Northwest Passage: Epic High Arctic

Intrepid Travel Premier
Has very high quality customer experiences and demonstrated commitment to responsible travel practices. read more
4.6 . Excellent
94%
Travel Style: Array Full on
Physical Level: Normal generally flat walking in urban or suburban environments. Very Easy
Lodging Level: 3 to 4 star western hotel equivalents. While not all lodging will be 'luxury' they will be quite comfortable by western standards. Comfort (4*)
17 days
From: $ 11,473 $ 675 / day
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Overview

Highlights (Bullets)

  • Go further and deeper than ever possible on this Arctic tour with Zodiac cruises, shore excursions and helicopter expeditions to take you to places once out of human reach.
  • Our expert expedition crew will be on alert for sightings of animals like musk oxen, caribou, and whales so you have the best chance of spotting them.
  • Visit Inuit communities as you travel through parts of the Northwest Passage and the waters of western Greenland and learn about cultures and survival on the edge of the map.
  • This is immersive expedition travel. Hear the deafening crash of shards falling from icebergs, hike to Inuit ruins and, if you’re brave, take a polar plunge into icy waters.
  • Enjoy a well-equipped vessel with modern staterooms, a number of bar and lounge areas and health and wellness facilities. And on your sailing days, join experts for an onboard lecture program.

Short Description

Cruise on waters that few have sailed and set foot on lands that even fewer have walked on this 17-day expedition in the High Arctic. This epic adventure will have you hiking over permafrost, searching for wildlife and passing by fjords, glaciers and icebergs on a daily basis. Follow the coast and discover places where explorers of old met their demise, research stations abandoned and active, tiny Inuit communities and ruins left by their ancient predecessors. Go west to Greenland and see colourful villages beneath massive mountains, hike to glaciers and kayak past icebergs. Tackle the icy wilderness in a comfortable expedition vessel and a team of expert leaders.

Style Small ship cruise
See all the highlights and popular spots on a classic tour.
Itinerary Focus Classic Highlights
3 to 4 star western hotel equivalents. While not all lodging will be 'luxury' they will be quite comfortable by western standards.
Lodging Level Comfort (4*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal ground transport
Start City Calgary
End City Toronto

Destinations

Canada Arctic Greenland

Attractions & Cities Visited

Toronto

Activities & Interests

N/A

Age Requirement

8-99

N/A
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Itinerary

Day 1 Calgary

Welcome to Calgary, Canada. You can arrive at any time today and make your way to the pre-expedition accommodation. There, you will receive a welcome letter outlining times and further details about your charter flight to the Arctic tomorrow morning. Tonight, you may like to meet with an expedition representative in the hotel lobby, who can answer any questions you may have about your adventure. Until then, enjoy the sights of Calgary or simply relax in your accommodation.

Day 2 Resolute – Embarkation Day

This morning, board your charter flight to Resolute. Upon arrival, you may have the chance to walk around this little Inuit hamlet before enjoying your first of many Zodiac cruises as you’re transferred to your expedition vessel. Meet your crew and settle into your cabin.

Day 3-6 Canadian High Arctic

Begin your polar voyage in the Northwest Passage as you pass by the same icy inlets, channels and bays that have fascinated explorers since the 17th century and have been home to Inuit communities for even longer. Although no strict itinerary is set, your expedition could include cruising to Beechey Island, the final resting place of three members of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845–46 expedition, learning the local way of life in Arctic Bay, setting foot on Devon Island for a number of hiking opportunities, spotting walruses in the waters of Croker Bay, searching for musk oxen in Dundas Harbour or learning of hunting and fishing traditions in Grise Fjord. As you travel through sections of the Passage, let your expert polar crew take you on unforgettable Zodiac and helicopter sightseeing and landing trips to visit areas that are otherwise inaccessible to humans. In between shore visits, scenic cruising and optional adventure activities, appreciate the onboard amenities of your polar vessel and enjoy a series of lectures presented by Arctic experts.

