Ellesmere Island and North Greenland

Gateway to the High Arctic

Your Ellesmere Island and North Greenland adventure begins beneath the Arctic’s golden summer light in Qausuittuq—Inuktitut for “the place with no dawn”—a remote community that stands as a powerful symbol of resilience and renewal.

Surrounded by gravel plains and ancient glacial landscapes, this northern settlement has transformed from a site of Inuit relocation in 1953 to a vital hub for Arctic research and exploration. As you settle in and connect with the land, you’ll begin to understand its deep cultural significance and the enduring spirit of the people who call it home.

In the evening, you’ll embark the Ocean Nova—your expedition vessel and floating basecamp for the journey of a lifetime—ready to sail into one of the most untouched regions on Earth.

The North is calling—and today, you step into its story.

Included Meals

Dinner onboard

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Where Wildlife Reigns Supreme

Today we enter Tallurutiup Imanga, one of the richest Arctic marine sanctuaries on the planet—home to narwhal, bowhead whales, walrus, seals, and soaring seabirds that thrive in pristine, ice-kissed waters.

As our small ship glides past towering cliffs and deep fjords, you’ll feel the immensity of the High Arctic unfold before you, wild and untouched. Stepping ashore on Devon Island—the largest uninhabited island on Earth—you’ll walk where glaciers meet the sea and discover ancient archaeological sites that reflect centuries of Inuit presence, survival, and deep ecological knowledge. This is a day of raw beauty and powerful perspective, where nature leads and we listen.

In this vast sanctuary, you don’t just observe the Arctic—you become part of its story.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Life at the Edge of the Ice

Welcome to Qaanaaq, one of the northernmost communities on Earth and a living testament to Inughuit culture, resilience, and Arctic ingenuity. Set against mountains and drifting sea ice, this remote settlement is a place where ancient traditions—like dog sledding, hunting, and navigation by ice and stars—continue to shape daily life. Here, modern technology and ancestral knowledge coexist in harmony with the rhythms of the land, sea, and migratory animals.

Meeting the people of Qaanaaq offers a profound insight into true Arctic living—rooted in community, shaped by the elements, and guided by a deep, spiritual relationship with the natural world.

This is not just a visit—it’s an invitation into one of the last great living cultures of the Arctic.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Where Continents Nearly Touch

Today, you’ll sail into the legendary Kane Basin, where the coastlines of Ellesmere Island and Greenland nearly touch—creating one of the most breathtaking polar corridors on Earth. Surrounded by towering glaciers and drifting sea ice, this is a place where Arctic light dances across the water and every turn reveals a new moment of wonder.

For thousands of years, Inuit navigators mastered these shifting passages, followed centuries later by explorers seeking a route to the North Pole. Over these two days, you’ll feel that spirit of discovery alive in every floe, every glacial echo, and every moment of silence on the sea.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

A Rare Landing at the Top of the World

Today on our Ellesmere Island and North Greenland small ship expedition, you’ll set foot on Tartupaluk—one of the most remote and rarely visited islands on Earth, located in the Nares Strait between Canada and Greenland. For generations, Inuit moved freely across these waters, using this rocky island as a waypoint in their seasonal journeys.

In recent decades, Tartupaluk gained international attention as Canada and Denmark engaged in a symbolic territorial dispute—ultimately resolved in 2022 through a historic agreement that established joint stewardship and affirmed Inuit sovereignty and mobility rights.

Standing here, with Greenland on one side and Canada on the other, you’ll experience the profound sense of unity, heritage, and shared care that defines the modern Arctic.

Few will ever stand on this island—you are now part of its living story!

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Where Arctic Life Begins

Today you sail through Smith Sound, one of the Arctic’s most dramatic marine channels, where towering ice formations give way to one of the most extraordinary natural wonders on the planet: Sarvarjuaq/Pikialasorsuaq, known as The North Water Polynya or “The Great Upwelling.” This vast, recurring area of open water—surrounded entirely by shifting sea ice—is the largest and most biologically productive polynya in the Arctic. Fueled by nutrient-rich currents, it becomes a life source for whales, seals, and millions of seabirds.

In this breathtaking convergence of ice and open sea, you’ll witness the heartbeat of the Arctic ecosystem—wild, abundant, and profoundly alive.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Canada’s Northernmost Community

Today you arrive in Aujuittuq—Inuktitut for “the place that never thaws”—the northernmost community in Canada, set against a starkly beautiful backdrop of rugged mountains and sweeping Arctic tundra. This remote settlement carries powerful stories of resilience, shaped by historical relocation and a deep, ongoing connection to the land.

As you walk alongside local hosts, you’ll hear firsthand how traditional knowledge of sea ice, seasons, and wildlife continues to guide daily life and sustain the community.

In this extraordinary place at the edge of the world, you’ll witness human ingenuity in its purest form—rooted in culture, grounded in nature, and strengthened by community.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Otherworldly Landscapes at the Edge of Time

Devon Island welcomes you into a vast, elemental world sculpted by glaciers, wind, and the steady passage of time. Broad valleys, exposed ancient rock, and striking geological formations reveal the Earth’s deep history, while bursts of Arctic wildflowers offer vibrant surprises across the tundra.

Along the coastline, subtle traces of Inuit presence remind us that even in the most remote landscapes, human stories and ancestral knowledge endure. With its immense views, profound silence, and raw natural beauty, Devon Island is one of the most atmospheric and awe-inspiring stops of the entire expedition.

This Ellesmere Island and North Greenland small ship expedition explores the Arctic in its purest form—wild, sacred, and deeply humbling.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Echoes of Exploration

Step ashore on Beechey Island, a stark and windswept National Historic Site where the history of Arctic exploration comes vividly to life. Here lie the graves of three members of the ill-fated Franklin expedition, along with another who perished in the search that followed—solemn reminders of the endurance and peril that defined early polar exploration.

Inuit knowledge has been instrumental in uncovering the truth about the expedition’s fate, demonstrating the vital role of Indigenous wisdom in understanding the Arctic. As you walk this quiet shoreline, you’ll feel the weight of history and the enduring connection between exploration, survival, and the land itself.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

A Journey That Stays With You

Your Ellesmere Island and North Greenland small ship expedition has come to an end! This morning, you’ll disembark in Qausuittuq and board your charter flight to Ottawa, watching the vast Arctic landscape unfold beneath you—a world of sea ice, tundra, and stories now forever part of your own. As you fly south, you’ll carry with you more than memories: the light of the High Arctic, the voices of Inuit knowledge keepers, the profound stillness of glacial landscapes, and the connections formed with fellow Wild Women.

Though the voyage ends, its impact endures—expanding your understanding of the world and your place within it. This is not goodbye—it’s the beginning of a deeper relationship with the North.

Included Meals

Breakfast onboard