a polar bear and her cub nuzzle each other on the ice in the arctic

A close-up portrait of a bearded seal with whiskers, on the national geographic voyage to the northeast passage

a group of walruses swim in the ocean next to a frozen blue iceberg in the arctic, as seen on the national geographic voyage to the northeast passage

a kayak paddles through greenish-blue water next to a cliffside on the national geographic voyage to the northeast passage

a reindeer with fully mature antlers is silhouetted against an orange sky and sunset in the arctic circle

$36990^USD

Starting At

25-26

Days

Jul

Aug

Sep

Polar Regions Arctic Cruise

National Geographic Northeast Passage

On this National Geographic Northeast Passage voyage, spend 26 days taking full advantage of a flexible schedule, a state-of-the-art ship, and an experienced captain and crew who’s as excited as you are to explore the top of the world. This expedition cruise sails the Russian High Arctic between Tromso, Norway, and Nome, Alaska.

Pack ice, volcanic mountains, icebergs and glaciers make up Franz Josef Land, the world’s northernmost archipelago, and part of the largest Arctic marine reserve—a sanctuary for such emblematic species as the Atlantic walrus, bowhead whale, polar bear, narwhal and rare ivory gull. Cruise past Cape Chelyuskin, the most northerly point of the Eurasian continent and see the heavily glaciated coast of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, northernmost of the islands of the Kara Sea. Walruses haul out in numbers while great seabirds nest on the cliffs of De Long islands, where 500-foot volcanic spires and buttresses shoot into the horizon.

Across the East Siberian Sea, granite towers loom while luxuriant tundra and ceremonial sites decorate a land where mammoths once roamed. On Wrangel Island, a World Heritage Site, search for snow geese, musk oxen, reindeer, walruses and polar bears. The rich, icy waters of the Chukchi Sea may reveal gray whales and other marine mammals while Kolyuchin Island boasts a plethora of cormorants, murres, puffins, auklets and other Pacific seabirds.

Explore the Russian High Arctic, from the Barents Sea to the Bering Sea, aboard the 126-guest National Geographic Endurance. With a polar ice class 5 rating, state-of-the-art educational equipment and highly qualified naturalist guides, she is the ideal ship for this Arctic cruise. After daily explorations via hiking, kayaking and Zodiac cruising, relax in the sauna, yoga room, library or bar. Watch her crush through ice from the bridge or deck and enjoy the highest technologies in ice-stable sailing.

The remote Siberian shores and far northern archipelagos are where explorers of the last century like Nordenskjold, Amundsen and Nansen risked all to discover. The 26-day National Geographic Northeast Passage voyage provides the same sense of discovery with the stability of a modern, purpose-built expedition ship. Take an epic voyage along the top of the world on this National Geographic Northeast Passage expedition.

Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Arctic cruises and Arctic trips.

Main National Geographic Northeast Passage Itinerary

The main Northeast Passage expedition sails the Russian High Arctic between Tromso, Norway, and Nome, Alaska.

National Geographic Northeast Passage Expedition route map.

Days 1 - 2

Fly to Oslo, Norway

Fly overnight to Oslo. Upon arrival, check in to the Hostel Bristol. In the afternoon, explore this charming city. Stroll among the famed Vigeland sculptures—hundreds of life-size human figures set in terraced Frogner Park. Visit the Fram Museum, dedicated to the wooden ship sailed by Norwegian explorers Nansen and Amundsen. Spend the evening at leisure.

Accommodations

Hotel Bristol (or similar)

Meals

n/a (day 1); breakfast and lunch (day 2)

Day 3

Fly to Tromso & Embark

Fly on a chartered flight from Oslo to Tromsø and embark the ship.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast, lunch, dinner

Days 4 - 5

Explore Norway's Fjords

Spend two days exploring Norway’s spectacular northern coast. Carved by glaciers over millions of years, these shores are laced with steep-walled fjords, mountainous islands, and chiseled peaks. Cruise along vertical rock faces, and through serene fjords. Be on the lookout for seabirds and marine mammals and learn about the region from our expert natural history staff.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast, lunch, dinner

