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17 DAY OUT OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE EXPEDITION CRUISE
TRIP DESCRIPTION
Visit several distinct Arctic regions on this voyage aboard the Ocean Endeavour in this 17-day journey. You will discover an abundance of arctic wildlife, pass by massive Icebergs and learn about Inuit culture in this Canadian Signature Experience.
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Start Location: Yellowknife
End Location: Toronto
TOP HIGHLIGHTS
- Sail the Northwest Passage
- Enjoy Birdwatching & Zodiac Cruising
- Visit a Franklin Expedition Historical Site
- Seek Whales, Seabirds, and Polar Bears
- Experience Inuit Culture
- Reach Your Furthest North
- Hike the Tundra
- Take a Zodiac Cruise Around Towering Icebergs
- Witness Stunning Glaciers, Islands, and Fjords
- Cross the Arctic Circle
ITINERARY
Day 1: Kugluktuk Coppermine
After your charter flight from Yellowknife, NT, you’ll transfer to the Ocean Endeavour by Zodiac.
Begin your journey in Kugluktuk, the westernmost community in Nunavut, located at the mouth of the Coppermine River.
Known for many years as Coppermine, the community reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name—meaning “place of moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996.
Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay), NU is an alternate embarkation point that may be used based on sea, ice, and weather conditions.
Overnight: Kugluktuk (Coppermine)
Meals: Dinner
Day 2-4: Kitikmeot Region
Navigate the ice-strewn waters of this infamous waterway in search of wildlife. Although this is Nunavut’s least-populated region, wildlife abounds here both in the sea and on land.
Listen to the stories shared by locals of Roald Amundsen, who overwintered in the bay for two years while searching for the Northwest Passage. Amundsen became the first European to cross the Northwest Passage, thanks to the knowledge and largesse of Inuit.
Overnight: Kitikmeot Region
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Prince Regent Inlet
Search this area rich in marine and avian life for the thick-billed murres, ivory gulls, beluga, narwhal, and bowhead whales who reside in the ice-strewn waters.Delve deeper into the exploration of the Northwest Passage and the mercantile efforts of the Hudson's Bay Company at intriguing expedition landing sites.
Overnight: Prince Regent Inlet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Beechey Island
Pay your respects at this haunting memorial to Sir John Franklin’s failed expedition.Learn the compelling history of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror’s attempts to sail through the Northwest Passage.Franklin’s crew overwintered at Beechey Island, where three of his men died, and numerous search parties later used the spot as a depot and rendezvous. Thomas Morgan of the HMS Investigator was buried here in 1854 alongside Franklin’s men.Visit their graves and the ruins of nearby Northumberland House while contemplating the poignant history.
Overnight: Beechey Island
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7-8: Tallurutiup Imanga
Spend two fun-filled days exploring Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound), one of Canada's newest National Marine Conservation Areas.Cruise by ship and by Zodiac in search of narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales that transit and feed in this area.Admire Devon Island’s unique geological character, with its flat-topped mountains, glacial valleys, and substantial ice cap. At the northern edge of Tallurutiup Imanga, it’s the largest uninhabited island on Earth at over 50,000 square kilometres.Hike the tundra, cruise a glacier face, and keep your eyes peeled for polar bears and other wildlife from ship and from shore.Visit archaeological sites with expert interpretation to learn about the human history of Inuit and their ancestors who once lived on this now-abandoned island.Then catch a glimpse of more recent history when you visit the remains of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Hudson's Bay Company site at Dundas Harbour.
Overnight: Tallurutiup Imanga
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Ausuittuq
Feel welcomed into Ausuittuq, where you will have a chance to meet members of the community, learn about their way of life, and hear their stories.The hamlet, whose name means “place that never thaws,” sits 1,150 kilometres above the Arctic Circle.Learn about the significance of the origin of Canada’s northernmost community; during the Cold War in 1953, Inuit from Inukjuak, Québec and Mittimatalik were relocated under false pretences by the Canadian government with the aim of asserting Canadian sovereignty.Be sure to talk a walk up to the touching sculpture memorializing the community’s history.
Overnight: Ausuittuq
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10-11: Smith Sound
Break your personal record of latitude in Smith Sound, an ancient Inuit travel route that divides Ellesmere Island from Greenland.Learn the stories of Adolphus Greely, Sir George Nares, Elisha Kent Kane, and other explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole, who travelled these waters with varying degrees of success.
Overnight: Smith Sound
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: At Sea
Deepen your understanding of the Arctic as we steam towards Greenland.Enjoy workshops and presentations, watch a documentary, and get out on deck with your binoculars to look for whales, seabirds, and marine wildlife.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13-14: Northwest Greenland
Choose the activity you like best during an expedition landing on Greenland’s stunning northwest coast.Whether you prefer hiking, walking, photography, or sitting contemplatively, you’ll be delighted!Admire the glaciers and icebergs that abound here, as we seek opportunities to hike, Zodiac cruise, explore, and view wildlife as conditions allow.
