Quebec’s Premier City, overnight

Your adventure starts in Montréal, the largest city in the beautiful province of Quebec, and second most populous city in Canada. Occupying the Island of Montréal and its surrounds, the city is a hub for Canadian history and culture with a modern cosmopolitan feel, brought about by both French and British influences. If you arrange to arrive a few days ahead of your cruise, you will find plenty to appreciate in this lively city. 

French is the first language for most inhabitants of this diverse city; however, English is widely spoken, and visitors are encouraged to explore and discover Montréal’s various neighbourhoods. Discover shopping, cuisine, and culture in abundance in the city’s lively downtown area, marvel at Notre Dame Basilica while exploring the historic streets of Old Montréal or find colour and quirks aplenty in Montréal’s buzzing Plateau district. 

For those looking to satisfy their inner foodie, Montréal is one of the finest cities in Canada for its lively markets, excellent cuisine, and charming café culture. Discover local delicacies, including smoked meats, freshly baked bagels, and maple sweets, washed down with a beer from one of the many craft breweries in the city. 

Montréal is famed for its year-round festive atmosphere, with a variety of events and festivals taking place throughout the year. Unwind after a day’s exploration at one of the pubs and bars along Downtown’s Crescent Street, renowned for their welcoming social atmosphere. Enjoy a cocktail on the terraces or take to the dance floor at one of the city’s lively bars and music venues.  

Enjoy all that Montréal has to offer before heading north to Cambridge Bay to begin your adventure in earnest aboard MS Fram. 

Pre-Programme 

Add some extra time and join our optional half day Montreál Sightseeing & Savoir-Vivre Tour. You’ll see how culturally diverse Montréal is and visit landmarks that make it such a unique and wonderful city! A stroll through a maze of narrow lanes and old buildings will provide a perfect opportunity to discover its exuberant display of architecture and Montréal’s rich heritage and charm. We will also stop to pick-up some of Montréal’s famous bagels, and visit Little Italy to enjoy a tasting of local produce at the popular Jean-Talon market.

Canadian Arctic island

In the morning you’ll fly from Montréal to Cambridge Bay, where your comfortable expedition ship MS Fram awaits. 

Cambridge Bay is a settlement of around 2,000 people on Victoria Island - one of Arctic Canada’s largest islands. In the local language of Inuinnaqtun, Cambridge Bay is known as ‘Iqaluktuuttiaq’, meaning a ‘Good Fishing Place’. It’s an apt name, and visitors come here for the Arctic char fly-fishing in the nearby rivers.  

The abundant wildlife is an obvious pull for explorers to these parts. Others come to visit the Canadian High Arctic Research Station, a world-class centre for the study of climate change and all things Arctic. It’s only fitting that your voyage starts here where Arctic explorers of old seeking the Northwest Passage often sheltered. You too can add your name to this illustrious list, which includes the legendary Norwegian adventurer Roald Amundsen. 

After you check in on the ship and collect your complimentary expedition jacket, you’ll have time to settle into your cabin or walk around exploring your new home-from-home. There’s a mandatory safety briefing held before departure, making sure we are all as safe as possible for the voyage ahead. 

The evening dinner will be the first of many on board, and it’ll end with a toast by the Captain, wishing everyone an enjoyable expedition. You’ll then meet the Expedition Team in a separate welcome session who’ll give you some important health and safety information.   

The team will also talk you through the guidelines from AECO, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. You'll learn how you can protect wildlife habitats, keep a safe distance from wild animals, and visit Arctic communities in a dignified and respectful way.

Into the heart of the Northwest Passage

We’ll set a course into the heart of the fabled Northwest Passage. Since the late 15th Century, the search for this fabled seaway through the Canadian Arctic was something of a Holy Grail for hardy sea adventurers.  

The first recorded voyage was led by John Cabot in 1497. James Cook attempted but failed to sail the Passage in 1776, and many are already familiar with the ill-fated Franklin expedition of 1845. The first to conquer the Passage in a boat was Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, on an expedition that lasted from 1903 to 1906. 

