
Canadian Arctic
Why Visit
A wonderland of scenery and wildlife awaits your discovery in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Navigate the waterways that confounded explorers for centuries as you wind through more than 36,000 islands, their deep fjords and stunning bays.
Baffin Island is the largest in the archipelago and the fifth largest island in the world, measuring about 200,000 square miles. Just 20,000 people—most of Inuit descent—call this icy land mass home, many settled in Nunavut’s capital city of Iqaluit. Baffin Island travel offers you a chance to learn firsthand about the culture, traditions and art of the region’s indigenous people.
The archipelago is home to just 19 species of land animals—but what marvelous animals they are! Spot your fill of more than 750,000 caribou in Nunavut province. Photograph the majestic polar bear and his cousin the grizzly bear. Keen photographers will capture the arctic fox, arctic hare, Least weasel and collared lemming—all furry white against the white tundra snows.
In the water, you might catch a glimpse of the otherworldly narwhal. Usually seen in groups of five to ten, this medium-sized toothed whale lives year-round in the Arctic. Also look for orcas, walrus, harp seals and beluga, fin, and bowhead whales. For feathered friends, you’ll find thousands of cliff-dwelling sea birds, snowy owls, peregrine falcons, snow geese and tundra swans.
Although you won’t see a single tree on the tundra, you’ll be awed by the flora that is able to survive there—wildflowers, saxifrage, dwarf shrubs, grasses, mosses, and lichens to name a few. You might be surprised at the geological variety of this northerly region—from 6500-foot mountain peaks to deep fjords, high and low plains, and rich mineral deposits like gold and diamonds!
Easily accessible from North America, this ancient glaciated landscape offers a menagerie of sights and experiences. Get up close with icebergs and glaciers as you marvel at blankets of wildflowers, rare sea creatures, and unique land animals. You’ll be on top of the world with this far-north adventure.
History
For centuries, explorers frequented the Canadian Arctic in search of the fabled Northwest Passage, a trade route that would offer Europeans a shortcut to the Orient. Some of the world’s most famous explorers—Jacques Cartier, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Martin Frobisher, and Captain James Cook—sailed in search of this passage without success, some with disastrous consequences. The harsh conditions, perplexing bays and fjords, and the many islands in the area—over 36,000—made navigation difficult if not impossible at certain times of the year. Though several mariners gained knowledge of the region throughout the centuries, it wasn’t until recent times, in 1906, that Roald Amudsen completed the voyage after a three-year journey. The first single-season transit didn’t occur until nearly 40 years later when Sergeant Henry A. Larsen of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police completed the journey in a schooner in 1944.
Even today, the sea route through the Arctic is just barely possible—over 50,000 icebergs, some 300 feet tall, drift in the waters between Greenland and Baffin Island. However, melting ice due to global climate change has made the route more passable than ever before.
Originally claimed by the British based on the explorations of Sir Martin Frobisher in the 1570s, the Arctic Archipelago today belongs to Canada—though disputes over the waterways between the islands are ongoing. (The United States, for one, believes these should be international waters to promote trade). Hans Island is currently being contested between Canada and Denmark.
Archeological evidence suggests these lands have been inhabited by Inuit and their predecessors for most of the past 4000 years. Evidence also tells of contact between the islands and the Vikings who lived in Greenland during the middle ages. Today the population of the Canadian Arctic is largely Inuit descendents who live in small coastal communities, as well as non-Inuit government and military personnel.
Baffin Island is the largest island in the archipelago and the fifth largest island in the world. It is home to Admiralty Inlet, one of the world’s largest fjords. Baffin Island cruises allow visitors to discover narwhal, walrus, bearded and harp seals, and beluga and bowhead whales in Baffin Bay. Among the millions of nesting birds on the island are thick-billed murres, kittiwakes and fulmars. More than two million migratory birds nest on Baffin Island in the summer. Humans are far outnumbered by animals—only about 20,000 people inhabit this 200,000 square mile area.
The 19 species of land animals found in the Canadian Arctic include the Peary caribou—smaller and lighter than its barren-ground cousin—musk ox, arctic fox, wolf, lemming, arctic hare, polar bears and grizzly bears.
