CO2 emissions resulting from all trips on Bookmundi will be offset via investments in carbon reduction projects.
17 daysDuration
Group TourJoin a group of travelers
138 peopleMaximum group size
18 - 99 yearsAge range for participants
EnglishGuide language
Easy
Light physical activity suitable for most people with average fitness levels.
Starts
Calgary, Canada
Ends
Reykjavik, Iceland
Highlights
Experience highlights of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland
Visit Inuit and Greenlandic communities
View Arctic wildlife, such as whales, walrus and muskoxen
Explore the Ilulissat Icefjord, a World Heritage Site
Cruise in a Zodiac to explore icebergs, glaciers, fjords and more
Get Trip Brochure & Exclusive Discount
Download a detailed PDF brochure and unlock an exclusive discount for this tour
Good to Know
Cancellation
Payment
Travel Insurance
Visa
Do you need help from our trip consultants?
If you have any question about this tour or need help with planning a trip, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Our travel experts are ready to help.
Why Book with Bookmundi
Earn USD 350+ in travel credits.
Best price guaranteed.
No credit card or booking fees.
100% financial protection.Bookmundi is a member of the Danish Travel Fund which guarantees for any payment made via us. Our guarantee covers all travelers, irrespective of nationality.
Carbon neutral tours.Algorithms and machine learning enables Bookmundi to calculate the carbon footprint for each tour. We then subsequently offset carbon emissions for all tour bookings on Bookmundi via investments in carbon reduction projects to help combat climate change.
25,000+ trip reviews, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5.
What are customers saying about Bookmundi
4.67/5
Excellent based on 814 customer reviews from
Anonymous
Very quick to book. Nicely detailed daily intinerary. Thank you
12 hours ago
Similar Tours You Might Like
Discover our top tours similar to Northwest Passage: Epic High Arctic that you might like.
Embark on a legendary Arctic journey with the "Three Arctic Islands: Iceland, Greenland, Spitsbergen" cruise, celebrated as one of National Geographic Traveler’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime. Over 15 days, traverse the Arctic’s most captivating landscapes—from the wildlife-rich tundra of Spitsbergen to the ancient Thule settlements of East Greenland and the volcanic shores of Iceland. Spot polar bears, walrus, and muskoxen, and navigate dramatic fjords and glaciers. This immersive expedition stands out for its rare access to three of the Arctic’s most remote and awe-inspiring regions, offering wildlife encounters and cultural discoveries that will forever transform your connection to the natural world.
Venture into the fabled Northwest Passage on a 17-day Epic High Arctic cruise, where the spirit of exploration comes alive aboard the cutting-edge Ultramarine vessel. Starting in Calgary and ending in Reykjavik, this once-in-a-lifetime tour navigates the storied waterway through the Canadian Arctic archipelago, Iceland, and Greenland. Glide past glaciers and witness calving icebergs at Ilulissat Icefjord, soar above the tundra in twin-engine helicopters, and connect with Inuit and Greenlandic communities. With unmatched adventure options—20 Zodiacs, helicopter excursions, and expansive wildlife viewing spaces—the USP is clear: no other Arctic cruise offers such access or comfort, making this the quintessential polar journey for the modern explorer.
Spitsbergen, Greenland, and Iceland—all in one seamless journey. The Three Arctic Islands: Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland (Southbound) tour is a relaxed, 15-day polar expedition that begins in Helsinki and concludes in Reykjavik. Marvel at the stark beauty of the Svalbard Archipelago, drift past Greenland’s vast fjords and glacial walls, and cross the Denmark Strait to Iceland’s rugged shores.
This guided group adventure is accessible to travelers of all ages and fitness levels, featuring educational presentations on polar history and wildlife, plus Zodiac excursions for up-close wildlife spotting. The tour’s unique selling point is its rare opportunity to traverse three Arctic nations in a single voyage, allowing guests to witness immense icebergs, rare seabirds, and the enduring spirit of Arctic exploration—all while enjoying the comfort of a modern expedition ship.
Chase the aurora and uncover Arctic wilderness on the "Under the Northern Lights: Exploring Iceland & East Greenland" cruise. Over 14 days, traverse Iceland’s dramatic Westfjords and Greenland’s vast fjord system, home to breathtaking icebergs and abundant wildlife. Experience Inuit culture in Ittoqqortoormiit, visit ancient Thule sites, and watch for the elusive northern lights dancing overhead. This tour’s unique highlight is its blend of raw natural beauty and deep cultural encounters, offering a rare opportunity to witness both Arctic wildlife and the celestial spectacle of the aurora borealis—perfect for adventure seekers and culture enthusiasts alike.