The sea ice varies from year to year and every expedition here is unique. In this modern era, with our state-of-the-art navigation equipment, we’ll chart our own adventure, setting a course for eastern Canada. During our passage, we’ll land at sites linked to early explorer history, visit Inuit communities, and attempt to spot Arctic wildlife such as polar bears, whales, seals, and a variety of seabirds.   

There may also be opportunities for small boat cruising between ice floes, and in true expedition style we’ll head ashore and experience the pristine wilderness of the Canadian Arctic.   

The ship’s Captain and Expedition Team leader will continuously assess the current weather and sea conditions, adapting activities accordingly, and adjusting the itinerary to take account of the sea ice. Like all good explorers, we must respect and work with nature, not against her.   

Along the way we hope to be able to show you some of the following places: 

Gjoa Haven honours the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, who wintered here from 1903 on the Gjøa expedition. He called the place ‘the finest little harbour in the world’ and learned a great deal from local Netslik Inuit people about survival and travel in polar regions. These skills were instrumental in helping Amundsen be the first to reach the South Pole almost a decade later. 

Fort Ross was established in 1937. There are two small huts ashore maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard, and occasionally used by the local Inuit for shelter. It was one of several Hudson’s Bay Company trading posts in the Canadian Arctic. 

Beechey Island is closely linked to the history of exploration of the Northwest Passage, particularly the voyage led by Sir John Franklin, whose two ships sailed into the passage in 1845 but never returned. It is known that the Franklin Expedition over-wintered here in 1845 and three of his men are buried here. 

Radstock Bay is dominated by the rock of Caswell Tower. The shoreline here is excellent for short walks to a pre-historic Inuit site. Caswell Tower itself features a challenging hike to the summit for great views. 

Dundas Harbour is an abandoned settlement with an old Royal Canadian Mounted Police camp and Hudson’s Bay Company trading post, together with several archaeological sites from the Thule period.   

Set on the picturesque Eclipse Sound with Bylot Island in the distance, Pond Inlet, called 'Mittimatalik' in Inuktitut, is a traditional Inuit community on Baffin Island. Pond Inlet is surrounded by mountain ranges, with glaciers, scenic fjords, ice caves, geological hoodoos and drifting icebergs to marvel at. 

Throughout the journey, we’ll sail past spell-binding scenery sand will be on the constant lookout for wildlife, such as the mighty but often elusive polar bear.

Baffin Bay to Greenland and Atlantic Canada

As we emerge from the Northwest Passage, we leave Canadian territory behind us for now and set our course for Greenland. While sailing across Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait, you’ll continue to enjoy informative lectures in the Science Center. Some of the topics may include wildlife you might see, Greenlandic culture, expedition history, geology, photography, and lectures on historic explorers.  

Ilulissat, Greenland 

Translated simply as ‘Icebergs’, Ilulissat is set in the stunning scenery of the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place is truly picture perfect. It’s also a vibrant hub for adventure seekers who head out onto the polar ice sheet, and there are almost as many sled dogs living here as there are people. 

Just outside the town, you can often see enormous icebergs floating in the deep blue waters. They originate from the Jakobshavn Glacier, which calves some 35 billion tons of icebergs each year. These bergs make their way down the 12-mile fjord before entering Disko Bay – and with their shimmering forms and delicate hues they’re a nature photographer’s dream. 

Sisimiut, Greenland 

Greenland’s second-largest settlement sits 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle in the central coastal area of the Davis Strait. Its name translates into ‘The People at the Fox Holes’, a reference to the many Arctic fox burrows found nearby. Another local animal is the musk ox, whose wool is used to make a special fabric called qiviut—said to be 10 times warmer than sheep wool. 

Nuuk, Greenland 

Nuuk was settled in 1728, which makes it the oldest settlement in the nation. And although Greenland’s capital is classed as a city, fewer than 17,000 people call it home. The name Nuuk means peninsula, and it’s located at the mouth of a system of spectacular fjords and mountains. 

