Out of the Northwest Passage: Canada to Greenland
Out of the Northwest Passage: Canada to Greenland
Out of the Northwest Passage: Canada to Greenland
17 Days Starting in Yellowknife and ending in Toronto
Visiting: Yellowknife to Kugluktuk (Copper Mine), Canada, Kitikmeot region, Prince Regent Inlet, Beechey Island, Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound), Ausuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU, Smith Sound, At Sea, Northwest Greenland, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Kangerlussuaq Greenland to Toronto Canada
Tour operator:
Tour code:
SBKO
Group size:
1 - 198
Physical rating:
Low
Age range:
2-99 years
Trip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$16690 (USD)Tour Overview
On this expedition aboard the Ocean Endeavour, you’ll sail through the famed Northwest Passage north of the Arctic Circle, from Canada to Greenland. Learn about explorers of the past, visit historical sites on daily Zodiac excursions, learn about the area from onboard experts, rub shoulders with the local Inuit peoples as you learn their stories, hike the tundra in Canada and Greenland, visit UNESCO World Heritage site Ilulisaat where you’ll sail among huge icebergs, look out for polar bears, beluga whales and abundant birdlife, explore Lancaster Sound and take the opportunity for hiking, walking and photography excursions on land. With this epic adventure, you’ll learn, explore and travel further north than you ever have.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Yellowknife To Kugluktuk (Copper Mine), Canada
Location: Yellowknife to Kugluktuk (Copper Mine), Canada
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: lunch, dinner
Welcome to Canada! Your adventure starts with an included charter flight from Yellowknife. You’ll then transfer to the Ocean Endeavour by Zodiac when you arrive in Kugluktuk – the westernmost community in Nunavut, located at the mouth of the Coppermine River. Known for many years as Coppermine, the community reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name in 1996, which means ‘place of moving waters’. Then, your adventure on the sea begins!
Day 2-4: Kitikmeot Region
Location: Kitikmeot region
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Today, you’ll sail the Northwest Passage. The Ocean Endeavour will navigate the ice-strewn waters of this infamous waterway as you search for wildlife up above and down below. This is Nunavut’s least-populated region, so the wildlife here is abundant both in the sea and on land. On your daily excursion, you’ll hear about Roald Amundsen from the locals – a Norwegian explorer who overwintered in the bay for two years while searching for this passage. Amundsen became the first European to cross the Northwest Passage, thanks to the knowledge of Inuit peoples.
Day 5: Prince Regent Inlet
Location: Prince Regent Inlet
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Today you’ll search the Prince Regent Inlet area for marine life and birdlife – look out for thick-billed murres, ivory gulls, beluga, narwhal and bowhead whales, who reside in these ice-strewn waters. Delve deeper into exploring the Northwest Passage and learn about the Hudson’s Bay Company on expedition landing sites.
Day 6: Beechey Island
Location: Beechey Island
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
This morning, you’ll visit a historical Franklin expedition site and pay your respects at the haunting memorial of Sir John Franklin’s failed expedition. Learn the compelling history of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror’s attempts to sail through the Northwest Passage – Franklin’s crew overwintered at Beechey Island, where three of his men died. Thomas Morgan of the HMS Investigator was buried here in 1854 alongside Franklin’s men. You’ll visit their graves and the ruins of nearby Northumberland House while learning more about their history.
Day 7-8: Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound)
Location: Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound)
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
You’ll spend the next two days exploring Tallurutiup Imanga , or Lancaster Sound – one of Canada's newest National Marine Conservation Areas. Cruise by ship and Zodiac in search of narwhals, belugas and bowhead whales that feed in this area. Visit Devon Island’s unique flat-topped mountains, glacial valleys and huge ice caps. The northern edge of Tallurutiup Imanga is the largest uninhabited island on Earth at over 50,000 square km. Here, you’ll hike the tundra, cruise a glacier face and look out for polar bears. Visit archaeological sites with expert guides who can teach you about the human history of Inuit culture and their ancestors who once lived on this now-abandoned island. Then, learn about the more recent history when you visit the remains of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Hudson's Bay Company site at Dundas Harbour.
Day 9: Ausuittuq (Grise Fiord), Nu
Location: Ausuittuq (Grise Fiord), NU
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Sail into Ausuittuq, 1,150 km above the Arctic Circle, where you’ll have a chance to meet community members and learn about their way of life through their stories. This hamlet’s name means ‘place that never thaws’ – here, you’ll learn about the origin of Canada’s northernmost community. During the Cold War in 1953, Inuit from Inukjuak, Québec and Mittimatalik were relocated under false pretences by the Canadian government to assert Canadian sovereignty.
