The Legendary Arctic Sea Route
Northwest Passage: The Legendary Arctic Sea Route
This sixteen-night expedition traces the legendary Northwest Passage through the Canadian High Arctic and West Greenland, where history is brought vividly to life. You retrace the route of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845 expedition, which vanished into the ice in search of the last unnavigated stretch of the Passage, a mystery only resolved generations later. Flying in from Reykjavik to Greenland, you cross the Davis Strait to Baffin Island, exploring rarely visited fjords, Inuit communities and the historic sites of Beechey Island, before turning to the spectacular icebergs and UNESCO landscapes of West Greenland. Throughout, you cruise by Zodiac among glaciers and ice, watch for polar bears, walrus, muskoxen and whales, and learn from a team of polar experts. With charter flights and hotels included and a comfortable expedition ship as your base, this is an immersive journey along one of the most storied sea routes on earth.
Itinerary highlights
Retrace the route of the Franklin Expedition and visit the historic graves and sites of Beechey Island.
Explore the rarely visited Icy Arm and Sam Ford Fjords, cut deep into the mountains of Baffin Island.
Cruise Lancaster Sound, a wildlife-rich Arctic oasis at the eastern gateway to the Northwest Passage.
Visit colourful Greenlandic and Inuit communities and shop for traditional handicrafts.
Stand before the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord, where icebergs calve from one of the world's fastest glaciers.
Watch for polar bears, walrus, muskoxen, bowhead whales and vast seabird colonies.
Cruise by Zodiac among glaciers, fjords and icebergs, with optional sea kayaking and paddling.
Travel with charter flights and hotels included, aboard a comfortable boutique expedition ship.
Northwest Passage: The Legendary Arctic Sea Route
This sixteen-night expedition traces the legendary Northwest Passage through the Canadian High Arctic and West Greenland, where history is brought vividly to life. You retrace the route of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845 expedition, which vanished into the ice in search of the last unnavigated stretch of the Passage, a mystery only resolved generations later. Flying in from Reykjavik to Greenland, you cross the Davis Strait to Baffin Island, exploring rarely visited fjords, Inuit communities and the historic sites of Beechey Island, before turning to the spectacular icebergs and UNESCO landscapes of West Greenland. Throughout, you cruise by Zodiac among glaciers and ice, watch for polar bears, walrus, muskoxen and whales, and learn from a team of polar experts. With charter flights and hotels included and a comfortable expedition ship as your base, this is an immersive journey along one of the most storied sea routes on earth.
Itinerary highlights
Retrace the route of the Franklin Expedition and visit the historic graves and sites of Beechey Island.
Explore the rarely visited Icy Arm and Sam Ford Fjords, cut deep into the mountains of Baffin Island.
Cruise Lancaster Sound, a wildlife-rich Arctic oasis at the eastern gateway to the Northwest Passage.
Visit colourful Greenlandic and Inuit communities and shop for traditional handicrafts.
Stand before the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord, where icebergs calve from one of the world's fastest glaciers.
Watch for polar bears, walrus, muskoxen, bowhead whales and vast seabird colonies.
Cruise by Zodiac among glaciers, fjords and icebergs, with optional sea kayaking and paddling.
Travel with charter flights and hotels included, aboard a comfortable boutique expedition ship.
What's Included
- Charter flights and hotels as specified in the package (gateway and Greenland)
- All shipboard accommodation aboard the named expedition ship
- All meals on board throughout the voyage
- Zodiac excursions and shore landings with an expert polar expedition team
- Lectures and the onboard educational programme
- Community visits arranged with local partners
- Loan of expedition gear as specified (parka to keep on some departures)
What's Included
- Charter flights and hotels as specified in the package (gateway and Greenland)
- All shipboard accommodation aboard the named expedition ship
- All meals on board throughout the voyage
- Zodiac excursions and shore landings with an expert polar expedition team
- Lectures and the onboard educational programme
- Community visits arranged with local partners
- Loan of expedition gear as specified (parka to keep on some departures)
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FAQs
No, this is not an ocean-to-ocean transit. You fly from Reykjavik into Greenland, sail the Davis Strait to Baffin Island and the eastern Northwest Passage (including Beechey Island and Lancaster Sound), then explore West Greenland before flying back. It focuses on the historic eastern Passage and Greenland, returning to the same air gateway rather than crossing to the Pacific.
Departures operate on either Ocean Explorer or Ultramarine. Both are comfortable expedition ships; Ultramarine additionally carries two helicopters for optional heli-flightseeing and offers a broader adventure-activity menu. We will confirm the ship for your chosen date.
This route retraces the 1845 Franklin Expedition, which disappeared while seeking the final stretch of the Passage. You visit Beechey Island, where Franklin’s ships wintered and three of his crew are buried, one of the most evocative sites in all of Arctic exploration history.
Polar bears, walrus, muskoxen, Arctic foxes, seals, bowhead and humpback whales, and vast seabird colonies, including the cliffs of Prince Leopold Island. Sightings are never guaranteed in the wild, but the regions visited are exceptionally rich.