At the edge of the High Arctic

Cruise overview

As spring begins to carve a path through the pack ice, set sail aboard Le Commandant Charcot to explore the High Arctic, an icy world where nature sets the pace and where the silence speaks more powerfully than words. In Baffin Bay, journey across a vast expanse of drifting ice where the wildlife is already stirring with the arrival of spring. In Kullorsuaq, and then in Siorapaluk, the last inhabited villages in these remote lands at the ends of the earth, encounters with the Inuit communities, guardians of ancestral traditions, are rare and precious, as though suspended in time. Entering the Nares Strait will immerse you in a world of boundless white, where you can truly feel the extreme isolation of the High Arctic. In this icy realm, Arctic wildlife reveals itself: walruses, narwhals, seabirds, and sometimes polar bears. Continuing this immersion, the entrance to the Kane Basin reveals shifting frozen expanses, a silent theatre where icebergs drift and Arctic life thrives with remarkable intensity.

We are privileged guests in these extreme lands, where we are at the mercy of the weather and the ice conditions. Our commitment to respecting this environment imposes certain rules of conduct upon us. Our navigation, mainly in the fjords, will be determined by the type of ice we come across; as the coastal ice must be preserved, we will take this factor into account from day to day in our itineraries. The sailing program, shore visits, activities and observation of fauna cannot be guaranteed and are subject to weather and ice conditions. These experiences are unique and vary from day to day and for each departure. The Captain and the Expedition Leader will make every effort to ensure that your experience is as rich as possible, while complying with applicable safety rules and AECO regulations.