The Northwest Passage & Alaska - cruise & land journey

Your journey into wonder begins as you fly from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq to board Scenic Eclipse. Toast the start of your adventure at tonight's welcome reception where the Captain will introduce the crew and your expert Discovery Team.

Sisimiut has the reputation of being the adventure hub of Greenland. With a cool, urban character and brightly coloured houses, it is located in the middle of wild territory. Sisimiut was colonised  in 1756, although people have lived here on and off since 2,500 BC.

Discovery: Join our Discovery Team for a hiking or kayaking adventure.

Spectacular days await as you cruise Disko Bay. Ilulissat is named from the Inuit word for ‘iceberg’. Formerly called Jakobshavn, the town is best known for large number of icebergs  forming from the nearby Ilulissat Icefjord, into which one of the world’s fastest moving and most active glaciers calves 46 cubic kilometres of ice annually. Listen for the rumbling sounds in the distance of ice bergs calving from the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier.

Discovery: Take Scenic Discovery excursions by Zodiacs to ice formations. Explore by kayaks, hear the ice cracking, and feeding whales blow or step onshore for ion shore exploration.

Spend the day on boar in truly all-inclusive luxury and be amazed by how quickly the time passes. Choose one of the daily activities, join an entertaining discussion in the theatre, or make time for your own fitness regime.

On Baffin Island, at the mouth of the famous Northwest Passage lies a small Inuit settlement. Pond Inlet is surrounded by spectacular snow-capped mountains, fjords and glaciers, and your exploration of this remote region will leaveyou with lasting memories.

Discovery: Scenic Discovery excursions by Zodiac, kayak and onshore landings. 

Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on the planet, however it is home to the remnants of the Thule settlement that date back to 1000 AD. This interesting place has been a focus of the research community. With and that remains frozen for almost the entire year, dominated by frost shattered rocks and minimal plants and animals, it is a barren wasteland that has very similar conditions to he planet of Mars. It is also the location of the Haughton impact crater, formed when a meteorite about 2km in diameter crashed into the surface 39 million years ago. Flat top mountains, glacial valleys and a substantial ice caps, Devon Island has a unique and majestic beauty.

Discovery: Scenic Discovery excursions by Zodiac, kayak and onshore landings.

Beechey Island was the winter camp of the ill-fated 1845 Franklin Expedition. The final resting place of three of Sir John Franklin’s crew, it has served as the base camp for much of the exploration of the Northwest Passage. Prince Leopold Island is home to over 400,000 birds nesting on the small island, with limestone cliffs stretching up to nearly 870 feet tall. 

Discovery: Explore Beechey Island with our Discovery Team. 

Exciting days lie ahead as you venture into the Northwest Passage, navigating delicately through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, this once impassable route is a place where few are lucky enough to have travelled. From John Cabot to James Cook and Sir John Franklin, many explorers set out to conquer this fabled route and failed. On board Scenic Eclipse you will go further than these intrepid explorers were ever able to. Due to the extraordinary nature of this very remote Arctic region, our route is dependent on the ice and weather conditions. Our experienced Captain and Discovery Leaders will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, with each day a highlight. 

Discovery: Scenic Discovery excursions by Zodiac, kayak and onshore landings for nature walks and visits to remote communities.

Sitting on the edge the Beaufort Sea, north of Canada’s Yukon Territory, Herschel Island was first inhabited by the Thule, ancestors of the Inuit. Herschel Island is home to a unique array of arctic plants, animals and sea life, including the largest colony of Black Guillemots in the Western Arctic.

Sitting on the edge the Beaufort Sea, north of Canada’s Yukon Territory, Herschel Island was first inhabited by the Thule, ancestors of the Inuit. Herschel Island is home to a unique array of arctic plants, animals and sea life, including the largest colony of Black Guillemots in the Western Arctic. 

Discovery: Scenic Discovery excursions by Zodiac, kayak and onshore landings to explore historic structures. Learn about the Thule and Inuit cultures and explore the melting permafrost.

