In fact, I’ve become so obsessed that I am now an expedition guide, spending roughly half the year at sea in Antarctica and the Arctic. And I’m not slowing down anytime soon. I’ve already started a three-month season with Adventure Canada in the Arctic for this summer in Canada and Greenland.

These polar places are almost inaccessible. The easiest and most efficient way to visit is by expedition ship. Most of the year, sea ice locks the Arctic away. Only for a few months in the summer does it melt enough to allow access. Most people get around by small planes, boats, or snowmobiles (in winter). Personally, I find this isolation fascinating.

Here, whales swim by us all the time, polar bears peek out from behind the sea ice, and colorful communities give us the most incredible welcomes. The Arctic is vast, wild, and unpredictable. It gets under your skin.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic? Check out my trips and learn more here

If you’re already keen to go, you can fill out this form, and I’ll help you find your dream trip!

Lately, I’ve been reflecting a lot on my work over the years, blogging, writing, and taking photos. I managed to craft a career out of thin air, getting paid to travel the world and write about it. But if I’m being honest, I’ve felt somewhat disillusioned since the pandemic. I’m tired of hustling. I’m tired of the meaningless competition. It’s not good for my headspace or creativity.

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t change a thing in the past. But I think I’ve grown and stepped onto a new path I’m keen to explore more of. Guiding.

Visiting the Arctic and writing about it isn’t enough for me. Deep down, I yearned to be part of a team again, a community. Adventure Canada feels like family. Owned and operated by three siblings (started by their dad, uncle, and friend), as soon as you step on board, you feel a connection like no other. The same guides always come back year after year – it feels like going to summer camp and reuniting with all of your friends. And it’s the same with the passengers.

On most trips, half of the passengers are returning, having traveled with AC before. I mean, you can’t invent that kind of loyalty. 

I know it sounds super cheesy, but working in the Arctic fulfills me in a way I didn’t know I needed. It’s freaking hard work but so worth it. I feel like I belong here. It’s an area I know really well, and I love sharing it with others.

Whether I’m driving zodiacs around icebergs the size of skyscrapers, looking for wildlife from the bridge with my eyes glued to my binoculars, or hanging out with everyone in the evenings listening to live music as we steam onwards to our next destination, I’m just so happy. On one trip alone last year, I saw 20 polar bears, including a mom and cubs eating a beluga whale. I walked on sea ice and followed in Franklin’s footsteps on Beechey Island before falling asleep beneath the dancing northern lights in Greenland. I mean, come on!

Over the past year, I have considered the direction I want to take with my work, and I always end up in the same place: polar travel. So, I’ve decided to try something new. In addition to continuing to write and share travel stories, I’m also going to start selling polar trips.

If you or someone you know is interested in traveling to the Arctic, let me help connect you with the perfect trip.

Almost like a travel agent, if someone books a trip to the Arctic through my referral, I’ll make a small commission. I know that no one likes to be sold to, me included, but I’m hoping that by using my knowledge, skills, and experience in the Arctic to help people book the perfect trip there, it’s worth it. I will also be on many of the trips, so you can travel with me (if you want, haha). I’m fun, I swear!

To be honest, I already do this kind of thing anyway; this just makes it more hands-on and a little more official. Being honest about this is really important to me. Changing direction with my income means that I can step back from the Influencer world and focus on the things I really love. It will free me up to be creative, play, and have fun again. It will also give me free reign to never shut up about the polar places I love. Sorry, not sorry.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
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I promise not to be annoying about it, either. 

To me, this should be natural and organic. Perhaps you’ve followed me for years, and your curiosity about the polar world is piqued (as it should be). Or is it your lifelong dream to see polar bears in the wild? Maybe you have an auntie who loves Inuit art and wants to spend time in the most northerly communities. Or do you want to experience the far north sea ice and diminishing glaciers of Greenland?

Reach out, and I can help you make these dreams a reality. You can also send along my information or this page here if you feel inclined.

I care about our polar worlds more than you could ever imagine. And I firmly believe that everyone who visits becomes a lifelong ambassador for them. We need this now more than ever. Come play in the Arctic; I promise you won’t regret it.

The post A big life update: join me in the Arctic appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Coningham Bay might look like any other bay in the vast, sprawling tundra of the Arctic. Wide and desolate, it is special because it has a narrow, shallow entrance. Inside, the bay itself is pretty shallow. Beluga whales like to come inside the bay and roll around in the shallows, scraping their skin. But because it’s very shallow at low tide, the belugas are trapped inside the bay until the tide comes in again.

Bring on the hungry polar bears!

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
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When I first heard this, I almost didn’t believe it. There is a place where polar bears hunt beluga whales? I was skeptical. That sounds like some Planet Earth documentary, rare and uncommon, not something people usually see. 

Polar bears mainly hunt seals on the pack ice. While I’ve seen polar bears in the wild many times, I have never seen them hunt a whale or even make a kill. Doubtful me was all like, “Can they even take down a beluga?” Maybe an injured one or a calf, or maybe chow down once it’s already dead and washed ashore.  

Boy, was I wrong.

At over 70° N, Coningham Bay is not easy to access. Very few people will ever be lucky enough to visit here, and it’s usually only on the few expedition ships that make the full journey through the Northwest Passage.

Even then, it’s not guaranteed. Mother Nature rules the Arctic with an iron fist. 

Expedition travel is complicated by many factors, especially the weather. The swells of the water, the wind, the visibility, and the sea ice all call the shots. And, of course, polar bears and belugas keep their own schedules. We never know exactly where they will be. There might be none there and heaps in other places. It’s one of the reasons I love exploring this way.

It really is an adventure. It really is an expedition. We have to look and explore to find the amazing places. And hope that the place where polar bears hunt beluga whales delivers.

Bundled up in a million layers, it was a sunny morning when we approached Coningham Bay on Adventure Canada’s Out of the Northwest Passage trip. 

September in the Arctic is already full autumn, with snow just beginning to fall. Before we even arrived near Coningham Bay, we got the call over the radio that we could already spot more than a dozen bears in the area. Holy shit!

25 photos to inspire you to voyage through the Northwest Passage

I was so excited, even more excited than usual. Hanging out on the outer decks with my binoculars glued to my face, the suspense was killing me. I couldn’t wait til it was my turn in the zodiac to go out and see the bears. 

I’ll also mention that we follow the AECO guidelines for wildlife, including polar bears and whales: not approaching them, keeping a safe distance, never disturbing them, etc. Adventure Canada also has a solid team of experienced polar bear guards who come with deterrents and firearms; many of them are local Inuit. But don’t fret; it almost never happens that situations escalate to that. 

Almost as soon as we piled in the zodiac at the gangway, we began to see wildlife. Out of nowhere, a narwhal popped up right next to us in the shallows. Sea unicorn, omg!!! It just rolled around in the water next to us for ages. The water was nearly crystal clear, looking almost Mediterranean. You could see straight to the bottom, though ice cold. 

Zooming through the shallow entrance, Coningham Bay greeted us with about a dozen polar bears dotted all around. Mom and cubs. Big boys. Swimming bears. Even a freshly dead bear. And there were beluga splashing around, too. There were so many bears, usually solitary, just hanging around, unbothered by each other. There was enough food to go around. It’s hard not to want to pull sides – who do you root for? The bear or beluga?

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And sure enough, we hit the motherload. There was a mom with two cubs feasting on a dead whale. As a photographer and storyteller who loves wildlife, seeing things in action is so exciting. I’ve been on a few safaris in Africa, and the most exciting viewings are when a predator is hunting. I know this is morbid, but seeing bears covered in gore was wild and unforgettable. 

Watching the polar bears and belugas of Coningham Bay ranks among my best wildlife experiences. I’ll never, ever forget that day.

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in the Arctic. As always, I’m keeping it real—all opinions are my own, and you could expect less from me!

The post Is this place for real? Where polar bears hunt beluga whales in Arctic Canada appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Actually, if I’m being honest, I am more of a beach person now than I used to be. Pretentious young traveler me always wanted to be doing things and taking in the sights. Relaxing and holiday never belonged in the same sentence. I need to SEE and DO it ALL.

Having burnt myself out so many times since, your girl loves a lazy holiday now. Show me the resort happy hour!

But back to the ocean. With no idea where this passion came from, I can say now that I am really happy at sea. To visit the Arctic is to fall in love. I adore it. I enjoy the rocking of the boat. The wild weather and waves. The feeling of transiting in a new way. The briny air and the feeling of insignificance. Mother Natch is in charge at sea.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
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I’ve been traveling to the polar worlds by ship for years and years, making some of my favorite travel memories along the way. In these remote corners of the earth, getting around by boat is pretty much the only feasible way to visit the Arctic. My job onboard was always travel content, photography, writing, and storytelling. I sat somewhere in between the expedition team and passengers. 

But deep down, I knew I wanted to be part of the team. I wanted to get my hands dirty and learn how to work at sea. In 2023, I finally found the courage to pursue working as an expedition guide on the Ocean Endeavour, an expedition ship alternating between the Arctic with Adventure Canada and the Antarctic with Intrepid, summer to summer. 

A new polar chapter begins

I spent three months onboard with Adventure Canada last summer, traveling from Scotland to the Faroes to Iceland to Greenland and finishing in Canada. It was the adventure of a lifetime, and I feel honored to be part of their family. There’s such a close-knit vibe onboard. My main job was as media, taking photos and gathering content for storytelling, but I also doubled as part of the expedition team. After a decade of working independently, being part of a team felt so good. 

