We strongly recommend that you arrive in Reykjavik at least one day before your trip is due to begin to mitigate against any potential flight or baggage delays and to allow yourself time to relax and explore before your trip begins!

This morning you will fly from Reykjavik to Nuuk, likely arriving in the late afternoon. On arrival you will be transferred to the harbour for embarkation, you may have a little time to explore this surprisingly cosmopolitan city, which is of course the capital of Greenland – with its mix of traditional and modern architecture. You will embark your expedition ship, meet your Expedition Team and set sail on your epic adventure.

You will spend these days exploring some of the most iconic areas of the West Greenland coast. Your final itinerary will be dependent on local sea, ice and weather conditions but you can hope to visit these areas:

As you head north your Expedition Team will plan an exploration day in the magical and pristine Evighedsfjord near Maniitsoq. The 'Fjord of Eternity' is fed by an ice cap that calves huge icebergs into its 2,300 ft deep waters; it is surrounded by mist-cloaked mountains with beautiful white ridges, punctuated by crystal blue ice caves. In true expedition style, the weather will determine your plans for today – you may make a shore landing or enjoy a zodiac cruise to enjoy the stunning scenery. 

Sisimiut is Greenland’s second city, situated in a spectacular location just above the Arctic Circle. This area has history spanning more than 4,500 years, and old traditions are alive and well. Here you can learn more about ancient Saqqaq artifacts in the local museum, stretch your legs on a hike or perhaps pick up a scarf, hat or mittens made of qiviut, the inner wool of the musk ox that’s said to be 10 times warmer than sheep’s wool.   

Nestled at the edge of the magnificent Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is Ilulissat. Here you will find an ever-changing gallery of passing icebergs set against a backdrop of colourful houses. Pop into town where you can visit a multitude of shops selling local crafts, but be sure to explore along the walking trails which take you along the epic icefjord.

Leaving Greenland behind, you will spend these days at sea crossing Baffin Bay towards Nunavut. Days at sea are never idle; as you travel be sure to keep a sharp eye out for whales and seabirds; gain an authentic insight into Inuit culture and heritage with your onboard Cultural Ambassadors, listending to stories revealing the Inuit people’s profound connection to the land, shaped by generations of tradition and resilience; attend a series of lectures with your Expedition Team on wildlife and history; and take part in onboard Citizen Science projects which may include the GLOBE Program, observing clouds to help climate scientists.

Following your crossing of Baffin Bay, you will find yourselves in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. The main waterway of this area is Lancaster Sound (Tallurutiup Imanga), the eastern gates to the Northwest Passage. Your Expedition Team will plan excursions on each of the four days you are here – which are all weather and ice dependent – but you can hope to explore some of these areas: 

• Visit the remote Inuit community at Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik) in the far north of Baffin Island surrounded by towering ice-capped mountains, vast glaciers and pristine fjords
• Walk on the undulating tundra at Dundas Harbour, where you can find the remains of a dilapidated Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost and a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post; walrus are often seen in the bay here 
• Cruise near the glacier front and massive icebergs in Croker Bay 
• Land at Beechey Island (Iluvilik) to pay your respects to the lost Franklin Expedition, see the grave markers of three of the sailors who are buried in the permafrost; two message cairns and the remains of ‘Northumberland House’, built as a supply depot in case the expedition had to return to the island  
• See the towering bird cliffs at Prince Leopold Island (Appait), one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the Canadian Arctic with approx. 500,000 seabirds nesting here in summer

The ‘Rubicon’ of the Canadian Arctic, dividing East from West, is the infamous Bellot Strait. This narrow body of water separates the northernmost part of mainland North America from Somerset Island, one of the largest islands in the Canadian Arctic archipelago. Bellot Strait is approximately 15 nautical miles long and just over half a mile wide at its narrowest point. Whether you are able to navigate this passage will be determined by ice and weather conditions; if conditions are not safe then you will take an alternative route today. 

You will spend these eight days in true expedition style, exploring the Western section of the fabled Northewest Passage. You will transit through three distinct regions - Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon – and two traditional Inuit Territories – Inuvialuit and Nunavut. During your time here, your Expedition Team will be planning up to five days of shore excursions and four transit days. Some of the places you can hope to visit include:

• Visit the small community at Gjoa Haven (Uqsuqtuuk) on King William Island; perhaps best known (to visitors at least) as the place where Roald Amundsen spent nearly two years learning from the local Inuit how to survive and travel efficiently in the harsh Arctic conditions. The town is named for his ship the Gjoa which is now in a museum in Oslo 
• Now an administrative and transportation hub, the small town of Cambridge Bay (Iqaluktuuttiaq) unofficially marks the midpoint for NWP voyages; you may visit the Inuit community here and visit the local church or visitor centre 
• Explore the remote Coronation Gulf, perhaps meeting some of the resilient locals who make the extreme far north their home 
• Visit the most eastern Inuvialuit community of Ulukhaktok on Victoria Island overlooking the Amundsen Gulf, home to less than 500 people 
• See the Smoking Hills (Ingniryuat) which have been smouldering and sending plumes of gas across the landscape for centuries; the smoke is caused by layers of combustible, sulphur-rich lignite (brown coal) that ignites and emit sulphurous gas into the air, when exposed to erosion and landslides, which also creates a dazzling colouration of the rocks
• Subject to permits, you may take a zodiac cruise around Herschel Island which was inhabited by the Thule people for over 1000 years, this now-abandoned island is a protected area

You will spend these days at sea, navigating the Beaufort Sea and Bering Strait. As with all sea days there will be plenty of opportunities for relaxation, activities with your Expedition Team, contributing to Citizen Science projects through the onboard Science and Education programme and of course watching for wildlife, which can include bowhead and gray whales as you cross the Beaufort Sea to Point Barrow – the northernmost point of the United States – and depending on the sea ice, maybe Pacific walrus and even polar bears. 

The sea ice in the Beaufort Sea can be unpredictable; if levels are greater than the seasonal average then this will affect your speed over these days – embracing the unexpected is certainly an important aspect of these expedition cruises. You will also cross the International Date Line during these days.

Today you will find yourself in Nome, Alaska and the end of your epic expedition – having covered upwards of 3,000 nautical miles depending on the route your Captain chose, crossed the International Date Line and transited through three countries (four if you count Iceland). Nome is of course where Roald Amundsen completed his first NWP transit in 1906, but he was not the only explorer and pioneer to come here; prospectors first came to Nome in 1898 (and still hunt for gold here today) and the famous sheriff Wyatt Earp opened a saloon here. Evidence of the Gold Rush certainly lends the town a unique and intriguing atmosphere.

After a short time in the town, you will fly to Seattle and the very end of your expedition. You will have a hotel night here tonight.

After a good nights sleep, you can depart Seattle at any time today (afternoon flight recommended) or stay here for a couple of days to explore the ‘Emerald City’. 

About the itinerary - Polar exploration can be highly unpredictable. Specific sites visited will depend on prevailing weather and ice conditions at the time of sailing. The above itinerary should be read as a 'guide only' and will likely change. The ship's Captain in conjunction with the Expedition Leader continually review the sailing plan throughout the voyage, making adjustments to the itinerary along the way to take advantage of optimal weather and ice conditions or to maximise encounters with wildlife. Decades of experience spent exploring these waterways mean that  a large number of outstanding landing sites and zodiac cruising locations to consider, even when the weather conditions may not be ideal or when heavy ice may block out planned route. A flexible approach is something we encourage you to bring to the ship.