Leaf River Lodge

Leaf River Lodge is a family-run Nunavik outfitter set deep in the tundra between Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay, on the Leaf River. Reachable only by bush plane — a flight to Kuujjuaq, then a chartered Twin Otter transfer to camp — the lodge has welcomed lovers of the Quebec Far North's wilderness since 1992. The Leaf River, winding 150 miles through crystal-clear water and untouched landscapes, offers world-class fly-fishing: Atlantic salmon, brook trout, and lake trout (touladi / 'grey trout'), from early August to late September. Beyond fishing, the lodge runs photo and wildlife-observation expeditions: it is the only preserved place in the world where you can watch the migration of Quebec's largest caribou herd, the Leaf River herd, which travels roughly 6,000 km a year. Willow ptarmigan, black bears, the northern lights, and wild-berry foraging round out the experience, accompanied by photographers Jean-Simon Bégin and Alexis Pageau. A local family business for more than 30 years, the lodge has reoriented its offering toward catch-and-release and wildlife observation, and now powers its facilities with a solar-energy system (32 panels, 15 batteries) that replaced its old diesel generators.