And arguably the best part of it all? Three months at sea means you see a ton of cool stuff. It allowed me to build on my experience, revisit places I loved, and see things through fresh eyes. If you visit the Arctic one day, hopefully, you will get to share some of these adventures, too. Here are ten of the coolest things I saw while onboard with Adventure Canada – enjoy!

1. Polar bears eating a beluga whale

I’ve managed to see some pretty amazing things in my life, especially since I became a full-time travel blogger in 2013. But without a doubt, one of the coolest experiences of all happened while visiting the Arctic in the Northwest Passage last September.

There is this incredible place called Coningham Bay, with a wide, shallow bay with a narrow inlet. Beluga whales like to swim into the bay to roll around and scrape off their old skin. But they become trapped inside at low tide because of the shallow entrance. Dinner time for the polar bears. 

Here, we saw over a dozen polar bears, including cubs feasting on dead whales. It was wild. Only in my morbid dreams did I imagine seeing polar bears with bloody, gorey faces. There were beluga in the bay splashing around and even narwhal! It ranks at the top of the coolest wildlife experiences ever. 

2. Sailing from Iceland to Greenland with Margaret Attwood

One of the coolest experiences last summer at sea was that Canadian icon and legend Margaret Attwood was onboard with us as a special guest on the Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings trip. If you visit the Arctic, arriving by ship is a real adventure.

A longtime friend of Adventure Canada, Margaret Attwood, joins in on a trip per year. A passionate conservationist and bird nerd along with her late husband, it was ridiculously cool to be on board with her on such a fun adventure. Very much like everybody else except with a cunning and dark sense of humor, it was inspirational to be around one of the greatest writers of our age. Hanging out with her and hearing her stories, you kind of just shut up and listen because they’re so riveting. 

She even penned a short story called Stone Mattress while onboard years ago. About revenge and murder (of course) on the Northwest Passage traveling by expedition ship, it’s now part of the book of the same name. 

3. Finally seeing the Northern Lights

I am so happy to report that I have finally seen the Northern Lights after all these years. It was a huge experience for me and one that I almost missed out on. 

I’ve been to the Arctic a few times, and Aurora territory, and I have never seen them. I spent a week in Arctic Finland in winter—cloudy the entire time. Other times, I’ve been in the Arctic in summertime when it doesn’t get dark—no lights. I’ve seen their equivalent a lot in New Zealand, but down here, it is nowhere near as bright or dramatic—we’re not far enough south. 

But this time, in September, as we made our way south along the western coast of Greenland, the Northern Lights came out in full force. I was getting over being sick and had gone to bed early when I started to hear knocking on my door. I ignored it for ages, but my resilient boat bestie, Krista, was not leaving til I got up to see them. Thank god for good friends!

Throwing my gear over my pajamas, we made our way to the top deck, and the aurora was popping off! It was insane! I watched it dance for ages, took a few photos, and just jumped around with everyone, celebrating such a cool experience. If you visit the Arctic and want to see the Northern Lights, Greenland is the place to be.

4. Hanging out with the Shetland ponies in Scotland

My very first trip with Adventure Canada was Scotland Slowly, which explores the northern Scottish Isles. Exploring Scotland by sea was incredible, and going by expedition ship meant we could take in many places that are usually hard to get to.

As a huge history nerd, I loved this trip. In fact, most of the books I bought for the whole season were on this trip around Scotland. 

But if I’m being honest here, my favorite part was being around the Shetland ponies. The Shetland Islands are not easy to access, nearly 200 kilometers north of mainland Scotland, close to Norway. We called into the tiny island of Foula for the day, home to a few dozen humans and a hell of a lot more ponies. With beautiful bird cliffs and incredible views, and tiny horses roaming around, it was a real highlight for me for the whole some.  

5. Standing on sea ice in Baffin Bay

By this point, I’ve been to the Arctic and Antarctic many times and spent a fair amount of time moving through sea ice, either by ship or on zodiac cruises. Punching through the ice, the crackles and booms against the ship, looking towards the horizon for polar bears, sea ice exploration is one of my favorite things about polar travel. It makes you feel like you’re exploring if you visit the Arctic.

Baffin Bay sprawls across northern Canada to Greenland. Frozen all year, channels and large parts open up in the summertime. Ice conditions definitely dictate how we travel by ship. Ships are assigned ice class rankings, depending on the strengthening to go through sea ice. The ice can be thick or thin, super-condensed, or spread out. There are heaps of factors that go into understanding sea ice conditions – many I’m still learning myself. 

But one thing I have never done before is land on sea ice, i.e., get out and walk on it. It has to be old, thick, and sturdy. This season, we found the perfect sea ice to land on in Baffin Bay, nudging the zodiacs onto the ice before hopping out and exploring for a bit. It was a really, really cool experience that not many of us have done before. It was so special. 

6. Getting a real education about Inuit life and history

I’ll be completely honest: I did not know heaps about Inuit life and culture before heading to the Arctic. I knew a fair amount about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada, along with the horrors of the residential schools, mostly from crime podcasts I listen to. 

But then, there is only so much you can read about until you experience it yourself. And there is only so much you can even begin to comprehend as an outsider. 

Adventure Canada cares a lot about indigenous life, especially since they operate around their lands. Each trip has many local Inuk guides on board as cultural educators. They even have the only Inuk Expedition Leader in the industry. Everything happens in a real, authentic way; nothing is hidden or sugarcoated. We visited abandoned communities where Inuit residents were forced to move, see graves, and learn about the tragic history, particularly in Canada. It was really eye-opening.

7. Getting up close and personal with puffins in the Faroe Islands

Just like the ponies of Scotland, I was enraptured by another adorable creature – the puffin. If you visit the Arctic, hopefully you’ll see them!

I had seen puffins before on my first trip to Iceland a million years ago, but it was before I had a telephoto lens and they weren’t particularly up close. This time around, I saw them heaps, sometimes right next to you, and wow, are they one of the cutest birds of all time ever. I will die on this hill!

Much smaller than they look, they fly with the weirdest gait, legs splayed wide. We saw them a few times around Iceland and then heaps in the Faroe Islands, where they hang out on the cliffs next to some of the most popular walks. 

8. Having my mind blown in the Torngat Mountains 

At the edge of the Arctic Circle in Canada is one of the most incredible wilderness areas I had never heard of: the Torngat Mountains. 

I hadn’t been onboard the Ocean Endeavour long before I heard that one of the most universally beloved trips is their Greenland and Wild Labrador adventure, which spends time in the remote Torngats. Forever enamored by the very far north, land of bears and ice, Labrador hadn’t really occurred to me as a place I would love.

My very last trip of the season went here, and holy crap, guys, it was my favorite place of all. I’ll definitely go into this in detail later, but the Torngats might be my favorite mountain range in the world. A special Inuit homeland, this place is highly protected and only open for a few weeks a year. There are no roads anywhere near here. But because of Adventure Canada’s incredible relationship with Inuit, and by bringing locals onboard this trip as guides, we are able to spend nearly a week in the Torngat Mountains – with it all to ourselves. And the bears. There are tons of bears here. 

9. Crazy sunsets at sea in East Greenland

By mid-July we were fully immersed in the Arctic as we sailed from Iceland over to Greenland. We spent a good amount of time exploring the remote eastern side of Greenland, where very few people reside. With lots of sea ice and good weather, it was beautiful cruising through the most picturesque of Arctic landscapes. 

But what made it even more beautiful than normal with the crazy sunrises and sunsets we were getting. Sadly, this wasn’t for a good reason. 2023 was Canada’s worst wildfire summer ever. Nearly 20 million hectares of land went up in flame, burning for months at a time. 

And the smoke drifted to Greenland. Though it wasn’t super smokey or strong in southeastern Greenland, the haze contributed to long, misty sunsets that were out of this world—a beautiful tragedy.

10. Wandering the magnificent autumn tundra

Autumn comes early if you visit the Arctic. By September 1st, the entire countryside had turned red and gold in the far north. The mountains had their peaks dusted with the first snow, and there was a bite to the air heralding the change of seasons. The midnight sign was gone, and night returned, bringing dancing auroras amongst the stars. 

I love autumn so much, and it was cool to experience it in an entirely new landscape. There are no trees this far north, so the tundra changes colors instead. It’s also when all the berries come out, so it made hikes even better, munching on them. 

Would you like to experience some of these things if you visit the Arctic? Or have you already? Share!

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in the Arctic – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post 10 incredible moments from three months at sea in the Arctic appeared first on Young Adventuress.

I always think of that George Mallory quote when asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest: “Because it’s there.” It’s either the dumbest reason or the cleanest reason. And since old mate George died on Everest, leaving the question of whether or not he was the first person ever to summit it in question, the world leaned towards it being aspirational. 

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Fully gripped by the polar bug for nearly a decade, I have adopted the habit of reading many of the journals and accounts of Arctic explorers in the 19th and 20th centuries. And there is no shortage of material when it comes to the Lost Franklin Expedition (capitalized for emphasis) and the quest to conquer the Northwest Passage.

