Iqaluit

Understand

Iqaluit is in the Everett Mountains rising from Koojesse (Kuujussi) Inlet, an inlet of Frobisher Bay, on the southeast part of Baffin Island. It is well to the east of Nunavut's mainland, and northeast of Hudson Bay.

It had long been used as a campsite and fishing spot by the Inuit (Aboriginal) people, who called it Iqaluit – "place of many fish" in Inuktitut. The US and Canadian authorities named it Frobisher Bay, after the name of the body of water it borders. In 1984 the settlement's name was changed from Frobisher Bay to Iqaluit.

Get in

Iqaluit is generally accessible only by air and, under the right ice conditions, by sea. It is not connected by road to any other town. Due to its isolation and the lack of competition, getting to Iqaluit is a very expensive prospect.

Get around

Iqaluit has a local road system, from the nearby community of Apex to the Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, west of town. It is small enough that most things are within walking distance of each other. Taxis charge a flat $9.50 fee per person to anywhere in town (as of Sep. 2025). In the summer, you can rent bicycles from the visitor's centre.

See

thumb|Legislative Building in Iqaluit thumb|St Jude's Anglican Cathedral

Buy

thumb|Enchanting night view of Iqaluit in September fog Inuit artists are recognized internationally for their stone carvings and prints, and there are several galleries in Iqaluit selling arts and crafts from all over Nunavut. In addition, artists often tout their wares along the waterfront and in restaurants, creating excellent opportunities to experience the local art culture.

Eat

thumb|Iqaluit in June Local specialties consist mainly of game meats (caribou) and seafood (Arctic char, mussels, scallops and shrimp). Another staple is bannock, a type of bread.

The best restaurants are in the hotels, but all of them are open to non-guests. Prices for food are generally much higher here than in other parts of Canada.

Drink

thumb|Iqaluit waterfront in August, 2011 While many communities in Nunavut have restrictions on the sale, possession and consumption of alcohol, Iqaluit does not. You are free to bring alcohol into the community for your own use, and you can buy and drink it in bars and licensed restaurants.

Sleep

thumb|Many houses in Iqaluit are on stilts Being a small town, Iqaluit doesn't have much of a choice in the way of accommodation. Rates for rooms are generally much higher than their value, and amenities can be lacking. Booking ahead and securing a room before your arrival is essential. Budget travellers are restricted to camping and couch surfing. When the local college (Nunavut Arctic College) is not in session, visitors can stay at the college residence, which costs much less than local hotels.

Connect

There is cell phone coverage in Iqaluit, but your phone may not work because of the lack of coverage by the major Canadian wireless companies and outdated infrastructure (which is being upgraded).

Ice Wireless, a regional phone carrier, provides a 3G network and is the only GSM option at this time. Its phones and plans are sold at QITC in the RBC Building on Queen Elizabeth Way. Rogers Wireless has an exclusive roaming agreement with Ice Wireless, so Rogers customers can use the network for a fee, but it is voice-only (data roaming is not available).

The other wireless option is Bell, which operates a 4G/LTE system.

Wireless speed in Iqaluit tends to be slower than its northern territorial counterparts, Yellowknife and Whitehorse, or regional centres like Rankin Inlet.

Go next

By air to Kuujjuaq, Rankin Inlet, or Ottawa (or, in the summer, Nuuk, Greenland).