Days 6 - 25

Explore Russian High Arctic, Siberian Coast & Russian Far East

In keeping with the nature of an expedition, the day-by-day itinerary will be flexible. Take full advantage of the extensive experience of the captain, crew, and staff as well as of onboard technological resources and the ice-strengthened ship to chart a course around impenetrable ice, through one of the most remote regions on earth, and toward once-in-a-lifetime sightings of the Arctic’s abundant wildlife. Here are some of the planned stops:

Franz Josef Land

Located just over 550 miles from the North Pole, Franz Josef Land is the world’s northernmost archipelago; its uninhabited islands remain frozen under vast ice sheets for much of the year. The ship, Zodiacs, and kayaks enable up-close views of the archipelago’s dramatic icescapes, seldom seen coastlines and out-of-this-world scenery at the top of the planet. Observe polar bears from the ship deck and go ashore for naturalist-led walks to search for walruses, arctic seabird colonies and narwhals.

Novaya Zemlya

Watch for Arctic wildlife as the ship navigates past Ice Harbor, where Dutch explorer Willem Barents spent the winter between 1596 and 1597. Cruise the Barents Sea en route to the heavily glaciated coastlines of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, a chain of mountainous islands draped in ice that have yet to be thoroughly explored. Seals, walruses and polar bears may be found on coastal ice floes year-round and rich birdlife inhabits the shorelines during the summer months.

Severnaya Zemlya

With 24-hour light, naturalists keep watch from the bridge, ready to announce the sighting of beluga whales or other marine mammals that frequent these shallow coastal waters. Discovered only in 1930, this chain of isles—separated from the coast of northern Siberia by the Vil’kitskogo Strait—is one of the planet’s most recently charted territories. Pass Cape Chelyuskin, the most northerly point of the Eurasian continent, en route west.

New Siberian Islands

Often surrounded by heavy pack ice, the 500-foot-high volcanic spires, cliffs and buttresses of these rocky outposts are a magnificent backdrop for abundant wildlife. Keep a lookout for elusive Ross’s gull, named after the polar explorer. Walruses haul out in numbers and seabirds nest on great cliffs on De Long islands, discovered by the Jeannette expedition in 1881 on their search for the North Pole.

East Siberian Sea

Depending on the course and weather, explore granite towers, luxuriant tundra and ancient ceremonial sites along the coast where mammoths once roamed. A hallmark of any Arctic expedition is flexibility and the options are many as the ship sails across the top of the world. The surrounding pack ice is an ideal place to find walruses, polar bears and other wildlife of the circumpolar north.

Wrangel Island

Spend time exploring the World Heritage–listed Wrangel Island Reserve in the Arctic Ocean. With the world’s largest population of Pacific walruses and the highest density of ancestral polar bear dens, Wrangel Island offers incredible opportunities for wildlife viewing. The island escaped glaciation during the last ice age and now has the highest level of biodiversity in the high Arctic, with an astonishing variety of plant life. It was also the last refuge of woolly mammoths, whose bones and teeth have been discovered amid the island’s riverbeds, providing intriguing clues to their past existence. Keep an eye out for gray whales, which can be found in these prime feeding grounds.

Chukchi Sea

Go ashore at Kolyuchin Island and Kolyuchin Inlet on the northern Chukotka coast. An enormous tidal estuary, Kolyuchin Inlet offers excellent hiking and birding opportunities. Nearby, Kolyuchin Island is a high, cliff-lined isle where puffins and guillemots nest, and Pacific walruses occasionally sunbathe on the rocks below. Explore this remote and untouched coastline in a Zodiac, and conditions permitting, head ashore to go hiking with the naturalists.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 26

Disembark Nome & Fly to Anchorage, Alaska

Arrive in the remote city of Nome, Alaska, on the coast of the Bering Sea. Disembark to explore the town prior to the charter flight to Anchorage. In Anchorage transfer to flights home.

