Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida-Guai)
The Queen Charlotte Islands are some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in the world, teeming with flora and fauna, so much so that they are sometimes referred to as the Galapagos Islands of the North.
General Information
The scenic views of the 1884 islands amaze even seasoned travelers. The seven largest islands are the peaks of an underwater mountain range, located where the continental shelf abruptly drops off into the bottomless depths of the Pacific Ocean; in other words, this is Canada’s most seismically active zone, where landslides are not uncommon.
The islands are also known as the Highlands, or Highlands of the Pacific.
These islands are also called Haida Guayi, which means “islands of the Haida people”. They are a people who have inhabited these lands for at least 7,000 years. In 1774, Juan Perez was the first European to reach this remote paradise. Fur-buying traders followed, and in 1787 the islands were renamed in honor of the wife of King George III of Great Britain.
.The islands have retained their pristine charm and are characterized by a rich cultural history. The Haida people continue their traditional way of life, with mining, logging and commercial fishing activities. Tourists are encouraged to engage in water sports, fishing, hiking, kayaking and whale watching.
.You can go to the loggers’ and fishermen’s village of Port Cle-mens and explore the vast temperate forests or to the north beach of Nalcoon Provincial Park, where the Haida believe a raven first brought humans by coaxing them out of a clam shell.
.One of the world’s largest collections of totem poles can be viewed on Louisa Island.
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