Epic Northwest Passage Adventure

Your expedition begins in the popular Canadian city of Vancouver where after having arrived independently you can make your way to the hotel for your included overnight stay. This picturesque city is a delight to explore and many passengers will choose to arrive here a few days before departure to soak up the unique atmosphere, vibrant nightlife and beautiful surrounds.

After breakfast at the hotel this morning you will join your transfer to the airport for your included flight to Nome in Alaska where your Polar expedition ship will be waiting for you. Depending on flight times there may be time for a brief exploration of this colourful outpost before embarkation begins.

After settling in to your comfortable cabin and exploring your home for the next 4 weeks, you will be invited to the welcome event as we set sail for our epic Arctic adventure.

Your cruise to the heart of the Northwest Passage begins as we set sail through the Bering Strait towards the Chukchi Sea. Over the course of the next few days your informative and entertaining lecture and presentation programme will commence, with talks covering everything from the history of Polar exploration to the geology and wildlife that you are likely to encounter throughout your voyage.

There will also be plenty to keep you occupied on deck as we sail past some exceptionally scenic sights and keep an eye out for grey and bowhead whales in the waters below. We will reach Point Barrow, the northernmost point of the USA, and sail into the Beaufort Sea before continuing on to the Amundsen Gulf. Make sure to be on deck here as we sail past the remarkable Smoking Hills on Cape Bathurst.

Around the morning of day 9 we will hope to have reached the heart of the Northwest Passage, the legendary sea route that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and which is the site of countless historical expeditions that you will learn all about throughout the course of your journey. Any expedition through the Northwest Passage is reliant upon favourable sea and ice conditions, so your experienced captain and crew will continually assess conditions to chart the very best course for unrivalled scenic, historical, cultural and wildlife experiences. As such, your itinerary over these next 11 days will be flexible but there are some famous landing sites that we expect to visit in these remote and rugged Arctic lands.

Our first stop is likely to take us to Ulukhaktokk, a small and very remote settlement on Victoria Island which is home to just 460 people. We will visit here to learn all about their lifestyle and traditional cultures before moving on to Cambridge Bay on the other side of the island. Cambridge Bay is rich in archaeological history and blessed with abundant wildlife including muskoxen, caribou, geese, seals and myriad fish, and we will enjoy an exploration around the area in search of wildlife observations.

Our next stop is likely to be Gjøa Haven where you will be warmly welcomed to 'the finest little harbour in the world', so called by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, who wintered here on the Gjøa Expedition. Gjøa Haven is a popular destination for fans of arctic history and along with Amundsen’s 2 years spent here collecting scientific data and learning from the local Inuit people about survival and travel in the Polar Regions, the John Ross expedition of 1829-1833 had previously visited this region and the ill-fated John Franklin expedition of 1845 perished nearby. The area is also a great place for wildlife with a large herd of muskoxen living on the island alongside numerous caribou, and birding opportunities are excellent with likely sightings of loons, geese, ducks, terns, jaegers, plovers, snow buntings and snowy owls.

Moving further through the passage we will arrive at historic Fort Ross, a trading post established by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1937. We hope to spend some time exploring the area on foot and see the two small huts ashore that are maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard, occasionally used by the local Inuit for shelter during hunting trips. On Beechey Island our introduction to the history of the Northwest Passage will continue as we visit the graves which lay testimony to the mysterious 1845 expedition of Sir John Franklin which resulted in the disappearance of 129 crewmembers. We will also see the remnants of Northumberland House which was built by the rescuers searching for Franklin and his men.

Next stop on our journey will be Devon Island, the largest uninhabited island on Earth, where we will come ashore at Dundas Harbour to see an abandoned settlement with an old Royal Canadian Mounted Police camp, some of the island’s numerous archaeological sites and an impressive Thule site. As we reach the end of the passage we will arrive at the picturesque Pond Inlet, a traditional Inuit community on the northern tip of Baffin Island. Make sure to have your cameras ready as we sail through the scenic channel flanked by the peaks and glaciers of Baffin and Bylot Islands. Pond Inlet is surrounded by mountain ranges, with several dozen glaciers, scenic fjords and inlets, ice caves and drifting icebergs and is a fantastic place for spotting wildlife such as polar bears and large pods of narwhal.

