Torngat Mountains National Park

Torngat Mountains National Park covers a huge block of wild country at the northern tip of Labrador, where the Torngat range drops steeply into the Labrador Sea and Ungava Bay on the border with Quebec. It was set aside as a park reserve in 2005 and became a national park in 2008, following the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement. Parks Canada and the Inuit of Nunatsiavut manage it together, and Inuit cultural knowledge is built into how the park is run, guided and interpreted. The name comes from the Inuktitut word usually rendered as Torngait, often translated as place of spirits.

The Arctic landscape is among the most dramatic in eastern Canada. Bare granite and gneiss peaks rise above deep fjords, with glaciers and cirques in the higher country, wide river valleys below, and tundra that turns red and gold in late summer. The coastline is cut by long fjords whose cliffs plunge straight into cold, dark water, and icebergs from Greenland often drift past offshore. The rocks of this region are among the oldest on Earth, billions of years old, which gives the scenery a sense of deep time. Mount Caubvick, on the Quebec border, is the highest peak in the range and one of the highest in eastern North America.

Wildlife is abundant, though wary of people. Polar bears patrol the coast and are the main safety concern, so visitors travel with Inuit bear guards who carry deterrents and watch the surroundings. Caribou, black bears, arctic foxes, wolves, seals and whales also live here, and many seabirds nest along the cliffs. Due to the bears, which are so common, independent walking away from camps is not usual, and guided programs are the normal way to explore.

The human history is as old as the landscape. Inuit and their predecessors have lived along this coast for thousands of years, and archaeological sites, old camps and sacred places are found throughout the park, along with the memories of families who were moved from the region in the twentieth century. Visitors meet Inuit hosts who share stories, food and traditions, and that cultural exchange is a large part of the experience.

There are no roads, hotels or services in the park. Most visitors fly by charter aircraft to the Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station on the North Arm of Saglek Fjord, which is run in partnership with Inuit, and stay for several days of guided hikes and boat trips. The season is short, running through the summer, and trips must be booked and planned well in advance. Weather changes quickly, so expect cold, fog and wind even in August. The park suits experienced, adventurous travellers who want true wilderness and a deep connection to Inuit culture.