 Today Nuuk is a place where old and new traditions meet, from the picturesque old buildings dotting the edge of the fjord, to the ultra-modern architecture of the Greenlandic Parliament and the wave-shaped Katuaq Cultural Centre.   

Kvanefjord, Greenland 

Kvanefjord is a 30-mile-long fjord on the west coast of Greenland in the district of Sermersooq, which means ‘Place of Much Ice’. The fjord extends around 6 miles inland before branching into three smaller channels, each with a glacier at its head.  

We will spend the day exploring this amazing fjord and the captain will seek out places where we can drop anchor and head ashore. There will be plenty of opportunities for scouting out wildlife, either from the deck or on land, or perhaps you’d just like to stretch your legs and enjoy the stunning scenery.  

After Kvanefjord we’ll set out across the Labrador Sea, and you’ll have time to relax, get to know your fellow travellers better, and make full use of the facilities on board. In the Science Center the Expedition Team will continue to give fascinating lectures about the wildlife and ecosystems of the Arctic region. 

Red Bay, Canada

Red Bay is a former Basque whaling settlement on the coast of southern Labrador in the Strait of Belle Isle. You might catch sight of humpback or minke whales as we sail these waters. 

Not all the whaling vessels were lucky enough to reach Red Bay’s shores, and wrecked galleons and chalupas – small boats used by whalers in the 16th Century – are just some of the ships that have been found preserved in these icy waters. The discoveries make Red Bay one of the most important underwater archaeological sites in the world. 

Corner Brook, Canada 

As we sail into the Bay of Islands, surrounded by the jagged slopes and dense forests of the Long Range Mountains, we’ll be charting the same course taken by Captain James Cook over 250 years ago. 

Just as the famed British explorer did, we’ll head to Corner Brook at the mouth of the Humber River. This is the second-largest city in the Newfoundland and Labrador province after St. John’s. If the latter is trendy and international, Corner Brook is decidedly traditional and local.

Oceanography and wellness

The next leg of your journey begins in Halifax, the cosmopolitan capital of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. This well-situated seaport looks out over one of the world's largest natural harbours. Halifax has all the allurements of a modern Canadian city, and it’s a great place to catch up on some shopping before we head south to the tropics. 

During the next seven days of our journey at sea, the Expedition Team will help us deepen our knowledge of the oceans and ecology. At the same time, we’ll be taking advantage of the fantastic facilities onboard and running a programme aimed at focusing on mind, body and soul. What does this mean? Read below to find out...  

Understanding our oceans 

As we sail from Nova Scotia to Panama, you’ll be able to take part in an engaging programme of hands-on lectures, workshops and classes that cover topics like marine biology and the history of sea navigation from the Vikings till now. As an added bonus, you’ll be invited to join the ship’s officers on the bridge, giving you a behind-the-scenes insight into what modern navigation is all about. 

Learn from the enthusiastic Expedition Team members, handpicked for their expertise, and use microscopes in the ship’s Science Center to explore the ocean’s hidden ecosystems. There will also be Citizen Science projects to sink your teeth into, which are connected to important live research worldwide.  

Finding inner peace 

It’s not all experiments and learning though, rest and rejuvenation are just as important. Take your time to just stop, watch the waves, reflect, and enjoy some precious ‘me time’. 

To help you reset your mind, body, and soul, there will be daily yoga and meditation classes run by our wellness professionals. These sessions promise to leave you feeling refreshed, recharged, and ready for your next adventure.  

Also take some time to observe and appreciate the wonder of nature around you. Silently contemplate the majesty of the sea or the shifting of the clouds above. Scan for wildlife out on deck while basking in the balmy climate of the Caribbean. You might catch sight of dolphins, flying fish and rare seabirds. Observe the harmony of their movements and notice the calming effect this has on how you feel.

