Written by: Alain Lagacé
What is so special about the Arctic Quebec and Labrador Peninsula?
We visit this Arctic wilderness region to discover exceptional natural sites, the unique behavior of wildlife and of course, to experience an exceptional photographic adventure in an environment where there is not a soul living within 200 km.
Located between Ungava Bay, the Arctic Ocean and the Labrador Sea, the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula is a true land at the end of the world – the northeastern tip of North America.
It is a mountainous region that includes a vast mountain range (Arctic Cordillera) which gives rise to the Torngat Mountains. This range is the only major mountain range in Canada other than the Rockies.
This region is called “the Golden Peninsula” because of its many natural wonders. U-shaped valleys have been cut by glaciers and deep fjords stretch several kilometers inland.
There we find, among others, polar bears, wolves, caribou, and arctic foxes. Birds are abundant on the more temperate coastal strips, including thick-billed guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, ringed plover, and snowy owl.
It is the isolation and harsh Arctic climate that has helped preserve the natural beauty of the peninsula, which has now become a dream region for wildlife and nature photographers. Fabrice Simon is a wildlife photographer and naturalist guide: “It is the unique behavior of the wildlife which does not fear man and the Arctic landscapes at the Land’s End which interest most of the people who come here.”
[“Only a few hours after our floatplane landed, wolves and caribou came to meet us and over the next few days, they returned to observe us. Yesterday at the seaside, a female polar bear and her two cubs climbed onto a rocky promontory straight in front of us to observe us for hours.
Here the wildlife is not in the habit of fleeing, it is curious about our presence. When the arctic char migration period arrives, we can see polar bears catching fish in the rivers and we don't see that elsewhere. These are the kinds of unique scenes in the world that you can expect to see when visiting the Golden Peninsula. “ ]
It is an exceptional Arctic region which is only accessible by air. Here the floatplane remains the best means of transport to quickly access the most secret natural sites. The floatplane is not a constraint, on the contrary, it is a major asset which allows us to discover sites which would otherwise be inaccessible, such as the magnificent inland fjords, mountain lakes and certain inaccessible coastal islands.
Aerial photography adds a whole new dimension to travel. From the air we can capture extraordinary Arctic landscapes, such as glacial cirques, Iceberg Alley and see whales, colonies of seals and walruses.
To fully discover this preserved wild nature, a few days bivouac in a tent is essential to be close to nature. At first glance this may seem rough to some, but rest assured, all the basic essential elements are in place to make the experience enjoyable.
The weather conditions are sometimes difficult; however, these cooler days have the effect of making the animals move more and encounters are often more frequent. For those who are also interested in Arctic landscapes, this is the ideal time to discover the postglacial geological formations, to capture time lapse scenes of the clouds moving low over the summits and to catch the contrasts of flamboyant colors of the tundra.
If you are looking for a destination to enrich your photo album with images of wild animals, breathtaking Arctic landscapes and to live a unique experience in the heart of the Arctic tundra biome, then the Golden Peninsula will please you. Fresh air and change of scenery guaranteed.
Choose what you would like to see and get inspired by things to do on the Golden Peninsula and contact us. We will work together to design you a quote adapted to your tastes and budget.
To see:
- -The polar bear in its natural habitat
- -The fishing polar bear
- -Migratory Arctic char
- -The tundra black bear in its natural habitat
- -The fishing black bear
- -The caribou of the Torngat Mountains
- -Raptors – snowy owl, short-eared owl, falcon…
- -The Kittiwake colony on the Knight Islands at the end of the continent
- -The lemming
- -The coastal landscapes of Killiniq Island in the far north of the Quebec-Labrador Peninsula
- -The Iceberg Alley
- -Merewether Crater and the colorful Kettle Lakes
- -The dizzying waterfalls that plunge from the top of the Hebron Fjord
- -Arctic wild plants and flowers
- -Aurora borealis dancing under the starry sky
To do:
- -Wildlife-nature hike on the island of Killiniq at the 60th parallel
- -Unpredictable encounter with wolves
- -Wildlife-nature excursion in Torngat Mountains National Park
- -Wildlife-nature hike on a fat bike in the Moraine Desert Valley
- -Excursion to the Secret Garden of Monoliths
- -Pack raft descent on the Hebron River and the fjord
- -Trek to the top of the largest and most beautiful inland fjord of Labrador – Hebron
- -Wildlife-nature hike on the Esker Northern Divide
- -Visit of an ice tunnel
- -Wildlife-nature excursion to the Kaumajets mountains – a geological curiosity
- -Visit the Fraser Canyon, the largest canyon in the province of Labrador
- -Wildlife-nature excursion along the Labrador Sea
- -Wildlife-nature excursion along the edge of Ungava Bay
- -Dipping your toes in the North Atlantic
- -Taste iceberg ice
Developing and designing your tailor-made trip is our specialty!
Specialist in tailor-made trips for more than 30 years, take advantage of our know-how and our knowledge, to live authentic discovery experiences in the heart of one of the most beautiful unspoiled wild regions in the world, with a choice of circuits adapted according to your tastes, your interests and what you really want to discover.
Alain Lagacé - alain@goldenpeninsulatours.com