For hundreds of years, Europeans were obsessed with finding a way through the mythical Northwest Passage. There are several main routes through Canada’s Arctic archipelago of 36,500 islands, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Seeking an alternative trade route to Asia faster than via the Cape of Good Hope, it took centuries for white people to properly find a path through thousands of kilometers of icy, unforgivable wilderness. Inuit and other indigenous people were, of course, there the entire time. 

For death and glory, gentlemen!

Sir John Franklin was an exceptionally average British naval officer who somehow managed to land the position of leading the best-outfitted polar expedition of the time to travel the Northwest Passage completely. Departing England in 1845 with the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, they were last seen anchored to an iceberg in Baffin Bay (never attach a boat to an iceberg, folks; it’s super dangerous).

The mystery of what exactly happened to Franklin, his fancy ships, and his crew of 128 men has captivated the world since he didn’t return. While bits and pieces were found, we do know cannibalism was involved, solidifying the mystery into the global imagination. Hundreds of missions were launched to search for them, but the full story has never been revealed. 

It wasn’t until 60 years later that legendary Norwegian Polar explorer Ronald Amundsen finally completed the journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific onboard his little boat, the Gjøa. Ever since I don’t think there is a voyage more iconic in the Arctic than traversing the Northwest Passage. Climate change makes the Northwest Passage more navigable than ever with less sea ice. 

Last summer, I spent nearly three weeks with Adventure Canada, voyaging through the Northwest Passage by expedition ship. It was an iconic, unforgettable experience; here are some of my photos that made me fall in love with it.

Beechey Island

One of the big highlights of cruising the Northwest Passage has to be visiting Beechey Island. If you’re interested in the history and mystery around the Franklin Expedition, Beechey Island is an important site to visit. I’ve visited Beechey Island a few times now. Every single time, I think to myself, how the hell did these men survive here for years?! Cold, windy, and desolate in summertime, I can’t even fathom this place in winter. To travel the Northwest Passage meant hardship.

Notorious for being the place where the expedition first overwintered from 1845–1846, you can see three graves of Franklin’s sailors. This gave some insight into the beginning of what happened once they disappeared. It also launched the theory of lead poisoning when the bodies when studied. Google “Beechey Island mummies” if you want to unlock some new nightmares. 

We also visit Beechey Island on Adventure Canada’s High Arctic Explorer trips too. 

Coningham Bay

The Northwest Passage is a great place to see polar bears in the wild. Over half of the global polar bear population lives in the Canadian Arctic.

While traveling the Northwest Passage last summer onboard the Ocean Endeavour, I heard about this crazy bay where beluga whales go to roll around and scrape their dead skin off in the shallows. They are trapped inside the bay at low tide because the entrance is so narrow and shallow, and polar bears flock here to hunt them.

At first, I was like, that’s insane and can’t be real. Polar bears hunting whales?!

But then, when we rocked up to Coningham Bay, sure enough, there were over a dozen polar bears eating beluga whales! We passed narwhal as we zoomed inside the bay, and there were beluga splashing around, too. Mum and cubs, big bears, even a bear that had just died. I can’t stress how rare it is to see multiple bears together who aren’t a family. 

It was wild, and it definitely ranks high as one of the coolest wildlife experiences of my life!

Port Epworth

One of the coolest things about Adventure Canada is that they have had a long-term relationship with Canadian icon Margaret Attwood. A passionate conservationist and birder with her late husband, Graeme Gibson, they support and encourage many conservation efforts and leaders, especially with BirdLife International.

She generally comes on a trip per year. Last year, I was lucky enough to sail with her from Iceland to Greenland. She is even more amazing in person. A few years ago, she even wrote a short story onboard the Ocean Endeavour called Stone Mattress about murder and revenge. It is so dark and so good. 

I won’t give too much away, but the setting was Port Epworth in the Northwest Passage. Home of stromatolites, fossilized algae colonies, they were some of the earliest forms of oxygen production; they’re really freaking old. Stromatolite in Greek means more or less “stone mattress.” Strikingly similar in appearance to cinnamon buns, which the kitchen served that day, sparking the idea for some of the guys onboard to form a band called the Frosted Stromatolites, jamming after dinner some nights.

I’ll just say it was a really fun trip. 

Baffin Bay/Saknirutiak Imanga

If you travel by sea through the Canadian Arctic and western Greenland, you’ll eventually reach the vast icy wilderness of Baffin Bay. 

Home to mostly sea ice, lots of wildlife, and a ton of history, Baffin Bay is an iconic waterway in the Arctic. We venture into Baffin Bay on most Arctic trips with Adventure Canada, whether we are crossing over to Canada from Greenland or along as we voyage up and down Greenland’s western coastline. One of the coolest experiences of the season was landing on some old sea ice and walking around in Baffin Bay. That was new for me!

Postcards from icy Baffin Bay

Indigenous peoples had settled around the area for thousands of years, and some of the earliest Europeans venturing into the Arctic, including early Norse colonizers, also visited. Baffin Bay is an important hub if you want to travel the Northwest Passage one day.

Gjoa Haven/Uqsuqtuuq

Netsilik Inuit have long used the area around Gjoa Haven/Uqsuqtuuq for traditional hunting and fishing grounds. But like so many places in the Canadian Arctic, the history we see today is based on when Europeans arrived to travel the Northwest Passage.

Gjoa Haven is a community where legendary explorer Roald Amundsen based himself for two years on his journey to be the first European to sail through the Northwest Passage. Here, he learned so much about surviving in the Arctic from the Inuit. It was named after his boat, the Gjøa.

Nowadays, it’s a remote community, and we spent the day here visiting the incredible Nattilik Heritage Centre and at the school. It was the first Arctic community I ever visited. 

Powell Inlet (in the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area)

Ok, guys, I’m going to let you in on a little secret: after three months at sea working in the Arctic, I can safely say that I’m more scared of a walrus than a polar bear. I’m only partly kidding. 

We all know the king of the north is the great white polar bear. Something everyone longs to see, but only in a safe environment. Traveling with a gun in polar bear country is pretty standard wide across the Arctic. Most expedition companies will have polar bear guards, scouting landing sites and setting safe perimeters for guests to explore.

It’s to protect the bears as much as the humans and many protocols exist. NO ONE ever wants to shoot a bear. Any hint of danger and landings are called off. I felt totally safe everywhere, including in Svalbard. Most of the bears we saw ignored us, including one day in Labrador, where a big fat chonky mama bear snoozed amongst the tundra berries for hours. 

However, I reckon the real predator of the Arctic is the walrus. Hear me out. If their crazy red eyes didn’t hint at their true nature, just watch some YouTube videos of them popping zodiacs in Russia. Terrifying. After spending so much time with Inuit guides and plowing through tons of old Arctic expedition journals, I learned that everyone fears the mighty walrus. 

There are so many stories of them attacking kayaks and boats with people, torpedoing up from underneath, and killing people. Up here, humans are very wary of the ferocious walrus. But seeing them (at a safe distance) is pretty special and not super common. 

Croker Bay 

It was one of those misty, low-cloud days when we cruised into Croker Bay. It is located on the southern side of Devon Island, the largest uninhabited island in the world. In 1819, British polar explorer William Edward Parry named it in honor of John Wilson Croker, the First Secretary to the Admiralty at the time.

At the head of the fiord, the spectacular Croker Glacier drops down to the water from the Devon ice cap. As the day darkened, the sun peeked through the clouds above the glacier, creating the most beautiful misy light. We cruised back and forth along the glacier face by ship, allowing us to get close to the ice. 

It was a spectacular evening to travel the Northwest Passage.

Dundas Harbour

Regarding the darker side of history in the Arctic, Dundas Harbour sits high on my list of grim places. It didn’t help that it was moody, snowing intermittently when we arrived. The ground was strewn with huge, grisly bones left by polar bears. The vibe was definitely bleak and desolate.

Located on the eastern side of Devon Island, Dundas Harbour was set up in the 1920s as an outpost by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). This allowed them to stake their claim in the Arctic. All the big guns were doing this at the time. And speaking of guns, two young Mounties stationed there died. One a suicide, the other when a gun accidentally discharged. Their graves overlook the harbor. 

But the even darker side of Dundas Harbour began shortly after when the Hudson’s Bay Company leased it as a trading post, coinciding with Canada’s High Arctic relocation program, forcibly moving Inuit around the Arctic. The impact of forcibly taking people from their homes and traditional hunting grounds and moving them where the government decided they should be has had such traumatic consequences that ring strong today among Canadian Inuit and other First Nations people.

Port Leopold

When we first arrived at Port Leopold, we could see a mother polar bear and cubs on shore, heralding a change of plans. 

Instead, we cruised near a new landing site on Somerset Island, surrounded by iconic cliffs and Arctic landscapes. In 1848, British explorer James Clark Ross spent a winter here during his search for the missing Franklin expedition. Port Leopold was once a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. 

The change meant we were able to visit Thule archaeological sites. This style of expedition travel gave us a feeling of discovery. How many people ever walked here? Not a lot. 

Would you ever be up to travel the Northwest Passage one day? Spill!

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in the Arctic – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post 25 photos to inspire you to voyage through the Northwest Passage appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Let me say that Ilulissat has definitely earned its reputation as the most visited place in Greenland. Before calling in with Adventure Canada on their High Arctic Explorer trip last summer, Ilulissat vaguely sat in my periphery as a place I’d hope to visit one day. I’ve written before about how I like to be surprised when visiting places. Ilulissat blew my expectations out of the water. 

