Northwest Passage - In the Footsteps of Franklin

Enjoy an included night in Toronto and meet your fellow travellers.

Day 2

After breakfast, board your charter flight to Kangerlussuaq, a small seaside
community that’s your gateway to Greenland. Enjoy your first Zodiac ride as
you’re transferred from shore to ship. Out on deck, take in your new
surroundings before you set sail on your Arctic adventure.

Day 3-4

Cruising around the remote regions of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic
aboard Ultramarine, the newest ship in our fleet, you’ll navigate the same
icy inlets, channels and bays that fascinated legendary explorers of long
ago. Designed to give Polar adventurers unprecedented access to the
hardest-to-reach places on the planet—and equipped with two onboard
twin-engine helicopters for unparalleled access to areas only Quark
Expeditions can bring you—this one-of-a-kind ship, in its inaugural year,
will take you beyond the familiar in Polar exploration. Throughout your
journey, the Expedition Team will keep an eye toward immersing you in the
best the Arctic has to offer at the top of the world. Locals call Maniitsoq
the Venice of Greenland, as it’s situated in an archipelago intersected by
natural canals. Soaring, snow-capped mountains surround the small, rocky
town, whose name means “the uneven place.” Playful humpback whales spend
summer in the waters around here. 

The Greenlandic capital of Nuuk is a haven for history and culture lovers.
Stroll down to the waterfront to see the Hans Egede Church and Hans Egede
statue, named for the missionary who established the settlement in 1728.
Marvel at the famous remains of 500-year-old fully dressed mummies,
discovered under a rock outcrop in 1972 by two brothers out hunting, at the
Greenland National Museum. The Nuuk Art Museum and Katuaq Culture Centre are
also worth visiting.

Day 5

Say goodbye to Greenland’s shores as you traverse the Davis Strait in
pursuit of the Canadian Arctic. Presentations by on-board experts will
prepare you for the adventures that lie ahead.

Day 6-15

Visit towering fjords, historical sites and traditional Inuit communities as
you follow the footsteps of famous explorers from long ago in the Canadian
High Arctic.
The picturesque Inuit hamlet of Pangnirtung, nicknamed the Switzerland of the
Arctic, is nestled beneath the jagged peaks of Mount Duval. An artist’s
hub, Pang is renowned for its traditional Inuit arts and crafts, especially
lithographs and intricate tapestries. At the Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts &
Crafts, watch craftspeople in the tapestry studio and pick up a
limited-edition print. A must for visitors, a colorful Pang hat will keep you
warm during the remainder of your arctic voyage. You’ll also visit nearby
Kekerten, an uninhabited island that was a major whaling destination in the
1800s.
At the southern tip of the Cumberland Sound, Cape Mercy was named by British
explorer John Davis (yes, he of the Davis Strait), who sailed through it in
1585. The site of an old Distant Early Warning Line installation, it’s an
ideal spot to go ashore for a hike.
As icebergs travel down the Davis Strait, they’re naturally trapped at
Qikiqtarjuak (formerly known as Broughton Island), the iceberg capital of the
world. The icy waters here are sometimes also home to narwhals, beluga and
right whales, and ring and harp seals. A hike up to the hilltop inukshuk (a
stone figure made by the Inuit) rewards with spectacular views of the
community.
Cruising farther north along the east coast of Baffin Island, we’ll
approach Isabella Bay, an important summer and fall feeding area for a large
population of Bowhead whales.
Stacked side by side, the dozens of soaring cliffs of Sam Ford Fjord make for
a majestic site as you sail by. One of the most isolated places on the
planet, the big-wall playground attracts climbers eager to scale the sheer
rock faces that shoot straight out of the sea.
At the northern tip of Baffin Island, near the eastern entrance to the
Northwest Passage, is the picturesque hamlet of Pond Inlet. Spend some time
exploring this traditional Inuit community that’s surrounded by scenic
mountains, fjords, glaciers and icebergs.
The area around Lancaster Sound affords several hiking opportunities. At
Dundas Harbour, on Devon Island, you’ll visit an abandoned beachside
outpost of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. At nearby Croker Bay, cruise in
a Zodiac (at a safe distance) along the face of an actively calving glacier.
The Expedition Team will also keep its eyes peeled for the Musk ox and walrus
that are known to visit the bay. A hike to a nearby archaeological site is
another possible excursion. Farther west, some of the best ancient Thule
remains in the Arctic are at Radstock Bay, beside the soaring Caswell Towers,
a Polar bear observation site. Exploring the area, you’ll gain insight into
how these pre-Inuit people lived.
At the western end of Devon Island, the windswept Beechey Island might be
small, but it’s steeped in history. Named after famed British explorer
Frederick William Beechey, it’s a Canadian National Historic Site. You’ll
visit the small marked graves of three crew members who died during Sir John
Franklin’s tragic 1845–46 expedition. Roald Amundsen landed here in 1903,
during the first successful voyage by ship through the Northwest Passage.
Sailing down the east coast of Somerset Island, you may have a chance of
spotting beluga whales and narwhals, as they feed on the large numbers of
arctic char that enter Creswell Bay in late summer. An Important Bird Area,
the bay also attracts such species as Black-bellied plovers, King eiders and
White-rumped sandpipers. You’ll also have time to explore Fort Ross, where
the Hudson’s Bay Company established a now-abandoned trading post in 1937.
At the midpoint of the Bellot Strait, a narrow channel that separates
Somerset Island from mainland North America, you’ll reach the northernmost
area of the continental landmass, Zenith Point.

Day 16

After disembarking in Resolute, you’ll be transferred to your charter
flight to Toronto, where you’ll spend the night at your included hotel.

Day 17

Today, make your way to the airport to catch your homeward flights, or spend
the day exploring this fascinating city.