17 days tour

Northwest Passage (From Toronto To Calgary)

Northwest Passage (From Toronto To Calgary)

This tour includes:

Flights

International flights are not included Charter flights: Toronto-Kangerlussuaq // Cambridge Bay-Calgary

Meals

All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner

Transport

Sightseeing in Kangerlussuaq (time permitting) and transfer to the pier for embarkation on day 2 Transfer from harbour to airport in Cambridge Bay Cruise ship

Accommodation

One nightโ€™s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Toronto on day 1 One nightโ€™s hotel accommodation with breakfast in Calgary on day 16 On-board accommodation during voyage including daily cabin service

Others

All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial consult) Complimentary 3-in-1 polar jacket Comprehensive pre-departure information Port surcharges, permits and landing fees Gratuities for ship crew

Guide

Educational lectures and guiding services from expedition team

Not included:

Others

International or domestic flights, unless specified Transfers not mentioned in the itinerary Airport arrival or departure taxes Passport, visa, reciprocity fees and vaccination charges Travel insurance or emergency evacuation charges Hotels and meals not included in itinerary Optional excursions not included in the itinerary Optional activity surcharges All items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry services, personal clothing, medical expenses, Wi-Fi, email or phone charges

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Northwest Passage (From Toronto To Calgary)

  • Day 1 Day 1: Toronto
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 1: Toronto

       Upon check-in at Westin Toronto Airport Hotel, reception staff will provide you with Aurora Expeditions cabin tags.  Please fill out the luggage tags clearly, showing your name and cabin number to allow us to deliver your luggage to your cabin ahead. At our voyage briefing, enjoy a welcome drink and meet fellow expeditioners, before spending the night in preparation for your charter flight to Kangerlussuaq.

  • Day 2 Day 2: Kangerlussuaq
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 2: Kangerlussuaq

       Board our charter flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to embark the Greg Mortimer. Enjoy a short tour before embarkation in the afternoon. After boarding, there is time to settle into your cabin before our important safety briefings. The voyage out of Sรธndre Strรธmfjord, with its towering mountains on both sides, is magnificent. This evening meet your expedition team and crew at the Captainโ€™s Welcome Dinner. 

  • Day 3 Day 3: Eternity Fjord
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 3: Eternity Fjord

      Evighedsfjorden,  or Eternity Fjord,is one of the more spectacular fjord complexes in west Greenland due to itsforested landscape. Hike through a forested valley, witness hills become towering snow-capped mountains as countless glaciers flow, and streams pour down from sheer cliff walls. Occasionally, the thunderous sound of a calving glacier breaks the silence in a place where you are unlikely to see another soul.

  • Day 4 Day 4: Ilulissat
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 4: Ilulissat

       Known as the โ€˜birthplace of icebergsโ€™, this region produces some of the most dazzling icebergs found anywhere in the Arctic. Hike past the husky sledge dogs to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Icefjord and stand in awe of its immensity. Sermeq Kujalleq, also known as Jakobshavn Glacier, is the most productive glacier โ€“ not only in Greenland but the entire Northern Hemisphere. It produces 20 million tonnes of ice each day, all floating into the Ilulissat Icefjord and Disko Bay. Conditions permitting, enjoy a Zodiac cruise at the mouth of the fjord and kayak through sea ice and icebergs. An optional 90-minute helicopter flight over the icefjord is a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.

  • Day 5 Day 5: Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 5: Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island)

      This compelling island seems to have more in common with Iceland than Greenland. While most of the interior is mountainous and glaciated, its beautiful shorelines boast black sandy beaches, unusual basalt columns, hot springs and dramatic lava formations. On a guided hike, enjoy a diversity of Arctic flora. Zodiac cruise in Disko Bay, a hotspot for marine life including humpback, fin, minke and bowhead whales. The small friendly village has a fascinating historical museum.

  • Day 6 Day 6: At Sea, Qikiqtarjuaq (Baffin Island)
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 6: At Sea, Qikiqtarjuaq (Baffin Island)

      Our team of experts entertain us with informative talks about wildlife, geology and epic tales of early explorers such as Franklin and Amundsen. Reaching the coast of Baffin Island, we may encounter Greenlandโ€™s famous icebergs. Keep watch for humpback, sei, sperm and fin whales, as well as various species of seals such as ring and harp seal.


  • Day 7 Day 7: Isabella Bay, Sillem Island
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 7: Isabella Bay, Sillem Island

      Farther north along the east coast of Baffin Island lies Isabella Bay, an important summer and autumn feeding ground for a large population of bowhead whales. Stacked side-by-side, numerous soaring cliffs of Sam Ford Fjord make for a majestic site as you sail by. One of the most isolated places on the planet, this big-wall playground attracts climbers eager to scale the sheer rock faces that seem to shoot straight out from the sea. In the afternoon, we sail around Sillem Island,  with glacial features on all sides. A slow cruise offers the chance to see many glaciers, discharging cascades as well as a variety of seals and other arctic wildlife.

  • Day 8 Day 8: Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik), Bylot Island
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 8: Pond Inlet (Mittimatalik), Bylot Island

      The picturesque hamlet of Pond Inlet, overlooking Eclipse Sound, is surrounded by scenic mountain ranges andnumerous glaciers and fjords. Travellers come to marvel at the abundant wildlife hoping to see narwhals,  beluga and orca whales, ringed and harp seals, caribou and the occasional polar bear. Explore churches and visit the Natinnak Center to see exhibits showing the culture and history of the local Inuit people. Husky dog pens are near the landing beach.