Enjoy a relaxed day at sea on board Scenic Eclipse. There is ample time to rejuvenate and a plethora of venues to explore.  Choose a class in one of the fitness spaces or relax in one of the therapy lounges in the Senses Spa. 

Spend the day at leisure exploring the various amenities of your luxurious Discovery Yacht. Enjoy an educational  discussion with your Discovery Team or tempt your palate at one of the dining experiences. 

Traverse the Chukchi Sea to the Bering Strait. Linking the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, this narrow waterway is only 82 kilometres at its widest point. Alaska and the USA are port side and the Chukotka region in Russia starboard, with the closest point between the two countries, less than seven kilometres. 

Disembark and farewell your crew. Later fly to Anchorage and settle in for a one-night stay. This evening you will join your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner.

Your adventure starts today with a visit to Anchorage’s Alaska Native Heritage Centre, a gathering place that celebrates, perpetuates, and shares Alaska Native Culture, language, heritage, and tradition. Sit back and watch Native artisans as they work on their crafts and enjoy live traditional dance performances before a private visit with an Alaskan native storyteller, who will bring you into their culture as they share the stories about their history and people. Drive through the scenic Matanuska-Susitna Valley, considered one of the most important agricultural regions in Alaska. The valley is rimmed by three major mountain ranges: The Alaska Range, and the Talkeetna and Chugach Mountains. Indulge in expansive views of alpine peaks and valleys, rivers and streams, and vast spruce and birch forests before arriving at your lodge for the next two-nights. This evening you will have a unique opportunity to meet a local Alaskan, Howard Carbone. Revel in his stories of climbing Denali, nature in the area, and living in Alaska through photographs, videos, and stories.

Freechoice: Enjoy a jet boat ride down the Susitna river with an onboard naturalist and visit a Dena’ina Indian Encampment. Alternatively, set out to explore Talkeetna’s best hiking trails with a naturalist guide on a hike through old-growth forest, alive with songbirds, wildflowers, berries, and mushrooms. Watch for loons and kingfishers on the lakes, moose and bears in the woods and enjoy the view of Denali on the horizon.

Enrich
A classic Alaskan experience awaits. Fly into the heart of Denali National Park, soaring over glaciers and icebergs, keeping an eye out for moose, black bears, Dall sheep and mountain goats. Land on a snow field high on a glacier and take a walk in this remote environment before returning back to your lodge.

Travel aboard luxury dome rail cars from Talkeetna to Denali National Park. Large, panoramic windows allow for mostly unrestricted views of the scenery around you and provide an excellent vantage point for photos. As you approach Denali National Park, journey along the snaking Indian River and enjoy expansive sights of Hurricane Gulch, and make sure to look to your left to view the highest mountain in North America, Denali, and the stunning Alaska Range. On arrival visit the Denali Education Centre and enjoy a talk from a local resident about what it takes to live life in Alaska, before checking into your hotel for a two-night stay.

Freechoice: Discover the spectacular wildlife that call Denali National Park home as you travel 62 miles towards the Stony Hill Overlook. Board a comfortable national park’s tour bus and immerse yourself in a scenic journey of natural wonders, a narrated history of Park Road, and some of the best opportunities to view the park’s inhabitants. Alternatively, enjoy a float trip with class I, II, and III rapids as you journey down the Nenana River on the edge of Denali National Park. This trip is the perfect introduction to rafting in Alaska, with the opportunity to spot bears, moose or Dall sheep along the way.

Today we journey back through scenic mountain scenery to Anchorage. Stop in the small community of Willow for a visit to an authentic sled dog kennel. Meet with a veteran Iditarod musher before an exhilarating and adorable dog sled ride through the property, while safely in an ATV. After your dogsled run, meet the canine athletes that pulled your ATV and interact with the puppies. Following lunch with Vern Halter the owner of the kennel and an Iditrarod champion, continue to Anchorage and your hotel, the Anchorage Marriott Downtown Hotel for a one-night stay. Tonight, relive your experiences at your farewell dinner.

Sadly, it is time to bid farewell and take many wonderful memories with you.

The itinerary on this page is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the tour will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.