Day 7-8 Smith Sound

Before saying goodbye to Canada, you will cruise as far north as possible, exploring both sides of the spectacular Smith Sound – the uninhabited passage between Ellesmere Island and Greenland.

Day 9 Qaanaaq

Today, stop in Qaanaaq, Greenland. Formerly known as Thule – in ancient philosophy, it was Ultima Thule, or ‘edge of known territory’ – this is the main town in north-western Greenland. On shore, you will spend time learning about local Inuit culture and traditions, perhaps visiting the town’s museum.

Day 10 At Sea

Back on board, journey south along the coast of Greenland with time spent at sea. During the day, there will be a number of presentations and lectures from your onboard experts to explain some of the incredible geography, wildlife and histories you have experienced, plus prepare you for the adventures and locations that lie ahead. In your leisure time, perhaps get to know your fellow voyagers over a drink in the onboard lounge, or make use of the spa and wellness facilities.

Day 11-15 West Greenland

Over the next four days, continue to explore Greenland’s west, with a flexible itinerary to account for the varying weather and ice conditions. You may have the chance to admire the twin peaks of the mountain that towers over Uummannaq, visit the archaeological site of Qilaqitsoq, and cruise towards the impressive blue-hued Eqip Sermia glacier. Take a Zodiac past icebergs such as Sermeq Kujalleq, listening out for breaking ice crashing into the waters below. Air, land and sea excursions are all a possibility here, and your expert team will be monitoring the conditions to ensure wildlife and sightseeing opportunities are maximised.

Day 16 Kangerlussuaq – Disembarkation Day – Toronto

This morning, journey towards Kangerlussuaq and farewell your expedition crew as you take a Zodiac ride to shore. Here, you will board your charter flight back to Toronto, Canada. Upon arrival, transfer as a group to your post-expedition accommodation. Depending on timing, you may have the opportunity to visit Toronto at your leisure this evening.

Day 17 Toronto

With no activities planned for today, you are free to depart at any time as your tour comes to an end.

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 11,473
Price Per Day: $ 675 per day
Checking price

4,331 Intrepid Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings

94%
4.6 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
Excellent 3,259
Great 675
Average 140
Disappointing 77
Terrible 180
Value
4.6
Guide
4.6
Activities
4.6
Lodging
4.6
Transportation
4.6
Meals
4.6

Northwest Passage: Epic High Arctic

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Company Reviews

Sardines in a can

3.0
Details
Value3.0
Guide3.0
Activities3.0
Lodging3.0
Transportation3.0
Meals3.0
Love adventures but the size of the cabins on our trip to the Cyclades Islands are extremely cramped . We have three mature adults in one cabin with no space to move and no space to hang or store anything ( including wet towels ).
If any of us had been physically inflexible or overweight we could not have coped with the sleeping arrangements . It is impossible to sit on the top bunk and even turning over in bed requires considerable planning .
An adventure does not mean cutting back on basic essentials …
In our view there were too many people in too small a space .
Two complete strangers were also asked to sleep together in an extremely small double bed , which meant that one of them decided to sleep on deck or in the living space .
The only redeeming factor was our Skipper who is professional, friendly , informative and skilled .
I would recommend this trip if the numbers were reduced .
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I feel totally cheated

2.0
Details
Value2.0
Guide2.0
Activities2.0
Lodging2.0
Transportation2.0
Meals2.0
I feel totally cheated. Just finished the Spain and Portugal 14 day trip. The itinerary does not match the actual experience and is I feel deliberately miss leading. When I says a “local bus” and an approx 3 hour journey the reality is a 6 hour trip door to door in the middle of the day. You miss valuable time at the actual destination in favour of being jammed in a bus with dozens of people traveling on a freeway with nothing worth seeing at all. The bush are not even express so you stop in the industrial outskirts of a number of towns and even the airport. By the time you finally reach the destination you are tired and frustrated. I want my money back. It’s a cheap experience that you pay a lot of money for.
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Have not even started and not impressed

