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Alberta/Ontario/Greenland

The Legendary Northwest Passage: An Arctic Expedition

Program No. 21408RJ
Set sail for the storied Northwest Passage, the explorers’ Holy Grail that wasn’t discovered until 1906, and witness unbelievable arctic environments on this extraordinary expedition.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Outside
Accommodation Details

A cabin with no window, porthole or balcony.

Accommodation Details

A cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside.

Aug 30 - Sep 18, 2023
SOLD OUT
Ship Inside 20,499
Ship Outside 21,999
Special Offer

No extra cost for single cabins in select categories! Free singles sell out quickly, so be sure to enroll early.

DATES & PRICES

Ship Inside Ship Outside
Accommodation Details

A cabin with no window, porthole or balcony.

Accommodation Details

A cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside.

Aug 30 - Sep 18, 2023
SOLD OUT
Ship Inside 20,499
Ship Outside 21,999
Special Offer

No extra cost for single cabins in select categories! Free singles sell out quickly, so be sure to enroll early.

At a Glance

As long ago as the Age of Discovery, European explorers dreamed of a northern sea route to the Pacific. This “Northwest Passage” would not be successfully transited, though, until the legendary adventurer Roald Amundsen did it between 1903 and 1906 — spending nearly two of those years immobilized by ice. Soon, the long-hoped-for possibility of using the passage as a shipping shortcut may become reality due to climate change. Now is the time to sail this storied route and experience the otherworldly Arctic environment on an expedition aboard an ice-rated small ship.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking and standing for up to three hours per day over hilly, rocky, uneven terrain. Climbing stairs between decks on board as well as external gangway stairs to transfer between the ship and Zodiacs. Most embarkations and disembarkations will be via Zodiac, which require stepping up or down about 12 inches. Zodiac landings will generally entail disembarking onto rocky or gravelly beaches, and in windy weather can make for rather splashy rides.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Visit the "place that never thaws," Canada's Aujuittuq.
  • Sail the Ilulissat Icefjord via zodiac, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the world's fastest-moving glacier.
  • Enhance your knowledge with unique access to Adventure Canada's seasoned onboard staff, each professionals in their fields including culturalists, photographers and naturalists.

