The Arctic
Introduction
Travel to the Arctic - Yes!
Where will we arrive if people going all the way to the North? It is the kingdom of the polar bear. It is the dome of the blue planet. It is the Arctic. The North Pole sits atop the ice of the vast Arctic Ocean, only through taking an icebreaker ship could access the north polar area. All areas above the North latitude 66 degrees 34 minutes belong to the Arctic.
There is vast tundra, steep snow mountains, magnificent fjords, and warm Inuit people. In addition to polar bears, there are opportunities to encounter arctic foxes, reindeer, beluga whales, narwhals, walruses, seals, and other wildlife in the Arctic region. Hiking through wilderness and glaciers, taking a cruise in the middle of fjords, and look down on the planet from a hot air balloon at the poles. It’s the other end of the world and the ultimate dream of nature lovers.
Destinations
The Arctic Destinations
Greenland
– encounter with Aurora
Greenland’s breathtaking aurora, midnight sun, endless tundra, deep fjords, and white mountains make this one of the most beautiful regions you’ll ever visit. This is the largest island in the world, with about three-quarters of the region in the Arctic Circle. There are unique wild polar animals, such as reindeer, polar bears, arctic foxes, and arctic hares. Greenland is also a traditional Inuit community, attracting those who love their culture and traditional way of life based on hunting and fishing. With the radiant Northern Lights dancing across the sky at night, and warmly enthusiastic residents, Greenland will leave you with a deep impression.
Spitsbergen island
– the wildlife capital of the Arctic
Above the Arctic Ocean, at 78 degrees north latitude lies pure, untapped land. Spitsbergen island maintains its primal state, and is home to the most abundant arctic wildlife species. You will see polar bears, walruses, reindeer, arctic foxes and more from a short distance. Hiking and kayaking will bring you an immersive experience of this ice kingdom, while deepening your connection with nature. Spitsbergen Island will provide you with endless surprises and unforgettable moments—satisfying your every dream of the Arctic.
The North Pole
– the top of the planet earth
Board the nuclear icebreaker 50 Years of Victory on your northward expedition, and witness it crush through the thick sea ice, whipping up white waves and sailing to the tip of the Earth, the North Pole. On the way, you will see a series of extraordinary floating ice crystals and encounter the king of the Arctic Ocean, polar bears, hunting for seals. Pop open a bottle of champagne when you arrive at the very peak, and take a spin through the time zones as fast as you can. At last, mark the occasion with an unforgettable barbecue on the ice.
The Most Popular Expeditions
Svalbard -- Encounters polar bears in Arctic Summer
June 2022
8 days itinerary
$3,790
$3,032 USD
Event details: June 2022, 8 days itinerary. Contact us today to get your 30% off offer on designated departure dates.
Antarctica is Waiting
Other Popular Expeditions
Svalbard -- Encounters polar bears in Arctic Summer
14 days itinerary
tarting from $3,790$3,032 USD (per person)
Learn More
Greenland Adventure： Explore by Sea, Land and Air
9 days itinerary
Starting from $7,995 USD (per person)
Learn More
Spitsbergen Explorer: Wildlife Capital of the Arctic
12 days itinerary
Starting from $9,495$8,545 USD (per person)
Learn More
Greenland Disko Bay Corssiong the Arctic Circle
6 days itinerary
Starting from $3,190$2,552 USD (per person)
Learn More
Special Insights From Our Guest
I had a whole of a time in polar area!
Maple Explorer helped me to achieve my dream of Antarctica, professional tour planning, attentive service. I had a whole of a time in polar area! I highly recommend choosing Maple Explorer as your tour guide to the polar world.
— Jason Zhang, Vancouver Canada
FAQ
Regular Questions
You do not to be an athlete fit to visit. Ordinary people who are in good health and do not need regular medical care and special care can visit the Arctic. The expedition ship is well-equipped and comfortable. So you can enjoy the entire arctic journey in comfort. Of course, if you wish to travel in the Arctic and participate in some optional activities, such as hiking or kayaking, a certain physical and muscular endurance base is required.
People between the ages of 8 and 70 can travel to the Arctic. Different cruise operators have different age requirements for children, with some requiring more than six years old, others requiring the minimum age is eight. Children under 5 years of age are not normally allowed on board because they do not have life-saving equipment of appropriate size. For those over 70 years old, some operators require an immediate family member to sign a waiver before boarding the ship for the Arctic.
The development of arctic travel routes began 50 years ago, and international travel rules, vehicles, exploration companies and rescue schemes are well established. The expedition ship's captain and crew have a wealth of expertise and experience in the polar outdoors.
Moreover, the Arctic is only open to the public in summer. With warmer temperatures, longer hours of sunlight, and function by the North Atlantic Drift, thick sheets of sea ice could be melted away, making it possible for exploration ships with ice-breaking capabilities to navigate the Arctic safely. Overall, arctic travel is very safe.
Because of the terrain and the choice of the route. Expedition ships will cruise along with the land, arctic voyages are generally less rough. Overall, a trip to the Arctic is far less likely to be seasick than a trip to the Antarctic. But sometimes there are strong winds, and when driving in the relatively wide sea, there will be strong shaking. Different people have different sensitivity to shaking, so you can take seasickness medicine in advance to reduce the discomfort, and the ship's doctor will help to manage seasickness either.
The South Pole is a continent surrounded by sea, while the North Pole is a sea surrounded by land. The Arctic has a more diverse natural landscape than Antarctica, with plains, mountains, lakes and hills. In terms of temperature, the annual average temperature in the Antarctic is only -50 degrees Celsius, while the annual average temperature in the Arctic is -18 degrees Celsius. Due to the temperature difference, the vegetation in the Arctic is more diverse than the Antarctic. The coverage rate of tundra vegetation is as high as 80%, with more than 100 species.
