Queen Elizabeth Islands

The Queen Elizabeth Islands are a major sub-archipelago of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, located in the high Arctic of northern Canada. They encompass many large islands including Ellesmere and Devon and are characterized by Arctic landscapes.

The region is remote and visited mainly by scientific expeditions and specialized Arctic tours; attractions are large ice caps, glacier systems and polar desert environments. There are very few permanent settlements and travel requires careful logistical planning and permits.

European exploration intensified in the 19th and early 20th centuries during Arctic expeditions; scientific stations and surveying followed later. Sovereignty and research activities have been important through the 20th century into the present.

The islands lie north of mainland Canada within Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, bordering the Arctic Ocean and largely above the Arctic Circle in Canada’s far north.

• Climate and habitation: The islands are largely uninhabited and characterized by polar climate, extensive glaciers and permafrost, with very limited permanent settlements.

What to See#

• Ellesmere Island: The largest island in the group, located at the northeastern edge of the archipelago and noted for its polar desert and glaciers.
• Devon Island: A large, ice-scoured island that is largely uninhabited and used for scientific research and Arctic geology studies; noted as the world’s largest uninhabited island.

The Queen Elizabeth Islands are remote Arctic islands with no road links to southern Canada. Access is by air (chartered or occasional scheduled flights) to regional Arctic airfields such as Resolute Bay and other local airstrips, or by sea during the summer season aboard ice-strengthened expedition/cruise ships and research vessels that depart from northern Canadian ports or Greenland/Iceland. Local travel on the islands is by boat, helicopter/floatplane or snow vehicle depending on season; there are no conventional public-road connections.

• Plan for mid‑summer (roughly July-September) when sea ice is at its lowest and expedition cruises or charter flights operate; access is almost always via specialist Arctic operators rather than independent travel.
• Use established gateways such as Resolute Bay and book with experienced operators who stagger Zodiac landings-this both increases chances of wildlife encounters and avoids concentration of visitors on the few approved landing sites.
• Expect very remote conditions and prioritize small‑ship expeditions or charters that visit lesser‑visited islands and landing sites if you want to avoid the handful of popular sites and crowds that form around them.