Northwest Passage – The Legendary Arctic Sea Route

This morning, board your charter flight to Resolute. Upon arrival, you’ll have a chance to walk around this small Arctic town before enjoying your first of many Zodiac cruises as you’re transferred to your ship.

Visit towering fjords, historical sites, and Inuit communities as you follow in the footsteps of famous explorers who lived in the Canadian High Arctic long ago.

The picturesque Inuit hamlet of Pangnirtung is nestled beneath the jagged peaks of Mount Duval. An artist’s hub, Pang is renowned for its traditional Inuit arts and crafts, especially lithographs and intricate tapestries. At the Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts & Crafts, watch craftspeople in the tapestry studio if they’re working and pick up a limited-edition print. A must for visitors, a colourful Pang hat will keep you warm during the remainder of your Arctic voyage. You might visit nearby Kekerten, an uninhabited island that was a major whaling destination in the 1800s.

At the southern tip of the Cumberland Sound, Cape Mercy was named by British explorer John Davis (yes, he of the Davis Strait), who sailed through it in 1585. This is the site of an old Distant Early Warning Line installation dating back to the Cold War. These and many other stations were set up to detect Soviet bombers. It’s an ideal spot to go ashore for a hike.

As icebergs travel down the Davis Strait, they’re naturally trapped at Qikiqtarjuaq (formerly known as Broughton Island). The icy waters here are also home to ring and harp seals. A hike up to the hilltop Inuksuk rewards with spectacular community views. Inuksuks are stone figures or cairns that traditionally call attention to the location for navigation, abundant harvesting or spiritual significance.

Cruising further north along the mountainous east shore of Baffin Island, we’ll approach Isabella Bay, an essential summer and fall feeding area for the largest concentration of bowhead whales in Canada. Bowheads are remarkable arctic leviathans that research has revealed may live more than 200 years of age—the oldest mammal.

At the northern tip of Baffin Island, near the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage, is the Inuit hamlet of Pond Inlet, surrounded by scenic mountains, fjords, glaciers and icebergs. Many in the community still follow a nomadic lifestyle and hunt for their food.

Lancaster Sound is a true arctic oasis at the top of Baffin Island. Known by the Inuit and their predecessors for thousands of years, this channel and the surrounding lands are extremely rich in wildlife and history, both indigenous and European.

The area around Lancaster Sound affords several hiking opportunities. At Dundas Harbour, on Devon Island, you’ll visit an abandoned beachside outpost of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. At nearby Croker Bay, cruise in a Zodiac (at a safe distance) along the face of an actively calving glacier. Your Expedition Team will also keep its eyes peeled for walrus known to visit the bay. Farther west, some of the best ancient Thule remains in the Arctic are at Radstock Bay, beside the soaring Caswell Towers.

The windswept Beechey Island is steeped in history at the western end of Devon Island. Named after famed British explorer Frederick William Beechey, it’s a Canadian National Historic Site. You’ll visit the small marked graves of three crew members who died during Sir John Franklin’s tragic 1845–46 expedition. Over 150 years later, Roald Amundsen landed here in 1903 during the first successful voyage by ship through the Northwest Passage.

Sailing down the east coast of Somerset Island, you may be fortunate to spot beluga whales and, if you’re very fortunate, narwhals, as they feed at Creswell Bay. An Important Bird Area, the bay also attracts such species as black-bellied plovers, king eiders and white-rumped sandpipers. You’ll also have time to explore Fort Ross, where the Hudson’s Bay Company established a now-abandoned trading post in 1937. At the midpoint of the Bellot Strait, the narrow channel that separates Somerset Island from mainland North America, you’ll reach the northernmost area of the continental landmass, Zenith Point.

Before saying goodbye to Canada, we’ll try to cruise as far north as possible, exploring both sides of Smith Sound, the uninhabited passage between Ellesmere Island and Greenland.

Set sail on Ultramarine, the latest addition to our fleet, for an unforgettable voyage through the secluded corners of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. As you glide through the frosty channels, inlets, and bays that captivated explorers of yesteryear, Ultramarine offers an unparalleled polar adventure. This state-of-the-art vessel is designed for intrepid explorers, featuring two twin-engine helicopters to whisk you away to the most inaccessible spots on Earth. This unique ship promises to take you beyond the ordinary into the heart of polar mystery. Your Expedition Team will fully immerse you in the Arctic's wonders, from the "Venice of Greenland," Maniitsoq, with its natural canals and majestic, snowy peaks, to the playful humpback whales frolicking in the summer waters.

Experience the vibrant heart of Greenland in its capital, Nuuk, a treasure trove for those passionate about history and culture. Witness the blend of ancient traditions and contemporary life that makes Greenland so fascinating. Explore the waterfront, home to the Hans Egede Church and statue, commemorating the missionary who founded the city in 1728. Be astounded by the 500-year-old mummies at the Greenland National Museum, remarkably preserved and discovered by chance in 1972. Take advantage of the Nuuk Art Museum and the Katuaq Culture Centre for a deeper dive into Greenland's rich cultural landscape.