Embera people, Inca history & the Panama Canal

We’ll pass through the Panama Canal, a 50-mile-long man-made marvel of engineering featuring channels and open water that was opened to traffic in 1914. The canal links the Atlantic to the Pacific, and roughly halfway through the 12-hour transit we’ll enter the Gatun Lake section. If you’re lucky, you may spot a crocodile or alligator on the shore. Watch the trees and you may also catch a glimpse of monkeys, and maybe even a sloth or two. 

Emerging into the Pacific Ocean, over the course of the next part of our journey we’ll take you to visit two national parks, as well as a range of endearing coastal communities across five Latin American countries: Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile. But first, we pay a visit to the amazing and little-travelled Darien region. 

La Chunga, Darien National Park, Panama 

You’ll be on quite the adventure today as we head to an authentic Embera community in the middle of the jungle in Darien National Park. The indigenous Embera have lived in this area for centuries, long before the first Spanish explorer ever set foot in the New World. The tribe here doesn’t receive visitors regularly and we have worked closely with them to give you this rare opportunity. We’ll brief you beforehand on how to make sure our visit to this isolated community is a respectful one in line with their customs on courtesy. 

In order to get there, we’ll anchor up in La Chunga Bay and head up the Sambu River through the jungle using our small expedition boats. As we will be travelling inland, it will likely be a lot hotter and you’ll want to bring good protection from the sun and mosquitos. The journey up river will take approximately one hour but will be well worth it. 

Bahia Solano, Colombia 

Surrounded by thick jungle and situated near the mouth of Rio Jella, the little town of Bahía Solano is the largest settlement on Colombia’s Chocó Coast. It’s also known as Ciudad Mutis after the 18th Century Spanish botanist José Celestino Mutis, perhaps a reference to the natural biodiversity that exists in the area’s jungles, mangroves, mountains, marshes, rivers, and bays. 

The community here opens their town to us and warmly invite you on a hosted walk through their settlement. Along the way, you’ll meet and talk to the mainly Afro Colombian residents who live alongside indigenous Embera and other people from the interior. 

Manta, Ecuador 

MS Fram will bring us across the Equator early in the morning, and you can join in a traditional onboard seafaring ceremony in which we seek King Neptune’s blessing. Setting foot on South American soil, our first port of call is Montecristi, located five miles inland from the tuna-fishing port city of Manta. This town was established in the 16th Century by Manteños – indigenous Ecuadoreans – seeking respite from the frequent pirate raids on the coast. Montecristi, is actually the birthplace of traditional Panama hats, despite the name. 

Isla de la Plata, Ecuador 

Isla de la Plata is a part of Parque National Machalilla, Ecuador’s only coastal national park. The island sits quite far off the coast and is prone to large waves that can make landings a challenge. Its name – which means ‘Island of Silver’ – is thought to come from the belief that the English explorer and sea captain Sir Francis Drake buried a trove of silver here. A more prosaic explanation is that all the bird guano reflects in the sunshine and gives the island a shiny, silvery look when seen from the mainland – take your pick which version you’d prefer to believe! Alas, no treasure has ever been found on the tiny island, which measures a little over three square miles. 

Still, whatever the island lacks in size or silver, it more than makes up for in a range of wildlife, which rivals that of the Galápagos Islands. 

Puerto Bolivar (Machala), Ecuador 

Machala’s main claim to fame is Puerto Bolivar, an important port for the export of coffee, cocoa, shrimp and bananas, which the locals call oro verde – ‘green gold’ – due to there being so many of them growing in this region. The nearby Puyango Petrified Forest has one of the largest collections of fossilized trees in the world, thought to be about 100 million years old. 

Salaverry, Peru 

Buffeted by the Pacific’s wind and waves, Salaverry can be a tricky port to access. If we are able to land there, it’ll be a good starting point to explore Trujillo, Peru’s third-largest city, as well as the array of pre-Colombian archaeological sites scattered throughout the region. 

