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53 Arctic trips. Compare tour itineraries from 12 tour companies. 108 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating.
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Top Arctic Attractions
Arctic tours offer diverse experiences, from exploring stunning glacial landscapes to engaging with indigenous cultures. Whether you're seeking thrilling adventures, serene natural beauty, or unique wildlife encounters, the Arctic provides unforgettable moments for every type of traveler. Discover the unique opportunities that await on your journey to this remote and pristine region.
- Viewing the spectacular view of Mt. McKinley or Denali, North America’s highest mountain, along with other natural wonders is Denali National Park
- Exploring the nature and wildlife of the Arctic by snowmobile excursion or sledding tour
- Hot-air ballooning at the North Pole
- Taking a small ship expedition-style cruise in Arctic waters to view snow-covered mountains, fjords, glaciers, and icebergs
- Spotting the many varied types of wildlife and birds that inhabit the Arctic, such as polar bears, whales, dolphins, fur seals, musk ox, walruses, and puffins
- Visiting some of the 191 unexplored Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land islands
- Glimpsing polar bears - the world’s largest land predator - on the Svalbard Archipelago on a fly-in Arctic photo safari
- Viewing the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) as they illuminate the sky with swirling streaks of green, red, and other vibrant colors
- Driving your own sled dog team in Alaska, Greenland, Northern Scandinavia, and other polar regions
- Spending time with the locals in a small village in Greenland, gaining insights into their culture and day-to-day lives
- Sleeping overnight in an igloo or ice hotel.
- Sail the route of the Vikings from Scotland across the North Sea and along the Norway coastline to Svalbard
- Trekking to the North Cape in Norway - the most northerly point in mainland Europe
- Whale-watching and seeing narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales
- Kayaking or cruising amidst icebergs through the surreal Blue River in Greenland
- Taking a brief dip in the chilly polar waters and earning a certificate from your ship's crew, honoring your feat
- Standing on your ship's deck after dark, basking in the solitude of one of the world's last wildernesses
Arctic Tours & Travel Guide
Arctic Attractions & Landmarks Guide
The Arctic — the polar region above the Arctic Circle (66 degrees latitude north) — is best explored by small-ship- and expedition-style cruise vessels. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Canada, and the United States have Arctic lands.
Greenland, a largely self-governing Danish territory, is another prominent Arctic region (the Arctic Circle just skirts the northern edges of Iceland).
Popular Arctic cruise routes include Canada's Northwest Passage, Scandinavia to Greenland via Iceland, and the far-north Norwegian island of Spitsbergen.
Arctic Tour Highlights
The Arctic — the earth’s northern polar region — covers several countries, including much of Scandinavia, Russia, and North America. Unlike Antarctica, its southern counterpart, the Arctic has no penguins, but it does have polar bears and more marine mammals.
The Gulf Stream and generally warmer temperatures than in Antarctica help make Arctic exploration more accessible, offering several choices for experiencing life above the Arctic Circle. Travel is restricted only by the laws of the various countries and the relative scarcity of transportation.
An ideal way to explore the Arctic is by expedition-style cruise vessels. More routes are opening to cruising, such as the Northeast Passage from northern Norway to Siberia and Alaska via the Russian Arctic.
Greenland
Greenland is ground zero for climate change, as its glacial ice — representing about eight percent of the world’s supply — is rapidly melting, threatening to raise ocean levels and temperatures. But much of its interior remains a wonderland of white, and icebergs still fill its bays.
Fascinating towns and small settlements dot both the west and east coasts, which you can visit either by small cruise ship or via land and air transportation.
Iceland
Only a tiny fraction of Iceland lies above the Arctic Circle, but this volcanic land of black lava, geothermal pools, moon-like landscapes, and neat, brightly painted houses is one of the far north’s most visited areas.
Iceland is part of Europe but lies a third of the way toward the North American continent. It boasts one of the world’s most literate populations and is easily accessible by air and sea.
Norway
The Arctic coast of Norway is accessible by the half-cruise, half-cargo ships of the Hurtigruten, which makes two-week round trips between Bergen and Kirkenes, near the Russian border. With its views of fjords, snow-capped mountains, and tiny remote villages, the Hurtigruten is one of the world’s most beautiful voyages.
