Great Migrations of the Northwest Passage
« All Arctic Land Tours cruise options
| Dates | Deck + Cabin Type |
| Custom Base Camp Accommodations | |
| Jun 17 '12 Jun 24 '12 |
$10,900 |
| Please note: rates are based on current exchange rate (CAD/USD). Please contact us for exact quote in US dollars. Internal Flight package: $5040 |
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Please Note:
These itineraries are not based off of a small ship, but rather are land-based explorations of the Arctic. Accommodations are in luxury custom-built base camps.
Important Pricing Notice:
Rates based on current exchange rate Canadian Dollars (CAD) to US Dollars and do not include 5% GST (2.5% for non-Canadian residents). Please contact us for current exchange rates.
Deposit & Payment These itineraries are not based off of a small ship, but rather are land-based explorations of the Arctic. Accommodations are in luxury custom-built base camps.
Important Pricing Notice:
Rates based on current exchange rate Canadian Dollars (CAD) to US Dollars and do not include 5% GST (2.5% for non-Canadian residents). Please contact us for current exchange rates.
Day 1 Ottawa to Arctic Bay
Depart Ottawa on 09:05 Flight to Iqaluit. Transfer planes in Iqaluit and continue on 14:30 flight to Nanisivik (Arctic Bay). The flight up Baffin Island is spectacular with fiords, vast expanses of ice and water, deep valleys and fiords unfold below your eyes to whet the appetite for what to expect once you touch down. Upon arrival, you will be met by an your trip leader at the Nanisivik airport just outside of Arctic Bay. A welcome dinner at the hotel and introduction to the other team members will be held. There will be an after dinner slide show presentation on the local sites and animals, as well as a safety briefing. Overnight in Arctic Bay. (D)
Day 2 Travel to basecamp
Day travel by snowmobile and qamutik (pronounced: Kam-oo-tick) to your seasonal safari-inspired base camp on the sea ice close to the floe edge. Along the way, you will experience first-hand how the Inuit travel to their summer camps. Qamutiks are sledges pulled by snowmobiles and are specially designed to flex over the ice. Travel along the spectaucular red hued St. George Cliffs towering 1000′s of feet vertically above your head. Become enamored by the first of the vast panorama’s of the Arctic that will unfold along the journey. Along the way you will pass by bird cliffs home to many species of nesting birds such as the Black billed Murres, kittwacks, and more. Arrive at your luxury base camp set directly on the sea ice and be welcomed by hors d’oeuvres prepared by the chef. After settling into your spacious quarters, feel free to wander and absorb the incredible mountains, ice and photographic rich scenery that surrounds you. (B,L,D)
Day 3 Journey to the Floe Edge
The following is a representation of an itinerary. This can be used as a guideline for what to expect, but due to the unpredictable nature of the arctic – ice conditions, animal behavior and weather play an integral part in determining the daily activities. However, this can be seen as the beauty of the arctic and wildlife viewing. You can never predict exactly what you will see and no two trips are ever the same.
Initial journey to the floe edge. It is a bright and sunny day, and the whales are everywhere. Have a late lunch on the floe edge and stay through 11PM. Return to camp, and bask in the midnight sun. For those that have elected to try snorkeling, don the drysuits and snorkel with the whales. It is a magical moment to see the whales come directly beneath you, turn upside down and look up at you. One of the most intimate connections one can have to look eye to eye with a whale in its own natural environment that has chosen to come to you of its own volition. (B,L,D)
Day 4 Exploring the Ice
Wind is blowing south and the floe edge is pulsating with incoming waves. Travel as close as you can to appreciate the power of the changing seasons. Continue south, following the rough ice, and hike to a towering iceberg. Break off some ice from the iceberg and make some tea with 1000 year old ice. Watch as the ice crackles as compressed air is released as it melts. Head back to camp in the early afternoon, have a relaxed evening, enjoying a chef-cooked dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 5 Ice Formations
The wind has died down and the sky is overcast. Make your way to the floe edge, which has calmed right down. The wind has blown lots of pack ice in, and the area is full of large contained ‘pools’ of water. Dozens of Narwhals rest in these pools and occasional groups of Belugas come through. While photographing the seemingly always smiling Belugas, glimpse the massive ivory tusks of a pod of male Narwhal as they swim by. Have lunch at the floe edge and watch as the whales travel up and down the edge in search of food. Relax with the guides as they tell us about traditional Inuit life. In the late afternoon, go to the rough ice where you will hike to a distant Iceberg. You will walk around the iceberg taking photographs and marveling at the spectacular formations of icicles that form and end in electric turquoise blue meltwater pools. (B,L,D)
Day 6 Whale Encounters
A magical day. Journey out to the floe edge and see hundreds of whales. Two Bowheads go by. Some guests focus on surface photography while one snorkels and another paddles out and spot a lone walrus on the floating pack ice. On your journey home, come across polar bear tracks and follow them to the rough ice where you can no longer go by snowmobile. Along the way, encounter a whale carcass that was left after an Inuit hunt. The carrion has attracted a Polar Bear. Observe from a safe distance as he devours the remains. After an hour watching the bear, return back to base camp and review your pictures in the lounge tent and celebrate the days successes with a toast during dinner. (B,L,D)
Day 7 Return to Iqaluit
Travel back to gateway town via snowmobile and qamutik. Explore the local community. Visit soap stone carvers, sod house, watch seal skin being stretched, and other Inuit cultural activities. (B,L,D)
Day 8 Return home
Depart gateway community of Arctic Bay on 9:00am flight back to Ottawa. (B)
Itinerary Notes
Please note:All rates are posted in Canadian Dollars (CAD) and do not include 5% GST (2.5% for non-Canadian residents). Please contact us for current exchange rates.
