• Antarctica
• Arctic
  • The North Pole
  • Northwest Passage
  • Tanquary Fjord
  • North of 80°
  • Fury and Hecla
  • Spitsbergen & Subarctic Islands
  • Our Vessels
• Latin America
• Galápagos Islands
• Canada's Maritime Islands
• Royal Bhutan
• Bhutan & Sikkim
• Spirit of India
• Ethiopia & Kingdom of Jordan
• Madagascar
• African Safari
• Classic Cruises
• Past Empires
• North Africa
• Australia & Oceania

The North Pole

Itinerary

Day 1-2

Helsinki - Murmansk

Travel over 400 years on the first day. Your expedition starts with a stay in a hotel in Helsinki, Finland. The city was founded in 1550. We've included a charter flight from Helsinki to Murmansk, Russia, where you will board the icebreaker on Day 2.

Day 3

The world's largest icebreaker

Sailing north on the world's largest icebreaker, 50 Years of Victory, relax and explore this icebreaker that took 20 years to build. As you cross the Barents Sea, you'll be engaged by presentations on everything Arctic, from wildlife to history to geology. And of course, you'll have opportunities to view the native seabirds and whales as we sail northward.

Day 4-7

Crushing ice on top of the world

Watching Victory break through the formidable pack ice is a sight you'll never forget. Crashing through ice meters thick with a force reminiscent of a 9.0 earthquake, Victory can sail in conditions that would defeat most other ships. It's awe-inspiring. As you travel, take one of the included flights on our helicopters for a fascinating aerial view of the icebreaker's progress.

Day 8

90° North

This is it. For the rest of your life, you'll remember this moment as clearly as you're standing here today. You’ve joined a rare and select group: those that can truly say they've stood at the top of the world. Reflect on the many adventurers that came before you, giving their lives for the moment you are now experiencing. You'll have time for a hike on the expansive ice; you can literally walk around the world in under a minute.

Day 9-10

Now it's just you and the polar bears

Now it's just you and the polar bears. As Victory sails southward, stand on the deck and survey the expanse of brilliant blue and white ice that stretches hundreds of kilometers in all directions. Keep an eye out for rare Arctic wildlife, particularly near Franz Josef Land, where polar bear sightings are possible.

Day 11-12

A virtually unexplored archipelago

Franz Josef Land is one of the most recently discovered archipelagos in the world. It was only in the late 1800s that this remote and stunning world of flat-topped islands and ice was found, and even today it remains mostly unexplored. There are 191 islands in this naturalist's paradise. Polar bears, walrus, arctic fox, seals and belugas inhabit the region. Vast colonies of seabirds abound in the surrounding waters.

Day 13-16

The journey ends. But the stories have just begun

You'll cross the Barents Sea to Murmansk, where you'll board the included charter flight to Helsinki. At last you can cross the North Pole off your 'things to do in my lifetime' list. You'll be glad you did.

The itinerary descriptions reflect the plans for this expedition and should be read as general guides only. These are expeditions to remote and rarely visited regions of the world, and flexibility is required. Our exact program will vary based on local weather and ice conditions, availability of local permissions, and government orders.