The Northwest Passage

HIGHLIGHTS

• Crossing the Northwest Passage to discover the most remote places and most emblematic waterways of this legendary maritime zone, accessible only thanks to Le Commandant Charcot.
• Outings and shore visits in a Zodiac® dinghy or hovercraft with an reinforced team of naturalist-guides.
• Visit of a traditional Inuit village at the entrance to the Fury and Hecla Strait.
• Discovery of the Aulavik National Park, renowned for the largest concentration of musk oxen in the world.
• Landscapes: vast expanses of ice floe, myriads of “jagged” islands, blue-toned glaciers, mountain chains, expanses of tundra, vertiginous walls.
• Fauna: Arctic foxes, sea birds, narwhals, belugas, walruses and the possibility of seeing polar bears.
• Our experts are fine-tuning your programme of activities, find out more very soon.

ITINERARY

11 SEPTEMBER 2023 - REYKJAVÍK

Embarkation 11/09/2023 from 19:30 to 20:30
Departure 11/09/2023 at 21:30

Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.

12 SEPTEMBER 2023 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT

Arrival 12/09/2023
Departure 12/09/2023

Spend exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

13 SEPTEMBER 2023  14 SEPTEMBER 2023 - SOUTHERN COAST OF GREENLAND

Arrival 13/09/2023
Departure 14/09/2023

Set sail in the traces of the Norwegian explorer Erik Le Rouge by travelling along the south coast of Greenland. Your ship will head deep into the longest network of fjords in the region, the Prins Christian Sund. This sumptuous natural canal, surrounded by craggy mountains and impressive glaciers will offer you stunning landscapes.

15 SEPTEMBER 2023  16 SEPTEMBER 2023 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT

Arrival 15/09/2023
Departure 16/09/2023

Spend exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

17 SEPTEMBER 2023  19 SEPTEMBER 2023 - HUDSON STRAIT

Arrival 17/09/2023
Departure 19/09/2023

Linking Hudson Bay, the second largest bay in the world, to the Atlantic Ocean, the Hudson Strait was identified for the first time by the Venetian explorer Sebastian Cabot in 1517. However, it wasn’t until 1660 that the English sailor Henry Hudson explored this maritime passage as far as the bay. Offering privileged access to the centre of Canada, in the 18th Century the Hudson Strait became a commercial route, notably used for fur trading. Some 800 km in length and congested with ice for most of the year, it will offer you a truly unique sailing experience.

20 SEPTEMBER 2023  21 SEPTEMBER 2023 - FOXE BASIN

Arrival 20/09/2023
Departure 21/09/2023

Named after the 17th-century explorer Luke Fox, who was the first to reach it, Foxe Basin marks the entry of the mythical Northwest Passage, much coveted since the 15th century and first crossed from one side to the other by Roald Amundsen in 1906. Blocked by ice for much of the year, Foxe Basin is home to the last emerged lands to be discovered in North America, in 1948, during aerial surveys: the Prince Charles, Air Force and Foley Islands. In summer, bowhead whales take up residence here to give birth.

22 SEPTEMBER 2023 - FURY AND HECLA STRAIT

Arrival 22/09/2023
Departure 22/09/2023

At the heart of the Arctic Ocean, set sail in the footsteps of the British explorer W.E. Parris who in 1822, during his desperate quest to find the North West Passage, discovered the Fury and Hecla Strait. The expedition that he led with two Royal Navy vessels, HMS Fury and HMS Hecla, in the hope of crossing the mythical maritime passageway, ended in failure. Trapped in the ice, the two ships were blocked to the north of Foxe Basin, but this allowed them to identify the strait separating the Melville peninsula and Baffin Island. Covered by ice floe for the majority of the year, this narrow stretch of sea is very difficult to access. When you enter the passage, you will have the privilege of visiting the Inuit village of Igloolik.

23 SEPTEMBER 2023  28 SEPTEMBER 2023 - ICE CROSSING OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE

Arrival 23/09/2023
Departure 28/09/2023

At the far north of the American continent, in the most northerly part of the Arctic archipelago, the Northwest Passage is the shortest waterway between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Its crossing has been coveted since the 15th century and Roald Amundsen was the first to do so in 1906. Blocked by thick ice floe for most of the year, to date only a lucky few have managed to sail from one side to the other. The crossing of this little-mapped and little-explored region is a challenge worthy of Le Commandant Charcot, which was designed to sail in extreme environments. Sheltered in its refined and protective setting, you will make the most of this exploration of the ice with the inimitable appeal of the first time: just like the first explorers, you will sail in its channels sculpted by glacial erosion and discover spectacular landscapes, made up of craggy terrain and monumental fjords. You will be able to measure the privilege of undertaking such an exploration in the light of the experience’s rarity.

29 SEPTEMBER 2023  30 SEPTEMBER 2023 - BANKS ISLAND

Arrival 29/09/2023
Departure 30/09/2023

Located in the north of Canadian archipelago of the Northwest Territories, Banks Island, also known as Banks Land offers landscapes that are as sumptuous as they are spectacular. The island, covering some 70,000 km², offers a landscape of hills and valleys as well as sheer cliffs and canyons, a result of the glacial erosion. To the north of the island, the Aulavik National Park is home to a very rich wildlife mainly consisting of Arctic wolves, muskox, caribou, Arctic foxes, lemmings and many varieties of birds.

1 OCTOBER 2023  4 OCTOBER 2023 - SAILING ICE FLOES IN BEAUFORT SEA

Arrival 01/10/2023
Departure 04/10/2023

Bordering the north coasts of Alaska and Canada, the Beaufort Sea was feared for centuries because of its extreme climatic conditions. Covered for most of the year with a thick layer of ice, and unexplored until 1914, this part of the Arctic Ocean, named in honour of the British Admiral Francis Beaufort, will reveal to you its sumptuous icy landscapes. Will a bit of luck, maybe you will cross the path of some Beluga, the region being renowned for hosting many colonies of these white whales.

5 OCTOBER 2023 - NOME, ALASKA

Arrival 05/10/2023 early morning
Disembarkation 05/10/2023 at 07:00

Located along the Bering Strait at the westernmost point of Alaska, Nome offers the rustic charm of a former gold-mining town, set in the middle of magnificent wilderness. As you weave in and out of the brightly coloured houses, you will discover the pioneering legacy that still marks local traditions. Fishing, reindeer rearing, sledge-racing... People here live from their manual labour. The surrounding plains provide stunning vantage points for observing Arctic fauna.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Disembarkation Day - Nome/Seattle

• Disembarkation.
• Meet and greet at the port by our local English-speaking representative.
• Transfer to the airport in time for check-in of flight Nome/Seattle selected by PONANT.
• Flight Nome/Seattle selected by PONANT.
• Approximate flight duration: 5 h 00.
• We highly recommend you stay one night in Seattle after this flight

This programme includes:

• Flight Nome/Seattle selected by PONANT in economy class.
• The transfer mentioned in the programme.
• English-speaking assistance.
• This programme does not include:
• Personal expenses.
• Any other service not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

• The flight included in the programme is as of today, operated in economy class.
• Due to limited local transportation resources, waiting might be generated.
• For passengers in transit in Seattle, we recommend staying one night in Seattle after this flight.
• Programme and flight schedule are subject to change without prior notice.