In addition, the Antarctic is represented by penguins, while polar bears, reindeer, arctic foxes, musk oxen and other large land animals live in the Arctic region. Unlike Antarctica, where there is no permanent population, the Arctic has been inhabited by indigenous peoples for thousands of years, relying on traditional hunting and fishing methods to this day. Therefore, travel to the Arctic region, you can learn more about the local humane cultural knowledge. Tourists are not allowed to enter the Antarctic region during the winter and therefore tourists cannot see the Southern lights. As autumn moves into the Arctic, you can see the aurora in most areas.
The Arctic region includes the entire Arctic Ocean and some parts of the following eight countries including Canada, Greenland, Russia, Norway and Iceland. Known as the Polar Bear Kingdom, the Svalbard Islands are a great place to see polar bears and the arctic wildlife. Greenland has a diverse landscape of icebergs and fjords. Choosing to go to the North Pole is a great chance to have a landmark trip.
All expeditions into the Arctic will head to Svalbard or Greenland, where there is no land transport and the only way to explore is by taking an expedition ship, where accommodation and entertainment will be provided for the 10-day trip.
Along the way, tourists will change to Zodiacs in a safe spot having wonderful cruising tours, or you can land in the Arctic region to explore this place. Reaching the North Pole requires taking the world's largest commercial nuclear icebreaker, “50 Years of Victory” in Murmansk.
Or choose to sail from Spitsbergen, board Le Commandant Charcot, the first hybrid electric polar exploration vessel. It completed its final delivery at the end of July 2021, so the facilities onboard are new and advanced. If you can't spare half a month's valuable time, then flying to the North Pole is your best choice, the length of the trip is 4 days and 3 nights, with the fastest speed to complete a landmark trip.
Because of the polar night in the Arctic during spring and winter, the Arctic is all covered by snow and ice. Exploration ships are able to navigate from June to September, which is the Arctic tourism season. Having the chance to experience the midnight sun and observe the diverse wildlife. Polar bears on prey. Walruses are lying down on the beach, seabirds are hatching eggs, running reindeer and cuddly arctic rabbits. In addition, there will be special aurora Tours for aurora lovers from November to February. However, it will not be as deep into the Arctic as a summer trip.
You will have the opportunity to experience a variety of unique polar activities during your voyage in the Arctic.
- Polar Air Tour: You will have the opportunity to take an unforgettable air tour in 10-15 minutes by helicopter with spectacular views of the Arctic ocean.
- Helicopter landing: You will board a helicopter to a pre-selected destination, then explore the site with the expedition leader。
- Polar diving: The expedition team will choose the best time and place to arrange a polar diving trip for you.
- Zodiac Cruising: Zodiac Cruising will take you to some remote islands and icebergs. There are opportunities to see whales in a very short distance. Zodiac Cruising is designed specifically for adventure work, which is powerful and safe.
- Sea kayaking: Kayaking is one of the best activities to get close to the Arctic. You can touch the surface of the Arctic Ocean and join a group of like-minded people kayaking among the fjords, sea ice and icebergs.
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Incredible landscapes and rare wildlife, not to mention the northern lights. The Arctic is also one of the top destinations for photography enthusiasts. The unique variety of subjects and the pure environment can inspire photographers a lot. Taking the expedition ship is also a unique experience, where guests can gain knowledge from informative lectures and speeches. Meet people from around the world at cocktail parties. The expedition ship can also be called a mobile hotel, with comfortable facilities and a variety of food options. Travel to the Arctic, you will experience both adventure and luxury cruise life at the same time.</span>
Firstly, clothing choice in Arctica will be based on three keywords: wind resistance, water resistance and warmth. Next, follow the layering guide to prepare your clothing, which provides reliable weather protection and ensures freedom of movement in outdoor activities.
The inner layer (base layer) refers to worn next-to-skin clothes, the function is to provide warmth and move moisture away from your skin to keep you dry. Wool and synthetic materials clothes are good choices. Mid-layer: warm layer, down jacket insulation and fleece, are good choices. The more layers you wear, the warmer you'll be. Outer layer: The Outer layer is mainly used for water and wind protection, so a professional Shell jacket is essential for Antarctic travel. Finally, accessories can be added according to personal habits, such as face masks, gloves, hats and sunglasses.
For those planning to participate in an aurora tour, a wide-angle lens with a wide aperture (at least F2.8) is recommended. In addition, a tripod is essential photographic equipment for taking aurora pictures. As the outdoor temperature is extremely low when watching the aurora, the battery life of the camera will be reduced than usual. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare a few spare batteries in case of missing the best shooting moment.
The Antarctic region, which is earth's southernmost and coldest continent. The continent where the South Pole is located and the surrounding islands belong to the Antarctic region.
Geographically, the Antarctic circle is used as the Antarctic boundary, which means the area south of latitude 66°24 'south. In terms of climate and biological distribution, the area south of the Antarctic convergence zone, including the continents and oceans, is known as the Antarctic region broadly.
Although Britain, Chile, Argentina and other countries have a desire to claim Antarctica, it is internationally recognized that Antarctica does not belong to any country. In 1959, the Antarctic Treaty System was opened for signature by 12 countries. As of 2019, the treaty has 54 parties. The treaty stipulates that Antarctica cannot be used for military, mining, nuclear testing or nuclear waste dumping, but only for peaceful purposes and to promote international scientific cooperation.
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Maple Explorer was established in Vancouver in 2015 with a focus on providing comprehensive travel experiences in the polar regions. We are dedicated to facilitating greater access to the wonders of the Antarctic, the Arctic, and the Tibetan Plateau, allowing people to discover the stunning beauty and cultural richness of these extraordinary places on our planet.
