NORTHWEST PASSAGE In the Footsteps of Franklin EXPEDITION IN BRIEF The Trip Overview Experience highlights of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Explore colorful Greenlandic Winding your way through the icy channels of the legendary Northwest Passage is villages and shop for traditional Inuit handicrafts like one big history lesson, as you learn about the geopolitical and environmental View iconic arctic wildlife, such as aspects of the route, retracing the steps of legendary British explorer Sir John Franklin whales, walrus and muskoxen and his lost crew. Interact with remote local communities in Canada and Greenland, Hike the colorful tundra reaching waters few have sailed. Hiking and Zodiac excursions deliver intimate Cruise in a Zodiac to get up close to wildlife encounters, dramatic fjords, ancient glaciers and mesmerizing icebergs. glaciers, fjords, icebergs and more For trip inquiries, speak to our Polar Travel Advisers at 1.844.493.5045 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for more details or get a free quote here. canals. Soaring, snow-capped mountains Itinerary surround the small, rocky town, whose name means “the uneven place.” Playful Resolute GREENLAND humpback whales spend summer in the Beechey Island DAY 1 | ARRIVE IN OTTAWA, CANADA waters around here. Dundas Your arctic expedition begins in Ottawa. Fort Ross Harbour The Greenlandic capital of Nuuk is a Explore Canada’s capital city on your Pond Inlet haven for history and culture lovers. TO own before spending the night at your OTTAWA Ban Bay well-appointed hotel. Stroll down to the waterfront to see the Sam Ford Hans Egede Church and Hans Egede Fjord Qikiqtarjuaq ARCTIC Kangerlussuaq DAY 2 | FLY TO KANGERLUSSUAQ, statue, named for the missionary who CIRCLE Ban Pangnirtung GREENLAND, AND EMBARK established the settlement in 1728. Marvel Island After breakfast, board your charter at the famous remains of 500-year-old flight to Kangerlussuaq, a small seaside fully dressed mummies, discovered under Davis Strait community that’s your gateway to a rock outcrop in 1972 by two brothers FROM OTTAWA Greenland. Enjoy your first Zodiac out hunting, at the Greenland National ride as you’re transferred from shore Museum. The Nuuk Art Museum and to ship. Out on deck, take in your new NORTHWEST PASSAGE Katuaq Culture Centre are also worth In the Footsteps of Franklin surroundings before you set sail on your visiting. arctic adventure. Flight to Reykjavik or Ottawa DAY 5 | AT SEA On the Ocean Adventurer DAYS 3 AND 4 | EXPLORING Say goodbye to Greenland’s shores as WEST GREENLAND you traverse the Davis Strait in pursuit Locals call Maniitsoq the Venice of the Canadian Arctic. Presentations by of Greenland, as it’s situated in an on-board experts will prepare you for the archipelago intersected by natural adventures that lie ahead. For trip inquiries, speak to our Polar Travel Advisers at 1.844.493.5045 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for more details or get a free quote here. DAYS 6 TO 15 | EXPLORING At the southern tip of the Cumberland Stacked side by side, the dozens of CANADA’S HIGH ARCTIC Sound, Cape Mercy was named by soaring cliffs of Sam Ford Fjord make Visit towering fjords, historical sites British explorer John Davis (yes, he of for a majestic site as you sail by. One of and traditional Inuit communities as the Davis Strait), who sailed through it the most isolated places on the planet, you follow in the footsteps of famous in 1585. The site of an old Distant Early the big-wall playground attracts climbers explorers from long ago in the Canadian Warning Line installation, it’s an ideal eager to scale the sheer rock faces that High Arctic. spot to go ashore for a hike. shoot straight out of the sea. The picturesque Inuit hamlet of As icebergs travel down the Davis Strait, At the northern tip of Baffin Island, near Pangnirtung, nicknamed the Switzerland they’re naturally trapped at Qikiqtarjuak the eastern entrance to the Northwest of the Arctic, is nestled beneath the (formerly known as Broughton Island), Passage, is the picturesque hamlet of jagged peaks of Mount Duval. An the iceberg capital of the world. The icy Pond Inlet. Spend some time exploring artist’s hub, Pang is renowned for its waters here are sometimes also home this traditional Inuit community that’s traditional Inuit arts and crafts, especially to narwhals, beluga and right whales, surrounded by scenic mountains, fjords, lithographs and intricate tapestries. At and ring and harp seals. A hike up to the glaciers and icebergs. the Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts & Crafts, hilltop inukshuk (a stone figure made by The area around Lancaster Sound affords watch craftspeople in the tapestry studio the Inuit) rewards with spectacular views several