Signature Trip: Winter Whales of Norway
Snorkeling with wild Orcas and Humpback Whales in the fjords of Northern Norway! A bucket list experience with the highest 'WOW'-factor.
Cold Water diving in the High Arctic - Baffin Island Canada
Discover the magical underwater world of the Arctic during this special expedition to Baffin Island, Canada. Your basecamp during this expedition is a tented safari camp just a few kilometers from the floe edge where the dives will take place. Under the guidance of professional dive guides the program starts with easy dives in open water and will gradually become more difficult. While advancing during the week, you may get the opportunity to dive through a hole in the ice, or even enter the water near a stranded iceberg. Immerse yourself in a world of icebergs, explore the Arctic seabed and enjoy the surreal blue world of ice.
During these expeditions you will enjoy 24 hours of daylight, allowing for spectacular sightings at any time. The dramatic landscape of Baffin Island consists of towering granite cliffs, mountains and glaciers. A breathtaking setting for a special expedition. You might spot playful seals, narwhals, bowhead whales and even polar bears! Even walruses and beluga whales show themselves here sometimes. Furthermore, there is an abundance of migratory birds to be found. White Ivory Gulls, colorful Kingfishers, Fulmars and Great Snow Geese are just some of the bird species found in the area. If the ice permits, you can visit the migratory bird sanctuary Bylot Island, where more over 200,000 birds nest each year. You can go kayaking or hiking, and perhaps visit an archaeological Thule site, where the traditional tent rings are still visible and you can learn about the Inuit ancestors.
Join us on this ultimate Arctic diving experience, the only ice diving trip of its kind in the world!
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Day 1 - 2
Upon landing in Pond Inlet, you will be welcomed by our local Arctic Kingdom representative and transferred to a local hotel. You will meet your Expedition Leader for a trip briefing and hot dinner before spending the night in a hotel.
After breakfast and an orientation from Parks Canada you will meet your guides and prepare for the trip to the Arctic Safari Camp on Eclipse Sound. Travelling to the camp is done by qamutik (a traditional Inuit sled pulled behind a snowmobile). Right away, you will get a great view of the surroundings and experience the exhilaration of gliding across the ice. The transfer time can vary depending on ice conditions but will include tea and coffee stops. The Arctic Safari Camp will be set up a few kilometres back from the floe edge.
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Day 3 - 6
Spend these days reveling in some of the best diving you’ll ever experience. Following a program of progressive dives, you’ll enjoy new experiences every day as you become more comfortable with this unique underwater environment whilst diving in the Arctic.
Explore the Arctic sea floor and discover urchins, starfish, and glittering jellyfish. Witness the surreal world of blue and turquoise ice juxtaposed with the black depths below. This is an underwater photographer’s paradise.
Above the water and on land, you’ll experience other spectacular scenes and exciting adventures. Expect to see icebergs, ‘bergy- bits’, and drifting pack ice with playful seals poking their heads up out of the water to look directly at you.
On the floe edge, you will have the opportunity to see narwhals, bowhead, and polar bears on the prowl, seals sunning themselves, possibly walrus and beluga, and other Arctic wildlife. Migratory birds can also be seen in abundance. Pure white Ivory Gulls, gaudy King Eider, low flying Northern Fulmars, Thick-billed Murres, Kittiwakes, and Greater Snow Geese are just a few of the bird species known to frequent the area.
Ice conditions permitting, you may also visit the Bylot Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary, where more than 300,000 birds choose to nest each year. Other activities include kayaking and
hiking. -
Types of Dives
• Floe Edge Diving - Experience your first Arctic dive by dropping off the edge and seeing far under the ice.
• Pack Ice Diving - See mother natures greatest works of art from under the ice.
• Crack Diving - Diving through a crack allows us opportunities to access walls, the sea floor and other interesting dive sites.
• Iceberg Diving - Looking at an iceberg from above you may see them towering up to a couple of hundred feet tall. You have to remember that this is literally just the ‘tip of the iceberg’. Down below, the icebergs drop hundreds of more feet. Diving on a grounded iceberg will be the best dive of your life.
What is required?
If you have your Advanced Open Water PADI certification and your Drysuit Specialty, or equivalencies, you are good to go!
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Day 7 - 8
After breakfast, depart camp by qamutik and snowmobile to Pond Inlet. Enjoy your final night in Pond Inlet with a special Inuit cultural presentation. Overnight in hotel.
Depart for Ottawa with the spirit of the Arctic, and a full album of memories and friendships.
Polar Safari Camp
Inspired by African mobile safari camps, the Premium Polar Safari Camp brings elegance and comfort to the Arctic. The modern, specially designed structures have double walls with insulation to provide a warm and inviting home in one of the world's most remote, yet breathtaking places.
Polar camp site
Nestled between the majestic mountains of Baffin Island and Bylot Island, our Arctic Safari Camp provides a comfortable home-away-from-home and a perfect respite after an exciting day spent out on the floe edge. Located just outside of Sirmilik National Park, (which means “place of glaciers”) near Pond Inlet, our camp enjoys a striking backdrop of towering granite cliffs and glistening glaciers.
While it may appear like a simple tented camp from the outside, the Safari Camp continues to surprise guests with its roomy and warm interior. Large and spacious, the specially-designed tents for cold weather are tall enough to stand with ample space for all your cameras and luggage.
Other Polar Safari Camp Features:
- 2 m (6’ 9”) tall with an interior of 14 m2 (150 ft2)
- All sleep tents have two beds (cots above the floor)
- Central dining/lounge area to dine and relax in with other guests
- Shared washroom facility with on demand hot water sinks and showers.
This polar camp may be set up on land or directly on ice, depending on location and time of year.
Call us today on +31 (0) 858 771 583
Groupsize: 8 guests
Extensions
Call us today on +31 (0) 858 771 583
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