Accommodations

n/a

Meals

breakfast

Details

Inclusions, Terms & Notes

Included

Expedition parka to keep; one hotel night in Oslo; accommodations; meals indicated; excursions; services of expedition leaders, naturalist staff and expert guides; use of kayaks; entrance fees; all port charges and service taxes. Gratuities for all departures of National Geographic Explorer, Orion, Endurance, Resolution, Sea Cloud, Jahan and Lord of the Glens. Complimentary beer & wine on National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Sea Bird, with a complimentary full bar on all other ships (2023); beer, wine & full bar (2024).

Exclusions

Mandatory charter flights from Oslo to Tromso, Norway ($520 per person, subject to change) and Nome to Anchorage, Alaska ($350 per person, subject to change); immigration fees; air transportation; extensions; meals not indicated; reserve wines & premium spirits; gratuities for all departures of Delfin II, Endeavour II, Islander II, Venture, Quest, Sea Bird and Sea Lion; personal items such as emails, laundry, voyage DVD, etc.; and insurance of any kind.

Payment & Cancellation

For expeditions booked prior to May 1, 2023:
Please refer to your invoice for your payment and cancellation terms.

For expeditions booked after May 1, 2023:
In order to confirm this trip, a deposit of 15% of the total trip cost is required per person at time of booking. The balance of the trip price is due 120 days before the departure date. Special payment terms apply for groups of 8 or more; inquire for details. Guests who must cancel their trip for any reason must do so in writing. Standard cancellations are subject to the following per-person fees, based on number of days prior to departure:
120 or more days – 100% of deposit**
119 to 90 days – 50% of total trip cost
89 to 0 days – 100% of total trip cost
**Advance payments will be credited in the form of a Lindblad Expeditions Travel Certificate, valid for 12 months from the date of cancellation, and which may only be applied towards final payment on any future booking.

Terms & Conditions

This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A Traveler Information Form, which includes a release of liability, must be completed and signed by all travelers. Your Adventure Specialist will send you a unique link to complete this form along with a packing list and extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information upon booking confirmation.

Arrival & Departure

The main National Geographic Northeast Passage cruise begins in Oslo, Norway (OSL), and ends in Anchorage, Alaska (ANC). Plan to arrive to Oslo anytime on day 1 of the itinerary. Plan to depart Anchorage, Alaska, late on the final day of the listed itinerary. We highly recommend departing one day after your trip end date in case of any flight delays, cancellation or lost luggage issues. If you would like assistance with international flights, please visit our Booking Flights resource page.

Internal Flights

Group charter flights between Oslo and Tromso, Norway, and Nome and Anchorage, Alaska, are required on this trip’s itinerary. Inquire with an Adventure Specialist for pricing. There is a strict luggage limit of two checked bags weighing up to 57 lbs (25 kg) combined, and one carry-on bag weighing up to 17 lbs (8 kg) plus a personal item that can be stowed under the seat.

Activities

Whether you are looking for light activity options or more challenging outdoor pursuits, the ship’s crew can tailor most excursions to suit your skill level. Activities included aboard this expedition include Zodiac cruises, hiking and kayaking. Other activities may include yoga and stretching, land treks, photography, glacier viewing and wildlife observation.

Room Configuration

In addition to listed Solo cabin rates, select double-occupancy cabins may be available for single occupancy with a single supplement fee. If you would like to share accommodations with another guest of the same gender, we will be happy to try to accommodate you in select cabin categories. This program allows you to pay the per person double-occupancy rate whether or not a roommate is found. Contact AdventureSmith for further details and availability.

Families & Children

Children under the age of 18 are eligible for $500 off the double occupancy rate. Skilled staff members trained with National Geographic Education organize activities that inspire curiosity in young people of all ages. Programming for kids may include activities like photo workshops, journaling, scavenger hunts, Zodiac-driving lessons, hands-on nature and science programming and kid-friendly menu options.

Travel Insurance

Protect your travel investment with insurance. Our partners at Travelex Insurance offer a variety of plans and policies to fit every trip and budget. Coverage for a pre-existing medical condition is also available if you purchase the Travel Select plan within 15 days of the initial trip payment; refer to plan details. Learn more about travel insurance or get a free quote.