2.0
Details
Value2.0
Guide2.0
Activities2.0
Lodging2.0
Transportation2.0
Meals2.0
Booked a premium tour to Israel and paid in full. Once I paid Intrepid changed the tour, not because of operational or safety reasons but on the basis of previous customers feedback. We asked them to keep the tour as it was advertised originally and they suggested we ask our group to see if we can persuade them to go to the original destination once we had arrived in Israel which is simply ridiculous and then I complained so they offered my money back. Not exactly the best resolution now that I already paid for my flights and booked time off separately. Hopefully the tour will be better than my experience so far.
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No help when things go wrong (seriously ill on trip)

1.0
Details
Value1.0
Guide1.0
Activities1.0
Lodging1.0
Transportation1.0
Meals1.0
Unfortunately, Intrepid is a company I would recommend being wary of. They are fine as long as everything is going ok, but if anything goes wrong? Don't expect any help or decent customer service. I made the mistake of booking two trips, and both times I ran into problems:

Trip 1- I was taken very ill while in Vietnam and had to drop out of the tour. I had no help from the guide- no help with getting to a doctor (I don't speak Vietnamese and was too ill to get out of bed anyway), he didn't even assist with arranging a hotel room.

Trip 2- I've had to cancel an upcoming (2024) trip, but haven't received the refund despite phoning the customer service line several times. The people I talk to are nice, but don't seem to be able to actually get anything done. They just suggest waiting a bit longer- not sure how long they think is acceptable to hang on to someone's money really.
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Check for other companies offtering the same trip

3.0
Details
Value3.0
Guide3.0
Activities3.0
Lodging3.0
Transportation3.0
Meals3.0
I would think carefully before doing business with Intrepid Travel again. In May I went on 2 one-week guided cycle tours in France with Intrepid. They were both great cycles and I enjoyed the cycling very much. However, I had several complaints about the company and some of the guides (not all of them).
Once I had paid for my trips, it was very difficult to get in touch with Intrepid to ask a question.
During the trips, several times I was told something one day only to have the info change without any good reason. The guides need proper training about dealing with the heat. Some of use suffered from dehydration and heat stroke and the guides were quite flippant about it. I was told that the guides would not leave anyone behind, but it happened several times.
There was one guide (a trainee) who really took some of the pleasure out of my cycle tour. She spoke to me with a tone used for a child. This tone and her attitude to me almost bordered on harassment.
I went on a third cycling tour with a different company after my 2 with Intrepid and it was much better than my experience with Intrepid.
As the demand for ebikes rises, tour companies such as Intrepid need to increase their fleet of ebikes. They also don’t need to charge the huge amount to rent these ebikes. We only want to rent them, not buy them. As the cost of ebikes comes down, if should reflect in the rental price.
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Ecuador guide Eitel made the tour…

5.0
Details
Value5.0
Guide5.0
Activities5.0
Lodging5.0
Transportation5.0
Meals5.0
Our Ecuador guide Eitel made the tour exceptional! He has encyclopedic knowledge of Ecuador and Latin America. Because he has traveled the world, Eitel placed this information within contexts that we could appreciate. That says a lot because we were a diverse group of travelers. The experience deepened my appreciation for the country's marvelous people, history, cultures, and resources.
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Details

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal ground transport Ship,Zodiac,Plane

Group Size

Small Group - 24 max

Maximum Number of People in Group: 200

Accommodations

Expedition Cruise Ship (14 nights),Comfortable Hotel (2 nights)

Guides

Your voyage will be led by an experienced Expedition Leader. In addition, a number of experts will be on board to add knowledge of their field to your experience. This will include a Marine Biologist, Ornithologist, Glaciologist or Geologist, Polar Historian, Kayaking guide and Naturalist guides. Voyages offering other adventure activities will have additional specialist guides on board.

Age Notes :

Min. Age: 8

Max Age: 99

Additional Information

Finish point

  • Your Toronto Hotel
  • Toronto
  • Toronto
  • CANADA

Trip ID#:

intrepid-BQMWE

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