearty breakfast, we’ll depart the hotel by chartered motor boat, which will transport us to Bylot Island.

Separated from the surrounding lands by Eclipse Sound, Navy Board Inlet, and Perry Channel, the island is one of the biggest uninhabited islands in the world. Bylot’s long mountain belt, Byam Martin Mountain Range, dominates the horizon as we glide into view. Together with glaciers, tundras and hoodoos, these peaks will be our home for the next 12 days.  

Most of the island belongs to Sirmilik National Park, our destination. Established in 1999, Sirmilik consists of three areas: Bylot Island, Oliver Sound, and Borden Peninsula. The name, translated from Inuktitut, means “a place of glaciers.”

The Polar Maritime Climate is predominant on the island, which usually translates to long and cold winters followed by short and often cool summers. During our expedition, days may be as warm as 45°F (9°C), although temperatures normally fall to 36°F (2°C) in the evenings. The wind on the island can be quite powerful, so be sure to come prepared. Warm clothing and windproof jackets are essential.

Once off the boat, we’ll look for the perfect location to set up our camp and go on a short hike around the surrounding area.

The rich selection of marine, terrestrial and avian wildlife found in Sirmilik National Park will make our daily hikes extra special. Since 1965, Bylot Island has been protected as a Migratory Bird Sanctuary, boasting over 70 bird species migrating yearly. About 40 species nest there too. Greater snow geese, thick-billed murre, and black-legged kittiwake, to name a few, consider the island their home.

Sirmilik National Park is one of the eight national parks in Canada that is regularly visited by polar bears. Seals, Beluga whales, Peary caribou, walruses, Arctic hares, Arctic foxes, and wolves are also found in the park. Major photo opportunities will be waiting for you on our daily expedition hikes.

While Bylot Island has no trees, Sirmilik National Park has an abundance of white cottongrass, tall cottongrass, and water sedge. In the Arctic environment of the southern part of the island, over 360 rare species of plants have been documented by researchers.

Over the next 9 days, we’ll be exploring the life and habits of Arctic marine, terrestrial and avian wildlife. Sirmilik National Park and Bylot Island is a paradise for every photography, nature, and wildlife lover.

We’ll head home on Day 12 after miles of hiking, full of stories and new experiences. A motorboat will take us back to our hotel in Pond Inlet where a warm supper and showers will be waiting for us. We’ll share stories over a nice cup of tea and spend the night there.

Our expedition ends here after a hearty breakfast. Depending on your own travel plans, you can stay and explore Pond Inlet in more depth, or catch a flight south to Ottawa that will take you home.

This expedition is rated at three on the difficulty scale.  It’s perfect for adventure-seeking hikers with some previous camping and hiking experience and good health. Anyone with chronic injuries and recurring health issues should consult a physician before embarking on this trip.