Day 10-11: Smith Sound
Location: Smith Sound
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Over the next two days, you’ll most likely break your personal record of latitude in Smith Sound – an ancient Inuit travel route that divides Ellesmere Island from Greenland. Learn the stories of Adolphus Greely, Sir George Nares, Elisha Kent Kane and other explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole, who travelled these waters with varying success.
Day 12: At Sea
Location: At Sea
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Today, you’ll spend at sea, learning from the onboard experts and scholars. Enrich your understanding of the Arctic as you sail towards Greenland. Enjoy workshops and presentations, watch a documentary and get out on deck with your binoculars to look for whales, seabirds and marine wildlife.
Day 13-14: Northwest Greenland
Location: Northwest Greenland
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Over the next couple of days, you’ll have the opportunity to hike the tundra. During an expedition landing on Greenland’s stunning northwest coast, you can choose from one of the incredible activities on offer – from hiking and walking to photography, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Admire the glaciers and icebergs as you seek opportunities to hike, Zodiac cruise, explore and view wildlife with your expedition team.
Day 15: Ilulissat
Location: Ilulissat
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Today you’ll visit the town of Ilulissat (which literally translates to ‘iceberg’) and explore the museums, cafés, craft shops and busy fishing harbour. View the icebergs from shore on a hike along the boardwalk at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, then board a Zodiac to cruise your way among them! Ilulissat sits at the mouth of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier – a source of many of the icebergs in the North Atlantic – so this is the perfect spot for total iceberg exploration.
Day 16: Sisimiut
Location: Sisimiut
Accommodation: Expedition Cruise Ship
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Today, you’ll explore colourful Sisimiut – Greenland’s second-largest city. Access the extensive museum through a towering whalebone archway and stop at the artisan’s cooperative to purchase outstanding handicrafts and souvenirs. Traditional qajaq (kayaking) is in resurgence here, so there are plenty of fun outdoor activities for the adventurous today!
Day 17: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland To Toronto, Canada
Location: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Toronto, Canada
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
Complete your journey up Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Sondre Stromfjord) – a 190 km long fjord surrounded by mountains and glaciers – and cross the Arctic Circle one last time on your way home. Transfer by Zodiac to the shore, then travel to the airport by bus for your charter flight to Toronto, back in Canada. Here, your adventure will come to an end.
Transport
- The Ocean Endeavour has a fleet of 20 Zodiacs which means that all passengers can enjoy a landing at the same time.
Accommodation
- Expedition cruise ship (16 nights)
Important Information
- This trip includes an early morning charter flight from Yellowknife,NT, Canada to Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU, Canada on day one of the trip. We recommend you book one nights hotel accommodation in Yellowknife the night prior to starting your trip.
- This trip also includes a charter flight from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Toronto, ON, Canada on the last day of the trip. We recommend you book one nights hotel accommodation in Toronto on the last day of the trip as the charter flight arrives into Toronto in the evening of the last day.
- SPECIAL BOOKING CONDITIONS
- This trip is operated by our partner Adventure Canada on board the Ocean Endeavour ship.
- You are required to pay a non-refundable deposit of AUD3000, USD2000, EUR1800, NZD3200, GBP1700, CAD2800, CHF2000 or ZAR34,900 per person per trip for your booking to be confirmed.
- Final payment is due 120 days before your trip departure date.
- If a booking is cancelled up to 120 days before departure, 50% of the non refundable deposit per person per cruise will be held as a future Travel credit.
- If a booking is cancelled from 91 days to 120 days before departure, a 65% cancellation fee will apply.
- If a booking is cancelled at 90 days or less before departure, a 100% cancellation fee will apply.
- Please refer to our "Booking terms and conditions" page on our website for all Adventure Canada terms and conditions.
- COVID 19 VACCINATION
- All customers must be fully vaccinated against covid19 to join this trip. Adventure Canada also strongly recommends all customers to keep up to date with their booster shots to maximise your own personal safety.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
Believe it or not, temperatures in the Arctic can be freezing, but it can also get surprisingly warm when the sun comes out. It’s best to dress in layers when you journey outside. You’ll be provided with waterproof boots that are sturdy and warm. Please see the trip notes for information about what to bring.
Polar bears are one of the most incredible animals on the planet, but they are also powerful predators with little fear of humans. Therefore, it’s necessary to know the guidelines surrounding any contact with polar bears. Follow your leader’s instructions and do not stray from your group – your leader carries equipment to protect you. We may need to adjust our plans to visit alternate arctic landing sites.
Weather and sea ice play a pivotal part in this adventure, and although there’s an itinerary in place, there are no guarantees that you’ll be able to do everything planned. Flexibility and openness to embracing the unexpected are important in expedition travel, especially in remote areas. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
Thursday - Saturday
Sep 12, 2024 - Sep 28, 2024Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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COVID Protection
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and other Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination remains a requirement. Please refer to the Essential Trip Information of your chosen tour for more details. -
Terms and Conditions