The Northwest Passage - L'Austral
Embark on a remarkable polar adventure from Greenland to the mouth of the Northwest Passage on this once in a lifetime expedition designed for the modern explorer.
SPECIAL OFFER
9.0*
ECO SCORE
245
PASSENGERS
20
DAYS
3/5
ACTIVITY LEVEL
The Arctic: Drink It In
Welcome Aboard the
L'Austral
Set off to discover Baffin Bay all the way to the mythical Northwest Passage. Explore the heart of this historic maritime route and set off for an unforgettable stay among the Arctic’s most beautiful landscapes. First, you will explore the western coast of Greenland which will welcome you with its majestic icebergs in Disko Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its colorful villages encircled by mountains and basalt formations. Then set sail for the Nunavut province in Northern Canada, to approach the entrance of the Northwest Passage.
The exploration of nature and wildlife and, above all, the polar history linked to this mythical route are the common theme of this journey, which will let you experience magic and unforgettable moments. The raw beauty of the Arctic offers an unforgettable backdrop, while the team of on-board naturalists sharpens your adventurer's soul. With a keen eye, you will scan the coastlines, fjords and glaciers in search of traces of life – a colony of walruses, a polar bear, beluga, northern fulmar, guillemot, Arctic tern, black-legged kittiwake… – and comprehend the historic places that bear witness to this iconic passage.
- •Explore the little-mapped and seldom-explored Northwest Passage aboard a ship designed to take you where few have ventured.
•Admire icebergs drifting across the dark waters, of Disko Bay (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and maybe even spot a humpback whale!
•Take a polar plunge in the icy, invigorating Arctic waters, then warm up in the onboard Scandinavian sauna.
Travel Curator’s Insights:
SPECIAL OFFER:
Rates:
From $22,160 per person
Policies and protocols provided before you book.
August to September is the prime time to explore the mouth of the Northwest Passage. Warmer temperatures and reduced ice coverage enhance navigation through this historic route, allowing for smoother sailing and access to remote islands. Wildlife activity is at its peak, with opportunities to see polar bears, seals, and migratory birds.
Inquire for specific dates.
August – September;
Hover here for more information.
Departures:
Trip Sustainability Awards
Water
Ships equipped with freshwater purification systems that convert seawater into drinking water.
Waste
Has eliminated use of single-use plastic bottles and straws
Carbon
Optimizes the daily speed in order to reduce fuel consumption by 30%
Itinerary
Day 1: Kangerlussuaq
From 1941 to 1992, the town of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland was home to an American military base. Nowadays, thanks to its international airport, it has become a transit point for travellers seeking adventure in the Far North. Located to the north of the Arctic Circle, this town is the starting point of magnificent discoveries surrounded by unspoiled nature. Indeed, just a few dozen kilometers from there it is possible to get close to the Greenland ice sheet, the largest body of ice in the Northern Hemisphere. From Kangerlussuaq, admire also the superb landscapes of tundra in autumnal colours, where Arctic hares, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, reindeer, falcons and eagles live.
Day 2: Sisimiut
During your cruise, we invite you to discover Sisimiut, founded in 1756 and the second largest town in Greenland. This small town is typical of Greenland, boasting bewitching panoramas: here and there, colorful stilt houses dot the undulating landscape, and the small fishing port stands as the gateway to an icy realm. As for the town center, it is home to a number of historic buildings, a small church and a museum which retraces the history of the Inuit people, as well as many craft shops. When your ship drops anchor here, you will set out to meet the locals in a typically arctic atmosphere.
Day 3: Kitissuarsuit (Dog's Island)
The Dutch were the first to come and hunt whales on this island they called “isle of dogs” - Kitissuarsuit in Greenlandic. Indeed, when they arrived there in the summertime, the inhabitants had left the island, leaving behind their dogs, and moved to the neighbouring fjords for a season of fishing. Kitissuarsuit is considered to be the larger of the small town of Aasiaat, which is further away from the fishing areas, and the villagers still live self-sufficiently thanks to the marine resources, while trying to keep their age-old traditions alive.
Day 4: Disko Bay
To the east of Baffin Bay, discover Disko Bay, scattered with countless icebergs produced by the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From your ship, admire the majestic ballet of these ice giants as they slowly drift across the dark waters. This site is a natural marvel of Greenland, and is also renowned as an observation point for the region’s many humpback whales. The encounters with wild fauna and stunning landscapes in the heart of this spectacular and fragile nature will be pure moments of wonder for you.
Day 5: At Sea
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 6: Pond Inlet, Nunavut
On Baffin Island, located in northern Canada at the mouth of the famous NorthWest Passage, there is a small Inuit settlement at the very bounds of infinity. To get there, cross the Arctic Circle, the imaginary line that separates man from lands of mystery and wonder. It’s not so much the way of life that sets Pond Inlet’s inhabitants apart, so much as the setting. Snow-capped mountains, fjords and glaciers combine in a dazzling natural environment that fills space and expands time. Some discoveries change you forever: this is one of them.
