This itinerary takes you through the Northwest Passage, a sea route connecting the northern Atlantic and Pacific Ocean through the Arctic Ocean. You will visit the West coast of Greenland as well as various islands of the north Canadian archipelago, witness impressive icebergs and glaciers as well as marvel at the wildlife and history.
Norwegian Vikings sailed as far north and west as Ellesmere Island, Skraeling Island and Ruin Island for hunting expeditions and trading with the Inuit. The desire to establish a commercial sea route motivated much of the European exploration of the coasts of North America. The belief that a route lay to the far north persisted for several centuries and led to numerous expeditions into the Arctic. Many ended in disaster, including that by Sir John Franklin in 1845. While searching for him the McClure Arctic Expedition discovered the Northwest Passage in 1850. In 1906, the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen first successfully completed a passage from Greenland to Alaska in the sloop Gjøa.