Callao/Lima, Peru 

Set on a strip of desert between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountains is the Peruvian capital Lima. Served by the seaport of Callao, Lima is the largest city in the country and appears as a modern, sprawling metropolis where traditions and modernity swirl together to create a heady cocktail of culture and cuisine. In contrast to this modern metropolis, the fascinating and enigmatic adobe clay ruins of the Huaca Pucllana and Huaca Huallamarca ceremonial pyramids are all that remains of a long-lost ancient culture. 

Paracas, Peru 

Nestled on a bay behind a peninsula, the humble and sleepy resort town of Paracas is surrounded by brown-coloured cliffs and lovely beaches. Opposite Paracas harbour is a mysterious geoglyph of a candelabra-like symbol, carved into the landscape. The origin and meaning of it remains a mystery, but it could be related to the famous Nazca Lines which you can visit in the Pisco Valley a short drive away to the south as part of an optional excursion. 

Arica, Chile 

Unusual for a city by the sea, Arica is bathed in glorious sunshine almost every day of the year and residents proudly describe the place as being immersed in a never-ending spring. Check out the eye-popping San Marcos Cathedral, designed by Gustave Eiffel of Parisian tower fame, and inaugurated in 1876. 

Iquique, Chile 

Welcome to a slice of paradise by the Pacific, complete with palm trees and beach promenades. Our main plan here is a visit to the nearby abandoned saltpetre mining town of Humberstone in the Atacama Desert, a UNESCO site, and a piece of history you can literally walk through. 

La Serena, Chile 

Sat beside the ocean, La Serena is blessed with beautiful sandy beaches all along Avenida del Mar and beyond. You’ll find that Chile’s second-oldest city has a distinct neo-colonial look and feel to it. Modern buildings sit interspersed with classic architecture, such as the 30 or so carefully restored stone churches, some of which are around 350 years old. 

Valparaiso, Chile 

Known as UNESCO's ‘Jewel of the Pacific’, this World Heritage listed city is a maze of monuments, churches, historical funicular cable cars, trendy neighbourhoods, cobblestone alleys, colourful houses, and charming plazas.

Cruising toward the Antarctic

Castro 

We have made it as far as Patagonia. In Castro, bring your camera to snap the brightly painted palafitos. These are the traditional wooden stilt houses lining the edge of the fjord at Gamboa Wharf. The nearby UNESCO-listed Church of San Francisco is a masterpiece of carpentry made entirely of wood in the neo-Gothic style. 

Puerto Eden 

The tiny hamlet of Puerto Eden sits on a bay and is part of a remote peninsula that juts out into a fjord in the province of Última Esperanza – meaning ‘Last Hope’. From here there’s access to the exceptional landscapes of Bernardo O'Higgins National Park – Chile’s largest protected area, comprising a stunning network of peaceful fjords and gorgeous forest-mantled mountains. There are no roads to, from or even within this isolated village, just boardwalks and footpaths that connect the homes of its less-than 200 inhabitants. 

Puerto Natales 

Take in the breathtaking views of the southern Andes as we arrive at Puerto Natales. The city is an entry point to Torres del Paine National Park, which attracts hikers and climbers from all over the world. Aside from a full-day optional excursion to the national park, you can also spend some time leisurely exploring Puerto Natales on foot. This sleepy city is a mix of Bohemian bars, shops selling outdoor gear, corrugated tin houses, and eateries serving up global cuisine. 

Chilean fjords 

We’ll cruise amongst the fabled fjords and multitude of islands found within Chile’s rugged Magallanes Province, where jagged mountains reach for the sky. Then we’ll pass through the western part of the Strait of Magellan, named after the famous 16th Century Portuguese explorer who first traversed it. The scenery is so fantastic here you’ll feel an innate sense of wonder and peace! 