Arctic Norway and Finland
In both Arctic Norway and Finland, you can ride in reindeer sleds and visit the Sami, the nomadic people who drive their reindeer herds through the frozen wilderness. The Finnish town of Rovaniemi lies directly on the Arctic Circle and claims to be the home of Santa Claus.
Small ships can take you to Spitsbergen (Svalbard), a Norwegian island archipelago hundreds of miles north of the top of continental Europe. Spitsbergen is home to some of the farthest north settlements in the world, glaciers, icebergs, and an array of wildlife, including polar bears, walruses, and flocks of seabirds.
Sweden
One of the top places to view the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) is in Abisko National Park near Kiruna in northern Sweden, where skies tend to be clear despite frequent overcast in the region. A chair lift leads up to a lookout tower at the Aurora Sky Station for the best viewing.
Top Arctic Travel Activities
What does one do in the Arctic, where the sun is shy for much of the year, and one of the most popular highlights happens in the middle of the night? Believe it or not, the breadth of adventure and outdoor recreation in the Arctic region is staggering, whether you’re in it for the wildlife, the glacier hiking, the kayaking, or the cruising. It’s all here.
Topping the list of favorite Arctic activities is seeing some incredible polar wildlife. In a region with a modest number of human inhabitants, the wildlife reigns supreme, including beluga whales and narwhals, walruses, ringed seals, Arctic foxes, polar bears, musk oxen, reindeer, Peary caribou, and countless others.
Birdwatchers will add significantly to their life list in the Arctic as they trek along the frozen tundra searching for puffins, cormorants, Arctic terns, and more.
Sightseeing at speeds of over 60 miles per hour on an all-terrain snowmobile, flying across the Arctic tundra — you’ll have the opportunity to access corners of Arctic countries where no roads lead, glimpsing wildlife along the way if you’re fortunate. Plus, after a day of exhilarating racing across glittery snow and ice, a hot meal and warm beverages are even more satisfying.
Sea kayaking is a favorite outdoor activity throughout the Arctic region, if only because it allows the paddler to get up close and personal with marine life and gigantic, calving icebergs.
This intimate mode of travel allows for independence and really some of the most memorable moments as you cut through the freezing water, listening to Arctic birds squabble overhead, chunks of ice floating right beside you.
It’s a front-row seat on the rugged, unspoiled Arctic wilderness. Among the many top kayaking spots in the Arctic are Sermermiut and the Blue River in Greenland, Peel Sound in Nunavut, and the Svalbard Archipelago.
If you’re on a boat, you’re likely to see one of the 17 whale species residing in the polar waters. Among them are year-round residents beluga, narwhal, and bowhead, and several migratory species, including humpback, fin, and minke.
Favorite Arctic whale-watching destinations include Disko Bay in Greenland, Svalbard, the Northwest Passage, and Hudson Bay.
A sighting of the world’s largest land predator, the polar bear, makes for the thrill of a lifetime. The hottest polar-bear-sighting spots in the Arctic include the Svalbard Archipelago, the Northwest Passage, Churchill, and Wrangel Island in the Russian Arctic.
As you sail by Zodiac or paddle a kayak amidst glistening icebergs and ice floes of all shapes and sizes, keep an eye trained on these massive, iconic Arctic mammals.
Seeing the Northern Lights on Arctic Tours
Words fail the showstopping Aurora Borealis, undoubtedly one of the world’s most incredible natural phenomena. It’s the number one reason to travel to the Arctic during the cold, dark winter months.
The Northern Lights sightings are the best between September and early April, practically guaranteed anytime there is a clear night (and that’s most of the time), and best viewed between 10 PM and 2 AM.
An “active” Aurora Borealis show will abe about a half-hour long and takes place about every two hours.
Many Arctic tours focus on viewing the Northern Lights and can arrange for sleeping under this ethereal magnificence in glass-domed igloos — truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Some of Europe's most popular Northern Lights viewing spots are in the far northern regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland, including Tromso, Norway, and Abisko National Park in Sweden.
Photography Tips for Traveling in the Arctic
Bring a camera to the polar regions, whether it’s the latest phone camera or a suitcase full of lenses.
