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Canada from coast to coast
From the wind- and wave-carved cliffs of the Maritime regions to the rainforests of the western shores, Canada dazzles with its trove of natural riches. Our voyages cover each of the country’s coastal regions to provide a range of perspectives on the Great White North. Sail to festive fishing villages on the east coast, through a misty maze of coves and inlets on the west coast, or across the icy channels of the High Arctic, and gain new perspectives from our experts on a part of the world that is at once familiar and filled with wild surprises.
A Remarkable Journey to Alaska, British Columbia & Haida Gwaii
Duration
15 days
Apr
May
Sep
From
$12,160
Top Highlights
With very special access, spend four days in Haida Gwaii, a UNESCO World Heritage site, learning from Haida interpreters about their nearly lost ancient culture and exploring these remote islands
Sail deep into fjords, narrow channels and hidden coves and bays, searching for humpback whales, dolphins, bears, and eagles
Kayak in Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm for an up-close view of calving glaciers, towering forests, and seals afloat on iridescent icebergs
In wild, roadless places, see spectacular fjords with cascading waterfalls and soaring old-growth forests of spruce and cedar
Explore the picturesque fishing village of Petersburg, and by special permit, spend a full day exploring Glacier Bay National Park
Enjoy free beer and wine (excluding super-premium brands) on all 2023 departures aboard National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, and National Geographic Sea Lion. Starting in 2024, your full bar tab (excluding super-premium brands) will be included.
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
Book by June 30, 2023, and we will waive the solo premium on solo cabins on select departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
$700 AIR CREDIT
Book by June 30, 2023, to receive a $700 air credit per person on select departures. New bookings only. Subject to availability. Credit will be deducted from cabin fare prior to any additional applicable savings. Call for details.
ALASKA 2023 FAMILY OFFER
On select 2023 departures, every two full-paying adults are welcome to bring a guest aged 22 and under at 50% off and a second guest aged 22 and under for FREE. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. An individual full-paying adult is welcome to bring a guest aged 22 and under at 50% off and a second guest 22 and under for free when booking a single double- or triple-occupancy cabin, pending availability. Valid on cabin fare only, not valid on extensions or airfare. Please call for details.
Exploring British Columbia and the San Juan Islands
Duration
8 days
Sep
Oct
From
$5,560
Top Highlights
Sail among remote islands to kayak or hike where sea lions, river otters, bald eagles, and white-sided dolphins can be found
Go through Desolation Sound, on the north end of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast, a mecca for kayakers with its calm, sheltered waters and outstanding natural beauty
In Alert Bay visit the U'Mista Cultural Center to see a stunning collection of potlatch masks created by the Kwakwaka'wakw peoples
Search for humpbacks and orcas, visit the Whale Museum, and learn about local populations from a researcher for the Center for Whale Research
In lovely Victoria tour private gardens, take a bike ride, and enjoy a private evening event at the Robert Bateman Centre
Enjoy free beer and wine (excluding super-premium brands) on all 2023 departures aboard National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, and National Geographic Sea Lion. Starting in 2024, your full bar tab (excluding super-premium brands) will be included.
$400 AIR CREDIT ON SELECT DATES
Book by June 30, 2023, to receive a $400 air credit per person on select departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Credit will be deducted from cabin fare prior to any additional applicable savings. Call for details.
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
Book by June 30, 2023, and we will waive the solo premium on solo cabins on select departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Aug
From
$17,860
Prices are per person
Special Offers (2)
Highlights
Arctic
Canada
Greenland
Fabled Lands Of The North: Greenland to Newfoundland
Duration
17 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Aug
From
$17,860
Top Highlights
Explore two UNESCO World Heritage sites alongside a team of experts: glide among soaring icebergs at the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord; and ponder the remains of the 11th-century Viking village at L’Anse aux Meadows
Meet Inuit artisans on Baffin Island and learn about their carving and weaving traditions
Join our naturalists to search for polar bears, caribou, arctic foxes, humpback and minke whales, walruses, and more in their natural habitat
Explore the untamed coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, discovering spectacular fjords and cliffs on foot and by kayak and Zodiac
We will cover your bar tab (including alcoholic beverages aboard the ship except certain premium brands of alcohol), and all tips for the crew on all National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endurance, and National Geographic Orion voyages.
CHILDREN TRAVEL FREE
Book by June 30, 2023, and each child 22 and under will travel free with a full-fare paying adult on select 2023 Arctic departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions or airfare, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Aug
From
$39,990
Prices are per person
Special Offers (5)
Highlights
Arctic
Canada
New and Noteworthy
Greenland
New
Gateway to the Northwest Passage: Greenland & Canada
Duration
25 days
NOTE: For expeditions departing April 2024 onward, Day 1 of our itineraries will no longer reflect “departure from the U.S.” and will reflect “arrival to the city” where your expedition begins. Durations of expeditions will remain unchanged.
Aug
From
$39,990
Top Highlights
Travel well above 80º north into the fabled Northwest Passage and learn dramatic stories of the explorers and adventurers who sought this magnificent, icy frontier
Glide between soaring icebergs at the mouth of Greenland’s Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site
Explore Ellesmere Island with binoculars at the ready to spot polar bears, walruses, ringed seals, belugas, bowhead whales, and the elusive narwhal
Visit the “Jewel of the North,” Pond Inlet, a small Inuit community known for its friendly community and world-renowned soapstone carvings
Marvel at the unique volcanic black sand beaches, hot springs, and waterfalls of Disko Island, a Greenlandic island often compared to Iceland
We will cover your bar tab (including alcoholic beverages aboard the ship except certain premium brands of alcohol), and all tips for the crew on all National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Endurance, and National Geographic Orion voyages.