Itinerary Notes

Read this itinerary as a guide only; the exact route and program varies according to ice, weather conditions, wildlife encountered and the captain’s discretion. Flexibility is the key to the success of any Arctic expedition.

Reverse National Geographic Northeast Passage Itinerary

The reverse Northeast Passage expedition sails the Russian High Arctic between Nome, Alaska, and Tromso, Norway.

Day 1

Arrive Anchorage, Fly to Nome, Alaska & Embark

Arrive in Anchorage, Alaska and take a charter flight to Nome, on the coast of the Bering Sea. Embark the ship.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

dinner

Days 2 - 21

Explore Russian High Arctic, Siberian Coast & Russian Far East

In keeping with the nature of an expedition, the day-by-day itinerary will be flexible. Utilize the extensive experience of the captain and crew, as well as of the technological resources and ice-strengthened ship, to chart a course around impenetrable ice, through one of the most remote regions on Earth, toward once-in-a-lifetime sightings of the Arctic’s abundant wildlife. During this time at sea, enjoy the ship amenities and hear lectures from naturalists. Here are some of the planned stops:

Chukchi Sea

Wrangel Island

Spend time exploring the World Heritage–listed Wrangel Island Reserve in the Arctic Ocean. With the world’s largest population of Pacific walruses and the highest density of ancestral polar bear dens, Wrangel Island offers incredible opportunities for wildlife viewing. The island escaped glaciation during the last ice age, and now has the highest level of biodiversity in the high Arctic, with an astonishing variety of plant life. It was also the last refuge of woolly mammoths, whose bones and teeth have been discovered amid the island’s riverbeds, providing intriguing clues to their past existence. While exploring by ship, by Zodiac, and on foot, keep an eye out for gray whales, which can be found in these prime feeding grounds.

East Siberian Sea

Depending on sailing conditions, explore granite towers, tundra, and ancient ceremonial sites along shores where mammoths once roamed. The surrounding pack ice is an ideal place to find walruses, polar bears, and other wildlife of the circumpolar north.

New Siberian Islands

Often surrounded by heavy pack ice, the volcanic spires, cliffs, and buttresses of these rocky outposts are a magnificent backdrop for abundant wildlife. Keep a lookout for elusive Ross’s gull, named after the British polar explorer. Walruses haul out on the ice in great numbers and seabirds nest on great cliffs on the De Long Islands, discovered by the 1881 Jeannette expedition in search of the North Pole.

Severnaya Zemlya

Sail under 24 hours of daylight, with naturalists on deck seeking out beluga whales and other marine mammals that inhabit the shallow coastal waters bordering the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. Discovered only in 1930, this chain of isles—separated from the coast of northern Siberia by the Vil’kitskogo Strait—is one of the planet’s most recently charted territories. Pass Cape Chelyuskin, the most northerly point of the Eurasian continent, on the way west.

Novaya Zemlya

Watch for Arctic wildlife as the ship navigates past Ice Harbor, where Dutch explorer Willem Barents spent the winter between 1596 and 1597. Cruise the Barents Sea en route to the heavily glaciated coastlines of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, a chain of mountainous islands draped in ice that have yet to be thoroughly explored. Seals, walruses, and polar bears may be found on coastal ice floes year-round, and rich birdlife inhabits the shorelines during the summer months.

Franz Josef Land

Located just over 550 miles from the North Pole, Franz Josef Land is the world’s northernmost archipelago; its uninhabited islands remain frozen under vast ice sheets for much of the year. The ship, Zodiacs, and kayaks enable uo-close views of the archipelago’s dramatic icescapes, seldom seen coastlines, and out-of-this-world scenery at the top of the planet. Observe polar bears from the ship deck and go ashore for naturalist-led walks to search for walruses, arctic seabird colonies and narwhals.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast, lunch, dinner

Days 22 - 24

Explore Norway's Fjords

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 25

Disembark Tromsø & Fly to Oslo, Norway

Disembark the ship in Tromsø, take a tour of the city and fly on a chartered flight from Tromsø to Oslo. Check-in to the Radisson Blu Airport Hotel. Spend the evening at leisure.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast, lunch

Day 26

Depart Oslo, Norway

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home.

