This unique voyage will take you to the stunning glaciers and valleys of Tanquary Fjord, explore the coasts of Ellesmere Island, and call on some of the most remote communities in the world. During the brief summer months, the vegetation here is transformed as saxifrage, Arctic cotton and Arctic willow flourish.
We venture to within some 500 miles of the geographic North Pole, and look forward to first-hand sightings of polar bears, musk ox herds, Arctic hares, seals, and the elusive walrus that inhabit this icy paradise.
Day 1: Ottawa, Canada
Arrive in Ottawa and transfer independently to the Fairmont Château Laurier for overnight accommodation.
Day 2: Ottawa to Resolute
Depart this morning for our flight to Resolute. Located high above the Arctic Circle, Resolute is the only settlement on Cornwallis Island and occupies a strategic position in the Canadian Arctic. Today it serves primarily as the crossroads of Arctic air travel. After a brief tour of the town and tea at the Narwhal Hotel, we transfer to the Kapitan Khlebnikov for a late afternoon embarkation. We sail in the evening.
Day 3: Lancaster Sound & Baffin Bay
We follow the route of 19th-century explorers into Lancaster Sound. The region supports significant concentrations of wildlife, including 26 species of seabirds and 11 species of marine mammals. Polar bears and seals may be sighted among the ice floes. Later this morning we reach the southeast coast of Devon Island. We cruise into Dundas Harbor, a short fjord bounded by steep mountains and site of an abandoned Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost. This is a good place to explore the tundra where musk ox is likely to roam. We continue east through the Middle Pack of Baffin Bay to Greenland in the wake of many early Arctic whalers who battled through this notorious gyre of moving ice.
Day 4: Coburg Island
A morning visit to Coburg Island, a migratory bird sanctuary, where we will use our Zodiacs to cruise along cliffs of nesting seabirds including thick-billed murres, the graceful black-legged kittiwakes and the much larger glaucous gulls.
Day 5: Hell’s Gate & Norwegian Bay
A history-making day as we traverse the glorious waterway of Hell’s Gate, which has been navigated by only a handful of vessels before us. The strong currents in this narrow passage prevent the water from freezing even at the height of winter. As we continue into Norwegian Bay and further to Eureka Sound, our icebreaker will again have to tackle the huge pressure ridges and ice floes of this northern world. Our rate of progress will vary considerably depending on local conditions. Constant helicopter reconnaissance will help the captain plan our route.
Day 6-9: Tanquary Fjord & Ellesmere Island
Sometime today we hope to reach Tanquary Fjord which approaches up to 81 degrees northern latitude into Ellesmere Island (Quttinirpaaq) National Park. Proclaimed as a national reserve in 1986, the park contains Canada´s northernmost land, as well as eastern Canada´s highest peak. The vegetation is lush and we will be able to find mountain avens, saxifrage, Arctic dwarf fireweed, poppies, Arctic cotton grass and white Arctic bell heather. The head of the fjord lies in a beautiful valley surrounded by high mountains and glaciers flowing to the water. Musk ox herds and Arctic hare may also be seen. During these days, if weather permits, we also intend to organize helicopter sightseeing flights to further explore the many glaciers and landscapes of Ellesmere Island.
Day 10-11: Eureka Station & Axel Heiberg Island
We leave Tanquary Fjord and head south for Eureka, about midway along the west coast of Ellesmere Island. We visit the isolated weather station and plan unforgettable helicopter flights over Axel Heiberg Island. This is a remote and extraordinarily beautiful island with excellent chances to spot musk ox, wolves and Arctic hares.
Day 12: Norwegian Bay and Belcher Channel
The Arctic pack ice frequently blocks passage at this critical juncture, frustrating the attempts of any ship other than a powerful icebreaker. We expect to battle through thick, multi-year ice and vast floes from the north, some of the most challenging ice in all of the Arctic! Plan to spend time on deck and on the bridge watching our powerful icebreaker at work and looking out for polar bears. Depending on the ice conditions we may visit Bathurst Island which is rich in birdlife as well as Arctic flora. On our way south we will pass the Polaris Mine on Little Cornwallis Island, the most northerly metal mine in the world. We then proceed via Crozier Strait back into Lancaster Sound. We also hope to see some of the walrus which often feed in these waters.
Day 13-14: Beechey Island
The amount of time we have in this area will be determined by the speed we make in Norwegian Bay and through Belcher Channel. At Beechey Island we will pay tribute to Sir John Franklin and the men of the Terror and Erebus who spent the winter of 1845-46 here before they disappeared forever. The tragedy motivated one of the greatest search missions ever known. More than 150 years later, we contemplate the graves of the three sailors and the Franklin Memorial erected here.
Day 15: Resolute to Ottawa
We disembark the Kapitan Khlebnikov and transfer to the Narwhal Hotel before continuing back on our flight to Ottawa, where we spend the night at the Fairmont Château Laurier.
Day 16: Ottawa
After breakfast, we continue home independently.
Please note: Our actual program and routing will depend on local ice and weather conditions - which vary unpredictably from season to season, and day to day - unexpected opportunities and our luck with wildlife sightings. This is an expedition into a very little travelled area and no specific itinerary can be guaranteed in advance. Flexibility is the key to a successful and exciting voyage. That is the nature of this adventure. Therefore please read this itinerary as a guide only.
