Quark North Pole Expeditions

13 nights
Departure: 28 August 2006
Ship: Icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov

Explore the High Arctic of Canada and Greenland, a region of towering mountains, glaciers and protected fjords surrounded by dense pack ice. On this unique voyage, made possible only by our polar-class icebreaker, you call at some of the world's northernmost communities and explore 4,000-year-old archaeological sites.

This is the land of the Inuit explored by Sir John Franklin, Robert Peary, Otto Sverdrup and Adolphus Greely. We also keep watch for polar bears, musk ox, Arctic hare and the elusive walrus that inhabit this icy paradise.

Itinerary (to be confirmed)

Day 1 - Ottawa, Canada
	Arrive in Ottawa and transfer independently to the Fairmont Chāteau Laurier for overnight accommodation.
Day 2 - Ottawa to Resolute
	Depart this morning for our flight to Resolute. Located high above the Arctic Circle, Resolute is the only settlement on Cornwallis Island and occupies a strategic position in the Canadian Arctic. Today it serves primarily as the crossroads of Arctic air travel. After a brief tour of the town and tea at the Narwhal Hotel, transfer to the Kapitan Khlebnikov for a late afternoon embarkation. Set sail in the evening.
Day 3 - Lancaster Sound & Baffin Bay
	Sailing along the south coast of Devon Island we follow the route of 19th-century explorers into Lancaster Sound. The region supports significant concentrations of wildlife, including 26 species of seabirds and 11 species of marine mammals. Polar bears and seals may be sighted among the ice floes. Later this morning you reach the southeast coast of Devon Island. Cruise into Dundas Harbour, a short fjord bounded by steep mountains where the Royal Canadian Mounted Police established a now abandoned outpost in the 1920s. Landing by Zodiac, explore the tundra and hope to encounter your first musk ox. Extensive Thule remains along the coast indicate the area has been inhabited for centuries. Continue east through the 'Middle Pack' of Baffin Bay to Greenland. Many early Arctic whalers battled through this notorious gyre of moving ice.
Day 4 - Cape York, North Greenland
	This morning the incredible scenery of Melville Bay will appear on the horizon - the historically important land of the Polar Eskimos. When John Ross came upon these people on August 8, 1819 at Cape York, they were so isolated that they believed themselves the only people in the world. Even today few ships sail this far north along the Greenland coast. You should have the opportunity to see the powerful icebreaker at work in the heavy drift ice that characterizes this region. These are rich waters for harbour seals, polar bears and other marine mammals.
Day 5 - Qaanaaq (Thule)
	Today it is planned to visit Qaanaaq in Murchison Sound, the administrative capital of northern Greenland. The Greenland ice cap tumbles to the shore along the steep fjords and striking red cliffs of this region and huge icebergs drift in the Sound. Many of the 300 Greenlanders who live at Qaanaaq trace their heritage back to Robert Peary and the explorers; these people also enabled Kane, Peary and others to survive and succeed in the far north. You explore the town and see Rasmussen's historic 1910 trading post.
Days 6 to 10 - North-West Greenland & Ellesmere Island
	Sailing north through the ice along the 'American Polar Route', approach Smith Sound. The aim is to land at Pim Island where Adolphus Greeley's men struggled ashore and died at Starvation Camp. Landing is subject to ice and weather conditions. The plan over the next few days is to head further north into Kane Basin and, depending on ice conditions, possibly even further toward Kennedy Channel. Excitement builds as the ship encounters and penetrates the moving ice. However, the infamous Canadian pack ice will determine our chances of success. Ice conditions vary markedly from year to year and day to day, depending on the north winds and currents which tend to drive the heavy multi-year polar pack ice down into the narrow channels between Ellesmere Island and Greenland. In some years this area is completely closed to shipping, even to the powerful icebreaker, so plans will depend on local conditions. The Captain will be the only expert to judge ice conditions for navigation. Chances to see polar bears and walrus will be excellent. A few miles across Smith Sound on the coast of Ellesmere Island you will explore Buchanan Bay where you wander inland to the face of dramatic twin glaciers. a visit to Skraeling Island is also planned - this is an extensive archeological site which has yielded a wealth of artifacts from the Dorset and Thule cultures, some over 4,000 years old. Viking chain mail found here provided new evidence that the Norsemen had in fact made their way further north than anyone had previously imagined.
Day 11 - Coburg Island
	Sailing south, arrive at the entrance to Jones Sound and Coburg Island. Pending permission, a Zodiac cruise is planned along the spectacular seabird cliffs at Coburg Island, recently designated a Wildlife Reserve. An estimated 30,000 pairs of Black-legged Kittiwakes crowd the rocky ledges along with 160,000 pairs of Thick-billed Murres. Most of the murre chicks have already fledged: you will see them diving and feeding in the rich waters along the shore, taking advantage of the summer bonanza. As your voyage continues, keep a lookout for wildlife in the pack along the east coast of Devon Island.
Day 12 - Beechey Island
	At Beechey Island tribute will be paid to Sir John Franklin and the men of the 'Terror' and 'Erebus' who spent the winter of 1845-46 here before they disappeared forever. The tragedy motivated one of the greatest search missions ever known. More than 150 years later, contemplate the graves of the three sailors and the Franklin Memorial erected here.
Day 13 - Resolute to Ottawa
	Disembark the Kapitan Khlebnikov and transfer to the Narwhal Hotel before continuing back on your flight to Ottawa, where you spend the night at the Fairmont Chāteau Laurier.
Day 14 - Ottawa
	After breakfast, continue home independently.

Please note: The actual programme and routing will depend on local ice and weather conditions - which vary unpredictably from season to season, and day to day - unexpected opportunities and our luck with wildlife sightings. This is an expedition into a very little travelled area and no specific itinerary can be guaranteed in advance. Flexibility is the key to a successful and exciting voyage. That is the nature of this adventure. Therefore please read this itinerary as a guide only.

Departure Dates and Prices

Prices are per person for 13 nights and do not include international flights.

Departure Date	Prices per person
28 August 06	£7030

Price Includes:
Voyage as indicated in the itinerary. Flights as indicated in the itinerary. Pre- and post-cruise hotel accommodations in a shared twin room with breakfast as indicated in the itinerary. All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship. All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac and helicopter (as included in group excursions with no specific amount of helicopter time guaranteed). Programme of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff. Transfers and baggage handling between the hotels, airports and ship as indicated in the itinerary. All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme. Comprehensive pre-departure materials and handbook.
Price Excludes:
International flights. Passport and visa expenses. Government arrival and departure taxes. Meals ashore. Supplement for single hotel accommodations. Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance. Excess baggage charges. All items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunication charges, and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided). Any possible helicopter flying time in excess of that offered for the group will be charged at an hourly rate to be announced onboard.