Journey to just outside of one of Canada’s most stunning national parks, Auyuittuq National Park, located along the rugged and awe-inspiring glacier-capped and iceberg-studded coastline of southeastern Baffin Island. Enjoy the long days of the Arctic summer and seemingly ‘all night’ sunsets from the comfort of an Arctic safari-style base camp while exploring the natural habitat of the polar bears on land and bowhead whales on the sea.
Highlights
Search for bowhead whales and visit a newly-discovered molting area
Admire all-night Arctic sunsets from the comfort of your safari base camp
Visit Canada's most stunning park, Auyuittuq National Park
Explore ancient Thule dwelling sites and learn from their culture & history
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Depart Ottawa for Iqaluit in the morning. Change planes in Iqaluit – the capital of Nunavut, departing to continue onto Qikiqtarjuaq. On the way to Qikiqtarjuaq, fly over Auyuittuq National Park. Keep an eye out for Mount Asgard and Mount Thor, the world's tallest, uninterrupted vertical cliff at over 5000 feet of sheer rock. Qikiqtarjuaq is a small hamlet of approximately 600 persons that sits on Broughton Island. A narrow channel separates the hamlet from the main land of Baffin Island and faces the large mountains of Akshakyuk Pass of the Auyuittuq National Park. Upon arrival in Qikiqtarjuaq, transfer to a waiting boat for a 60-minute ride through scenic channels between islands to your Premium Safari Camp.
From Base Camp experience the true essence of the Arctic in the summer. The Camp is ideally located near lakes, with a river passing through that provides fresh drinking water for food preparation and one of the best cups of tea or coffee you’ll ever have. Your daily itinerary is determined by the environment, such as wildlife presence and weather. Sample activities include: day trips by boat to Auyuittuq National Park, where you can hike at the base of the Coronation Fiord, as well as a trip to the Penny Ice Cap Glacier. Fish for Arctic char right in camp, pick wild blueberries, enjoy kayaking amongst spectacular ice formations, and possibly visit an ancient Thule site. Observe icebergs calved off of glaciers and enjoy listening to the beat of the wings of seabirds from hundreds of meters away.
Surrounded by islands and steep-walled fjords, the scenery, activities, and opportunities for observing bowhead whales and polar bears here is second to none at this time of year. Bowhead whales are known to frequent open waters only a 30-minute boat ride away. Polar bears are often seen on islands throughout the area. In some cases, more than 20 polar bears can be seen on a boat ride from Qikiqtarjuaq to Base Camp. Inflatable kayaks are provided that can be deployed at anytime.
Transfer back to Qikiqtarjuaq by boat after a polar bear expedition, then take a mid-morning flight back to Iqaluit and on to Ottawa. Return home via your independent flight.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$19,7272-3 travelers
Notes
Select a Date
Please add 5% sales tax from Qikiqtarjuaq.
Please Note: Fares are based off of current exchange rates from the Canadian Dollar. Contact us for current rates.
Initial deposit is $2200, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by Bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
For full cancellation policy details, please contact us for a quote.
Included
6 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 6 Dinners
6 Nights Accommodations
7 Days Locally Hosted Guide Service
Accommodations as listed
Ground transportation as listed
Activities as listed
Meals as listed
Access to a 24-7 Emergency line while traveling
Excluded
Gratuities
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Flight costs (please request a quote)
Additional excursions during free time
Fuel and transportation surcharges (when applicable)
All participants will be required to provide proof of medical insurance while traveling in Canada. Each participant is responsible for any medical expenses and must be covered by their own sickness, accident, and evacuation insurance.
Gratuities at your discretion. A typical gratuity is $100 per Inuit/guide/chef and expedition leader per week.
Map
When to Go
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Dec
Good to ideal period to travel, and many people choose to visit at this time.
Typically not offered during this period because of weather conditions.
Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
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1 day ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.