While I knew a lot about Ilulissat’s glaciology and its impact on climate change, I was unprepared for how perfect a place it was. From the most incredible views to a charming downtown with lots of cute shops and eateries, Ilulissat is punching above its weight regarding tourism. Do not miss calling in here on a trip to Greenland. Don’t miss out on a muskox burger.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
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So, what’s the hype with Ilulissat? 

A cool few hundred kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, Ilulissat is home to the super famous UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Ilulissat Icefjord. Forty kilometers long, it runs from the Greenland ice sheet down to Disko Bay, next to the town. The Jakobshavn Glacier/Sermeq Kujalleq is one the fastest and most active glaciers in the world, spilling big-ass icebergs into the Ilulissat Icefjord. 

And I mean big. Like the size of a city-block-full-of-skyscrapers big. 

30 photos to inspire you to visit Greenland

Ten percent of Greenland’s icebergs come from the Sermeq Kujalleq (glacier) here. In fact, 35 billion tons of ice calve here annually. The only other comparison is Antarctica. It’s even thought that the iceberg that sunk the Titanic originated here. 

The Ilulissat Icefjord is also one of the most studied glacial areas in the world. We have over 250 years of data collected about it. The Jakobshavn Glacier/Sermeq Kujalleq is a huge resource for us when it comes to understanding climate change regarding glaciology. 

So, in addition to being incredibly important when it comes to science, it’s also insanely beautiful to see the dramatic glacier in action. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Roaring, grumbling, and cracking nonstop, it couldn’t be more dynamic and riveting. 

The fiord is usually chocka full of gigantic icebergs up to a kilometer in height. In fact, the icebergs can be so large that they get stuck on the bottom of the fiord for years before breaking up and eventually drifting down to the North Atlantic. You can see this all in action from a spectacular boardwalk hike that takes you to a viewpoint over the fiord. 

It was one of those perfectly calm, still, foggy mornings when we rocked up to Ilulissat. With Adventure Canada, we leave the ship by zodiac to cruise into the harbor to land. The water was like glass, reflecting the stunning icebergs and colorful buildings. When you see popular photos of colorful towns with big icebergs in front of them, Ilulissat is one of those places. 

I spent most of the day up at the incredible, new-ish Ilulissat Icefjord Centre. It sits at the entrance to the walk out to the viewpoint over the ice fiord. In fact, the roof forms the beginning of the boardwalk. Designed to unite climate scientists worldwide, it’s a beautiful building that tells the story of the Ilulissat Icefjord in an interactive and fun way. It ain’t boring.

Plus, I fell in love with it for two other reasons: firstly, it has the best coffee in Greenland (no arguing), and secondly, they have wooly Glerups slippers for visitors to put on as you walk in so you don’t track mud and dirt around (made from kiwi wool). 

There are also tons of sled dogs and puppies on the walk up from town. Though you’re not meant to pet them, working dogs and all that, wink wink.

The walk out to the viewpoint overlooking the ice fiord is spectacular. And spectacularly easy. A nice boardwalk prevents us from trampling the delicate environment and historical sites that cover the area. Once you arrive at the end of the walk, an extensive stone cliff overlooks the fiord. You can really spread out to take it all in. 

One of the things I love about Adventure Canada is that they invest in indigenous and specialist guides on all their trips, so we always have an archaeologist on board. On this trip, her specialty was the pre-European history of Greenland. Surprisingly, so much of what we learn about Greenland dates from the Vikings when, in fact, humans have inhabited these lands for thousands of years. Ah, the good old whitewashing of history. It’s been a minute.

The Thule and Inuit history of Disko Bay is rich and diverse. The museum offers some insight into this, which our archaeologist had worked on. Pretty cool.

Lucky me, I visited Ilulissat a few times last summer with Adventure Canada. We also visit on their iconic Northwest Passage voyages. 

One of the coolest things about Ilulissat is just how dynamic it is. It’s always changing. On my first visit, it was foggy in the morning, and the ice fiord had plenty of gaps of open water with huge icebergs. But on my last visit in September, we had blue skies, and the ice fiord was solid ice—it looked completely different as Greenland shifted into autumn. 

One of my favorite memories from my whole season in the Arctic was here. After spending a few hours in the sunshine, all of a sudden, a dark Arctic fox darted out onto the ice right below us. I got so excited that I just yelled “fox fox fox look look look,” and didn’t get a photo. Gotta love that childlike enthusiasm. 

But seriously, how cool is seeing an Arctic fox on glacial ice? Especially since it hadn’t grown out its white coat yet. 

Traveling Greenland by expedition ship meant that we got to pack a lot in that would normally take a lot of time. After spending time in town, we took turns taking passengers out on a zodiac cruise around the gigantic icebergs. Safely, of course. You do not want to be next to one when it crumbles or flips!

This is the best way to get those iconic shots of icebergs in front of the colorful town. Being on the water gives a whole new perspective of the magnificence of Ilulissat and Disko Bay.

Not only are there a lot of icebergs, but it’s also great for wildlife spotting. There are often many whales in the area thanks to the rich feeding grounds near the ice fiord. The usual culprits are humpbacks, minkes, and gigantic fin whales. 

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in Greenland – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post Ilulissat: a scenic city of icebergs appeared first on Young Adventuress.

While it’s much easier now to access the world’s biggest island, Greenland, in many ways, still holds the myth and wonder that captivated so many explorers over the centuries. No roads connect the communities here; it still holds the top honor for the least populated nation on earth.

Wild, ancient, poignant, and profound, Greenland has carved out a corner of my heart.

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Last summer (northern hemisphere), I spent a fair amount of time in Greenland while exploring by expedition ship with Adventure Canada. Most of their Arctic trips call into Greenland at some point or another, and it really got under my skin in the best way possible.

The first thing you need to know about Greenland is that it’s really remote; no roads connect the towns and communities (though that is changing). Yes, you read that right. You go by air or boat or snowmobile in winter. If you want to pack a lot in, the best way is to go by expedition ship. 

The other big thing to note is that while Nuuk is the capital, the main airport is in Kangerlussuaq, 300 kilometers north. That’s where you fly from overseas. 

Greenland now ranks high as one of my favorite places to visit worldwide, and that’s saying something! I would go back in a heartbeat. It’s a country that deserves so many stories. Here’s my first introduction in photos from my time spent in the Arctic visiting Greenland, Enjoy!

At sea in East Greenland

You don’t need me to tell you Greenland is remote. Only 56,000 call the world’s biggest island home.

It’s also an autonomous country within the kingdom of Denmark. You’ll notice this pretty quickly, especially if you have spent time in other Arctic countries. Denmark’s wealth and funding are obvious here, especially compared to the Canadian Arctic (which I will dig into later). 

Almost everyone lives on Greenland’s more developed western side, especially with a milder climate in the south. The east coast is rugged, full of glaciers, and not very habitable. I first visited Greenland by expedition ship with Adventure Canada on their Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings trip. It was a very cool way to arrive in Greenland for the first time. We began seeing the coastline through the pack ice at sunset, which was incredible. 

Oh, and did I mention Margaret Attwood was a special guest on this trip? Incredible. 

Ilullissat

If I had to guess, I would say that Ilullissat is probably the biggest tourist site in Greenland. And after calling in a few times, I can heartily agree. A super cute town with lots of great little shops and spots to eat, it has heaps of fun activities to take part in.

Some of the biggest icebergs in the Atlantic originate here. In fact, the iceberg that sank the Titanic is thought to have come from here. Home to the UNESCO World Heritage Ilulissat Icefjord, it contains the Sermeq Kujalleq (Jakobshavn Glacier), the most productive glacier in the northern hemisphere, which drops over 20 billion tons of ice a year.

The fiord is chock full of icebergs that have calved down from the glacier, often a kilometer tall and the size of skyscrapers. Too big to float, they get stuck on the bottom, clogging up the area before breaking apart and floating down into Disko Bay. Nothing inspires people to visit Greenland quite like those iconic polar views.

A new polar chapter begins

Hvalsey

Hvalsey is home to one of Greenland’s great mysteries. And it’s also a spot that proves that, yes, Greenland can be green. Sometimes. The best Norse ruins in Greenland can be found in Hvalsey on the south coast. Norse Icelandic settlers first arrived on the southwest coast in the 9th century but died out over the next few hundred years. 

Hvalsey is also the place that had the last record from the original Norse colony before, poof, they disappeared from history: a wedding in 1408 at the church. You can still visit the church ruins around Hvalsey today. 

We visit Hvalsey on the Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings voyage with Adventure Canada.

Evigshead Fjord – Kangerlussuatsiaq

Three months at sea in the Arctic meant I’d seen my fair share of glaciers and fiords. And trust me, they never get old.

But one the most inspiring ones has to be Kangerlussuatsiaq – try saying that three times fast! Translated as “the rather big fjord” in Greenlandic, while the older Danish name Evighead translates to “the fjord of eternity.” 

75 kilometers long, the sail down the fiord is just as incredible as arriving at the tidewater glacier itself. The views are spectacular, and we often see seals snoozing on the ice. On one particularly calm, sunny summer’s day, we even did the polar plunge here.

Nuuk

After being at sea around remote Greenland, I was stoked to arrive in Nuuk and get my first oat latte. Even though it ended up costing $14nzd, it was worth it. I had three.