Throughout your time in the Northwest Passage there should be ample opportunities for small boat cruising, taking you up-close to the action, hiking opportunities and numerous shore visits.

Leaving the Northwest Passage and Arctic Canada behind for now, we will spend a day crossing the Davis Strait towards Greenland. Whilst at sea you can continue to enjoy the informative and entertaining lecture programme, spend some time on deck looking for seabirds and attending briefings in preparation for your time in the wintry wonderland of Ilulissat.

Today is likely to be one of the highlights of your epic expedition as we visit the stunning area of the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that quite simple needs to be seen to be appreciated. This exceptionally scenic settlement is set against the most remarkable backdrop of enormous icebergs which have made their way down from the Jakobshavn Glacier and run aground at the mouth of the fjord just outside the town. There will be ample opportunities here for exploring the Icefjord including optional boat tours and helicopter flights offering exceptional aerial views of the wonders below. Alternatively you can also enjoy a short walk through the town which will lead you to a network of short trails that take you to the shores of the fjord. Or simply sit back and relax listening to the mystical sounds of the icebergs cracking and rumbling, echoing from one end of Ilulissat to the other.

As we sail towards Sisimiut we recommend spending some time on deck in search of sightings of the numerous whale species and marine animals which frequent the waters here including humpback, fin, minke and porpoise, as well as large numbers of seals.

As we come ashore we will explore this colourful and modern settlement which has retained its ancient traditions and is home to a small museum which is well worth a visit. Here we can take a hike in the hills to enjoy the beautiful views or spend some time shopping for local handicrafts and meeting the residents of this unique and scenic town. Time permitting, a variety of optional excursions may be offered here.

Moving south down the west coast we will reach the mouth of one of the largest and most spectacular fjord systems in the world to visit Nuuk, Greenland's oldest and largest town. The capital of Greenland, Nuuk offers a unique mixture of old and new, with picturesque historic buildings and churches dotted amongst modern government and academic buildings. Nuuk is home to almost a third of Greenland’s population and there is plenty to do here including city tours, hikes, scenic flights and visits to the Greenland National Museum - home to the mummies from Qilakilsoq.

We conclude our exploration of southwest Greenland with a visit to the abandoned mining town of Ivittuut. This uninhabited settlement is a stronghold for musk oxen and was built on top of the so-called Norse Middle settlement. More than a thousand years ago, Vikings settled the area with about twenty farms. It is the smallest and least well known of the Norse settlements on Greenland, and no written records of its residents have been found. This is why archaeologists believe it was the last one established, and the first to be abandoned. We might meet some of the hunters who return to seek shelter in the old houses by the sea.

After an enjoyable exploration of Greenland, it’s time to head back west as we sail across the southern part of the Labrador Sea towards Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. This is the perfect time to relax following the exertions of the last 3 weeks and prepare for the adventures to come. Your onboard educational activities will continue, and you may wish to spend some time collating the many photographs you will no doubt taken so far.

Our first stop back in Canada will take us to the small coastal community of Red Bay on the coast of Labrador where an enjoyable walk around the area will take us to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station. Here we will learn all about this former whaling town’s interesting history and hope to meet some of the less than 200 residents of this classic outpost.

The following day will take us to Corner Brook on the island of Newfoundland, and the last stop on our epic journey. Here we will have the chance to enjoy an exploration around the charming town centre or take one of the many walking trails surrounding the town.

As your mighty Arctic expedition comes to an end, we will spend one last day at sea sailing towards Halifax and the ending point of your cruise. After arrival in Halifax on the morning of day 29 it will be time to disembark and bid a fond farewell to your crew and new-found friends. Halifax is an exceptionally charming gateway town which offers a vibrant mix of old and new, and many passengers may choose to spend an extra day or two here to soak up the city's unique atmosphere.