      In the afternoon, we sail along the coast of nearby Bylot Island. Covered with mountains, icefields, steep cliffs, snowfields and glaciers, Bylot Island provides nesting habitat for large numbers of thick-billed murres and black-legged kittiwakes. A total of 74 distinct species of Arctic birds   thrive on this island. Due to the richness of the wildlife with the beauty and diversity of the landscapes in the area, a large portion of the island was also included in the Sirmilik National Park, established in 2001.

  • Day 9 Day 9: Devon Island, Lancaster Sound
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 9: Devon Island, Lancaster Sound

      At a latitude almost 75ยฐ degrees north, we are now truly in the High Arctic. Here, nutrient-rich waters support an abundance of wildlife, giving the area the moniker โ€˜wildlife super highwayโ€™ of the Arctic. Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on Earth and features stunning geology,  with flat-topped mountains and glacial valleys giving Devon Island its unique character. We may explore Croker Bay or   Maxwell Bay,  both offering great opportunities for Zodiac cruising. Dundas Harbour offers walks on undulating tundra and the area is great for birdwatching. A dilapidated Royal Canadian Mounted Police outpost and remnants of a former Hudsonโ€™s  Bay Company trading postand ancient semi-subterranean Thule dwellings can be found here. In the bay, walruses are often present.

  • Day 10 Day 10: Beechey Island, Lancaster Sound
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 10: Beechey Island, Lancaster Sound

      At the western end of Devon Island lies Beechey Island. Named after Frederick William Beechey, the island has many of Canadaโ€™s most important Arctic relics and is a designated Canadian National Historic Site. Sir John Franklinโ€™ first winter, 1845-46, was spent here during his attempted to sail through the Northwest Passage aboard HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, with perilous results โ€“ the first three of his men died here. Roald Amundsen landed at Beechey Island in 1903, during the first successful voyage to fully transit the Northwest Passage from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

  • Day 11 Day 11-15: Expedition Cruising
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 11-15: Expedition Cruising

      Note: In true expeditionary style, our itinerary for the following days is entirely dependent on unpredictable sea ice. The following are places we hope to visit.


      Prince Leopold Island, Port Leopold 

      On the southern side of Lancaster Sound opposite Beechey Island lie the towering bird cliffs of Prince Leopold Islandโ€” the most important bird sanctuary in the Canadian Arctic, with approximately 500,000 birds nesting pairs here in summer. Ringed seals are often spotted on the sea ice.  Nearby Port Leopold is a historic site where British explorer James Clark Ross wintered in 1848 while searching for the missing Franklin expedition. The ruin of a century old Hudsonโ€™s   Bay trading post can be found there, and polar bear often lurk nearby. The shallow gravel beds attract beluga whales, which come to moult in this part of the Arctic each summer.


      Cunningham Inlet

      On the north coast of Somerset Island, when factors such as weather and whale behaviour align,  you might see the amazing spectacle of hundreds of beluga whales shedding their skin on shallow sandy banks. The local scenery makes for excellent guided walks,  where waterway trails lead to waterfalls and higher ground.


      Coningham Bay

      Across from Victoria Strait,  Coningham Bay lies on the shores   of Prince of Wales Island. This is a polar bear hotspotwhere the majestic creatures come to feast on beluga whales that are often trapped in the rocky shallows at theentrance to the bay. It is not unusual to find the shoreline littered with whale skeletons โ€“ and very healthy-looking polar bears! 


      King William Island 

      In 1859, a Franklin expedition tent camp was discovered at Cape Felix. Remains attributed to the Franklin expedition have been found at 35 different locations on King William Island and on nearby Adelaide Peninsula. South of Cape Felix,  in Victoria Strait, we hope to visit Victory Point and get close to where the HMS Erebus andHMS Terror were abandoned in 1848.

  • Day 12 Day 16: Disembark In Cambridge Bay. Fly To Calgary
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 16: Disembark In Cambridge Bay. Fly To Calgary

      In Cambridge Bay,  a hub of the Canadian Arctic, farewell the crew, expedition team and fellow travellers before a Zodiac shuttle whisks you ashore. Transfer to the airport for a charter flight to Calgary,  where you spend the night at Delta Hotel Calgary Airport. 

  • Day 13 Day 17: Depart Calgary
    • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

      Day 17: Depart Calgary

      Check out of your room and continue your journey.

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Experience Style

Experience Style

Mixed

There will be challenging activities such as hiking, biking, canyoning and trekking, but youโ€™re also going to have other means of transportation and relaxed moments to just chill.

Accomodation level

Accomodation level

Medium

This accommodation includes essential services like a hot shower, electricity, and a nice and comfy bed.

Experience Type

Experience Type

Small Group

Youโ€™ll be accompanied by a small group of travelers just like you.

Physical Rating

Physical Rating

Average

There are several physical activities that last from 2 to 6 hours in easy terrains, low altitude flats, or water experiences. Please ask if youโ€™re not sure this applies to you.

Age range

Age range

Min: 8 / Max: 100

Age range allowed for this experience.

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