Nuuk is a cool little city. It is small and totally walkable; there are some tourist shops and spots, but it still feels authentic. The views are great, and the museum is one of my favorite spots. I would love to spend more time here one day.

Prince Christian Sound – Ikerasassuaq

At the very bottom of Greenland, you’ll find Prince Christian Sound, one of the most spectacular waterways to explore. Here, the Irminger and Labrador Seas meet along the islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago. The mountains and views are dramatic, and anywhere you land is spectacular.

It’s named after the 19th-century king of Denmark, Christian VIII. Denmark has had colonies in Greenland since the 18th century, and nowadays, Greenland is officially an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. Danish is widely spoken, though it’s no longer the official language. 

Sisimiut

Sisimiut is the second largest city in Greenland and is considered the gateway to many outdoor adventures. It sits within the Arctic Circle, surrounded by steep mountains and incredible views. There are lots of good cafes and shopping around Sisimiut, and the open-air museum is pretty amazing, too. We called in here on several trips, including the iconic High Arctic Explorer ones. 

Whenever we call in, we get to enjoy a setup called “A Taste of Greenland” at the hotel on the main square, which includes some of the country’s most iconic dishes, including whale. While I’ll delve into this topic far more in-depth later, I’ll say that spending time in the Arctic opened my eyes to subsistence hunting by indigenous people, which is what happens here. That being said, whale is an acquired taste. And texture. 

The last time we called into Sisimiut in September, we had the most incredible showing of the northern lights. By then, the days of midnight suns are over. I was recovering from being sick, and my ship bestie knocked on my door until I got up to go see them. No regrets. 

Illukulik – Lindenow Fjord

Southern Greenland is spectacular, and we spent several days navigating along the coastline from the east over to the western side of the country. We also had the most amazing weather the entire trip, with warm sunny days over and over again. 

One of the reasons I remember our stop in the Lindenow Fjord was because of the haze. The smoke from enormous bush fires in Canada drifted over to Greenland, leaving a slightly hazy sky. It didn’t make much of a difference with landings, and you couldn’t smell the smoke. But it did make for absolutely spectacular sunsets. 

Some photos I shot here are my favorite from my entire season spent at sea. I hope they continue to inspire people to visit Greenland.

Uunartoq

In southwest Greenland, you’ll find the tiny island of Uunartoq – home to the only hot springs that are warm/cool enough to swim in – that tourists know about at least – and that have been dammed up into a pool. 

Surrounded by icebergs and beautiful mountains on a misty day, Uunartoq was a real highlight for everyone as we sunk down into the crystal-clear pools. 

Kangerluluk – Bad Fiord

Our first landing in Greenland after sailing over from Iceland blew me away. It was warm and sunny when we arrived at Kangerluluk, a remote fiord few have visited. We landed on a sunny beach with fresh polar bear paw prints in the sand. It was very much an expedition-style travel day. These views inspire people to visit Greenland.

Surrounded by huge mountains with beautiful glaciers dripping down to sea level, I wandered for hours amongst the tundra, soaking in this incredible place. And trying not to soak in too many mosquitos accidentally. The bugs in Greenland in summertime are no joke – that’s when you pray for wind. 

That said, I spent a lot of time in Greenland in the summer, and this was the only day the bugs annoyed me.

Qaanaaq

Qaanaaq was by far my favorite place to visit Greenland last summer, and it was by total accident.

On the Out of the Northwest Passage trip, we visit Grise Fiord, Canada’s northernmost community. But Mother Nature dictates our itineraries, and that summer, it was regularly blocked by sea ice. So, instead, we called Qaanaaq. The northernmost town in Greenland is spectacular. Surrounded by mountains and icebergs in Baffin Bay, it has colorful houses, friendly locals, and lots of history and culture. And there were TONS of sled dog puppies. 

It was also the base and home of the famous Arctic explorer Knud Rasmussen, whose home is now a museum. 

Kap York

Kap York was one of the furthest points northward I traveled in Greenland on my expedition with Adventure Canada. When we arrived, the mountains were shrouded in fog, and the waters were so still that you could see the arctic char gliding beneath the surface. On land, if you paused in silence, you could hear birdsong booming above you through the mists.

As the morning wore on and the fog gradually lifted, suddenly, huge flocks of dovekies appeared, flying out around the tops of the cliffs. They swarmed to and fro, almost bat-like in their form and abundance. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it. Playing peekaboo with the fog made everything even more unearthly.

Below, a family of Arctic foxes darted in and out of the rocks, frolicking in the summer snow patches. Icebergs cracked and rolled in the bay. By this point, I was convinced I had entered another world. How is this real life?

Tassiussaq

In northwest Greenland we called in a few times to one of the most interesting archeological sites I’ve ever been to: Tassiussaq. 

Much of Greenland’s history is framed around the European Vikings. The truth is that Greenland has a much deeper and more fascinating history dating back thousands of years to the Thule and paleo-Inuit peoples. Adventure Canada works hard to bring expert guides along with us, like archaeologists specializing in the places we visit and Inuit cultural educators. 

Tassiussaq was one of those places where we could see the remains and ruins of Thule houses, meat caches, and even graves, but we respectfully kept our distance from them. 

Are you inspired to visit Greenland now?

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in Greenland – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post 30 photos to inspire you to visit Greenland appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Iceland was only beginning to boom on the tourism map a decade ago. It was still pretty chill. Instagram was still new, and Iceland had yet to dominate it. I went with girlfriends, including a friend from Iceland, and we did a loop road trip. It was so much fun. It was also one of my first jobs as a full-time travel blogger, so it meant so much to me. 

This time around was completely different. Instead of flying in, we sailed over on their Scotland, The Faroe Islands, & Iceland: North Atlantic Saga trip, arriving by sea. All up, I spent about two weeks there with Adventure Canada on their Iceland Circumnavigation trip and then departing on their Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings trip. 

Iceland was a bit of a hub. And it was so exciting to explore it in a completely different way. 

There’s something special about visiting a place the old-fashioned way, the way it was originally settled. It’s thought that the Vikings settled in Iceland in the 9th century, but it might have been earlier.

Making their way across the North Atlantic, likely searching for arable land, the Norse came in their thousands, settling all over Iceland within a few decades. What’s interesting to learn that a lot of the genetic evidence includes Irish and Scottish ancestry in addition to Scandinavia, particularly, women. Most people believe they came as slaves. 

Following in the wake of the Vikings over a millennia later by ship is a spectacularly cool way to arrive in Iceland. 

Here’s a taste of what we go up to with 25 of my favorite photos from a couple of weeks exploring Iceland by sea – enjoy!

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Arnarstapi

One of our first stops in Iceland was to a place I had never been to before – the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland. Somewhat off the beaten path, it’s a stunning corner of Iceland worth exploring. Arnarstapi is a cute little fishing village that sits as the gateway to the Snæfellsjökull National Park. 

I recognized where we were almost as soon as we stepped off the zodiacs in the harbor. With a cute white house perched on lava sea cliffs above turquoise water with a perfect volcano and glacier behind it, this was a view I had definitely seen before. It was on the cover of the only book I bought in Iceland (expensive).

Arnarstapi felt otherworldly immediately. It didn’t help that we had some of the wildest lenticular clouds I’ve ever seen, creating a moody ambiance that made it feel all the more magical. I spent my time wandering the sea cliffs, watching the bird colonies before meandering out to the lava fields. It definitely felt like you were on another planet. 

Dynjandifoss

From there, we made our way up along the coast into the Westfjords, an often overlooked place. One of the perks of traveling by ship is that you can often rock up to places that are much harder to reach by car. 

Dynjandi is the largest waterfall in the Westfjords, clocking in at 100 meters tall, with five waterfalls below it dropping down into the sea. While it’s remote, it can still become really busy with tour buses trekking out to visit. We called in early in the morning and had the whole place to ourselves for hours.

My first Iceland waterfall since 2013, I was struck by how much work has gone into creating infrastructure. I don’t remember paths or signs or blockades anywhere when I was here last. If you were dumb enough to sit on the edge of a waterfall, it was on you. And I sat on a lot of waterfall edges. 

Grímsey

The only place you can actually be within the Arctic Circle in Iceland is on the tiny island of Grímsey, off the northern coast. Sitting pretty at 66° N, Grímsey is pretty much ruled by birds. 

If you want to get your (visual) fill of puffins, Grímsey is the place to go. Somewhat hard to get to independently; it was great to be able to arrive by boat instead. Just watch out for nesting Arctic terns – they’re my new bird enemy. 

Arctic Iceland – visiting the island of birds on Grímsey

Siglufjörður

The northernmost town in Iceland is called Siglufjörður, and I had never heard of it. It ended up being one of my favorite spots in Iceland.

Going in with zero expectations, it was the sunniest, most beautiful weather when we arrived. The colorful, charming fishing town surrounded by mountains couldn’t have been more picturesque. Combined with a fascinating story and super friendly locals, Siglufjörður blew me away!

In the 1940s and 1950s, Siglufjörður was the herring capital of the North Atlantic; it was like a gold rush with fish. It’s since declined, but now there is one of the best museums I’ve ever been to, the Herring Era Museum, that shares the whole history. I know, a museum about fishing? But trust me, it’s fucking awesome, and it’s totally worth coming just for that.   

