Arctic Voyages: Enjoy an expedition cruise to the Arctic

Welcome to Arctic Voyages with Discover the World. Our voyage destinations include Greenland, Spitsbergen, Iceland, the Canadian High Arctic and of course, the North Pole itself.

The Arctic encompasses a vast wilderness area of continent, ocean, islands and ice-sheets, lying north of the Arctic Circle. Parts of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, the Spitsbergen archipelago and Siberia all fall within the region, which unlike Antarctica, has been inhabited for thousands of years.
Traces of many former cultures can be seen in the Canadian Arctic and in Greenland, a fascinating heritage of a people who understood perfectly how to thrive in harmony with their harsh environment. Todays Inuit communities maintain strong links with their centuries old traditions, while embracing the conveniences of modern living. They still hunt, trap and fish by dog sledge and kayak, yet snowmobiles, helicopters and satellite phones ensure that life is not as isolated as it once was.

Lacking the survival skills of the Inuit, early explorers struggled to penetrate the Arctic and many lost their lives in the attempt. A map of the region is peppered with names like Bering Strait, Franklin Bay and Amundsen Gulf, which are linked with tales of incredible hardship, heroics and often tragedy.

As the great era of Arctic exploration took off, exploitation of the regions rich wildlife spurred whalers, hunters, trappers and fur traders to travel and even settle there. Unlike the Inuit, whose hunting was largely sustainable, the white mans exploitation was often thoughtless, bringing species like Stellers sea cow to extinction and the Greenland whale to the brink. Remnants of their activities beaches littered with whale bones, rusting blubber ovens and poignant graveyards are regularly visited in Spitsbergen. Todays Arctic travellers can follow in the footsteps of the early explorers on our adventurous cruises, which by using ice-strengthened vessels and polar ice-breakers are able to travel safely in polar seas.

As well as the historical perspective, visitors are drawn by the breathtaking scenery of the region. Much of the land is carved out by massive glaciers, leaving precipitous eroded mountains and deeply scored valleys. Huge ice-caps cover large parts of it, fringed by glaciers that dip into transparent fjords, calving icebergs of all shapes and sizes. Permafrost reaches hundreds of metres in depth and only the top layer of soil melts in the brief summer. Yet with 24 hours of summer daylight and at times surprisingly mild temperatures, moss, lichen and flowering plants survive and thrive.

ARCTIC - WHICH VOYAGE?

The collection of itineraries offered in this brochure, have all been carefully researched to offer the very best of Arctic wildlife and scenery. Our knowledgeable team will be happy to assist and offer advice.

SPITSBERGEN & SVALBARD VOYAGES

Akademik Shokalskiy & Vavilov • Jun-Sep • 11-14 days • Prices from £1,915
These voyages focus on the stunning scenery, history and wildlife of the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago. In early summer the focus is on North Spitsbergen, while later in the season as the ice breaks up, a full circumnavigation is possible offering the best opportunities for spotting polar bear and walrus. Read More >>

GREENLAND VOYAGES

Akademik Shokalskiy • Sep • 14 days • Prices from £2,811
Greenland is a land of epic proportions - the world’s longest fjord, largest national park where musk ox roam and the highest peak north of the Arctic Circle all feature in this magical ice-cloaked land. Explore the wild and rugged east coast of Greenland on a small ship voyage departing from Spitsbergen , or take to an icebreaker on a route exploring the Canadian Arctic and northwest coast.or you can fly to Greenland from Iceland for a land-based tour. Watch out for a potential repeat in August 2009 of our very successful 2008 ‘Greenland Climate & Culture’ tour with naturalist David Hatch, focusing on the stunning west coastal region. Read More >>

CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC VOYAGES

Orlova, Ioffe, Kapitan Khlebnikov • Jul-Aug • 9-19 days • Prices from £3,373
The Canadian Arctic has it all: majestic icebergs, pristine wilderness, the legendary midnight sun, whale watching and polar bears in the wild! Our small ship expeditions use special ice-strengthened vessels or icebreakers to reach areas that are inaccessible to normal cruise ships and offer comfortable cabins and facilities in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Read More >>

ICEBREAKER VOYAGES IN THE ARCTIC

Yamal, Kapitan Khlebnikov • Jun-Aug • 9-19 days • Prices from £3,373
There is nothing quite like experiencing the awesome power of an icebreaker as it forges a brand new course through the frozen oceans of the High Arctic. The ultimate in polar voyaging, these powerful ships open up areas that are otherwise inaccessible, heightening the sense of adventure from the Knowledge that few others have ever journeyed into these icelocked waters. Read More >>

ARCTIC – SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

The summer season between June and September offers the best conditions for exploration by ship as the warmer weather melts the sea ice and the region awakens.

JUNE (late spring and early summer)

The start of the season and the most adventurous time to travel • Midnight sun • Longer hours of daylight for spotting wildlife • Arctic flora blooming

JULY (high summer)

Birds breeding optimising chances of encountering large numbers • Warmest month • Belugas in Hudson Bay

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER (late summer)

Region is most accessible as pack ice has largely broken up (some routes can never be guaranteed) • Light is softer and generally better for photographic purposes

OCTOBER & NOVEMBER (no voyages available)

Polar bears gather near Churchill, Canada awaiting the winter freeze (land-based tours available)

ROUTES OF THE ARCTIC VOYAGES

Please find a map below showing the general routes of the voyages. To open a larger version in pdf format please click here. For a more detailed map of each route please visit the voyage itself.