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.
