Experience true Nordic winter with these Iceland and Canada tours!

14-Day Backpacking Trip in Sirmilik National Park

| CA-BWA1401

The raw yet captivating landscape of Bylot Island is perfect for those who crave extreme adventures

Overview

Discover the nature and wildlife on Bylot Island and explore a wide variety of different terrains on foot during this small group expedition.

Highlights

  • Pond Inlet
  • Bylot Island
  • Sirmilik National Park
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Hiking & Camping in the Arctic

During this 14-day adventure, you’ll have a chance to experience the Arctic’s summer climate, explore the life on the tundra in Bylot Island and discover over 50 different species of wildlife. We’ll meet in Pond Inlet and head towards Bylot Island in a chartered motor boat. Enjoy 12 blissful days camping and hiking in the rugged yet welcoming beauty of Northern Canada.

  • Trusted Tour Operator
  • Expert guides
Availability August
Duration 14 days
Departs From Pond Inlet
Difficulty Challenging
Minimum age No limit
Meet on Location Yes
Pick Up No
Region Nunavut

From

6 941
Per
Adult
  • Best Price Guarantee
  • International number: +1 778 348 1676

Availability (2025):
Dates coming soon.

Price: $9695 CAD per person
Plus a $160 Park fee

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

What's Included

Included

  • Accommodation (12 nights camping, 2 nights at a hotel in Pond Inlet)
  • Meals
  • Expedition & Communications Equipment (satellite phone)
  • Safety Equipment

What to bring

  • Personal clothing and gear (a recommended clothing & equipment list will be provided)

Not Included

  • GST (Goods and Services Tax) - 5% of the trip fee
  • National Park fee - $150 CAD
  • Travel between your home and the trip rendezvous point in Pond Inlet
  • Gratuities - we recommend $12-$15 per day per guide
  • Any costs associated with your emergency evacuation from the trip
  • Hotel accommodation and restaurant meals other than those listed in Pond Inlet
  • Any additional expenses or costs incurred as a result of delays to the trip caused by factors beyond our control
  • The flights between Ottawa and either Pond Inlet or Resolute can be added to the package for an additional cost at a discounted rate

Contact us for more Information about this tour

INTERNATIONAL NUMBER: +1 778 348 1676

You can also send an email to info@adventures.com, or use the contact form here below.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Itinerary

Find out more details about the tour and its highlights

Information

Sirmilk National Park glacier an seaside

Our unforgettable backpacking adventure will begin in Pond Inlet. With the help of chartered motor boats, we’ll head to Bylot Island where we’ll spend 12 days and nights hiking rugged trails, camping in the wilderness, and watching wildlife in their natural habitats. On every day of our expedition, we’ll head out into the diverse and uninhabited terrain of Sirmilik National Park, exploring glaciers, ice-capped mountains, vast tundra oases, and eroded hoodoos.

To provide you with the best backpacking experience in the Canadian Arctic, our groups will be small with at least two guides. We’ll bring all the necessary camping equipment, first aid kits, safety kits, food, and personal belongings with us.  

The first and last nights are spent at a hotel in Pond Inlet.

nunavut outpost in winter

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.

bylot island in canada view at winter

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.

taking pictures in Sirmilk National Park in north canada

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.

Bylot Island aerial view in winter

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.

Payment Details

Deposit:

  • Pricing does not include: 5.00% GST.
  • Pricing does not include $150 Park fee.
  • A 25% deposit is required to hold your reservation.
  • Balance of payment is due 90 days before trip commencement.
  • If booking within 90 days or less, full payment is required.

Cancellation Policy:

  • If you cancel 91 days or more before the start of the trip any funds submitted will be refunded as follows: 70% refund plus a 15% credit to be used on another trip with the same operator in that season or the next operating season. In addition, a $200 CAD administration fee will be deducted
  • If you cancel 90-61 days or before the start of the trip any funds submitted will be refunded as follows: 10% refund plus a 15% credit to be used on another trip with the same operator in that season or the next operating season
  • If you cancel 60 days or less before the start date there is no refund or credit. We highly encourage that you purchase trip cancellation insurance so that you are covered for any unexpected change in plans.