Akureyri

To visit Iceland by sea means we can visit traditional port towns the old-fashioned way, like Akureyri.

A beautiful little city in northern Iceland, Akureyri is a great place to base yourself out of, even for a day. It’s close to so many of the great wonders of the north, and it’s super cute all on its own. A great place for whale watching; one of the perks of traveling around by ship with Adventure Canada is the opportunity to watch for whales while onboard. When we left Akureyri and sailed out of the fiord at sunset, we were accompanied by whales the whole time. 

During the day, we explored outside the city, checking out Goðafoss, a super popular waterfall. I didn’t realize until we returned to the ship that I had been there before. We also spent some time exploring Dimmuborgir, home to some very cool lava fields, caves, and arches.

Seyðisfjörður

As we continued our Iceland circumnavigation, heading east, we landed in Seyðisfjörður, another off-the-beaten-track town. I’m not sure I would ever thought of coming here on my own, but it was just amazing. One of the earliest settled areas in Iceland, Seyðisfjörður is home to the little rainbow road that leads up to the church. 

We had another day of perfect weather and spent the morning way out on the fiord in Skálanes. Skálanes is a nature and heritage reserve. Luckily, the Arctic terns were only nesting by the carpark, so you only had to avoid them for a little bit, haha!

The reserve at Skálanes is an area of great biodiversity and is a center for study and research worldwide. There are nearly 50 bird species here, including a ton of puffins. There are also tons of reindeer, arctic foxes, and more than 80 archaeological sites.

Fjallsárlón and Jökulsárlón

The most popular place we took in on our visit to Iceland by sea was out near the Vatnajökull National Park, home to the iconic Fjallsárlón and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoons. 

We spent the morning on a boat tour around the lesser-known Fjallsárlón, taking in the beautiful icebergs and glaciers in the distance. It was another perfect bluebird day, not a cloud in sight. 

We ended up having enough time that we also called in Jökulsárlón too. En route to the ship, we saw reindeer and arctic foxes, making it a perfect day. 

Heimaey

Wow, another top contender for a new favorite spot in Iceland had to be Heimaey. I had never heard of this little spot in the Westman Islands; I’m not sure I would have thought to come out here on a traditional Iceland road trip. But it was so great we called in by ship as a way to visit Iceland by sea.

The zodiac cruise into the harbor was amazing, and we happened to time it when the prime minister was in town for the 50-year memorial of the ending of the Eldfell volcano eruption here. In the middle of the night in the summer of 1973, the local volcano erupted without warning. Luckily, bad weather had kept the boats in the harbor overnight, so everyone could escape. Eventually, half the town was buried, and locals fought the spreading lava by spraying it with seawater, saving parts of it, including the harbor. 

Today, you can see parts of houses emerging in the lava field, and the views from the top of the volcano are amazing. Definitely worth the climb up. 

Reykjavík

I was so excited to return to Reykjavík. Wow, the city has changed a lot in the decade since my last visit. It was so modern, with so many new spots and a lot of development happening.

I spent a few hours while in port, wandering around and soaking it all in. I went back to my favorite cafe from the last time I was here, the Laundromat, as well as finally going to the infamous penis museum. As a long-time fan of the weird, gross, and morbid, even I was not into it. 

Everywhere else was amazing, especially the waterfront. I definitely need to spend more time here soon. To visit Iceland by sea is an unforgettable way to take in this popular country.

Have you been to Iceland? Would you consider visiting by ship? Spill!

Curious about traveling to the Arctic? Sailing from Iceland to Greenland? Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in Iceland – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post 25 photos to inspire you to visit Iceland by sea appeared first on Young Adventuress.

I never thought I’d say this, but I found a bird I hate. 

It was a moody, beautiful day when we landed on Grímsey on our Iceland Circumnavigation expedition trip. A little island 40 kilometers north of Iceland, the only part of Iceland that sits within the Arctic Circle at 66° North. The rest of Iceland sits just below the Arctic Circle. 

This is probably the main draw card for those visiting Grímsey, but I’m just here for nature and the birds.

I also love visiting off-the-beaten-path locations, and in a country as popular as Iceland, those can be hard to find. Rest assured, Grímsey is still pretty far off the grid. The great part about exploring Iceland by sea with Adventure Canada is that we can rock up almost anywhere, disembark with zodiacs, and explore on the water anytime. That’s infinitely harder to do if you’re traveling independently. 

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
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And let me say that tourism has changed drastically in the decade since I last visited Iceland. Luckily, with the ship, we could actually plan to be in places when they were quiet or avoid clashing when other large cruise ships were in port. We often had spectacular places all to ourselves. And this was definitely the case with Grímsey.

Grímsey is wild and beautiful. With steep cliffs covered in nesting seabirds and puffins to rolling green hills to the most perfect Wes Anderson orange lighthouse, Grímsey is like something straight out of a travel guidebook but without the tourists.

But I will always remember Grímsey as the place where I got bonked on the head four times by Arctic terns – my new bird enemy. 

Not once, but FOUR TIMES!!! What the hell!

Now listen, guys. I’m enough of a bird nerd to know that most birds become aggressively protective when nesting. That’s normal. And since I adhere to the no interference rule, I don’t generally go anywhere near nesting birds. Adventure Canada is exactly the same – leave no impact on nature. Just observe respectfully.

But Arctic terns take this to a whole new level. It doesn’t help that they nest on the ground, and there are millions of them.

Grímsey is home to one of the largest breeding colonies of Arctic terns in Iceland. And they’re inescapable. Mating for life, they nest wherever they want, alongside the main (and only) road. About 55 people live on Grimsey. And to get anywhere, you can’t escape the terns.

I opted to check out the lighthouse and the beautiful bird cliffs, accessed by the main road. It was an amazing walk, minus one section where you had to run for your life past all of the terns who made it their mission to divebomb everyone. It’s why I don’t have any photos from that particular stretch of road. 

Arctic terns actually hold the world record for the longest migration of any animal in the world. Traveling over 70,000 kilometers on average twice yearly, Arctic terns migrate between their summer breeding grounds in the Arctic to the austral summer in Antarctica. 

The average arctic tern can live to be over 30 years old and will travel the equivalent of over three round trips from Earth to the Moon during its lifetime. Pretty impressive.

And if you can look past the fact they might try to bop you on the head repeatedly, they are beautiful birds. Elegant with long wings and forked tails, their silhouette makes them easily identifiable. 

There are plenty of other beautiful birds to be found on Grimsey, as well as some large breeding colonies of sea birds. Here in the summertime, you’ll find plenty of black-legged kittiwakes, puffins, razorbills, and guillemots.

In fact, seabirds outnumber humans on Grimsey at around 10,000 to one. There are also no foxes on the island, which makes it particularly safe for nesting birds. The best season for birdwatching here is from April to August.

For me, I really enjoyed watching the large colonies of puffins around the island. I could watch them for hours. Tiny and cute, puffins were just about everywhere. Seeing them plopped down amongst the flowers was ridiculously cute. I’m still trying to get the shot of one with a beak full of fish, but man, it’s hard! I think I need a bigger telephoto lens. The talented photographer on board with us, Steve Rose, managed to get the puffin shot, though!

Stepping within the Arctic Circle is pretty high on the bucket list for some travelers, and Grimsey is the only place in Iceland where you can do that. 

The Arctic Circle runs through the little island, though I found it fascinating that it shifts northward year to year. By the middle of the 21st century, it’s expected that the Arctic Circle will no longer pass through Grimsey. So now’s your chance.

For the rest of the group that didn’t feel like getting bird PTSD, they walked in the other direction on Grímsey to see the iconic monument “Orbis et Globus,” a three-meter, eight-ton stone sphere that marks the location of the Arctic Circle on the island. Because it’s a sphere, it gets moved every year in line with the changes in the Arctic Circle. 

When I reflect on all of the amazing places I was able to visit in Iceland, Grímsey sits high among my faves. A silent underdog, the quiet beauty of Grímsey combined with epic birdlife made it unforgettable. 

While the Arctic tern has officially moved down on the list of birds I love, it was still pretty incredible to see them in large colonies – from a distance. 

Have you heard of Grímsey? Is this a place you’d like to visit in Iceland? Share. 

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in Iceland – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post Arctic Iceland – visiting the island of birds on Grímsey appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Life in the far north revolves around the sea ice in every single way. In fact, in Inuktitut and other Inuit dialects all across the Arctic, there are usually at least 100 words for snow and ice. Thick sea ice that lasts for years. The ice crystals that form on the sea just before it freezes. Snow that can be used to ice the sled’s runner. Ice that breaks after its strength has been tested with a harpoon.

Ice is life in the far north. In the summertime, ice dictates where we can go on expedition ships, too. While a lot of sea ice melts in the warmer months, not all. The wind and the tides move the sea ice all around, often blocking in bays and harbors. The thickness and ability to move in it in different types of ships is a real skill. Learning to read these charts is something I’d love to learn. Our ship, the Ocean Endeavour, has a 1B ice class rating, which means it can navigate moderate sea but also might need to rely on an icebreaker.

While I was at sea with Adventure Canada in the Arctic last summer, a real highlight was the sea ice. And there’s nowhere better to see it than in Baffin Bay.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Baffin Bay is a huge stretch of marginal sea between west Greenland and Baffin Island in Canada. Situated above the 70° North parallel, Baffin Bay spans an area of nearly 700,000 square kilometers. And it’s nearly always frozen solid and chocked full of icebergs. Ships cannot pass through in the winter.

