Northwest Passage Cruises
This labyrinthine waterway was long sought by early adventurers as a sea route linking the Northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Canada's Arctic archipelago is therefore no …
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Leading characters in Northwest Passage exploration
- Martin Frobisher – Sailor and explorer, Frobisher lead a concerted assault in the late 16th Century, beginning a long British obsession with the Passage.
- John Franklin – Perhaps the most famous of the Northwest Passage explorers, his distinguished polar career came to a tragic end with his lost 1845 Expedition.
- James Clark Ross – The most experience Polar explorer of 19th Century, he would spend more time in the Northwest Passage than any of his contemporaries.
- Robert McClure – After becoming stuck in the ice entering from the East, he completed the first recorded transit of the Northwest Passage with the remainder of his expedition.
- Roald Amundsen – Norwegian conqueror of the North and South Poles, his initial success was being the first man to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage by sea.
Swoop says
One will seldom find a chapter of history as dramatic and as tragic than that of the quest for the fabled Northwest Passage
Karl ONeill Arctic Sales Specialist
Our most popular voyages to the Northwest Passage
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
The big ice and small towns of West Greenland provide a stunning start to this trip before you sail across the Davis Straight to Baffin Island and enter the Northwest Passage. Blend history, scenery and wildlife; pay your respects at…
- 17 Days
- $18,995
A full transit of the Northwest Passage is a truly epic undertaking, travelling in the footsteps of legendary explorers Amundsen, Franklin and Larsen. This voyage is distinguished by the small, nimble and comfortably appointed expedition ship you'll travel on, with…
- 29 Days
- $44,395
Set sail on this in-depth, luxury 20-day cruise of west Greenland and the legendary Northwest Passage. Travelling deep into the icy labyrinth of the Northwest Passage, encounter Inuit culture, retrace Franklin’s footsteps and witness Arctic wildlife – musk ox, polar…
- 20 Days
- $26,523
This is a fabulous introduction to the best of the Canadian High Arctic, incorporating an in-depth exploration of Baffin Island and the mythical Northwest Passage – with time also in West Greenland. From dramatic glacier-carved scenery and wildlife encounters, to…
- 20 Days
- $17,751
Spending time exploring Canada’s historic Northwest Passage and West Greenland, we like this voyage’s balance and variety as much as exploring little visited spots such as Thule, one of the northernmost towns in the world, and Smith Sound. Big ice,…
- 17 Days
- $23,790
Traversing west to east this voyage takes you to iconic sites such as Cambridge Bay, Lancaster and Smith Sounds and Ellesmere Island, before exploring the fjords and towns of West Greenland. Bears, narwhal, musk ox, beluga and northern lights are…
- 17 Days
- $18,995
This comprehensive westbound voyage stands out for its compelling combination of West Greenland, the east coast of Baffin Island and the historic Northwest Passage. Jaw-dropping scenery, towering icebergs, thrilling wildlife encounters, Inuit community visits and fascinating history pervade this epic…
- 17 Days
- $23,071
Embark on one of the world’s most iconic journeys – a full transit through the fabled Northwest Passage from Alaska to Greenland, following in the footsteps of the intrepid early explorers. What makes this particular voyage even more special is…
- 23 Days
- $57,728
Embark on an epic voyage through the fabled Northwest Passage, sailing from Nome to Nuuk. Alongside your expert Expedition Team, you will encounter spectacular wildlife, UNESCO-listed treasures, and vibrant Inuit settlements. From the thrill of remote exploration to the stunning,…
- 26 Days
- $27,929
Beginning in Cambridge Bay, this westbound-arching route encapsulates the best that the Northwest Passage and West Greenland have to offer. Thread your way through the icy labyrinth of staggering landscapes, dramatic history, remote Inuit settlements and charismatic Arctic wildlife, with…
- 16 Days
- $25,495
In the labyrinthine icy channels of the legendary Northwest Passage, explore the islands and channels that form Canada’s High Arctic region. Meet local indigenous people, encounter enigmatic Arctic wildlife – including walruses, beluga whales, polar bears, musk oxen and the elusive…
- 16 Days
- $25,495
History of the Passage
The Early Explorers
Martin Frobisher arguably made the first attempted discovery of the Northwest Passage in 1576, however, he was famously misled by fools gold.
Then the British mariner James Knight, hoping to conclusively determine the existence of a navigable Northwest Passage, mysteriously disappeared during his voyage in 1721. A sinister prelude to Franklin’s Expedition a century later.
In 1778, Captain Cook was tasked with finally answering the question of the Passage by attempting to discover an Eastern entrance. Forced back by pack ice, Cook turned back to Hawaii where he would be met by a gruesome fate.
Martin Frobisher
Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration
By the beginning of the 19th Century, there was still no conclusive answer to the question of a Northwest Passage.
Following the defeat of Napoleon, the Royal Navy sought a new challenge and conquering the Northwest Passage would prove to be it’s greatest.
The officers selected to partake in this great enterprise would go on to define a new age of Arctic exploration: John Ross, William Edward Parry, John Franklin and James Clark Ross.
Despite their heroic attempts, all of these great explorers failed to complete the Passage. However, their efforts filled in the many blanks of the North American Arctic and revolutionised our understanding of the Polar Regions.
Sir William Edward Parry
Franklin’s Lost Expedition
Franklin’s 1845 scientific expedition was set to be the last great hurrah to navigate the Northwest Passage. Venturing into the American Arctic, none of the 129 crew would ever be seen again.
The men of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror would suffer a fate so utterly horrific that the truth was too shocking for Victorian society to accept.
Much remains a mystery, but the presence of lead in a recent toxicology report of two of Franklin's men found at Beechey Island in 1981, and the final discovery of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror by 2016, have helped to unravel one of the world's greatest mysteries.
But the question still remains, what really happened to Franklin’s Lost Expedition?
Reward poster for finding Franklin's crew
Conquering the Passage
The first Transit of the Northwest Passage was, ironically, by accident. Royal Naval officer Robert McClure, hoping to discover Franklin and his lost expedition, sailed into the Passage from the East and became trapped in the ice.
He was finally rescued by a relief sledding party in 1853, who had entered the passage from the West.
However, it wasn't until fifty years later that the legendary Norwegian Polar explorer, Roald Amundsen, finally completed the journey from the Atlantic to Pacific onboard the same vessel, the Gjøa, (1903-1906).
Hundreds of lives had been lost in the pursuit of this goal and the route through the ice had finally been discovered.
Roald Amundsen
The Passage Today
The Greenlandic anthropologist Knud Rasmussen completed the first crossing by Dog Sled during the Fifth Thule Expedition (1921-1924) whilst exploring the Inuit communities of the Canadian Arctic.
Henry Larsen led the second successful (but not without adversity) expedition to sail through the Northwest Passage onboard St Roch in October 1942.
In 1981, as part of the Transglobe Expedition, Ranulph Fiennes and Charles Burton completed the first transit in an open boat from West to East. Three years later and 140 years after Franklin’s fateful voyage, the M/S Quest became the first commercial passenger vessel to successfully complete the Northwest Passage.
Navigate the ice of the High Arctic
Plan your trip to the Northwest Passage
Northwest Passage Ship Guide
Exploring by expedition ship provides unparalleled access to the remote coastlines, icy channels and scattered communities of the Northwest Passage. Given the distances and typical…
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Getting to The Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage, that beautiful and sparsely populated labyrinth of islands stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, is defined by its vast distances, remoteness …
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When to visit the Northwest Passage
There’s very good reason why the Northwest Passage is only open to visitors in August and September: it's the only time average temperatures are above freezing, and the ice has …
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