Historically, the archipelago’s population was sustained by the harvesting traditions of the Inuit. Today the economy continues to build on these traditions, sustaining itself with mining, fisheries, tourism and cultural industries like soapstone sculpting, fine art and fabric art. Canadian Arctic cruises and Baffin Island tours offer intrepid travelers a firsthand experience of this unique top-of-the-world destination.
Photos: © WOLFGANG KAEHLER
How to Choose a Trip
When looking for an adventure to the Arctic, it’s easy to become confused by the many different options. Several factors come into play when you’re selecting a trip and knowing your preferences in each of these areas will help you narrow the field and select the trip that’s just right for you.
When to Travel
Voyages to Svalbard are generally offered from June through early August, with the best time for your chances of seeing polar bears being early in the season while there is still lots of ice.
Iceland, Greenland, and Canadian High Arctic expeditions are typically scheduled from July into September. Later voyages that explore the higher latitudes may give you the chance to see the magical aurora borealis!
Icebreaker trips to the North Pole begin in mid- to late June, and may be offered in early July. The window for travel to the top of the world is short, so there are usually only one or two trips per season.
Polar bear expeditions on Hudson Bay are operated from early October through mid-November. Over the course of the short season, the environment can change quickly. The tundra is generally bare until late October, when the first blanket of snow often arrives. Once the ice has frozen over, polar bears clear out quickly. The exact timing of the first snow and the departure of the bears is very difficult to predict, as weather patterns have changed significantly over the past several years.
Trip Options
The Svalbard Archipelago, also commonly referred to as the Norwegian Arctic or Spitsbergen (after the archipelago’s largest and most populated island), is situated high above the Arctic Circle and is one of the best places in the world to view polar bears out on the ice. Svalbard is easily accessed by daily flights from Oslo to Spitsbergen’s airport in Longyearbyen, where you board your expedition ship. These programs focus predominantly on natural history and wildlife.
Other areas of the Arctic—Iceland, Greenland, and the Canadian High Arctic—have some amazing wildlife and stunning scenery as well. Iceland is a wonderland of geologic activity, and is also easily accessed by flights from North America and Europe. Greenland and the Canadian Arctic are a bit more difficult to reach, but they have an interesting cultural element that adds depth to the experience. Expeditions embarking/disembarking in Greenland or the Canadian Arctic typically generally have charter flights arranged through the shipping companies.
North Pole expeditions generally embark/disembark in Murmansk, and require charter flights from Helsinki.
The land-based polar bear trips are centered in Churchill, a small hamlet in the Canadian province of Manitoba. As polar bears congregate on the shores of Hudson Bay in the fall, waiting for the ice to freeze over so they can return to hunting on the pack ice, there can be a large concentration of bears in the area. These expeditions begin in Winnipeg, which is serviced from several cities in the US and Canada. After spending a night in a comfortable hotel, you fly to Churchill to begin your adventure.
In the vast Arctic region, where there is little infrastructure, the very best way to explore most areas is by expedition ship.
Ship Options
An ice-strengthened vessel with an expert captain and expedition leader will get you into areas that are rarely seen by other travelers. There is a wide range of ships available, and accommodations range from dorm-like research vessels to luxury expedition ships. While some of your wildlife watching will be from the deck of the ship, especially when you’re viewing polar bears, small vessels provide the opportunity to get even closer to the action. Not only will you have the opportunity for Zodiac cruising, and but you’ll also have a chance to go ashore to view the tundra, wildlife, and remnants of human history up close. Hiking is offered in some locations, and select ships offer kayaking and/or snowshoeing opportunities.
To reach the North Pole, you’ll travel on a powerful icebreaker. They tend to be very basic, but they are fascinating and the ship itself is an integral part of your experience. Some Russian icebreakers have a helicopter and/or hot air balloon that can give you a completely different perspective at the top of the world!
On the shores of Hudson Bay, land-based polar bear expeditions can offer an up-close polar bear viewing experience. At night you stay in a simple hotel or train-like lodge on the tundra, but during the day you venture out for game drives in a well-outfitted Polar Rover. Depending on the conditions and the program you choose, dogsledding and flight seeing may be offered.
Let us help you
Let ExpeditionTrips take the guesswork out of selecting your Arctic trip. Our company is a crossroads for information and we can help you select the trip that will offer the kind of experience you are seeking. We’ll help you select the perfect trip for your journey to the dramatic and pristine Arctic!