Canada: Tours take visitors to remote lands of newest territory

Tourists can visit one of the most remote regions of Canada and interact with the native Inuit people during a new series of tours called “A Touch of the Arctic.” The trips to various villages in Nunavut are available year round through the Great Canadian Travel Co.

Nunavut, the newest territory, was formed in 1999 from the Northwest Territories and straddles the Arctic Circle a few hundred miles west of Greenland. The sparsely populated Canadian territory is home to a mostly indigenous population that, through cooperative ventures, is welcoming outsiders.

The tours take visitors to one of five Native communities for two to four nights. With no organized tours, visitors are free to create their own itineraries.

One of the featured destinations is Pangnirtung, an old whaling village near the southern tip of sprawling Baffin Island. Pang, as the locals call it, is known for its high-quality aboriginal art, including carvings, paintings and weavings. Beginning in early June, the sun never sets for about a month.

Trips, priced between $2,400 and $4,000, include round-trip airfare from Ottawa or Winnipeg, three nights’ accommodation and all meals. Lodging is provided by Inns North, a small, locally-owned chain.

Info: Great Canadian Travel Co., (800) 661-3830.

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