Embark on an unforgettable Arctic voyage, beginning in Svalbard and sailing along the ice's edge to Greenland. Keep a vigilant eye on the horizon for unique wildlife as you navigate south. This journey offers multiple ways to explore the remote landscape—by ship, on foot, and via Zodiac—showcasing the striking contrasts and changes of the Arctic before concluding in Iceland, "the Land of Fire and Ice." Highlights include visits to an Inuit village, sightings of distinct wildlife, and the exploration of truly remote destinations. Plus, the incredible added wonder of experiencing a partial or even total solar eclipse against the vast, icy backdrop, turning an already spectacular view into an unparalleled cosmic event.
Immerse yourself in Greenland’s otherworldly beauty and remote communities on this 14-day Artic voyage. Hop aboard the Ultramarine and sail south from Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, admiring the spectacular east and west coast. Stop into the Greenland Ice Sheet, explore its surroundings and take the chance to step foot on the impressive body of ice. Meet the locals of Aappilattoq, swapping stories and sharing a meal, then keep an eye out for humpback whales and polar bears along the east coast. For a remote wilderness as vast as this, a team of experts by your side and helicopter and Zodiac landings, you won’t be short of places to explore!
Opportunities to witness a total solar eclipse are rare. Your chances of experiencing one in the Arctic—from the deck of a polar ship—are even more rare considering the last total solar eclipse north of the Arctic Circle occurred in 2015. The next will take place on August 12, 2026.To satisfy the demand of eclipse-watchers, this longer voyage has been introduced on one of Quark's newest ships, Ocean Explorer. Covering 2,200 nautical miles in total—this expedition features your bucket-list eclipse adventure, time to explore Northeast and South Greenland, plus you get to check off two of the world’s northernmost capital cities: the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik (64°08′ north), where you’ll have time to explore, and Nuuk, Greenland (64°11′ north), where we disembark for our charter flight back to Reykjavik.
World-renown eclipse-cartographer Michael Zeiler will be onboard to deepen your understanding of eclipse-viewing, observational astronomy and celestial mechanics. Of course, you’ll also get to witness waterfalls, towering cliffs and remote fishing villages in the Westfjords, a hidden gem of Iceland, as well as icebergs, wilderness areas, glaciers, and the deep fjords of Greenland.
Special guest Michael Zeiler: The highly respected author, geographer and eclipse cartographer is a member of the International Astronomical Union Working Group on Solar Eclipses – with an asteroid named in his honour. Zeiler has been witnessing solar eclipses since 1991 and was among the first to develop eclipse maps online.
17 days
Tour Availability
Select your preferred departure date and secure your spot
Loading availability...
What's Included
Accommodation
All accommodation
Meals
Beer and house wine during dinner
Transport
All transport and listed activitiesMandatory transfer package including charter flights from Calgary to Resolute and Kangerlussuaq to Reykjavik
Guide
Tour leader throughout and qualified Expedition Staff
Others
All meals while on the ship
What's Excluded
Customer Reviews
This tour has not received any customer reviews yet. However, you can expect a PremierThis travel specialist is consistently delivering tours which receive customer ratings above 4.8 on average. tour and service level as the travel specialist who runs it has received 11622 reviews for other tours with an average 4.8rating.
Itinerary
Step into the age of Arctic exploration on this 17-day cruise from Calgary to Reykjavik, traversing the fabled Northwest Passage and Greenland’s west coast. Aboard the Ocean Explorer, you’ll enjoy unmatched onboard comfort and off-ship adventures—think Zodiac excursions, wildlife spotting, and visits to Inuit and Greenlandic communities. The journey highlights the Ilulissat Icefjord’s dramatic glaciers and the elusive wildlife of the High Arctic, from whales to polar bears. What sets this trip apart: a rare opportunity to experience Arctic history, culture, and nature on a single, expertly guided expedition.
day 1 - Start Calgary, Canada
Your Arctic expedition begins in Calgary. Explore this vibrant city on your own before spending the night at your well-appointed hotel.
day 2 - Fly to Resolute and embark
This morning, board your charter flight to Resolute. Upon arrival, you 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.
Meals:Breakfast, Dinner
day 3 - 6 - Exploring Canada’s High Arctic
Cruising around the remote regions of the Canadian Arctic aboard Ocean Explorer, the newest ship in our fleet, you navigate the same icy inlets, channels and bays that fascinated legendary explorers of long ago. Throughout your journey, your Expedition Team keep an eye toward immersing you in the best the Arctic has to offer.
Named after explorer Frederick William Beechey of the Royal Navy, Beechey Island is a Canadian National Historic Site. It’s an important stop on our voyage, as this is the final resting place of three members of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845–46 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. The graves, on a remote windswept raised beach, were discovered in 1851 by the crew of British and American vessels searching for signs of Franklin’s lost expedition.
Radstock Bay is a popular research location for observing polar bears, which are often seen here in summer. An impressive Thule archaeological site provides insight into how these pre-Inuit people lived in the Far North.
For almost 5,000 years, the hamlet of Arctic Bay and its surrounding area has been occupied by Inuit people who were previously nomads migrating from the west. Surrounded by soaring cliffs teeming with seabirds, this is a great spot to go ashore and learn about the Inuit community’s traditional way of life.