I spent a lot of time in Baffin Bay this past summer. Most of Adventure Canada’s Arctic expedition trips pass through or along Baffin Bay at one point or another. 

Baffin Bay is a great place to see the iconic sea ice, and we often had to travel along the edges of the pack ice looking for ways through or for paths to open up. I didn’t sleep much on these days because the pack ice is one of the best spots to look for polar bears as they hunt here. 

We crossed Baffin Bay between Greenland and Canada a few times, and each trip was magical. And the water was dead calm.

Sea ice often brings down the swells and waves, making it flat. We sometimes stopped in the bay and unloaded the zodiacs to cruise through the pack ice looking for wildlife. Often, the water was like glass, even in the middle of the bay. It was particularly beautiful when fog and mists would move in and out, creating an ethereal feeling. 

In the summertime, part of Baffin Bay opens up in the north called North Water, and it’s a polynya (an area of open water surrounded by sea ice) that is around 80,000 square kilometers. It’s really important for its biodiversity; here, in this little microclimate, you’ll find some of the most iconic Arctic animals, such as seals, seabirds, polar bears, walrus, narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales. 

We saw them all.

Baffin Bay connects the Labrador Sea and the Davis Strait with the Atlantic Ocean.

First, the Thule and later the Inuit inhabited this area for thousands of years. During their explorations, there is evidence that the Norse also arrived. There are still settlements along the bay today. 

The first record of Europeans arriving here was in 1585, with John Davis sailing under Queen Elizabeth I. The British began searching for the mysterious Northwest Passage through Canada that would connect them to the Far East to no avail. The Davis Strait is named after him, a stretch of sea between Baffin Bay to the north and the Labrador Sea to the south.

This was the beginning of the endless searches for the Northwest Passage over centuries. I spent nearly three weeks onboard as we navigated the length of the Northwest Passage; it was one of the coolest experiences of my life. 

In the early 17th century, William Baffin explored and charted the area all around Lancaster Sound as a pilot under Henry Hudson. He is considered to be the first European to “discover” Baffin Bay, which is named after him, though they did not find a way through the Northwest Passage. 

It wouldn’t be until 1906 that the great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen would successfully find a route through the Northwest Passage. 

Something that’s important to distinguish when you’re in the Arctic (or Antarctic) is sea ice versus icebergs. We see plenty of both in the Arctic, especially around Baffin Bay. 

Sea ice forms in the ocean from salt water. It’s also classified by age and thickness, with multiyear ice being the strongest, having survived the summer melts. The water needs to be -1.8°C for the ice to begin to form, and as it ages year after year, the brine in the frozen water disappears, meaning that it turns to frozen freshwater – this was often used by polar expeditions.

Many of the Arctic expeditions involve intentionally getting their ships stuck in the sea ice and overwintering. This didn’t end well meant times. First off, the sea ice will move and drift, taking you away following currents. Secondly, the pressure in the ridges and the ice often smash and destroy the ship, especially in the spring when it begins to melt. 

Inuit rely on predictable sea ice patterns and traditional routes on the ice for hunting by dogsled or snowmobile. Sadly, climate change is impacting the sea ice, making it unpredictable. You can walk on stable, thick sea ice. You should never walk on an iceberg. In fact, you shouldn’t go near icebergs. 

Icebergs come from glaciers on land. They’re chunks of ice that break off of the glaciers that fall into the sea. As they melt, their freshwater is what raises the sea levels.

Icebergs are beautiful, and Baffin Bay is full of them. They’re also dangerous. I mean, I assume everyone knows that from Titanic, but there are other reasons than just sinking a ship. In fact, the iceberg that sunk the Titanic is thought to have originated from the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland. 

There are icebergs that are bigger than buildings or even city blocks or even Manhattan. They can be gigantic. A23a was the largest iceberg in the world, calving off an ice shelf in Antarctica in 1986. It was nearly 4,000 square kilometers in size. 

Only 10% of an iceberg is usually visible above the waterline; this means there is a shit-ton of ice underneath stretching out in every direction.

And icebergs love to break apart or flip spontaneously. This means if you’re anywhere near one, let alone on top of one, you’re screwed. Just Google videos of it; it’s terrifying. If the ice is beneath you, you might fly. They’ll send out large tidal waves that could easily swamp nearby boats and flying ice shrapnel, too. 

When we zodiac cruise along icebergs and glacier faces, we keep a safe distance away. You can tell when an iceberg has flipped over because it’ll often be bright, shiny blue. They’re mesmerizing.

For the past 15 years, Greenland has been losing 300 billion tons of ice and water annually, and it’s increasing. One day in July 2012, the entire surface of the Greenland ice sheet melted.

In fact, there still wasn’t regular cargo shipping through the passage for most of the year until 2009. After that, the declining sea ice, thanks to climate change, means that you can access here longer. 

We saw many glaciers on my travels with Adventure Canada, and my mind kept returning to both the profound sadness and fear I have around climate change. I wish everyone could see what I have seen. Hot days in Greenland, no sea ice in the Northwest Passage. Starving polar bears trapped on land. Traditional Inuit hunting tracks gone.

Will all these beautiful glaciers that drop down into the sea dissapear in my lifetime?

By far, one of the coolest experiences I had last summer was actually landing on the sea ice. It’s something I’ve ever done once, and it was along the pack ice in Baffin Bay on our Out of the Northwest Passage trip. 

We spent some time exploring the pack ice in northern Baffin Bay before our expedition leader found a large, solid, and old, safe patch of sea ice. It was misty and beautiful, making the blue of the ice pop against moody skies. Every so often, the sun would peek through the fog, creating the most incredible atmosphere.

Revving the zodiacs up onto an icy beach, we were able to hop out and explore the ridges and pools of this old sea ice. It was absolutely magical.

Nothing is more of a poignant reminder that you are far from home, exploring the Arctic than drifting through the ice. 

You could be centuries back in time. The silence is profound, only broken up by the occasional crunches through newer sea ice. Your eyes constantly scan the horizon, along the edges of the pack ice, looking for an unusual shape, the pale yellow that indicates a polar bear in contrast to the bright whitish-blue ice. Or the black of the flippers of a seal. Maybe even the spray from a passing whale. 

Baffin Bay is a magical part of the world. I can’t wait to return.

Does sea ice hold a fascination over you, too? Would you like to visit Baffin Bay one day? Spill!

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Adventure Canada for hosting me in the Arctic – like always, I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me!

The post Postcards from icy Baffin Bay appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Slowly this realization dawned on me while crossing the infamous Drake Passage on the Ocean Endeavour on the way back from visiting Antarctica. I was with twenty cool people who took a chance and decided to join me on this adventure, my first group tour to the Antarctic and my seventh polar expedition. I will never stop thanking Chimu Adventures, who believed in me and gave me this opportunity.

Bumping up and down with the swells as albatross sliced cleanly through the clouds, I was so deliriously happy.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic or Antarctic?
Learn more here

When I’m onboard expedition ships, exploring some of the most remote places on earth, in the company of other like-minded folk and a shit ton of wildlife, I’m happiest.

I love sliding around on the deck as huge swells roll beneath my feet. I sleep like a baby snug in a tiny little bunk. My knowledge of where we are bubbles out of me, and I become an extrovert talking to people all the time. I, like, START conversations sometimes with strangers! (My fellow introverts will understand).

But every minute that we inched closer towards “real life,” towards 5G, and all of the responsibilities of running two businesses, I felt an uncomfortable weight sink deeper into the pit of my stomach. Whenever I thought about what awaited me back on land, I wanted to vomit.

And I don’t get seasick.

The past three years have taught me so much. From the losing a parent to a failed long-term relationship to starting a physical business (NODE) to writing a book, I found strength I didn’t know I was capable of. Looking back, I’ve done some really hard things. I’m still in the middle of doing hard things.

But the biggest lesson of all? Letting things go. Quiet acceptance. Slowing down.

These collective experiences put things into perspective, about focusing on what really matters and makes me happy. And what doesn’t.

Somewhere around 60° south, I finally acknowledged a few key truths I was very good at burying:

1. I’m happiest at sea in the most wild parts of the world. That polar travel fulfills me in ways that are hard to explain.
2. I want to be an expedition guide. I love sharing my knowledge and passion for this with others. I put my guest’s experiences ahead of mine, ensuring they felt how special it all was.
3. Finally, life is too short to put off your dreams.

On all my trips to the Arctic and Antarctic, I traveled as media/press. I wasn’t a guest, but I wasn’t crew either. While I absolutely loved this role, in some small way, I always felt a little left out, like I didn’t belong anywhere. I was hungry for more.

Looking back, I think I’ve known this all along since my first expedition trip to Svalbard in 2016. Watching polar bears cross the pack ice and being offline in the wilderness fulfilled me. It prompted my subsequent polar travel expeditions since. This is the life I want, spending a chunk of every year on these ships.

But like so many of us, particularly women, I put it off. Why? I am so mean to myself. I told myself I wasn’t good enough or qualified and didn’t have the experience. I wasn’t a scientist or hardcore adventurer. For over ten years, I’ve been undervalued, and belittled for my work as a blogger and influencer, even though I know I’ve achieved so much. But no matter how far I flew, imposter syndrome always kept me company. Fucker.