Deposit & Payment
Initial deposit is $2000 CAD, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card. We accept Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, and Discover. Alternatively, you can send a check to our Missoula, Montana, office or register online at: https://www.adventure-life.com/forms/fourways.php
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure.
Final payment by bank transfer, check or Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex. Credit Card payments subject to 3% convenience fee and maximum $15,000 charge.
Booking last minute? No problem! Please contact one of our trip planners, and we can get you on your way if booking less than 100 days prior to departure.
Click here to see a copy of our Terms and Conditions.
Cancellation Policy
| Days Prior to departure | Fee |
|---|---|
| 90 days | Deposit |
| 89-61 days | 50% tour cost |
| 60-0 days | 100% tour cost |
Arctic Land Tours
- Ship Highlights
- Passengers : 12
Think African Safari…in the Arctic
These land based trips are operated from either cabins and lodges, safari style camps located on the sea ice within a safe distance from the floe edge, or on a flat expanse of pebbly beach. Many of these locations have been used by Inuit for generations and are still used to this day.
Each trip begins in a local Inuit community, where you will meet soap stone carvers, Inuit throat singers or drum dancers, and learn how seal skins are made into traditional clothing. Here you can ease into the Arctic environment welcomed by the friendly, local community.
Arctic land tours local guides and elders have been traveling and living on the land all their lives. This knowledge is built into every one of these trips. Combine this traditional knowledge with the very latest in expedition equipment including satellite imagery for ice and wildlife tracking, rigid polar bear proof structures and the latest spotting scopes to ensure a safe and memorable Arctic experience.
Utmost Comfort
Remote camps are ready for you upon arrival and designed to provide you with ultimate comfort and functionality. Custom built base camps vary but typically consist of a kitchen structure for your gourmet chef to call home, and a large central meeting and dining location. Separate washroom facilities provide a private spot to freshen up with running water, washbasins and hot showers.
These tours define comfort as lounging on raised beds, dining on the freshest foods and relaxing in custom designed tents. This is what sets these land tours apart from the rest – a luxury experience in the Arctic.
Small Groups
By traveling in small groups of 6-12 people, passing silently by glaciers and below towering fiords, you truly embrace the Arctic wilderness. This allows you to enjoy the Arctic at your own pace, without the rumbling of engines and crowds of people nearby.
Unparalleled Knowledge
Your team operating the Arctic land tours have aerially scouted the far reaches of the Arctic for hundreds of hours, have a decade’s worth of wildlife expeditions under their belt, and worked with the world’s leading wildlife and culture filmmakers. .
Unparalleled Access
Not from the deck of a ship, but from the land. For years they have worked closely with
Inuit guides and developed lasting friendships, to bring the best of the Arctic to you. Through these friendships you will gain access to knowledge of the best locations, wildlife colonies and safe passageways, passed on through generations. You’ll also make new friends, while sharing stories, tracking wildlife and scanning the horizons for polar bears.
Peace of Mind
Your safety is taken very seriously. For every expedition there is a thorough Arctic Safety Plan complete with training, field support and top of the line equipment. With a mix of traditional survival and modern technology, staff are well prepared to handle minor to major emergency scenarios. Expedition leaders are highly trained professionals, equipped with instant communication to headquarters and local response teams.
Arctic Experiences - Four Distinct Styles
Arctic Safaris
Designed to allow travelers to spend as much time as possible experiencing Arctic wildlife. This could be on the floe edge, in a zodiac boat, on foot, or by snowmobile. All safaris have been carefully researched to offer the very best of polar wildlife and scenery. Your expert team has scouted the locations, consulted with scientists, and worked hand-in-hand with local Inuit guides to bring the best the Arctic has to offer to you.
Great Migrations
The mass movement of animals from one region to another is one of nature’s most astounding natural phenomenon. At the root of every migration is the need to mate, to seek nourishment or to escape extreme weather. So while fascinating, migration is crucial to survival for many animals. Great Migration expeditions are land-based safari-style trips timed to coincide with such migrations, including the Narwhal, as they travel south for the summer, or the Bowhead Whale as they move further north to feed. These floe edge Great Migration trips also offer opportunities to see Polar Bears and Walrus.
Grand Odysseys
Grand Odysseys are defined by unprecedented access, demanding logistics and the overall sense of exploration. These trips utilize years of experience planning and operating major scientific and film expeditions, and take advantage of the full range of activities possible, including hot air ballooning over the sea ice, snow surfing, kite skiing, snowmobiling, and the ultimate Arctic experience, a North Pole flyover.
Arctic Diving Safaris
What first inspired the creation of these tours was a trip to Igloolik to dive with Walrus and Bowhead whales under the ice. Since then your expert team has lead hundreds of dive trips, and are always eager to talk about their first love. From rebreathers to open circuit, and under ice diving, with exotic Arctic wildlife, they are the experts in Arctic diving. A scuba diving information kit is available upon request, which includes dive policies, operations, supplied gear and required gear list.
| Cabins | |
|---|---|
 | Custom Base Camp Accommodations Relax after a day of exploration in your custom-built base camp, with raised beds, private washrooms and custom designed tents. |