The varying opportunities in the Arctic are a photographer’s dream, be it the blue light of spring, the Aurora Borealis, or the Midnight Sun. Where else can you immortalize the spray of the Arctic Ocean as a house-sized iceberg calves from a glacier, a minke whale breaching just a ship’s length away from you, or an Arctic fox slinking past amidst colorful tundra flora?
Arctic photography tours typically offer instruction by professional photographers throughout your trip through workshops and one-on-one tutorials. They will help you attain that perfect shot. To secure the perfect subject, your polar photography tour will often involve venturing out by zodiac to land on icy shores.
The best opportunities for Arctic photography will be during the polar summer, from June to August, when there are 24 hours of daylight.
Among the most popular spots to photograph in the Arctic are the colorful town of Ilulissat on Disko Bay in Greenland, the wildlife - from marine birds to polar bears - in the Svalbard Archipelago, and Churchill, for the very best polar-bear photo ops.
Tips for Photography Tours in the Arctic
To capture some of the world’s most stunning and unique landscapes, you must be well-prepared and mindful of the unique challenges the Arctic environment poses. Here are some tips to help you capture breathtaking photos during your Arctic adventure.
Protect Your Gear: Extreme cold can affect your camera equipment. Use protective covers and keep spare batteries warm in your pockets.
Keep Warm: You may be standing still for a long while, waiting for the perfect shot. Bring pocket hand-warmers, a pair or two of thinner gloves for setting up your photo equipment, and heavier, warmer mittens when waiting for that polar bear to move into your frame.
Use a Tripod: A sturdy tripod is essential for stable shots, especially in windy conditions, and for capturing the Northern Lights.
Manual Settings: Account for snow. Familiarize yourself with manual settings to adjust for changing light conditions and avoid overexposure! Your Arctic photography tour guide can also help you account for all that white by adjusting your exposure, slowing shutter speed, bracketing, and other methods.
Wide-Angle Lens: Bring a wide-angle lens — 24mm or less — to capture expansive landscapes and the vastness of the Arctic scenery.
Extra Batteries: The cold may or may not negatively affect your lithium camera batteries — they’re typically fine, but cold weather drains batteries quickly; bring extras and keep them insulated from the cold.
Shoot in RAW: Capture images in RAW format to allow for greater flexibility in post-processing.
Polarizing Filter: Use a polarizing filter to reduce glare from snow and ice and enhance the sky's contrast.
Respect Nature: Always prioritize the environment and wildlife, keeping a respectful distance and following local guidelines. Be patient and ready for sudden wildlife appearances — use a telephoto lens (minimum 300mm) and a mid-range zoom lens (70-200mm) for close-ups without disturbing the animals and protecting yourself.
What Kind of Food Can I Expect in the Arctic?
If there’s one place where farm-to-table has met its match, it’s the Arctic. Fresh ingredients can be scarce in a place as rugged, barren, and frozen as the polar regions of the world.
Arctic country chefs have taken it upon themselves to be as creative as possible, resulting in surprisingly haute cuisine, from Svalbard — home to the most northern gourmet restaurant in the world — to Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost U.S. city and home to the Top of the World Hotel.
Among the locally sourced delicacies of the Arctic regions are reindeer, eider eggs, bearded seal, goose, grouse, snow crab, scallops, shrimp, cod, Arctic char, wild caribou, crowberries and cloudberries, muktuk (frozen whale skin and blubber, eaten raw), baked clip fish, mushrooms, lingonberries, muskox, North Atlantic puffin and more.
Enjoy the Thrill of Arctic Cruises
Transiting the Northeast Passage — from Europe to Asia via the Russian Arctic — represents thrilling Arctic exploration offered by expedition-style cruise ships with high ice-class ratings.
Arctic cruises visit Murmansk, the largest city north of the Arctic Circle, and continue through the Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean to Russian Siberia until reaching Nome, Alaska. Expect to see polar bears, whales, and seals along the way.
Northern Canada is a far cry from the urbanity of the cities lying near the U.S. border that harbor most of this huge country’s population. The town of Churchill in northern Manitoba is the place to see polar bears and Beluga whales, while the vast, remote province of Nunavut beckons adventurous travelers to encounter Inuit villages that include the northernmost permanent settlement in the world.
