Discover the destination
See all Arctic cruises
Brochures can be ordered in print or downloaded in digital format.
Discover the destination
Reaching the North Pole: the dream of many travellers passionate about exploration. But what can be seen during a cruise in the Northwest Passage, the gateway to a still largely unexplored Great North?
Whether in southern Greenland or at the entrance to the Fury and Hecla Strait, the Inuit communities perpetuate their ancient traditions. Skilled sled dog trainers, exceptional hunters, and meticulous artisans, they have managed to embrace the modern world while preserving their culture. Visiting the village of Igloolik, discovered in 1822, in Nunavut, or Kullorsuaq, in western Greenland, allows for special encounters with residents who are happy to share their history and expertise.
Sir John Franklin, William Edward Parry, Roald Amundsen... Many explorers attempted to find the mythical Northwest Passage since the 16th century. Many failed, and numerous concluded that it did not exist. It was ultimately the Norwegian Roald Amundsen who first traversed this territory, previously untouched, during his expedition from 1903 to 1906. Sailing through the Northwest Passage today means delving deeper into the wildest exploration dreams, amid constantly shifting sea ice and endless snowy landscapes.
In the northern part of Banks Island, Aulavik National Park in Canada is considered a polar desert. However, its tundra plains and numerous water points have allowed an extremely rich wildlife to thrive. The park is particularly known for hosting three-quarters of the world's population of muskoxen, around 70,000 individuals. Caribou, foxes, arctic hares, wolves, and lemmings also inhabit the region. No less than 43 bird species roam the park throughout the seasons.
En route to the Northwest Passage, Savissivik is a must-see stop: it is the largest iceberg graveyard in the world. With an average depth of 40 metres, the bay forever traps a large number of these ice behemoths. Of various sizes, with changing colours, the icebergs float like abandoned spectres left to their fate... The sight is hypnotic.
Everywhere snow, and in the middle, a memorial and three wooden steles. And then, the snow again. It is in a surreal setting that Beechey Island welcomes travellers. The silence that reigns there is conducive to contemplation and emotion. It is here that Sir John Franklin took refuge for two years, waiting for the ice to melt, before setting out in search of the Northwest Passage. Many men, including Franklin himself, lost their lives there. The wrecks of his two ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror, were only discovered in 2014 and 2016, in Canada.
Discover the destination
Today, the Northwest Passage (NWP) is within reach of a few privileged modern explorers, who venture into extreme latitudes. Find out some essentials about this mythical place.
A historical and international epic
1497: The Venetian navigator in the service of England, John Cabot, is the first to propose the idea of a route to the East via the far north of Europe. He is commissioned by King Henry VII to discover it. 1539: Hernán Cortés, a leading figure in the Spanish conquest of Central and South America, sends explorer Francisco de Ulloa to the west coast of the United States. De Ulloa concludes that there is an island of California, marking the beginning of a route that could potentially extend much further north. 1576–1747: Several navigators, including Martin Frobisher, Jacques Cartier, Henry Hudson, and Henry Ellis, attempt different routes to discover the passage. Explorations up the Saint Lawrence River – aimed at confirming whether it splits the American continent – and investigations near Greenland fail to lead these adventurers to the fabled destination. 1775: The merchant ship Octavius is found drifting near Greenland, with the frozen bodies of the crew still on board. It had disappeared 13 years earlier, trapped in Arctic ice. It is believed to be the first vessel to have successfully crossed the fabled passage. 1776: British explorer James Cook sets out on an expedition, but upon reaching beyond 70°N and encountering only icebergs, he turns back. 1845–1846: British expeditions led by John Franklin and Robert McClure end in failure, involving forced wintering and many human losses. However, evidence of these expeditions has been found, particularly on King William Island, in the middle of the passage. 1903–1906: Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen becomes the first to successfully navigate the passage from east to west during his Arctic expedition.
Key figures
60 and 74 According to the International Hydrographic Organization, the Northwest Passage is located between latitudes 60 and 74°N, from Cape Chidley to Ellesmere Island passing through Baffin Island, Coburg Island, and Banks Island. 1,400 The length of the shortest maritime route through the passage, from east to west, is 1,400 kilometres. 4,000 The Northwest Passage shortens the current maritime route between Europe and the Far East, which goes through the Suez Canal, by 4,000 kilometres. 800 and 1,900 The Northwest Passage is located approximately 800 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and less than 1,900 kilometres from the North Pole.