Overnight: Northwest Greenland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Ilulissat
Visit the town of Ilulissat, with splendid museums, cafés, craft shops, and a busy fishing harbour.View the icebergs from shore on a hike along the boardwalk at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, then board a Zodiac to cruise your way among them!Ilulissat translates literally to “iceberg”—an apt name for this site at the mouth of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, a source of many of the icebergs in the North Atlantic.
Overnight: Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16: Itilleq Fjord
Explore the west Greenland coastline, a rich mixture of islands and complex coastal waterways.The tundra foliage will be in gorgeous colour during your visit in the Arctic autumn.Enjoy one last expedition landing here to explore the landscape of wild Greenland.
Overnight: Itilleq
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Complete your journey up Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord), a 190-kilometre-long fjord surrounded by mountains and glaciers, and cross the Arctic Circle one last time on your way.Kangerlussuaq, the settlement at the head of the fjord, is a former US Air Force base and Greenland’s primary flight hub.Transfer by Zodiac to shore, then ride to the airport by bus for your charter flight to Toronto, ON.
Meals: Breakfast
DATES & PRICES
We accept 
Interested in this trip? Contact Us for 2025 dates and prices
Applicable taxes vary depending on travel destination and are not included. Please ask your sales agent what extra taxes will be payable for your tour.
WHY CHOOSE ANDERSON VACATIONS?
Anderson Vacations
Other Companies
Small Group Tours
Travel with a limited number of participants for a personalized journey with a tour leader.Experienced Tour Leaders
Who have gone through intensive vetting and training.(But most contract their tour leaders from Anderson Vacations.)
Canadian Travel Experts
With at least 30 years of experience.Min. 95% Satisfaction Rate
From past guests.Travel to unique places, visit more attractions each day.
Without the distractions of tipping.Activities and excursions included as part of the tour.
(Not as add-ons.)Sustainability
Planting one tree for every passenger that travels with us.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Passage aboard the Ocean Endeavour
- Applicable taxes and credit card fees
- Complimentary expedition jacket
- Contribution to Adventure Canada’s Discovery Fund
- Special access permits, entry, and park fees
- Expert expedition team
- Guided activities
- Sightseeing and community visits
- All Zodiac excursions
- Port fees
- Pre-departure materials
- Educational program
- Photo Equipment Trial Program
- Interactive workshops
- Evening entertainment
- All shipboard meals
EXCLUSIONS
- Charter flights - Charter flights are available at additional cost
- Program enhancements/optional excursions
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Possible fuel surcharges
- Pre/post accommodation
- Mandatory medical evacuation insurance
- Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes
Can't find what you're looking for?
Our specialists can take away the stress and create a custom trip tailored to your exact interests and budget.
Get A Custom Quote
OR CALL
1.866.814.7378
Custom Trip Plans
You can see what you want, when you want, how you want.
Unique Experiences
Experiences that help you take in the region in a different way.
Freedom To Explore
Time to take in each place with only the tours you want to do.
Tour Questions
What is the maximum number of travellers in a group?
Anderson Vacations specializes in Small Group Fully Escorted tours. If the tour is classified as a ‘Classic Tour’ up to 24 persons may join the tour although tours commonly travel with anywhere between 18 to 24 travellers. If the tour is classified as a 'Tour of Distinction’ only up to 18 persons may join the tour and many 'Tours of Distinction' travel with 12 to 18 travellers.
What are Guaranteed Departures?
After dreaming about travel to an exciting destination, arranging for time off work, booking your flights the last thing you need is for your trip to be cancelled. Anderson vacation's pre-Guaranteed tours take the uncertainty away from planning your travel and give you peace of mind to book our tours. Pre-Guaranteed Tours are group tours that we have already confirmed as certain to travel on the specified date. All 'Guaranteed Tours' will travel except in the event of a natural disaster or a catastrophic event that is beyond our control. They may already have the minimum number of people booked or else are tours that are known to be popular. Only select departures of tours are 'pre-Guaranteed'.
What happens if I book on a tour that is not Guaranteed?
We pride ourselves on providing “a small shared group experience.” In the event that we have fewer than ten participants on a tour we will offer a “small-group surcharge” to ensure that the tour runs as scheduled. This fee, which is up to 15% of the “land” portion of the tour, will be offered to you as an option to continue with the trip. This fee will cover the costs associated with handling a smaller group.
What is the average age of passengers for this tour?
Our tours are suitable for all age demographics. The average age of travelers is typically 45+.
