Baker Lake (Qamanittuaq)

A Hamlet Of About 2,000 People On The Tundra, Close To The Geographic Centre Of Canada, Known For The Inuit Wall Hangings, Prints And Sculpture Of Its Artists And For The Thelon River And Caribou Migrations Nearby. The Jessie Oonark Centre And The Inuit Heritage Centre Hold Local Art. Reached Only By Air, And Summer Is The Visiting Season · Baker Lake, Nunavut

Baker Lake, Qamanittuaq in Inuktitut, is a hamlet of roughly 2,000 people on the Kivalliq tundra of Nunavut, close to the geographic centre of Canada and the only inland Inuit community in the territory. There is no road in; you arrive by scheduled flight, usually through Rankin Inlet or Winnipeg. The town is known for Inuit art, especially the wall hangings, prints and drawings made here since the 1960s, and for the Thelon River country and the caribou that cross it. Be plain with yourself: this is not a sightseeing town. There is no old quarter, no cafe street and no tour desk. It suits adventure travellers, artists, birders, canoeists and people already working or travelling in the north. Visits are arranged through local outfitters and the Hunters and Trappers Organization, the summer season is short, and groceries cost far more than in the south. Treat it as a place where people live, ask before photographing anyone, and confirm every plan locally before you buy a ticket.

Baker Lake, the only inland Inuit community in Nunavut, at the head of Chesterfield Inlet near the geographic centre of Canada, reached by scheduled flight from Rankin Inlet; coordinates approximate, Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada

Baker Lake has no fixed visiting hours because it is a living community, not an attraction. The art centre, the heritage centre, the co-op store and the hotel keep their own hours, which commonly follow a weekday pattern of roughly 9 to 5 with shorter or closed days on weekends and holidays - confirm by phone before you fly. Land trips and boat trips run mainly from about late June to early September, and caribou and weather change dates from year to year. Winter is long, dark and very cold, with few visitors and fewer services. Walking around town is free at any hour, and the summer sun stays up very late. Sunday and public holidays are quiet, so check what is open before you rely on it.

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