Cape Horn & the Drake Passage 

After looping round the glacier-carved Alberto de Agostini National Park, we enter the Beagle Channel. Take in the stunning landscapes as we pass between the national park and Isla Gordon, part of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. At the tip of South America lies legendary Cape Horn, a major milestone in the old clipper routes that connected Europe with the Far East and Oceania. This is where the open waters of the Atlantic and Pacific collide, creating powerful waves that are further strengthened by swirling westerly winds. For yachters, rounding Cape Horn is a maritime feat akin to summiting Mount Everest. Given the notoriety of these turbulent waters, we can’t guarantee a landing, but if fortune favours us on the day with weather stable enough to set foot on the island, you’ll be among a select few people in the world able to boast about it. From Cape Horn, it’s a clear shot to Antarctica across the Drake Passage.

The fabled frozen continent of Antarctica

This is the final frozen frontier – a vast, unspoilt, white desert teeming with life at the bottom of the world. Majestic mountains coated in thick snow rise up from the icy sea. Glaciers creep across the landscape, cracking, and calving icebergs along the coast. The scenery is almost silent, save for the shrill of lovesick penguins, splashes from courting seals, and the sound of crumbling ice. The 46 species of birds living here, including Terns, Petrels and Jaegers will also draw your attention.  

During the seven days we spend around the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, we will likely go ashore at several places, allowing you to experience the region’s wildlife and landscapes first-hand. The Expedition Team will lead on landings where they will create a perimeter for you to move around freely at your own speed. They will also direct ice-cruising in our small expedition boats to tour icebergs and glaciers from a safe distance.  

In addition, there are sometimes optional activities like kayaking, camping and snowshoeing, although numbers are limited. Don’t forget there’s a variety of Citizen Science projects running, such as photographing whales and collecting water samples. Uploading your whale photos to a global database helps scientists around the world study migration patterns and microbiology. You’ll get an even better understanding of the fragile ecosystem of Antarctica when we study the samples in the Science Center.  

As outlined in the Antarctic Treaty, Antarctica is dedicated to peace, science and tourism. That’s why we adhere to very strict environmental guidelines in this area. We are the foreign element here, so it is important to make as little impact as possible. The wildlife is used to the ice and cold weather, but not human interference.  

We want to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures! In fact, in many of the areas we visit, we even wipe out our footprints to prevent penguins falling into them and getting stuck. Being Antarctic ambassadors, we want future explorers to have the same experience you have when it is their turn to be amazed by this pristine continent.

Relax and unwind

Inspired. That’s how many of our guests feel after seven fascinating and unforgettable days exploring Antarctica. You, and undoubtedly also the memory card in your camera, will be filled with memorable moments that will stay with you forever.  

MS Fram will turn around, point north and begin to take you safely back across the Drake Passage and on through the Beagle Channel. The Expedition Team will continue their lectures in the Science Center and also recap the experiences from your cruise. Count the stars from the hot tub on the observation deck and add your new friends to your preferred social media channel.

Every ending is a new beginning...

We arrive in Punta Arenas in the morning, meaning your Pole-to-Pole expedition has come to an end. We transfer you to the airport, where you will fly to the capital, Santiago de Chile.  

Even as you’ll have to say farewell to the ship, the Captain, crew and the Expedition Team, you don’t have to say goodbye to adventure. When one chapter closes, another opens and there are more expedition cruises and destinations to explore.  

More than the photos you’ll take home with you, we hope that what you’ll cherish the most are the magical moments you experienced on this expedition – moments not behind the camera lens, but just as vivid in your mind and heart. We share an overall goal – to show that expedition cruises can and should be as sustainable as possible, and to inspire all of us to do more to protect and cherish our wonderful planet. This is the appreciation we want you to take home with you and share with your friends and family. Here’s to seeing you on your next adventure! 

Post-Programme 

If you’re in no rush to head back home after your epic Pole to Pole cruise, we wholeheartedly recommend extending your trip and enjoy the many delights of the Chilean capital. Indeed, why not prolong the adventure with a Post-Programme that visits the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Easter Island. Here, you’ll see and try to make sense of the mysterious statues that stand like sentinels looking out to sea – another bucket list destination to tick off!