Stretching across the top of the globe and touching eight countries, the Arctic is rife with opportunity for every type of explorer, whether you seek iconic wildlife, epic icescapes, or enriching encounters with cultures of the far North. Here are some highlights from the areas we explore to help you decide which Arctic expedition is the best fit for your interests.
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Norway: Under the midnight sun, photograph epic wildlife such as polar bears, reindeer, walruses, seals, whales, and myriad birds. Cruise and kayak beneath soaring cliffs and tumbling cascades along the Norwegian fjords.
Iceland: Take a Zodiac cruise through a basalt cave, hike the base of a fjord to a thundering waterfall, or stroll sea cliffs aflutter with gannets and puffins. Encounter local culture, tradition, and music.
Greenland: Greenland’s icescapes glitter in a dazzling tableau of iridescent icebergs and calving glaciers that we explore by kayak, Zodiac, and on foot. Go beyond the country’s icy surface to experience cultural encounters in thriving Inuit communities.
Canada: For the explorer who seeks seldom-seen lands, as well as elusive muskoxen, polar bears, walruses, belugas, and narwhals. Further south, along the rocky coasts of the maritime regions, we see a different side of Arctic exploration: traces of the peoples who settled these shorelines. Discover Viking villages, a Moravian mission, and other historical relics in a once-popular landing spot for westward voyagers.
(18) Arctic Itineraries
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NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged. More details.
Circumnavigate the Island of Fire and Ice, from its wealth of wildlife and striking geological formations, to its cultural history steeped in saga and exploration history
Explore a variety of landscapes across the island from lava fields, seismic faults, geothermal springs, and thundering waterfalls
Hike up mountain trails, kayak in protected fjords, bike through remote villages, or take a Zodiac cruise around a seabird colony
New
Arctic Odyssey: Iceland, Greenland, and Canada
Duration
15 days
Aug
From
$18,571
Top Highlights
Circumnavigate the Island of Fire and Ice, from its wealth of wildlife and striking geological formations, to its cultural history steeped in saga and exploration history
Explore a variety of landscapes across the island from lava fields, seismic faults, geothermal springs, and thundering waterfalls
Hike up mountain trails, kayak in protected fjords, bike through remote villages, or take a Zodiac cruise around a seabird colony
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
From
$108,285
Prices are per person
Highlights
Arctic
New
Epic Northwest Passage: Iceland to Japan
Duration
50 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
From
$108,285
Top Highlights
Set sail on an extraordinary 69-day journey across the top of the globe and down to East Asia
Venture into the fabled Northwest Passage and learn the dramatic stories of explorers and adventurers who sought this magnificent, icy frontier
Glide between soaring icebergs at the mouth of Greenland's Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site
Exploring Iceland: Fjords, Waterfalls and Wildlife
Duration
6 days
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
From
$6,645
Top Highlights
Actively explore Iceland’s pristine fjords and mysterious lava fields on daily hikes, Zodiac cruises, and more while accompanied by a dedicated team of naturalists
Delve into the rural history of Iceland at a turf farm or float down one of its glacial rivers in the northern region of Skagafjörður
Discover the rich biodiversity of the remote Westfjords and watch for humpback and minke whales in the surrounding waters
Circumnavigate the Island of Fire and Ice, from its wealth of wildlife and striking geological formations, to its cultural history steeped in saga and exploration history
Explore a variety of landscapes across the island from lava fields, seismic faults, geothermal springs, and thundering waterfalls
Hike up mountain trails, kayak in protected fjords, bike through remote villages, or take a Zodiac cruise around a seabird colony
Venture into the dramatic high Arctic islands, up to the ice edge and learn dramatic stories of explorers and adventurers who sought this remarkable, icy frontier
Glide between soaring icebergs at the mouth of Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site
Explore Ellesmere Island with binoculars at the ready to spot polar bears, walruses, ringed seals, belugas, bowhead whales, and the elusive narwhal
Hike the dramatic Dynjandi Waterfall in Iceland's remote Westfjords peninsula, and visit a farm that produces eiderdown
Delve into Greenlandic culture with visits to Uummannaq and Qilakitsoq to see the archaeological site of the 5,000-year-old mummies and visit the National Museum in Nuuk where they can be viewed
Cruise among the dazzling icebergs calved by the Ilulissat Icefjord and search for whales amid impressive tidewater glaciers in West Greenland
It is a privilege to visit the Arctic, one of the planet’s most interesting places, and to this privilege, National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Explorer, and National Geographic Resolution add the luxury of comfort—a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
Iceland's Volcano: Eruption Updates with Geologist Ralph Lee Hopkins
Director of Expedition Photography Ralph Lee Hopkins spent two weeks obsessively devoted to capturing the mood swings of the world’s newest and most active volcano.
In the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Greenland, the icebergs are so concentrated that they fill the landscape. It’s a stunning combination of ancient and ever-changing: the ice that forms those bergs might be 250,000 years old, but your view will transform every hour as they shift, roll, and jostle towards the ocean.
With enhanced hunting abilities, seemingly white fur (it’s actually clear, but some cool optical tricks make it look white) to camouflage them in their icy environment, and black skin to soak in the sun’s rays, polar bears are the Arctic’s apex predator.
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades. Go with an expedition leader, naturalists, undersea specialist, National Geographic photographer, and more.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Explore the Arctic with a team of naturalists—many of them polar veterans—with a variety of specialties: zoology, biology, ornithology, geology, polar history, and more. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
Discover what lies beneath the waves withan undersea specialist aboard who can dive into the cold waters to shoot video of what lies beneath the waves or deploy an ROV to depths of 1,000 feet to explore never-before-seen regions.
