Immerse yourself in the mythical vastness, ice and adventure on an expedition that is a first for the HANSEATIC inspiration. On the route north, entirely new experiences will fill the once blank pages of your personal logbook of discovery. Your first destination is Baffin Island, where the scene is set by deep fjords, high cliffs, lakes and glaciers. Get up close to the wilderness in a Zodiac and when hiking to glacial moraines. Experience the drama of nature, for instance in the fjord landscapes of Icy Arm and Walker Arm. A small ship such as the HANSEATIC inspiration and its Zodiacs are the only way to explore these regions and the largest uninhabited island on earth, Devon Island. This Mars-like landscape is used by NASA as a research area for space missions. In Dundas Harbor (Nunavut), an abandoned station of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police bears silent witness to the isolation. Adventure and history await you on Beechey lsland too, as you investigate the risks once taken in the Northwest Passage with your experts. Three members of the 1845 Franklin expedition found their final resting place here. Pay homage to them and rekindle their courage and fate as you go ashore.

Your manoeuvrable expedition ship continually follows in the wake of famous pioneers who gave their names to many places – such as Lancaster Sound. Its namesake Sir James Lancaster hoped to find a Northwest Passage here. In Lady Ann Strait, towering cliffs line the shores. These regions once took explorers to their limits – today, the HANSEATIC inspiration sails them with comfort and safety.

What route will the ice open up through the northern Canadian Arctic? The captain and crew will respond flexibly to the local conditions. The highest ice class for passenger ships means that the HANSEATIC inspiration can make its way north. Exactly how far remains to be seen. Only nature knows the answer. When your ship visits Jones Sound, the clear polar air is filled with the cries of thick-billed murres and kittiwakes. Musk oxen often spend time on the coasts – if you’re lucky you might spot them during a shore excursion or from the many open deck spaces. What route will your expedition ship take? Through Cardigan Strait or Hell Gate? More fascinating experiences are promised by the rarely visited western coast of Ellesmere Island. The world’s tenth-largest island has been a national park since 1985 and will take your breath away with views of spectacular mountain peaks and glacier formations. Nature and experiences abound as you cruise in Norwegian Bay – keep a lookout for mighty bearded seals, which can weigh up to 300 kg (47 st). Around 1,000 km (621 mi.) from the North Pole, Eureka is the most northerly weather station in the world. Perhaps the station manager will grant you an exclusive visit. Axel Heiberg Island provides a base for Arctic animals and a perfect place for our Zodiacs to explore. Arctic hares, musk oxen, Arctic foxes and polar bears live here. You’ll write the last entries in your explorer’s logbook on Greenland’s western coast.

You could fill whole pages with the fascinating details of the Inuit culture that your experts will share – for instance in Uummannaq. Colourful wooden houses lie scenically at the foot of a heart-shaped mountain. A hike to the ice fjord will demonstrate just how active the glacier near Ilulissat is, with its countless towering icebergs. The famous Disko Bay rounds off the mesmerising experience, where mighty masses of ice drift slowly through the water. Marvel at the sparkling scenery from the ship or from a Zodiac. Man-made artworks will delight you in the centre of Sisimiut. As you explore the museum village or embark on another hike with your experts on the trail of millennia-old Inuit culture, there will be one word to sum up this premiere route: unforgettable.