Credit: Adventure Canada / Dennis Minty
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Heart of the Arctic Expedition
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Credit: Adventure Canada / Dennis Minty
Credit: Adventure Canada / Michelle Valberg
Canada

Heart of the Arctic Expedition (Tour code: 12354)

Starts and Ends
Toronto to
Ottawa
Travel Periods
02 Aug 27
Travel Style
Ocean Cruising
Take an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime journey into the vast and untamed Canadian High Arctic aboard Adventure Canada’s Ocean Victory, where remote tundra, abundant wildlife, and rich Inuit culture come together in a truly extraordinary expedition.
13 days
From
AUD 18,720
per person, twin share
Travelling with kids? Read more 
All services are subject to availability.

In partnership

Overview

Embark on an unforgettable expedition aboard Adventure Canada’s Ocean Victory, sailing from Nuuk, Greenland, into the wild and remote Canadian High Arctic. This journey takes you through towering fjords, ice-strewn waters, and vast tundra landscapes, with stops in small Inuit communities such as Kimmirut, Kinngait, and Salluit. Along the way, Zodiac excursions and guided shore landings allow for close encounters with Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, walrus, seals, and seabirds, while expert naturalists and Inuit cultural educators bring the region’s history, geology, and traditions to life.

Experience the dramatic coastlines of Baffin Island and the Ungava Peninsula, traverse the ever-changing waters of Davis Strait and Ungava Bay, and witness the raw beauty of glaciers, cliffs, and icebergs. From exploring local art and crafts in Cape Dorset to observing Arctic flora and fauna across untamed landscapes, each day offers a unique adventure shaped by the Arctic’s vastness and unpredictability. The voyage concludes in Iqaluit, leaving you with lasting memories of one of the world’s last great wilderness frontiers.

Inclusions

12 nights onboard the Ocean Victory (Category 1)
All meals onboard the Ocean Victory
Complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks are served with dinner
All Zodiac excursions
Sightseeing and community visits
Guided activities
Expert expedition team
Complimentary expedition jacket
Special access permits, entry, and park fees
Educational program & interactive workshops

Sail Onboard Ocean Endeavour

The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising. Outfitted with twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, multiple lounges, and a top deck observation room, she is purpose-built for passenger experiences in remote environments. The Ocean Endeavour boasts a 1B ice class, enabling her to explore throughout the polar summers. Launched in 1982, she has had numerous upgrades, most recently in 2016.
At 137 metres in length, the Ocean Endeavour has plenty of interior and exterior space. Ample deck space offers comfortable lounge chairs, a swimming pool, two saunas, and a hot tub. The spacious interior allows for varied workshops and presentations to occur simultaneously. The three lounges aboard the Ocean Endeavour are optimal locations for seminars, events, parties, and conversation.

The Cabin Category 5 is located on Deck 5. It features 2 lower berths, picture window with unobstructed view, a private bath, a hair dryer, a bathrobe, towels, a body wash, hair care products, an intercom, a telephone, and a flatscreen television. Approximately 115 square feet.

Onboard Ocean Endeavour
Ocean Endeavour | Credit: Adventure Canada

Day 1 Toronto Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

After your charter flight from Toronto, ON, you’ll transfer to the Ocean Endeavour by Zodiac. Begin your journey by sailing down Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord), a 190-kilometre-long fjord surrounded by mountains and glaciers, and cross the Arctic circle on your way. Kangerlussuaq, the settlement at the head of the fjord, is a former US Air Force base and Greenland’s primary flight hub.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Dinner
Toronto → Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Ocean Endeavour | Credit: Adventure Canada / Michelle Valberg

Day 2 Sisimiut Coast

Colourful Sisimiut is Greenland’s second largest city. Access the extensive museum through a towering whalebone archway and be sure to stop in at the artisan’s co-operative for the chance to purchase outstanding handicrafts. Traditional qajaq (kayaking) is in resurgence here, and there’s plenty of other fun outdoor activities for the adventurous to enjoy.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sisimiut Coast
Greenland | Credit: Adventure Canada / Mike Beedell

Day 3 Ilulissat

Visit the town of Ilulissat, with splendid museums, cafés, craft shops, and a busy fishing harbour. View the icebergs from shore on a hike along the boardwalk at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, then board a Zodiac to cruise your way among them! Ilulissat translates literally to “iceberg”—an apt name for this site at the mouth of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, a source of many of the icebergs in the North Atlantic.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ilulissat
Ilulissat | Credit: Adventure Canada / Andre Gallant

Day 4 Western Greenland

Choose the activity you like best during an expedition landing on Greenland’s stunning west coast. Whether you prefer hiking, walking, photography, or sitting contemplatively, you’ll be delighted! Admire the mighty mountains and the tiniest tundra flowers—a stop in this area will offer many outstanding features to pique your interest. 