Day 7: Queen Harbour, Nunavut
Day 8: Dundas Harbour & Croker Bay, Nunavut
On the southern coast of Devon Island, Dundas Harbour, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police post in the early 20th century, keeps watch over the entrance to the Northwest Passage. This site has been frequented for centuries by the Inuit, who call it Talluruti - or “woman’s chin with tattoos on it” in Inuktitut - in reference to the lines of the landscape which are reminiscent of their traditional tattoos. Its hills, covered in taiga reflecting greens, browns and golds, are edged by the deep navy waters of a bay dotted with white and turquoise ice floe glistening in the sunlight.
Day 9: Port Leopold, Nunavut
The Canadian Arctic Circle is home to one of the planet’s best preserved natural sanctuaries: Somerset Island. This immaculate northern desert is renowned for its phenomenal landscapes, its midnight sun and its huge tundra, where musk oxen roam. Covering 24,786 square kilometers (15,400 square miles), it is the Arctic archipelago’s ninth-largest island. Vegetation is rare except in some hollows and lowlands, where Peary caribou are common.
Day 10: Fort Ross, Nunavut & Bellot Strait
Discover Fort Ross, the last trading post established by the Hudson's Bay Company. Constructed in 1937, it was used as a fur and whaling trading post at the same time. Fort Ross, located on a small island at the entrance to the Bellot Strait, is still home to this former store as well as the house for the manager and staff. The interior of these two buildings has been damaged over time and by the presence of polar bears. After a short walk towards the summits of the island, you will be able to enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view over the Bellot Strait and surrounding area.
A key stage in the North West Passage, the Bellot Strait, crossed by strong currents, promises you an unforgettable sailing experience. The entrance to the strait is dominated by the Ross Cairn. The buildings of Fort Ross also stand not far from here. Separating Somerset Island from the Boothia Peninsula, this 2-km-wide strait was discovered in 1852 by Captain William Kennedy of the Royal Navy, and the Frenchman Joseph-René Bellot, during an expedition in search of Sir John Franklin. Discover a magnificent décor covered in snow, fragmented by large ice floes. As you sail between them, your ship will perhaps be accompanied by a few polar bears.
Day 11: Coningham Bay, Nunavut
At the heart of the legendary Northwest Passage, discover the sheltered Coningham Bay in the south-east of Prince of Wales Island, during an exceptionnal sailing. The surrounding waters, rich in nutrients brought in by the tides and currents, are home to cetaceans including beluga whales. The polar bear, lord of the Arctic, has also established its realm on this hunting ground where food tends to be abundant. When conditions are favourable, extraordinary encounters with the wildlife are possible in these isolated lands.
Day 12: Prescott Island, Nunavut
Prescott Island is located between Somerset Island and Prince of Wales Island, in the heart of Peel Sound, and its shorelines provide a perfect playground for belugas. However, the opportunity to observe and listen to these "sea canaries” is not the only reason to scan the horizon: here, between the icebergs and the dramatic landscapes, you may also be able to spot polar bears, as well as summon up memories of Sir John Franklin, who was the first to cross Peel Sound in 1846 during his expedition in search of the Northwest Passage, followed in 1903 by Roald Amundsen, who was the first to find a route through that passage!
Day 13: Beechey & Devon Islands, Nunavut
Beechey Island, at the eastern end of Resolute Bay, will call to mind some of the most important moments of Franklin’s expedition. Sir John set off in 1845 in search of the mythical Northwest Passage and was forced to take shelter in Erebus Harbour for two long years, while he waited for the ice floes to recede and allow him a way through. It is a spectacular location; seeing the three wooden grave markers, bleached by the sun (indicating the burial places of at least three of Captain Franklin’s men) and visiting the memorial that has been erected in memory of Franklin and his men can only reinforce the hushed sense of reverence. If the surrounding wilderness impresses us, the ochre and yellows of the rocky desert soften the landscape.
Located in Baffin Bay, Devon Island is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Anchored on the Arctic Cordillera, its rocky surface, similar to that of Mars, is of great interest to scientists. Robert Bylot and William Baffin were the first Europeans to sight Devon Island in 1616 but it would be mapped two centuries later by the British sailor William E. Parry, who named it after the eponymous English region. Around 1920, the Hudson's Bay Company set up a fur-trading outpost there, until the departure of the Inuits in 1936. A new attempt to populate it was made at the beginning of the 1950s. Only a few buildings in ruins, vestiges of that time, remain today.
Day 14: Arctic Bay, Nunavut
Arctic Harbor is on the small island of Aulitiving, barely 15 km long and 5 km wide, at the entrance to Isabella Bay. A major whale hunting site, this small natural harbour still has remnants from those times, notably some whaler graves. This port of call will be the opportunity to go for a lovely hike in the heart of the Arctic tundra, and perhaps to reach the highest point of the island, located at an altitude of 410 meters.
Day 15: At Sea
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 16: North Arm Fjord, Nunavut
The ship makes its way deeper into the fjord, leaving you free to admire the spectacular geological formations that plunge abruptly into the emerald-green waters of Baffin Bay. When the temperature rises and the ice begins to melt, Nunavut becomes of the best places in the world to observe the wildlife of the Arctic. Be on the lookout for polar bears, which hide away amongst the scree to seek out the freshness of the permafrost. On the water’s surface, you could get the chance to glimpse the tusk of a narwhal, or perhaps the silhouette of an orca or a bowhead whale. And in the sky, it is not uncommon to see a colony of arctic fulmars with their impressive wingspan gliding near the ship.
