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    In the Heart of the Northwest Passage

    Highlights

    Set off to discover Baffin Bay all the way to the mythical Northwest Passage during a 20-day expedition cruise. Leaving from Kangerlussuaq, explore the heart of this historic maritime route and set off for an unforgettable stay among the Arctic’s most beautiful landscapes. You will explore the western coast of Greenland which will welcome you with its majestic icebergs in Disko Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its colourful villages encircled by mountains and basalt formations. Then set sail for the Nunavut province in Northern Canada, to approach the entrance of the Northwest Passage.

    • Explore the Northwest Passage in the wake of the great explorers and meet Inuit communities.
    • Discover the landscapes (glaciers, fjords, majestic icebergs in Disko Bay, etc.) and the wildlife (opportunities to glimpse or observe cetaceans, polar bears, seabirds, etc.).
    • Activities: opportunities for outings and shore visits in a rubber dinghy with naturalist guides, kayaking, etc.

    Map/Itinerary

    Please note: Embarkation takes place in Kangerlussuaq or Nuuk, depending on the selected departure date. The itinerary is subject to weather, sea and ice conditions, as well as the Captain’s discretion, and may be modified to ensure the safety of passengers and crew.

    Day 1Embarkation day - Paris/Nuuk

    • Flight Paris/Nuuk.
      Approximate flight duration: 5 h
    • Meet & greet at the airport by a local English-speaking representative.
    • Transfer to the pier for embarkation.

    We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure.
    We highly recommend you arrive in Paris the day before this flight.

    Day 2Nooralak

    Located a few kilometres away from the Arctic Circle, the Nooralaq peninsula features raw and untamed beauty. Nature reigns supreme here, with the tundra stretching as far as the eye can see, decked out in various forms of flora and inhabited by Greenland’s emblematic fauna — snow buntings, common ravens, reindeer, musk oxen, and the discreet Arctic fox. The heights of Nooralaq afford sublime panoramas over the Itteleq fjord, whose water reflects the moving skies of the Far North.

    Day 3-4Disko Bay

    Day 5At sea

    Day 6Pond Inlet, Nunavut

    Day 7Philpots Island, Nunavut

    Located off the eastern coast of Devon Island, in Nunavut, Philpots Island is an ideal stop for admiring the raw beauty of the Canadian High Arctic. In this remote place, the retreat of the glaciers has given way to small beaches alternating with majestic ice fronts, which you may see from the inflatable dinghies if conditions allow. The site is also a refuge for polar bears, which you may spot in the distance, while drifting icebergs provide resting places for seals and birds.

    Day 8-9Devon Island, Nunavut

    Located in Baffin Bay, Devon Island is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Robert Bylot and William Baffin were the first Europeans to sight Devon Island in 1616 but it would only be mapped two centuries later by the British sailor William E. Parry, who named it after the eponymous English region. Around 1920, the Hudson’s Bay Company set up a fur-trading outpost there, until the departure of the Inuits in 1936. A new attempt to populate it was made at the beginning of the 1950s. Only a few buildings in ruins, vestiges of that time, remain today. In the heart of these Far North landscapes, keep your eyes peeled for the Arctic wildlife that populates these shores, including the Lord of the Kingdom, the polar bear, that you may be lucky enough to spot. 

    Day 10Somerset Island, Nunavut

    The Canadian Arctic Circle is home to one of the planet’s best preserved natural sanctuaries: Somerset Island. This immaculate northern desert is renowned for its phenomenal landscapes, its midnight sun and its huge tundra, where musk oxen roam. Covering 24,786 square kilometres (15,400 square miles), it is the Arctic archipelago’s ninth-largest island. Vegetation is rare except in some hollows and lowlands, where Peary caribou are common.

    Day 11 Bellot Strait

    Day 11-12Prince of Wales Island, Nunavut

    Nestling in the wild reaches of the Canadian Arctic, Prince of Wales Island, in Canada’s Nunavut, offers a gateway to untamed nature of striking beauty. Looking out over the Arctic tundra, with its permafrost and low-lying mosses, surrender to the majesty of these vast open spaces and keep a watchful eye. In this boundless wilderness, life can appear where it is least expected. Polar bears, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, belugas and a multitude of migratory birds, such as snowy owls, Arctic terns and eiders, inhabit this harsh yet fascinating territory.