Cruises through Canada’s Northwest Passage sail the coast of northern Nunavut east to Greenland or the reverse, with generally excellent wildlife viewing on remote islands.
Most visitors to Alaska confine themselves to cruises along its southeast coast or inland trips to Denali National Park, but the state’s remote Aleutian Islands and far northern tundra area stretching north to Nome offer adventurous travelers an entirely different experience in the “Last Frontier.”
You can go dog sledding in Arctic Alaska, fish for salmon in far northern waters, watch for bears and birds and get around by small plane (or properly equipped vehicles along rough roads).
Top Cultural Activities On Arctic Tours
Arctic tours offer a wealth of cultural experiences that provide insight into the rich heritage and traditions of the indigenous peoples who have thrived in this harsh environment for centuries.
One of the most enriching activities is visiting indigenous communities, such as the Inuit in Canada or the Sami in Scandinavia. These visits often include opportunities to learn about traditional practices, such as hunting, fishing, and crafting, which are essential to the Arctic way of life.
You can also participate in cultural festivals and events that showcase traditional music, dance, and storytelling. These events are a vibrant expression of community life and offer a unique window into the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Arctic peoples.
For example, the Riddu Riđđu Festival in Norway is an annual celebration of Sami culture featuring performances, workshops, and art exhibitions.
Exploring historical sites and museums is another way to immerse yourself in Arctic culture. Museums like the Greenland National Museum in Nuuk or the Sami Museum in Karasjok, Norway, house extensive collections of artifacts, artwork, and exhibits that narrate the history and resilience of Arctic communities.
Arctic Tours in Different Seasons
Touring the Arctic offers distinct experiences depending on the season, each with unique charm and challenges. Each season presents unique opportunities and experiences, making it a year-round destination for adventure and discovery.
Winter (December to February)
Winter in the Arctic is characterized by long nights and extreme cold, with temperatures often plunging well below freezing. This season is ideal for experiencing the mystical Northern Lights, as the long nights provide the perfect backdrop for this natural phenomenon.
Activities like dog sledding, ice fishing, and snowmobiling are popular, offering an adventurous way to explore the snowy landscapes. However, extreme cold requires careful preparation and appropriate gear to ensure safety and comfort.
Spring (March to May)
As the Arctic transitions from winter to spring, daylight hours increase, and temperatures rise, making it an excellent time for wildlife viewing. Polar bears, seals, and migratory birds become more active, and the melting ice creates opportunities for ice floe treks and boat tours. The weather is still cold but more manageable than the depths of winter.
Summer (June to August)
Summer in the Arctic is marked by the Midnight Sun when the sun remains visible 24 hours a day. This season offers mild temperatures, lush landscapes, and abundant wildlife. It's the best time for hiking, kayaking, and exploring the Arctic’s flora and fauna. Glacial melt creates stunning waterways, and boat tours provide access to remote areas.
Autumn (September to November)
Autumn brings shorter days and a return of the auroras as the nights grow longer. This shoulder season is quieter in terms of tourism, providing a peaceful experience. Wildlife is still active, preparing for the winter ahead, and the landscape transforms with autumn colors, offering beautiful photographic opportunities.
Arctic Reviews & Ratings
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Wonderful adventure
This was a marvellous trip and a great way of seeing two wonderful areas of the Arctic. In Spitsbergen we saw polar bears and arctic foxes and sailed through the ...
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Spectacular Spitsbergen July 2016
A very, very special trip that kept on delivering five-star sightings right to the very last moment. Too many to choose from… the polar bear right under the bow? Th...
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Spitsbergen Explorer - Polar Bears and More!
A fantastic, amazing journey up to 81 degrees north (and a bit more!) with Exodus and Paul Goldstein and lots of new friends. The notes tell you what to expect (ea...
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Spitsbergen July 2016 with Paul Goldstein
I've always judged an adventure by the moments that take my breath away and this Polar Expedition presented these in abundance. To be able to share wildlife moment...
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SPITSBERGEN EXPLORER
We saw an amazing amount of wildlife. There is nothing to compare to seeing polar bears in the wild, interacting with their young and fending for food. ...
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