hiking opportunities. At Dundas and pick up a limited-edition print. A of the community. must for visitors, a colorful Pang hat will Harbour, on Devon Island, you’ll visit keep you warm during the remainder Cruising farther north along the east an abandoned beachside outpost of the of your arctic voyage. You’ll also visit coast of Baffin Island, we’ll approach Royal Canadian Mounted Police. At nearby Kekerten, an uninhabited island Isabella Bay, an important summer and nearby Croker Bay, cruise in a Zodiac that was a major whaling destination in fall feeding area for a large population of (at a safe distance) along the face of an the 1800s. bowhead whales. actively calving glacier. Your Expedition Team will also keep its eyes peeled IMPORTANT REMINDER Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. For trip inquiries, speak to our Polar Travel Advisers at 1.844.493.5045 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for more details or get a free quote here. for the muskoxen and walrus that are known to visit the bay. A hike to a nearby archaeological site is another possible excursion. Farther west, some of the best ancient Thule remains in the Arctic are at Radstock Bay, beside the soaring Caswell Towers, a polar bear observation site. Exploring the area, you’ll gain insight into how these pre-Inuit people lived. At the western end of Devon Island, the windswept Beechey Island might be small, but it’s steeped in history. Named after famed British explorer Frederick William Beechey, it’s a Canadian National Historic Site. You’ll visit the small marked graves of three crew members who died during Sir John Franklin’s tragic 1845–46 expedition. Roald Amundsen landed here in 1903, during the first successful voyage by ship through the Northwest Passage. Sailing down the east coast of Somerset Island, you may be fortunate to spot beluga whales and narwhals, as they feed on the large numbers of arctic char that enter Creswell Bay in late summer. An Important Bird Area, the bay also attracts such species as black-bellied plovers, king eiders and white-rumped sandpipers. You’ll also have time to explore Fort Ross, where the Hudson’s Bay Company established a now- abandoned trading post in 1937. At the midpoint of the Bellot Strait, a narrow channel that separates Somerset Island from mainland North America, you’ll reach the northernmost area of the continental landmass, Zenith Point. DAY 16 | DISEMBARKATION IN RESOLUTE, CANADA After disembarking in Resolute, you’ll be transferred to your charter flight to Ottawa, where you’ll spend the night at your included hotel. DAY 17 | DEPART OTTAWA Today, make your way to the airport to catch your homeward flights, or spend the day exploring Canada’s capital city. For trip inquiries, speak to our Polar Travel Advisers at 1.844.493.5045 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for more details or get a free quote here. Adventure Options Ready for a little adventure beyond your LECTURES ship? Each Quark Expeditions® voyage Daily chats with on-board experts— offers a variety of fun recreational activities our guides, scientists and other special to enhance your polar experience. guests—let passengers rub shoulders with historians, botanists, ornithologists, Included Activities zoologists, geologists and more. HIKING POLAR PLUNGE Led by experienced staff, exploring on foot This rite of passage, experienced just is the best way to appreciate the landscape, once per expedition, sees you safely communities and shorelines. jumping into icy ocean waters under the watchful eye of our staff—and just about every single camera lens on board! For trip inquiries, speak to our Polar Travel Advisers at 1.844.493.5045 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for more details or get a free quote here. ZODIAC CRUISING Zodiacs are the workhorses of polar expeditions, safely transporting guests to remote shorelines and shallow inlets— places the ships can’t reach. Hopping in and out of them is super-easy. PHOTOGRAPHY Documenting your voyage so you can take the memories home is both rewarding and constructive. Plus, it is next to impossible to take a bad picture of the Polar Regions. OTHER EQUIPMENT ON BOARD Walking poles are provided at each landing for your convenience. This equipment is available at no cost. More information about your Included and Paid Activities, including the necessary experience, physical requirements and cost, is available by contacting your Polar Travel Adviser or your travel professional. For trip inquiries, speak to our Polar Travel Advisers at 1.844.493.5045 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for more details or get a free quote here. Paid Activities SEA KAYAKING Imagine gliding across the surface of a bay in the presence of icebergs and glaciers.