    Day 12Prescott Island, Nunavut

    Day 13Sailing in the Lancaster Sound

    Between Devon Island and Baffin Island, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Lancaster Sound forms part of the Northwest Passage, a shipping route crossing the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, along the northern coast of North America. Coveted for almost 300 years, it saw several expeditions including the fatal one led by John Franklin, seen for the last time near Lancaster Sound in August 1845. Many colonies of cetaceans, polar bears and seabirds have taken up residence in or near these nourishing waters at the confluence of the currents. Situated in Inuit territory, the Sound is the subject of plans to create a marine conservation area intended to protect this rich ecosystem and its inhabitants.

    Day 14Beechey Island & Devon Island, Nunavut

    Beechey Island, at the eastern end of Resolute Bay, will call to mind some of the most important moments of Franklin’s expedition. Sir John set off in 1845 in search of the mythical Northwest Passage and was forced to take shelter in Erebus Harbour for two long years, while he waited for the ice floes to recede and allow him a way through. It is a spectacular location; seeing the three wooden grave markers, bleached by the sun (indicating the burial places of at least three of Captain Franklin’s men) and visiting the memorial that has been erected in memory of Franklin and his men can only reinforce the hushed sense of reverence. If the surrounding wilderness impresses us, the ochre and yellows of the rocky desert soften the landscape.

    Located in Baffin Bay, Devon Island is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Robert Bylot and William Baffin were the first Europeans to sight Devon Island in 1616 but it would only be mapped two centuries later by the British sailor William E. Parry, who named it after the eponymous English region. Around 1920, the Hudson’s Bay Company set up a fur-trading outpost there, until the departure of the Inuits in 1936. A new attempt to populate it was made at the beginning of the 1950s. Only a few buildings in ruins, vestiges of that time, remain today. In the heart of these Far North landscapes, keep your eyes peeled for the Arctic wildlife that populates these shores, including the Lord of the Kingdom, the polar bear, that you may be lucky enough to spot.

    Day 15-16At sea

    Day 17Svartenhavn

    Nestled at the heart of a silent fjord, the small bay of Svartenhavn opens onto a wild Arctic landscape where rocky hills dotted with tundra meet calm waters. As you walk across this unspoilt land, you will be captivated by its treasures: a historic hut dating from 1920 and a wide array of wildlife, with the area providing a potential refuge for many species, including wild geese, eider ducks, musk oxen and Arctic foxes.

    Day 18Qeqertarsuaq

    On the southern coast of Disko Island, Qeqertarsuaq is one of just two small villages on this island the size of Corsica. Its isolation makes it an observation post popular among naturalists since the beginning of polar exploration and the set-up, in 1906, of the Arctic Centre research facility. During a zodiac cruise you will have the chance to explore the natural wonders of Greenland, meet its wildlife such as the humpback whale and contemplate the basaltic organ landscapes that offer pure moments of wonder for you. In the heart of this spectacular and fragile nature, enjoy the breath-taking views of the grandiose and varied landscapes of Disko Island and Disko Bay.

    Day 19Evighedsfjorden

    Day 20Disembarkation Day - Nuuk/ Paris

    • Disembarkation
    • Meet and greet at the port by a local English-speaking representative.
    • Transfer to the airport in time for check-in of flight Kangerlussuaq/Paris.
    • Flight Nuuk/Paris.
      Approximate flight duration: 5 h

    We highly recommend you stay one night in Paris after this flight.

    Inclusions/Exclusions

    Inclusions

    • Flight Paris/Kangerlussuaq and Kangerlussuaq/Paris in economy class.
    • Transfers mentioned in the programme. English-speaking assistance
    • Full board from arrival to departure day
    • High-end gastronomy in all restaurants
    • All beverages in restaurants, bars, and minibars. All drinks are included² (a selection of champagnes, wines and spirits, beers, cocktails, water, soft drinks, hot beverages)
    • 24-hour room service
    • Butler service for certain suites
    • Unlimited internet access onboard
    • Evening events, shows, and other entertainment
    • Access to the fitness area and hammam or sauna, depending on the ship
    • All port and security charges

    ²Excluding premium à la carte beverages.

    Exclusions

    • Personal expenses.
    • Any other service not mentioned in the programme.

    Dates & Prices

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    Start: Aug 31, 2026

    End: Sep 19, 2026

    Departure: Paris

    Arrival: Paris

    L’Austral

    Duration: 20 Days

    Show Prices
    From$31,627$23,720

    Start: Aug 28, 2027

    End: Sep 16, 2027

    Departure: Paris

    Arrival: Paris

    L’Austral

    Duration: 20 Days

    Show Prices
    From$31,456$28,310

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