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Western Greenland
Credit: Adventure Canada / Dennis Minty

Day 5 Davis Strait

Deepen your understanding of the Arctic as we steam across the Davis Strait towards Nunavut, Canada. Enjoy workshops and presentations, watch a documentary, and get out on deck with your binoculars to look for whales, seabirds, and marine wildlife.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Davis Strait
Karrat Fjord | Credit: Adventure Canada / Andre Gallant

Day 6 Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut

Attend a cultural performance put on by the talented Tununiq Arsarniit Theatre Group, featuring drum dancing, throat singing, and storytelling. Mittimatalik is a busy Arctic community in a beautiful setting—the views of nearby Bylot Island are stunning! Enjoy exploring the town and take the opportunity to purchase unique handcrafted mementos when available, too.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), Nunavut
Credit: Adventure Canada / Sonya Kwiatkowski

Day 7-11 Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound) & Devon Island

Spend five fun-filled days exploring Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound), one of Canada's newest National Marine Conservation Areas. Cruise by ship and by Zodiac in search of narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales that transit and feed in this area.

Admire Devon Island’s unique geological character, with its flat-topped mountains, glacial valleys, and substantial ice cap. At the northern edge of Tallurutiup Imanga, it’s the largest uninhabited island on Earth at over 50,000 square kilometres. Hike the tundra, cruise a glacier face, and keep your eyes peeled for polar bears and other wildlife from ship and from shore.

Visit archaeological sites with expert interpretation to learn about the human history of Inuit and their ancestors who once lived on this now-abandoned island. Then catch a glimpse of more recent history when you visit the remains of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Hudson's Bay Company site at Dundas Harbour.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound) & Devon Island
Polar Bear | Credit: Adventure Canada / Andrew Stewart

Day 12 Beechey Island

Pay your respects at this haunting memorial to Sir John Franklin’s failed expedition. Learn the compelling history of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror’s attempts to sail through the Northwest Passage. Franklin’s crew overwintered at Beechey Island, where three of his men died, and numerous search parties later used the spot as a depot and rendezvous. Thomas Morgan of the HMS Investigator was buried here in 1854 alongside Franklin’s men. Visit their graves and the ruins of nearby Northumberland House while contemplating the poignant history.

Overnight stay onboard the Ocean Endeavour.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Beechey Island
Beechey Island | Credit: Adventure Canada / Dennis Minty

Day 13 Qausuittuq (Resolute), Nunavut Ottawa

Say your goodbyes to the Arctic in Qausuittuq (Resolute). The community’s name, meaning “place with no dawn,” comes from its dark winters, but during your visit at the height of summer, you’ll experience the midnight sun—a time of no darkness. Take in the unique geography and geology here, characterized by shoreline gravel flats, rocky coastal bluffs, and deposits of glacial moraine.

Learn about the significance of the origin of the hamlet; in 1953, Inuit from Inukjuak, Québec and Mittimatalik were relocated under false pretences by the Canadian government with the aim of asserting Canadian sovereignty. Today the community is home to just under 250 people and is an important staging point for High Arctic research, tourism, and military activities. Disembark the Ocean Endeavour and transfer by Zodiac to shore for your charter flight to Ottawa, ON.

Breakfast

Additional information

Official language
French & English
Local currency
Canadian Dollars

Excluded

- Airfares and taxes, unless expressly stated in your holiday package

- Visa costs, including application, processing and issuance fees

- Local city, tourist or accommodation taxes, where applicable, payable locally

- Meals not specifically listed as included, including mandatory festive or special‑event dinners

- Travel insurance and personal expenses, including mini‑bar, laundry, telephone calls and similar incidentals

- Tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, hotel, restaurant or boat staff

- Any other services or expenses not expressly included in the holiday package

- Alcoholic beverages (you may bring your own)

- Program enhancements/optional excursions

- Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes

- Possible fuel surcharges and administrative fees

- Pre and post-trip hotel accommodation

FAQs

Who are Entire Travel Group?

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The Freedom of Choice options are included in the package price, and the price remains the same regardless of the choice you make on each day.

Our Freedom of Choice program offers flexibility, by allowing you to choose from different options on pre-selected days in the itinerary.

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On some Islands Holiday Packages (e.g. Fiji), it is practical to include flights, so where we have done this it is indicated by the plane icon.

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