But it was time to change this. We can do hard things.

The ship I take guests down to Antarctica as a host with Chimu Adventures is called the Ocean Endeavour. It also runs in partnership with my old friends Intrepid Travel.

During the southern hemisphere summer, the Endeavour hangs out around the Antarctic, so November to March-ish. Then it voyages north to spend the northern summer in the Arctic with Adventure Canada.

Now, I can finally share that after months and months of hard work, my polar travel dreams are coming true.

For the first time ever, I’m skipping the kiwi winter and heading north to work on the Endeavour in the Arctic with Adventure Canada. I’ll be away from New Zealand for four months, working onboard from Scotland, Iceland, the Faroes, and Greenland to remote Canada. Part of the expedition team, I’ll be working mostly with photography and writing, guiding, and sharing stories from this part of the world.

I’ll finish and return to New Zealand in the spring before returning to Antarctica with Chimu and Intrepid next season. I’ll be fully guiding and hosting trips. Sign up here to learn more.

I couldn’t be more excited. Literally, every single thing excites me about this opportunity.

I’m excited to be a rookie again. To be at the bottom of the ladder and work my way up through hard work. And I know it’s going to be really hard. I can’t wait to spend less time online and more time working with my hands in my favorite places. I’ve been slowly chipping away at qualifications like getting a powerboat license to drive zodiacs, undergoing maritime security courses, doing first aid courses, and more.

I love learning new things; I’m a sponge.

It’s easy to carry on with familiar work and life patterns. What’s truly hard is to find the strength to shove them aside and jump at something new. Turning 35 a few weeks ago, I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Life is too short to fuck around and not do what you really love.

Filling out the paperwork for these trips (omfg, so much paperwork), they ask questions I haven’t been asked for a long time, like what are my hobbies and what I do for fun. Um, crickets.

I work, work, and then do more work. A lot of the stuff I do in nature is for work. My photography and writing technically count as work. Travel is usually work. I go to the gym – does that count? I read, like going for walks, and I watch TV at night to try to turn my work brain off, but that’s about it. Fuck. When did this happen to me? I feel like I don’t know how to have fun anymore. I force myself to schedule time to spend with friends.

A friend told me recently that I light up when I talk about my upcoming time onboard. Not many things light me up anymore, which I was sad to realize. I feel like with all of the shit I’ve endured over the past two years, my spark is gone, snuffed out.

But now I know I want it back. Desperately.

One of the biggest things I hope to achieve with this new polar travel chapter is that it’ll give me the freedom to have good chunks of time off. I’m hoping it’ll teach me balance. I’ll work my ass off for a few months on board, then have a few months off to do whatever I want. I will still be here sharing stories, but hopefully from a new lens.

It’s time to stop messing around with things that don’t mark your heart sing. Our dreams are real and valid; if we don’t chase them, someone else will.

The post A new polar chapter begins appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Halfway between Norway and the North Pole, you’ll find a mysterious icy land called Svalbard. There isn’t much wilderness left in Europe I reckon, but Svalbard definitely takes the cake. Tucked away at 77° N in the Arctic, it’s a beautifully desolate and inhospitable land with no night in summer and no sun the rest of the year. With a population smaller than my university, and a very real danger of getting eaten by a polar bear, Svalbard is the stuff of literature and legends.

Which, incidentally, is how I first found out about it.

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

I am unashamedly one of the biggest book nerds you will ever meet. I live in my head – I always have. And I live in books. I’m a homebody, an introvert, and a borderline scaredy cat. I’ve got a lot of fears too.

It’s almost scary how easy it is for me to imagine never having left my home or following a more traditional career path. But I did leave, and I’ve traveled far and wide, and I think books had a huge role to play in that.

From a very early age, books have inspired me to travel. I loved (well, I still love) the comfort of home, the familiarity of routine, the stability and peacefulness of your own space. But I loved stories and getting lost in other worlds while reading. And above all I loved reading about adventure, about people going on a journey, those cliche faraway lands and places you could only imagine in your head. I read so much my parents took my books away to punish me sometimes.

But reading about adventure wasn’t enough. I wanted my own.

And we all have to write our own stories after all.

You’ll hear my story of Svalbard if you watch my new video, but I’ll recap here too in case you miss it or don’t have patience to listen to my voice – I know I sure don’t. Is that really how I sound? Geez.

I first heard about Svalbard when I read the incredible Golden Compass books by Philip Pullman. Hands up if you’ve read them too! And if you haven’t go pick them up now.

An epic fantasy trilogy not too different from Harry Potter, I first got my hands on these books over a decade ago, and haven’t put it down since. I regularly reread the trilogy, and even reread the books while on the expedition ship around Svalbard. Two weeks at sea with no internet means you have a lot of time for reading.

An epic retelling of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, set in a world similar to ours, the books follow the incredible adventure of Lyra and Pan as they travel to the far north to a land, you guessed it, Svalbard. The kingdom of the ice bears.

When I found out that Svalbard existed in real life and there were polar bears there, though they didn’t wear armor, I knew I had to go one day.

It was a dream that I held onto for so long, that I had to pinch myself every day I was there because I couldn’t believe it had finally come true.

Nothing feels as good as making one of your dreams come true. I relished very single minute of my time in Svalbard, and I would go back in a heartbeat.

It’s a wild and magical place that calls to you. It’s haunting in its isolation and captivating in everything you can see there. Svalbard is a place for romantics like me, and place filled with old stories waiting to be heard and new stories begging to be told.

Keep reading and keep dreaming guys!

What did you think of my video of Svalbard? Has a book ever inspired you to travel? Have you read the Golden Compass books too? Spill!

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Many thanks to Eclipse Travel for hosting me in Svalbard – like always I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me! And many thanks to Eric Supertramp for helping me photograph and film this magical land!

The post VIDEO: Svalbard – when a book inspires a journey appeared first on Young Adventuress.

Never heard of it? Don’t worry, many people haven’t. I probably would have either except for the fact that I’m a huge nerd. While I won’t hold my breath, I hope that at least some of you guys are on the same page as me, and know about Svalbard from the magical, mystical, glorious Golden Compass books from childhood.

Yes, I traveled to the ends of the earth because of a kids book I read when I was a teenager. Who wouldn’t?

Anyways in these books, Svalbard exists as the kingdom of polar bears. And even though it’s fiction, I realized long ago that it’s based on a place that actually exists also called Svalbard, which is the real-life kingdom of the polar bears. Except these ones don’t talk or wear armor. But close enough.

So for the past decade, and I mean DECADE, I have dreamed about seeing the real land of the polar bears. And boom, it finally happened last month with Eclipse Travel.

How amazing is it that books and literature, even fiction, can inspire us to go out and have our adventures and see the world?

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

I also just realized I haven’t blogged in a month. SORRY!

Also known as Spitsbergen, Svalbard is just about as far north as north goes. Longyearbyen, the main settlement is located at 78°N – to me, that is basically the end of the world. Though it’s surprisingly well connected with the rest of Europe with only 3 hour flights north direct from Oslo. Even though it’s part of Norway, it’s also not. I don’t understand the logistics of it but you do go through immigration to go to Svalbard.

And it’s some kind of tax haven, which means CHEAP BOOZE!

We spent 10 days on the expedition ship MS Ortelius circumnavigating Svalbard at the end of August with Eclipse Travel and I don’t say this lightly, it was seriously one of the coolest trips I’ve ever done. I was already thinking when I could come back before we even docked back at Longyearbyen.

But be warned, polar travel is addicting. Once you get a taste for this epic uninhabited wilderness, you will be hooked.

I’ve got so many stories to share with you guys but I thought I’d first give a little teaser of some of our best photos of the amazing adventures on Svalbard for a week. Enjoy!

Have you ever traveled to a place you’ve read about in a book? Have you heard of Svalbard? Is it on your list? Share in the comments!

We got on and off our ship the MS Ortelius via these zodiac boats

Exploring the research town of Ny-Ålesund – the northernmost settlement in the world

Spotting polar bears roaming the pack ice in the north of Svalbard

I don’t think I’ve used a telephoto lens more while traveling than on this trip with Canon Australia – more about my gear here

Even though it was August it snowed a few times on the trip

60% of Svalbard is covered in glaciers

Looking out for the most amazing birdlife along these cliffs

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

Icebergs washed up on the beach by the 14th of July Glacier

View from the porthole in our room – I was in a 4 person girl bunk room and it was so much fun!

Reindeer roaming along the tundra

One of the many historic trapping huts and cabins around Svalbard

The Bråsvellbreen glacier – the 3rd largest ice cap in the world

In Svalbard, it’s the law to carry a rifle outside of the settlements because of polar bear danger

One of the many amazing glacier waterfalls we were lucky enough to witness

Even though it was summer, we still have a few subzero days on the ice

An arctic fox nabbing a meal

One of our last landings and the location where we did a polar plunge

The tundra is riddled with bones and antlers

Cruising through the pack ice

One of the many hikes on a landing

Curious about traveling to the Arctic?
Check out my trips and learn more here

The final polar bear we saw on land

Many thanks to Eclipse Travel for hosting me in Svalbard – like always I’m keeping it real – all opinions are my own, like you could expect less from me! And many thanks to Eric Supertramp for helping me photograph this magical land!

The post 25 photos that will inspire you to visit Svalbard appeared first on Young Adventuress.