Travel and photograph with a bona fide National Geographic photographer. These top pros are at your side and at your service—providing advice, tips, and slideshows. Access to photographers of this caliber will help you improve your skills and ensure you’ll go home with incredible photos.
Certified Photo Instructor
Every Arctic expedition also offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to help you become a better, more confident photographer—and to help you understand the movements of wildlife so you can create top shots.
Video chroniclers accompany every expedition and shoot vivid HD footage—with no recycled footage ever—to provide you with a professionally edited and completely authentic memento of your expedition. Working during the day and editing into the night, they have your DVD ready for preview prior to—and available to purchase at—disembarkation.
We dropped anchor deep into one of the fingers of Bonavista Bay to explore Terra Nova National Park, Canada’s most eastern parks, whose name is derived from the Latin for Newfoundland. The highly popular park abounds with forested hills, bogs, ponds, and wetlands all inhabited by a plethora of small and large mammals, migratory birds, and of course, plants. Remains of the ancient Appalachian Mountains provide a textbook of geological features, and the accessible seashore offers much for intertidal enthusiasts. In overcast and cool weather, we had the usual offerings of hikes: a casual loop emphasizing plant interpretation, an intermediate hike along the shore and forest, and a strenuous hike through the forest and over innumerable roots designed to challenge foot dexterity and agility. We returned to National Geographic Explorer for lunch, then back to the park for independent exploration and to hear a spirited performance by Rum Ragged, an award-winning Canadian folk music group from Newfoundland and Labrador. The quartet’s use of bouzouki, fiddle, bodhran, banjo, guitar, button accordion, combined with striking harmonies and storytelling, created a truly unique auditory and visual experience. The evening (and voyage) concluded with the traditional captain’s dinner and guest slideshow. Future National Geographic photographers, perhaps?
Today we landed at the much-anticipated L’Anse aux Meadows, the only known Viking settlement in North America. We toured the L’Anse aux Meadows UNESCO World Heritage and Canadian National Historic Site where we were able to see the settlement itself, which has been the focus of archeological excavations since the 1980’s. In the fabulous museum, we watched a short documentary and viewed original artifacts such as a bronze cloak pin, spindle whorl, butternut fragments, wooden barrel, and nails. We wandered along a scenic boardwalk as Parks Canada interpreters provided plentiful information on the site. Afterwards, we visited Norstead, an historic recreation of the Viking settlement, which showed us how the day to day lives of the Vikings may have been – including demonstrations by the blacksmith, knitters, and even had our runes read. After a delicious lunch of either a Viking feast or seafood sampler, we made our way to sunny St. Anthony, to admire the rugged coastal views at Fishing Point before returning to the ship. Onboard, we had a BBQ on the sundeck, followed by a fascinating lecture from our on board naturalist on cod. A beautiful day was had by all, as we made our way towards the end of this stunning journey together.
Our day in Red Bay, Labrador began with the morning sun turning the fog a striking cotton candy pink and ended with a sunset casting the flat ocean a rich ochre. Once a 16th-century Basque whaling hub, Red Bay is now a small community that is as welcoming as it is remote. We explored two museums, one showcasing the archeological discoveries of the Basque whaling history, and the other dedicated to the whales whose precious oil once lit European lanterns. On Saddle Island, we saw the remains of whale-processing sites, and walked along the "Boney Shore," still scattered with centuries-old whale bones. A hike up Tracey Hill rewarded us with breathtaking views of Labrador’s rugged landscape. A highlight was a moving performance by the Sandwich Bay Residential School Drummers, a group formed by senior Inuit women who use traditional drums to soothe the trauma caused by Canada’s infamous residential schools. It was a powerful and moving reminder to not forget the errors of the past while simultaneously offering a path to healing and reconciliation.
It was a beautiful morning at Woody Point, our entrance to Gros Morne National Park. Directly after breakfast we took our Zodiacs ashore, embarked on local school buses, and made a short drive to our hiking destinations. We found ourselves in what looked like a desert, but there is water, warmth, and forests in the distance. We trekked through a geological oddity, the earth inside-out! Hundreds of millions of years ago as huge tectonic plates crashed into each other, some of the earth’s oceanic crust and mantle were pushed up instead of down. The rocks here are heavy and rust covered, full of metals and poor of nutrients. No, this is not a desert, it is a magical alternative reality of strange shapes and colors. Our afternoon was greener, but still rocky, still ancient, still spectacular.
As we returned to Newfoundland, we focused on the geology of this island by exploring the Bay of Islands. It’s a wonderful location to see the uplifted sedimentary layers running from the Appalachians through Newfoundland, all the way to Scotland and Norway from when the continents were one as Pangea. We chose to explore Northern Goose Arm in the Zodiacs with the naturalists explaining the geology and natural history we encountered. We also had a surprise visit from some Vikings (in the form of the hotel team) happy to provide us with hot chocolate to keep us going! In fact, we had lots of treats from the hotel department today, including mussels on the back deck as the sun was setting. But I’m getting ahead of myself. The afternoon was spent cruising through the bay looking at the scenery and listening to Dana Johnston give a presentation on the geology of the region and Hailey Shchepanik on the underwater archeology in preparation for a visit in a couple days’ time.
The Arctic is clearly a place we should seek to better understand and appreciate—for its own sake and for the sake of the world at large.