How physically demanding is this tour? Are you able to accommodate people with mobility restrictions/limitations?
Some tours are mainly coach based and may not be physically demanding while others may require walking inclines or on rough surfaces to access interesting locations. Please check with us and your booking agent carefully and discuss your mobility restrictions before completing any tour booking to ensure this style of travel is right for you.
Can you accommodate passengers with dietary restrictions (food allergies, vegan, vegetarian etc.)?
Yes, we do accommodate dietary restrictions (within reason) such as, food allergies, vegan, vegetarian, etc. There are many meals included on our fully escorted tours. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions at the time of booking so we can ensure there are alternative meal choices.
Booking & Flight Questions
Do you arrange airport transfers?
Yes, we can assist you with airport transfers for you in most locations at a reasonable extra cost. Several tours have airport transfers already included. Please contact us for more details.
Can you assist with booking additional accommodation?
Yes, we can certainly assist with booking additional nights of hotel accommodation for you before and after your fully escorted tour. This is available upon request and subject to availability. Please inquire for further information and prices.
How much luggage should I bring?
Each passenger may bring one large suitcase and one carry-on bag. The weight limit for baggage is 20 kilograms or about 40 pounds. Baggage handling is provided at the hotels in our tour packages but there may be places where you will be required to wheel in your bags for quicker access. Be sure to advise our reservations staff if you will be bringing additional items such as a cane, walker, or wheelchair. You may also bring one small soft-sided carry-on bag, which should easily fit into the overhead shelf of a coach. Each person is responsible for his/her own carryon luggage. Remember to check your airline baggage restrictions if you are flying, as they may differ from Anderson Vacations guidelines.
I am a solo traveller. Is there a single surcharge?
There are options for single travelers to join most tours. Solo travellers can choose to pay a Single Supplement and have their own room throughout the tour. For those willing to share with a co-traveller of the same gender, we have a Twin Share option that is offered for most tours where you share a hotel room with another same gender traveller. In this case, you will not be charged for Single Supplement.
Is it possible to book a triple share accommodation?
Yes, it is possible to book triple share accommodations on select trips. Please inquire or contact us regarding this option, as prices and availability vary from tour to tour.
Can we book this tour with our exclusive group?
Yes, you can! Anderson Vacations works with many private groups and helps to customize a tour to traveller’s needs. Please contact us for more details.
Are gratuities included in the tour cost?
For convenience, gratuities for local guides and meals that are specified in the itinerary are included in the tour price. For meals not included in your tour package please remember that it is customary to tip your server 10-20% in North America. Gratuities for your Coach Driver (where appropriate) and Tour Director are entirely at your discretion. We recommend about CDN $5.00 per person, per day, for your Driver and CDN$7.00 per person, per day for your Tour Leader.
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Over 25 years offering custom trips and small group tours.
INQUIRE ABOUT THIS TRIP
OR CALL
1.866.814.7378
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Tour Code
ACOP
17 Day Out of the Northwest Passage Expedition Cruise
17 days
Created On: 18 Sep 2024
Highlights
- Sail the Northwest Passage
- Enjoy Birdwatching & Zodiac Cruising
- Visit a Franklin Expedition Historical Site
- Seek Whales, Seabirds, and Polar Bears
- Experience Inuit Culture
- Reach Your Furthest North
- Hike the Tundra
- Take a Zodiac Cruise Around Towering Icebergs
- Witness Stunning Glaciers, Islands, and Fjords
- Cross the Arctic Circle
Inclusions
- Passage aboard the Ocean Endeavour
- Applicable taxes and credit card fees
- Complimentary expedition jacket
- Contribution to Adventure Canada’s Discovery Fund
- Special access permits, entry, and park fees
- Expert expedition team
- Guided activities
- Sightseeing and community visits
- All Zodiac excursions
- Port fees
- Pre-departure materials
- Educational program
- Photo Equipment Trial Program
- Interactive workshops
- Evening entertainment
- All shipboard meals
Exclusions
- Charter flights - Charter flights are available at additional cost
- Program enhancements/optional excursions
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Possible fuel surcharges
- Pre/post accommodation
- Mandatory medical evacuation insurance
- Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes
Itinerary
Day 1: Kugluktuk Coppermine
After your charter flight from Yellowknife, NT, you’ll transfer to the Ocean Endeavour by Zodiac.
Begin your journey in Kugluktuk, the westernmost community in Nunavut, located at the mouth of the Coppermine River.
Known for many years as Coppermine, the community reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name—meaning “place of moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996.
Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay), NU is an alternate embarkation point that may be used based on sea, ice, and weather conditions.