General Notes

The itinerary is subject to change based on weather and ice. The program is limited to 24 participants and the ship holds 198 passengers.
Featured Expert
All Experts
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Jocelyn Langford
Jocelyn Langford has been a professional in the travel industry for over 25 years. With a degree in communications and languages, Jocelyn started her career in international business. After obtaining a certificate from the International Tour Management Institute in 1989, Jocelyn continued to travel the world as an independent program manager and director, leading groups by land, sea, and rail. Jocelyn has explored all seven continents. She enjoys the adventure and education found in travel, as well as its impact on fellow travelers.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Jocelyn Langford
Jocelyn Langford View biography
Jocelyn Langford has been a professional in the travel industry for over 25 years. With a degree in communications and languages, Jocelyn started her career in international business. After obtaining a certificate from the International Tour Management Institute in 1989, Jocelyn continued to travel the world as an independent program manager and director, leading groups by land, sea, and rail. Jocelyn has explored all seven continents. She enjoys the adventure and education found in travel, as well as its impact on fellow travelers.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The legend of Kiviuq as retold in the drawings of Nancy Pukirnak Aupaluktug. Preface by Diane Webster
by Nancy Pukirnak Aupaluktuq
Across the Top of the World
by James Delgado
Uqalurait: an Oral History of Nunavut
by John Bennett and Susan Rowley, eds.
Canada's Relationship With Inuit: A History of Policy and Program Development
by Sarah Bonesteel
Inuit: The Story of the Inuit Circumpolar Conference
by Aqqaluk Lynge
Frozen in Time: The Fate of the Franklin Expedition
by John Geiger and Beattie Owen
Our Ice is Vanishing/ Sikuvut Nunquligtuq: A History of Inuit, Newcomers and Climate Change
by Shelley Wright
Arctic Eden
by Jerry Kobalenko
Gossip: a Spoken History of Women in the North
by Mary Crnkovich ed.
Ice Ship: The Epic Voyages of the Polar Adventurer Fram
by Charles W. Johnson
Across Time and Tundra: the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic
by Ishmael Alunik
True North: Peary, Cook, and the Race to the Pole
by Bruce Henderson
Boundless
by Kathleen Winter
Inuit Women Artists: Voices from Cape Dorset
by Odette Leroux, Marion E. Jackson, and Minnie Aodla Freeman
The Future History of the Arctic
by Charles Emmerson
From Magic Words to Word Processing: A History of the Inuit Language
by Louis-Jacques Dorais
In Order to Live Untroubled: Inuit of the Central Arctic, 1550-1940
by Renée Fossett
Northern Voices: Inuit Writing in English
by Penny Petrone ed.
Paper Stays Put: A Collection of Inuit Writing
by Robin Gedalof
The Arctic Sky: Inuit Star Lore, Legend and Astronomy
by John MacDonald
Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik the New York Eskimo
by Kenn Harper
A Naturalist's Guide to the Arctic
by E.C. Pielou
Who Owns the Arctic: Understanding Sovereignty Disputes in the North
by Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre
The Last Imaginary Place
by Robert McGhee
Harpoon of the Hunter
by Markoosie
Race to the Polar Sea: The Heroic Adventures and Romantic Obsessions of Elisha Kent Kane
by Ken McGoogan
Twenty-Five Brave Men: Tales from an Arctic Journey
by James Urness
Inuit Stories: Pvungnituk/Légendes inuit: Povungnituk
by Zebedee Nungak and Eugene Arima, eds.
Tammarniit (Mistakes): Inuit Relocation in the Eastern Arctic, 1939-63
by Frank James Tester
The Last Gentleman Adventurer
by Edward Beauclerk Maurice
The Magnetic North
by Sara Wheeler
Arctic Dreams and Nightmares
by Alootook Ipellie
Eden of the North
by Signe Rink
Fatal Passage: The Untold Story of John Rae, the Arctic Adventurer Who Discovered the Fate of Franklin
by Ken McGoogan
Native peoples of Québec. Michel Noël, Redaction
by Sylvain Harvey ed.
The other side of Eden: hunters, farmers and the shaping of the world
by Hugh Brody
Narwhals: Arctic Whales in a Melting World
by Todd McLeish
Qikaaluktut: Images of Inuit Life
by Ruth Annaqtuusi Tulurialik and David F. Pelly
In the Shadow of the Pole: An Early History of Arctic Expeditions, 1871-1912
by Season Osborne
Inuit: glimpses of an Arctic past
by David Morrison and Georges-Hébert Germain
The Gates of Hell: Sir John Franklin's Tragic Quest for the Northwest Passage
by Andrew Lambert
The Big Thaw: Adventures in the Vanishing Arctic
by Ed Struzik
What We Know about Climate Change
by Kerry Emanuel
The Voyage of the Narwhal
by Andrea Barrett
Inuit Studies Reader: an Intuit Anthology
by Gillian Robinson ed.
The Arctic Grail: The Quest for the North West Passage and the North Pole
by Pierre Berton
Dead Reckoning: the Untold Story of the Northwest Passage
by Ken McGoogan
The Right to Be Cold: One Woman's Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic, and the Whole Planet
by Sheila Watt-Cloutier
Ghosts of Cape Sabine: the Harrowing True Story of the Greely Expedition
by Leonard F. Guttridge
Lady Franklin's Revenge: A True Story of Ambition, Obsession and the Remaking of Arctic History
by Ken McGoogan
Franklin's Lost Ship: The Historic Discovery of HMS Erebus
by John Geiger and Alanna Mitchell
Arctic Dreams
by Barry Lopez
Vikings: the North Atlantic Saga
by William F. Fitzhugh (ed. Ward)
Meals
56 Meals
19 Breakfasts
18 Lunches
19 Dinners
The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Low Fat, Low Salt
Lodging
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Display
Aug 30, 2023 - Sep 18, 2023
  • Aug 30, 2023 - Sep 18, 2023
  • Aug 30, 2023 - Sep 18, 2023 (Yellowknife to Toronto)
2 nights
Yellowknife
At the Explorer Hotel inYellowknife, when you step into the lobby, you will be greeted by the famous polar bear exhibit and stunning views. The hotel is about 10 minutes from the airport and downtown is a less than 5 minute walk.
16 nights
Mississauga
Adventure Canada's Ocean Endeavour is designed for both comfort and practicality. The ship sports twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, and excellent maneuverability so that you can explore remote Arctic environments up close and personal. On the boat, you'll travel in style. Enjoy the views from the top deck observation room, or keep warm in the two saunas and the hot tub. The Ocean Endeavour combines the luxury of a top-notch hotel with access to some of Canada's most secluded wonders.
1 night
Toronto
Conveniently located inside Toronto Pearson International Airport, with direct access to Terminal 3. The UP Express whisks you into the heart of Toronto making it easy to explore the city.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.