Early Bird Specials -
- 20% Off + Air Credit of $1,500 pp by Sep 30 2024
Please click on 'Prices and Departures' above to see departure dates, cabin types and price details.
Day 1 Toronto
Having made your way to Toronto Airport, check-in at our group hotel located near the airport for an overnight stay. Please visit the hospitality desk for pre-embarkation procedures and the charter flight to Kangerlussuaq tomorrow.
Day 2 Nuuk
After breakfast at the hotel, board our charter flight to Nuuk, Greenland, where our vessel Sylvia Earle awaits. After boarding, there is time to settle into your cabin before our important safety briefings. This evening, meet your expedition team and crew.
Day 3 Sisimiut
Greenland’s second largest town, Sisimiut is located approximately 54 kilometres (33.5 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, meaning that during summer, you can experience the midnight sun here. The town is famous for the old blue church with the gate made of whale bone.
Day 4 Ilulissat
Known as the ‘birthplace of icebergs’, this region produces some of the most dazzling icebergs found anywhere in the Arctic. Hike past the husky sledge dogs to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Icefjord and stand in awe of its immensity. Sermeq Kujalleq, also known as Jakobshavn Glacier, is the most productive glacier – not only in Greenland but the entire Northern Hemisphere. It produces 20 million tonnes of ice each day, all floating into the Ilulissat Icefjord and Disko Bay. Conditions permitting, enjoy a Zodiac cruise at the mouth of the fjord and kayak through sea ice and icebergs.
Optional helicopter flight (90 mins): this excursion is the only way you can get close to the gigantic glacier. The 10-seater helicopter departs from Ilulissat Airport sweeping over hills, lakes and ice fjords. On the return flight to Ilulissat, fly above the edge of the glacier with breathtaking views of the massive icebergs drifting in the fjord. The views of some of the largest icebergs that become stranded on a moraine underneath the water, just outside the town, offers a wonderful finale to this excursion. Please note that this excursion requires pre-booking well in advance of the voyage and a minimum of 8 passengers to operate.
Day 5 Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island)
This compelling island seems to have more in common with Iceland than Greenland. While most of the interior is mountainous and glaciated, its beautiful shorelines boast black sandy beaches, unusual basalt columns, hot springs and dramatic lava formations. Zodiac cruise in Disko Bay, which features fascinating geology. Keep an eye out for marine life including humpback and minke whales.
Day 6 At Sea, enter Canada
Days 7-9 Baffin Island
The east coast of Baffin Island features hidden bays that are feeding grounds for bowhead whales and where glaciers calve into the sea. Sail along inlets and fjords surrounded by towering mountains that feature impressive geology. Conditions permitting, we hope to go ashore at Pond Inlet-Mittimatalik and be treated to a warm welcome from the local community.
Days 10-12 Devon Island, Lancaster Sound
At a latitude of almost 75° degrees north, we are now truly in the High Arctic. Lancaster Sound - located between Devon Island and Baffin Island - forms the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage. It also forms part of the newly formed Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, where nutrient-rich waters support an abundance of wildlife.
Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on Earth and features stunning geology, with flat-topped mountains and glacial valleys giving it its unique character. We hope to visit Dundas Harbour to enjoy offers walks on undulating tundra, and perhaps some birdwatching. A dilapidated Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost and remnants of a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post can be found here. Other possible places that we might visit include Croker Bay and Maxwell Bay.
At the western end of Devon Island lies Beechey Island, where we plan to land. Named after Frederick William Beechey, the island is one of Canada’s most important arctic sites and is a designated Canadian National Historic Site. During the Franklin expedition of 1845–46, Franklin attempted to sail through the Northwest Passage with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, with perilous results – three of his men are buried here. Roald Amundsen landed at Beechey Island in 1903, during the first successful voyage by ship to fully transit the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Days 13–16 Expedition cruising
Note: In true expeditionary style, our itinerary for the following days is heavily dependent on unpredictable sea ice and weather conditions. The following places are where we hope to visit.
- Prince Leopold Island, Port Leopold
- Cunningham Inlet
- Bellot Strait
- Coningham Bay
- King William Island
Days 17-22 Coronation and Amundsen gulfs
Your experienced expedition team will create your day-by-day itineraries based on sea ice and weather conditions. We hope to meet the resilient locals who make the extreme far north their home.
Below are some of the places in the area that we may visit:
- Cambridge Bay- Iqaluktuuttiaq
- Edinburgh Island
- Johansen Bay
- Port Epworth/Tree River
- Smoking Hills, Franklin Bay
Days 23-25 Beaufort Sea
Excitement builds as we sail the Beaufort Sea. Whether you are out on deck or in the comfort of one the observation lounges, watch as the captain navigates our state-of-the-art vessel through these waterways, which is frozen for most of the year. Keep a close watch for marine wildlife including Beluga whales that are often seen here. At Prudhoe Bay, we farewell Canada and enter the United States.
Days 26-27 Chukchi Sea and Bering Strait
As we sail westwards to Nome, along the northern coast of Alaska to where the U.S and Russia are only 100 km (60 miles) apart, separated by the Bering Sea, there is ample time to reflect on our adventures while scanning the water for marine life. Share, edit and submit pictures in our photo competition and attend final lectures from our team of onboard experts. We hope to get permission to ship cruise close by Point Hope, Little Diomede and King islands in Alaska.
Day 28 Disembark in Nome, fly to Anchorage
In Nome, farewell your expedition team and crew after sharing a once-in-a-lifetime voyage together. After disembarking, we transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Anchorage for an overnight stay.
Day 29 Depart Anchorage
Transfer to the airport for your onward journey.