Accommodations

National Geographic Endurance

Meals

breakfast

Details

Inclusions, Terms & Notes

Included

Exclusions

Mandatory charter flights from Oslo to Tromso, Norway ($520 per person, subject to change) and Nome to Anchorage, Alaska ($350 per person, subject to change); immigration fees; air transportation; extensions; personal items such as emails, laundry, voyage DVD, etc.; and insurance of any kind. Gratuities and alcoholic beverages excluded, except for all departures of National Geographic Explorer, Orion, Endurance, Resolution, Sea Cloud, Jahan and Lord of the Glens.

Payment & Cancellation

For expeditions booked prior to May 1, 2023:
Please refer to your invoice for your payment and cancellation terms.

Terms & Conditions

Arrival & Departure

The reverse National Geographic Northeast Passage Cruise begins in Anchorage, Alaska (ANC), and ends in Oslo, Norway (OSL). Plan to arrive to Anchorage anytime on day 1 of the itinerary. Plan to depart Oslo late on the final day of the listed itinerary. We highly recommend departing one day after your trip end date in case of any flight delays, cancellation or lost luggage issues. If you would like assistance with international flights, please visit our Booking Flights resource page.

Internal Flights

Group charter flights between Nome and Anchorage, Alaska, and Oslo and Tromso, Norway, are required on this trip’s itinerary. Inquire with an Adventure Specialist for pricing. There is a strict luggage limit of two checked bags weighing up to 57 lbs (25 kg) combined, and one carry-on bag weighing up to 17 lbs (8 kg) plus a personal item that can be stowed under the seat.

Activities

Room Configuration

Families & Children

Travel Insurance

Itinerary Notes

Cruise Rates & Dates

Rates are variable per remaining availability and are subject to change.

This itinerary will not be operating during the 2023 sailing season. Please contact AdventureSmith for alternatives.

Learn About the Small Ship on Your Itinerary

Expedition Ship

National Geographic Endurance

The 126-guest National Geographic Endurance is the newest addition to the National Geographic fleet. This expedition ship is specifically designed for stability and sustainability as well as for in-depth education and an unmatched range of exploration in the polar regions.

Reviews From Our Experts So You Know What To Expect

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Expert Aboard: National Geographic Resolution & Endurance Ship Review

AdventureSmith's founder writes this firsthand review of the National Geographic Resolution & Endurance. Learn what makes these the best-in-class, next-generation expedition ships, from X-Bow design to on-deck igloos.

Book with the confidence that comes from experience.

100+ combined years of experience, 7 continents explored, decades of expedition cruising around the world & here to help you find & book your dream trip.

877-620-2875 877-620-2875 Contact Us

Additional Travel Options Before or After Your Cruise

In conjunction with this cruise, the following pre- and post-cruise options are available for a seamless land-and-sea group travel experience with National Geographic guides and fellow passengers. Contact AdventureSmith Explorations for pricing.

Tutka Bay Lodge Extension is a 5-day pre- or post-cruise exploration by land and sea of the Kachemak Bay area, near Homer, Alaska. Go glacier hiking, explore intertidal zones, visit an oyster farm, head out sea kayaking, enjoy yoga classes, and keep watch for whales, seals, otters and eagles. Choose between bear viewing or deep sea fishing with expert naturalist guides. These nearly three full days at the Tutka Bay Lodge—one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World—will blend serene moments with exciting and educational activities.

Winterlake Lodge Extension is a 5-day pre- or post-cruise exploration by land along Alaska’s historic Iditarod Trail. Enjoy a floatplane ride, hiking with possible moose and black bear sightings, guided foraging, yoga classes, Alaskan cooking instruction, a meet-and-greet with Iditarod sled dogs, and paddling on Winter Lake while watching for loons, swans and shoreside wildlife. Choose a helicopter-supported adventure with expert naturalist guides, with options including heli-hiking, glacier trekking, a float down the Happy River or fly fishing. These nearly three full days at the Winterlake Lodge—one of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World—offer moments for relaxation alongside high octane adventure and inspiring education.

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