Overnight: Kugluktuk (Coppermine)
Meals: Dinner
Day 2-4: Kitikmeot Region
Navigate the ice-strewn waters of this infamous waterway in search of wildlife. Although this is Nunavut’s least-populated region, wildlife abounds here both in the sea and on land.
Listen to the stories shared by locals of Roald Amundsen, who overwintered in the bay for two years while searching for the Northwest Passage. Amundsen became the first European to cross the Northwest Passage, thanks to the knowledge and largesse of Inuit.
Overnight: Kitikmeot Region
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Prince Regent Inlet
Search this area rich in marine and avian life for the thick-billed murres, ivory gulls, beluga, narwhal, and bowhead whales who reside in the ice-strewn waters.Delve deeper into the exploration of the Northwest Passage and the mercantile efforts of the Hudson's Bay Company at intriguing expedition landing sites.
Overnight: Prince Regent Inlet
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6: Beechey Island
Pay your respects at this haunting memorial to Sir John Franklin’s failed expedition.Learn the compelling history of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror’s attempts to sail through the Northwest Passage.Franklin’s crew overwintered at Beechey Island, where three of his men died, and numerous search parties later used the spot as a depot and rendezvous. Thomas Morgan of the HMS Investigator was buried here in 1854 alongside Franklin’s men.Visit their graves and the ruins of nearby Northumberland House while contemplating the poignant history.
Overnight: Beechey Island
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7-8: Tallurutiup Imanga
Spend two fun-filled days exploring Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound), one of Canada's newest National Marine Conservation Areas.Cruise by ship and by Zodiac in search of narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales that transit and feed in this area.Admire Devon Island’s unique geological character, with its flat-topped mountains, glacial valleys, and substantial ice cap. At the northern edge of Tallurutiup Imanga, it’s the largest uninhabited island on Earth at over 50,000 square kilometres.Hike the tundra, cruise a glacier face, and keep your eyes peeled for polar bears and other wildlife from ship and from shore.Visit archaeological sites with expert interpretation to learn about the human history of Inuit and their ancestors who once lived on this now-abandoned island.Then catch a glimpse of more recent history when you visit the remains of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Hudson's Bay Company site at Dundas Harbour.
Overnight: Tallurutiup Imanga
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9: Ausuittuq
Feel welcomed into Ausuittuq, where you will have a chance to meet members of the community, learn about their way of life, and hear their stories.The hamlet, whose name means “place that never thaws,” sits 1,150 kilometres above the Arctic Circle.Learn about the significance of the origin of Canada’s northernmost community; during the Cold War in 1953, Inuit from Inukjuak, Québec and Mittimatalik were relocated under false pretences by the Canadian government with the aim of asserting Canadian sovereignty.Be sure to talk a walk up to the touching sculpture memorializing the community’s history.
Overnight: Ausuittuq
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10-11: Smith Sound
Break your personal record of latitude in Smith Sound, an ancient Inuit travel route that divides Ellesmere Island from Greenland.Learn the stories of Adolphus Greely, Sir George Nares, Elisha Kent Kane, and other explorers and adventurers searching for the North Pole, who travelled these waters with varying degrees of success.
Overnight: Smith Sound
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: At Sea
Deepen your understanding of the Arctic as we steam towards Greenland.Enjoy workshops and presentations, watch a documentary, and get out on deck with your binoculars to look for whales, seabirds, and marine wildlife.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 13-14: Northwest Greenland
Choose the activity you like best during an expedition landing on Greenland’s stunning northwest coast.Whether you prefer hiking, walking, photography, or sitting contemplatively, you’ll be delighted!Admire the glaciers and icebergs that abound here, as we seek opportunities to hike, Zodiac cruise, explore, and view wildlife as conditions allow.
Overnight: Northwest Greenland
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 15: Ilulissat
Visit the town of Ilulissat, with splendid museums, cafés, craft shops, and a busy fishing harbour.View the icebergs from shore on a hike along the boardwalk at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, then board a Zodiac to cruise your way among them!Ilulissat translates literally to “iceberg”—an apt name for this site at the mouth of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, a source of many of the icebergs in the North Atlantic.
Overnight: Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 16: Itilleq Fjord
Explore the west Greenland coastline, a rich mixture of islands and complex coastal waterways.The tundra foliage will be in gorgeous colour during your visit in the Arctic autumn.Enjoy one last expedition landing here to explore the landscape of wild Greenland.
Overnight: Itilleq
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 17: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Complete your journey up Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord), a 190-kilometre-long fjord surrounded by mountains and glaciers, and cross the Arctic Circle one last time on your way.Kangerlussuaq, the settlement at the head of the fjord, is a former US Air Force base and Greenland’s primary flight hub.Transfer by Zodiac to shore, then ride to the airport by bus for your charter flight to Toronto, ON.
Meals: Breakfast