The eastern end of Lancaster Sound affords hiking and cruising opportunities on Devon Island. At Dundas Harbour, trek along a beach to a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost. We anchor at Croker Bay, where we cruise near enough to appreciate the splendor of glacial textures and calving ice, while always keeping a safe distance. Walrus frequent the waters here, so be sure to have your camera handy. Canada’s most northern settlement, Grise Fiord, is your final shore visit in the Canadian High Arctic. Now home to about 150 residents, the mostly Inuit community was created in 1953, when the federal government forcefully relocated eight Inuit families from northern Quebec. Hunting and fishing are a significant part of their lifestyle. Visit the monument to the first Inuit settlers, as well as the remnants of the “old camp” where they lived.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
day 7 - 8 - Exploring Smith Sound
Before saying goodbye to Canada, we cruise as far north as possible, exploring both sides of Smith Sound, the uninhabited passage between Ellesmere Island and Greenland.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
day 9 - Qaanaaq, Greenland
Your first stop in Greenland is Qaanaaq, formerly known as Thule, one of the northernmost towns in the world. Here, local Inuit share their culture and traditions, and the museum sheds more light on what it’s like living near the top of the world.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
day 10 - At sea
As we sail south along the west coast of Greenland, presentations by our on-board experts prepare you for the adventures that lie ahead.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
day 11 - 15 - Exploring West Greenland
With spectacular glaciers, soaring fjords and vibrant communities, the west coast of Greenland will leave you breathless.
Nuussuaq (formerly known as Kraulshavn) is the only mainland community in the Upernavik Archipelago. Founded in 1923 as a trading station, it’s one of the most traditional hunting and fishing villages in Greenland.
Each community visit in Greenland is a unique experience and Uummannaq might just steal your heart. It’s not surprising that the red-hued, heart-shaped mountain that rises behind gave this traditional village its name (Uummannaq means ‘heart-like’ in Greenlandic). As your ship approaches the shore, you’ll want to be on deck to take in the incredible view of the twin peaks towering over the vibrantly painted wooden houses dotting the rocky terrain below. The settlement was established as a Danish colony in 1758 on the mainland, but it relocated five years later because seal hunting was more plentiful here.
In the nearby archaeological site of Qilaqitsoq (also written as Qilakitsoq), you visit the ruins of an ancient settlement, where the remains of eight fully dressed mummies were discovered under a rock outcrop in 1972 by a pair of hunters. The famous Greenlandic mummies, which date to 1475 CE, are on view at the Greenland National Museum in Nuuk.
Cruising farther south rewards with spectacular views of Eqip Sermia. The jagged, blue-tinged glacier soaring out of the icy waters is one of the most beautiful sights in Greenland, and we hope to Zodiac cruise along its massive front from a safe distance. We may also go ashore to explore nearby.
Just south of Ilulissat, which means ‘iceberg’ in Greenlandic, is the impressive Ilulissat Icefjord. The World Heritage Site is home to Sermeq Kujalleq, the most productive glacier in the northern hemisphere. As we Zodiac cruise at the mouth of the fjord, you may be lucky to witness the wonders of calving ice (listen to the loud roars as the ice breaks off). Founded in 1741, the traditional town, which boasts more sled dogs than people, is famous in its own right: it was the birthplace of explorer and anthropologist Knud Rasmussen, the first to traverse the Northwest Passage by dogsled, in the early 1920s. Hikes here lead out to stunning views of the young icebergs as they float out of the fjord to Disko Bay.
In Sisimiut, you are treated to a traditional kayaking demonstration. The kayak (an Inuit word that the English borrowed) has become a national symbol of Greenland and has been used by Inuit hunters for thousands of years. The town has several 18th-century colonial buildings, including the oldest surviving church in Greenland, so take time to wander through the historic area.
Surrounded by sea and mountains, Itilleq is situated about a 1mi (2km) above the Arctic Circle, in a scenic hollow on a small island. It is the southern limit of the Greenlandic sled dog. To keep the breed pure, the dogs are not permitted south of this community and all other dog breeds are prohibited this far north. It’s also known as a welcoming community, where you might experience kaffemik, a Greenlandic tradition of inviting visitors in for coffee, cakes and conversation. Explore the town’s charming wooden houses painted in a rainbow of colors, chat with the locals, whose main trade is fishing, and maybe challenge them to a game of football (soccer) – it won’t be long before you’re experiencing Itilleq’s friendly vibe.
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
day 16 - Disembark in Kangerlussuaq and fly to Reykjavik
Enjoy one more Zodiac ride to shore, where you’ll board your charter flight back to Reykjavik, Iceland. Upon arrival in Reykjavik, you are transferred to your included hotel.
Meals:Breakfast
day 17 - Depart Reykjavik, Iceland
Today, you can make your way home at your leisure or spend some time exploring this fascinating city.