Days 17: Icy Arm Fjord, Nunavut
The east coast of Baffin Island is a real lacework of fjords. Among them, in the north, is the spectacular Icy Arm fjord. As you sail these parts, you’ll be dazzled by the immense cliffs that are sometimes over 1,000 meters high. This is a paradise for base jumping (parachute jumping from the top of the cliffs). During your stop here, you will have the opportunity to hike at the feet of these mountains and within the glacial valleys. Keep your eyes open when you get back on your boat: you’ll probably get the chance to observe marine mammals, such as whales, orcas and even narwhals.
Day 18: At Sea
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
Day 19: Evighedsfjorden
Your ship glides slowly along the water towards the west coast of Greenland, to enter Evighedsfjorden, just a few kilometers south of Kangerlussuaq. Evighedsfjorden means “the fjord of Eternity”, and for good reason: just when you think you’ve reached the end of this stretch of sea measuring over 100 kilometers in length, it seems to go on forever, as though to bring even more pleasure to those sailing in it. The spectacular scenery ranges from glaciers to tundra with an abundant flora, and jagged cliffs where numerous bird species have taken up residence. Take the time to observe the white-tailed eagles and the colonies of seagulls and black-legged kittiwakes flying overhead in the area.
Day 20: Kangerlussuaq
From 1941 to 1992, the town of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland was home to an American military base. Nowadays, thanks to its international airport, it has become a transit point for travellers seeking adventure in the Far North. Located to the north of the Arctic Circle, this town is the starting point of magnificent discoveries surrounded by unspoiled nature. Indeed, just a few dozen kilometers from there it is possible to get close to the Greenland ice sheet, the largest body of ice in the Northern Hemisphere. From Kangerlussuaq, admire also the superb landscapes of tundra in autumnal colours, where Arctic hares, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, reindeer, falcons and eagles live.
L'Austral
First introduced in 2011 and the second ship in the Sisterships series, L'Austral is the very embodiment of this generation of intimately sized cruise ships. Innovative design, sleek shape and profile, refined interior decoration, friendly, intimate atmosphere: French designers and decorators have managed to give this ship a unique style and veritable signature of its own. Combinations of fine materials, colors and tones harmoniously livened up with touches of bright color, elegant lines, discreet and subtle refinement… everything has been designed to create a unique atmosphere onboard, a veritable personality: the chic style and naturally relaxing ambiance of a veritable private yacht.
• Capacity: 264 Guests
• Cabins: 132 cabins
• Specialists: Historian, Geologist, Botanist and Marine Biologist, Highly Credentialed Naturalists & Experts, 1.1.3 Guest to Staff Ratio
ACHIEVEMENTS
Cruise Critics Editors’ Picks 2022
Cruise Critics Editors’ Picks 2023
Condé Nast #1 Best Expedition Ship Line 2022
"L'Austral is one of the most luxurious expedition ships out there. If you’re looking to explore the world in comfort and style, this chic and relaxing vessel is a top choice. Her beautifully appointed cabins and warm, elegant public spaces offer the perfect retreat after a day of adventures. With its refined European-inspired service, enthusiastic staff, and fantastic educational program, L'Austral comes highly recommended."
Wild Nectar
Life On Board
Deck Plan
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Questions?
Rates
PRESTIGE SUITE DECK 5
398 sq. ft: Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival; assortment of canapés and fruit basket every day; bedroom and lounge with convertible sofa, armchairs, second TV, and sliding courtesy door; two bathrooms; private 8 m² balcony; two panoramic sliding bay windows.
From in USD:
$51,370pp
PRESTIGE SUITE DECK 6
398 sq. ft: Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival; assortment of canapés and fruit basket every day; bedroom and lounge with convertible sofa, armchairs, second TV, and sliding courtesy door; two bathrooms; private 8 m² balcony; two panoramic sliding bay windows.
From in USD:
$53,900pp
Traveling the Northwest Passage is one of the world's last remaining true adventures. This operator has longtime relationships with the incredibly remote and tiny villages you'll visit. Travel in style and comfort while getting so far off the beaten path, you can't help but come back changed.
Joy Martinello, Founder
Questions?
What’s Included & Cancellation Policy:
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
Includes accommodation in stateroom; the full meal plan; the Open Bar: beginning with boarding, and during the duration of the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wine, beer, Charles Heidsieck champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served on request and at any time of the day; free Wi-Fi internet access 24 hours a day; activities offered during expedition cruises; outings and disembarkations by Zodiac inflatable boat; all port taxes; access to all the common areas: fitness room, steam room, hair salon, swimming pool (sea water, heated), solarium, lounges, theater, boutique & leisure area
NOT INCLUDED:
•telephone service
•certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar
•spa fees
•visa applications and fees
•private fitness classes
•laundry service
•tips for staff, drivers, and local guides
•personal expenses
•any other service not mentioned in the program
