Description
A true Arctic adventure camping on the ice in Canada's High Arctic seeking out polar bears, their newborn cubs and the Northern Lights.
Overview
Explore a part of the Arctic which very few people will ever get to experience. Camp in comfortable tents right on the ice, as you move in to the land of the ice bears. This will perhaps be the coldest environment you ever experience with the temperature rarely rising above -20°C, but the pristine white ice, and the opportunity to see polar bears up close with cubs will be one you’ll never forget.
This is a small group, set departure. Perfect for photographers, this is a real adventure into the middle of the High Arctic. Be prepared for very cold temperatures and unpredictable weather, with temperatures usually ranging from -40°C to -20°C (-40° to -4°F).
The hotel in Qikiqtarjuaq may vary depending on availability.
Charter flights from Ottawa to Qikiqtarjuaq are included in the price of the safari.
Please note - we recommend arriving into Ottawa the day before if you are renting a polar clothing package to ensure you can try everything on and make sure it fits. The polar clothing package is available from £450 per person.
What makes this trip extraordinary?
- Watch polar bears roam across the High Arctic.
- Catch sight of newborn cubs accompanying their mothers, having emerged from their dens just a few weeks prior.
- Camp on the ice and watch the Northern Lights illuminate the night sky.
- Learn from Inuit guides and traverse the wild landscapes of the Canadian High Arctic.
- A true Arctic explorer’s safari
Itinerary
Ottawa - Ikaluit - Qikitarjuaq
Today you'll arrive into Ottawa and board your scheduled flight to Qikitarjuaq via Iqaluit. You will be met by your expedition team upon arrival, who will then transfer you to your hotel in time for dinner and a briefing of the trip that lays ahead.
Qikitarjuaq - Tented Safari Camp
After breakfast you will prepare to travel to camp by snowmobile and qamutik (a traditional Inuit sled). During this exciting journey to camp you will get your first glimpse of deep glacial carved fjords, magnificent icebergs and will even get the change to spot some Arctic wildlife. You will arrive into camp before dinner, allowing you to settle into your tents and enjoy a brief tour of the facilities.
Overnight: Tented Safari Camp (B, L, D)
Photographing the Bears
Rise early and transfer to your camp on the sea ice, travelling via snowmobile and qamutik, a type of traditional Inuit sled. Once you've settled into camp, you’ll start your time here with a briefing and overview from your guides. You will get to enjoy full-day explorations of the immense wilderness as Inuit guides bring you out onto the ice to locate, view and photograph magnificent polar bears. Your guides will be on the lookout for mothers and cubs as the young bears explore the wilderness with their mothers, having emerged from their dens just a few weeks earlier. With spectacular pressure ridges that rise up to 10 feet in the air, and pristine white snow as your backdrop, you’ll be sure to take some your best ever photos on this amazing trip. Back at the camp, you’ll enjoy hot lunches and dinners in the large dome tent, which serves as both a kitchen and dining area, as you chat with the other travellers and compare photographs while you warm up! Despite the cold, you’ll be in the High Arctic at the perfect time of year to witness the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) at night, and from the middle of nowhere with no light pollution to spoil the show, you’ll be able to lay back and watch as the lights dance through the night sky.
Overnight: Tented Safari Camp (B, L, D)
Camp - Qikiqtarjuaq
After a hot breakfast, spend the morning capturing a few last memories and photographs while on the sea ice. Return to Qikiqtarjuaq and overnight at the local hotel, joining your fellow adventurers for dinner.
Qikiqtarjuaq - Iqaluit - Ottawa
Fly from Qikiqtarjuaq to Iqaluit, with views of mountain peaks and ancient glaciers. Then from Iqaluit, you will continue to Ottawa. You will then be able to catch your international flight home or spend time exploring Canada's capital, depending on your arrangement
Accommodation
- Arctic Haven Wilderness Lodge
- Arctic Safari Camp
- Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge
- Arviat Polar Bear Cabins
- Dymond Lake Lodge
- Seal River Heritage Lodge
Cancellation Policy
Life is unpredictable and we understand that sometimes you have to cancel or change your trip dates and it is our endeavor to make it as easy as possible for you. However, please understand that we plan everything including guide fees, permits, accommodation, and ration in advance. Therefore, any cancellation means inconvenience and certain losses to the people involved in various stages of the program. Keeping that in mind, our cancellation charges are as below,
- Cancellations prior to 30 days from the start of the event: Full refund as cash.
- Cancellations between 30 days and 15 days to the start of the event: 50 % refund as cash.
- Cancellations less than 15 days to the start of the event: No refund.
- Cancellations will be accepted only by email.
Note: We reserve the right to cancel a program before departure in the event of logistical problems arising due to natural calamities, strikes, wars or any other circumstances that make the event inadvisable. In this case, we will refund 50% of the event fees.
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