The Arctic
The Arctic is a world shaped by ice and light. Polar bears pad across drifting sea ice, walruses crowd onto the beaches of Svalbard, and icebergs the size of cathedrals float out of Greenland’s fjords. In summer the sun circles the sky for months without setting, and every hour of the day becomes a chance to spot something extraordinary.
The magic of the Arctic is its wildness. There are few roads and fewer people, so your ship and its Zodiacs become the way in, and each day follows the ice, the weather, and the wildlife. Svalbard, Greenland, and the Canadian High Arctic each offer something different, from polar bears and walrus to narwhals, belugas, and Inuit communities with thousands of years of history. I love helping you find the right region, ship, and season for the wildlife you’re most excited to see!
A Note from the Field:
PiperMoments Worth the Journey
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![A polar bear and her cub walking side by side across the sea ice north of Svalbard.]()
Polar bears on the pack ice
North of Svalbard, a little over 600 miles from the North Pole, the sea ice stretches to the horizon. Your ship eases into the floes while everyone gathers on deck, and before long someone spots a cream-colored bear walking across the ice in search of seals.
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![A herd of walruses crowded together on a gravel beach in Svalbard, tusks gleaming.]()
Walrus haul-outs in Svalbard
Dozens of walruses pile together on the beach, tusks gleaming, grunting and shuffling for the best spot. You watch from a respectful distance as they roll into the shallows and surface with a snort.
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![Towering icebergs reflected in the calm water of Disko Bay near Ilulissat, Greenland.]()
The icebergs of Ilulissat
At Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the Northern Hemisphere sends towering icebergs into Disko Bay. Cruise among them by boat at midnight, when the low sun turns the ice gold and pink.
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![Colorful wooden houses of Ittoqqortoormiit dotting a snowy hillside above the icy water of East Greenland.]()
Scoresby Sund, the world’s largest fjord system
In remote East Greenland, a maze of fjords winds past basalt cliffs, glaciers, and icebergs striped blue and white. Along the way, you visit Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the most isolated villages in the Arctic.
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![Two white beluga whales gliding through dark water at Cunningham Inlet in the Canadian High Arctic.]()
Belugas at Cunningham Inlet
Each summer, around 2,000 belugas gather in the shallows of Somerset Island in the Canadian High Arctic. You sit on the riverbank as they rub against the gravel to shed their skin, close enough to hear them whistle and chirp.
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![A polar bear resting in tall golden grass and red tundra plants along the rocky shore of Hudson Bay.]()
Polar bears of Churchill
Each fall on the shores of Hudson Bay, polar bears gather to wait for the sea ice to form. You watch from a tundra vehicle or a remote wilderness lodge as young males spar in the snow.
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![Narwhals surfacing in open water at the floe edge, their long spiral tusks raised above the surface.]()
Narwhals at the floe edge
In June, near Pond Inlet on Baffin Island, the sea ice breaks open into a long edge of open water. Inuit guides lead you out across the ice to watch for narwhals surfacing in the channels, their spiral tusks breaking the water.
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![A Zodiac of travelers in red jackets beneath the towering basalt cliffs of Alkefjellet as thousands of seabirds fill the sky.]()
The bird cliffs of Alkefjellet
Tens of thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots crowd the dark basalt ledges of this Svalbard cliff, filling the air with their calls. Arctic foxes patrol the base of the cliff, waiting for a chance at an egg or chick.
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![A shaggy musk ox standing on a frosted tundra slope.]()
Musk oxen on the tundra
With their shaggy coats and curved horns, musk oxen look like they wandered in from the Ice Age. Hike across the tundra with your guide to find a herd grazing among Arctic cotton and dwarf willow.
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![Two people in traditional Inuit parkas standing on the tundra, looking out over an icy bay and snowcapped mountains.]()
Coffee and culture in Greenland and Nunavut
In a Greenlandic village, local families may invite you to a kaffemik, a gathering over coffee and homemade cakes. In Nunavut, Inuit artists share throat singing, carving, and the printmaking traditions of communities like Kinngait.
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![A towering iceberg glowing gold and orange in the light of the low Arctic sun.]()
History along the Northwest Passage
For centuries, explorers searched for a route through the Arctic islands of Canada. On Beechey Island, you walk past the graves of three men from Sir John Franklin’s lost 1845 expedition, one of the great mysteries of polar exploration.
Ways to Experience the Arctic
Most Arctic journeys happen at sea. Your ship carries you along coastlines with no roads, and each morning your expedition leader shares the day’s plan based on the ice, the weather, and where the wildlife has been spotted. In Svalbard, only ships carrying 200 guests or fewer can enter the national parks and nature reserves, so the size of your ship shapes the whole journey.
Small Expedition Ship
These ships welcome around 50 to 150 guests and can reach narrow fjords and remote landings that larger ships pass by. Everyone heads ashore together, and you get to know your expedition team over meals and evening talks.
Best for couples and travelers who want the most time with the wildlife and a close-knit group.
Luxury Expedition Ship
These ice-class ships carry up to 200 guests and bring the comforts of a boutique hotel: spacious suites with balconies, a spa, fine dining, and experts in polar science and photography. A few polar-class icebreakers go further still, all the way to the North Pole.
Best for travelers who want more space and amenities, families with older children, and anyone dreaming of standing at the top of the world.
Wilderness Lodges
Stay at a remote lodge on the tundra or sea ice, in places like Svalbard, Greenland, or the Canadian Arctic, and explore by foot, boat, or small plane. Spend days watching belugas, polar bears, or musk oxen and return each evening to a warm dinner and a cozy room.
Best for travelers prone to seasickness and those who love settling into one beautiful home base.
Meet My Namesake
Tern & Meridian is named for the Arctic tern, a small bird with the longest migration on Earth. Each year it flies roughly 44,000 miles between the Arctic and Antarctica, chasing summer from one pole to the other and seeing more daylight than any other creature alive. The polar regions are the heart of my work, and the place where my business name began. Planning your Arctic journey is my favorite way to bring that story full circle.