CHILDREN TRAVEL FREE
Book by June 30, 2023, and each child 22 and under will travel free with a full-fare paying adult on select 2023 Arctic departures. Valid for new bookings only on select departures, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions or airfare, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
TRAVEL TO BOTH POLES AND SAVE 20% OFF YOUR SECOND VOYAGE
Book one, get the second 20% off! Book select Antarctic or Arctic departures between January 2023 and March 2024 and receive 20% off your second departure. Valid for new bookings made by June 30, 2023, subject to availability on select departures, not combinable with other offers or extensions. Calls for details.
SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
Book by June 30, 2023, and we will waive the solo premium on solo cabins aboard select 2023 departures. Valid for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
20% SAVINGS
Book by June 30, 2023, and receive 20% off your cabin fare on select 2023 departures. Valid for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on extensions or airfare, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
Our small expedition ships take you into the most remote corners of Canada’s coastline so you can get up close to incredible wildlife, visit secluded villages that celebrate centuries-old traditions, and witness pristine nature in its wildest form. Each vessel is stocked with a fleet of Zodiacs that allow us to sail without being dependent on ports or piers, while our kayaks and paddleboards let you glide into secluded inlets for a closer look at sea lions, or safely observe a bear feeding in a quiet cove.
Throughout your expedition in Canada, National Geographic Explorer provides an atmosphere of casual comfort as well as intellectual stimulation and sociability. After an active session of exploring, it’s always rewarding to return to Explorer—to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate.
Savoring the Seafood of a Storied Region
This region has a rich fishing and marine history, much of which infuses itself into the world-famous mussels, cod tongue, and smoked herring which the locals pride themselves on.
Spectacular Ancient Landscapes of Newfoundland’s Gros Morne
Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park is one of the few places where you can walk on the Earth’s mantle and also cruise glacially carved freshwater fjords.
The earliest known European structures in North America are the Viking buildings in the stunning setting of Newfoundland’s L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site.
The ancient village of SGang Gwaay Llnagaay, on the eastern edge of SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island), is the most remote place in Canada’s most remote archipelago, some 160 miles south-west of Prince Rupert.
Wildlife & Natural Wonders in the Pacific Northwest
From killer whales frolicking in the waters around the densely forested San Juan Islands to bighorn sheep climbing along the sheer rock faces of Hells Canyon, the wildlife and scenery of the Pacific Northwest are vastly varied.
Absolutely astounding! We were continuously engaged and learned so much.
Lynne F.
Explore with top expedition teams
See, do, and learn more by going with engaging experts who have been exploring this region for decades. Go with an expedition leader, naturalists, certified photo instructors, and more.
Expedition Leader
Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.
Our naturalists, passionate about the geographies they explore (and return to regularly), illuminate each facet through their enthusiasm and knowledge. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.
Our historians will share the stories, tumults, and triumphs of the people and places we explore. Their colorful personalities and passion for history, from the minutiae to the big picture, make them engaging travel tour guides and companions.
Travel and shoot with a bona fide National Geographic photographer. These top pros are at your side and at your service—providing advice, tips, and slideshows. Access to photographers of this caliber will help you improve your skills and ensure you’ll go home with incredible photos.
Certified Photo Instructor
Every Canada expedition also offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to help you become a better, more confident photographer—and to help you understand the movements of wildlife so you can create top shots.
On our final day aboard National Geographic Venture , we visited Sucia Island and explored its incredible geology and fossils. Formed through thousands and thousands of years of sediment accumulation from glacial silt washing downstream, Sucia Island is home to stunning sandstone sculptures and fossils trapped in time. Located on the northern part of the San Juan Islands, Sucia Island is home to various marine mammals and seabirds alike, with harbor seal haul-outs, gulls, and great blue herons galore. The morning was spent kayaking and taking Zodiacs around the “dirty” waters that give the island its name. Despite the rain, spirits were high, and the feeling of adventure and excitement continued as it has all week. Too bad we will not be back soon to discover all the fungi and mycelium networks that flourished from today’s rainfall! Our afternoon and evening featured hiking to Fossil Beach to observe traces of the ancient life that once thrived in this region. With emotional and pun-filled recaps, a final delicious dinner, and one last trip down memory lane during our guest slideshow, we couldn’t have asked for a better voyage to complete our Pacific Northwest itinerary. What a treat!
After days of sunshine and warm temperatures, the “raincoast” delivered some authentic fall weather today. The day started with a thick fog as we cruised into Friday Harbor and cleared Customs. By the time we reached Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the west side of San Juan Island, the fog had lifted, giving us picturesque views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca with Vancouver Island silhouetted along the horizon. We were able to tour the gorgeous lighthouse that, in addition to still being operational, serves as an interpretive spot for the southern resident orca whales that frequent the area. In recent years, this unique population of whales has shrunk to 73 individuals due to a variety of reasons, especially decreased salmon populations. In the evening, two members of the Center for Whale Research came aboard to discuss their most recent findings and what must be done to ensure that these intelligent and charismatic animals continue to populate these waters for generations. The San Juan Islands are also home to a little-known piece of U.S./U.K. history. Known as the Pig War, a nonviolent confrontation over the border took place between the two countries. It was settled after much dispute. For twelve years, American and British camps occupied opposite sides of the island until an arbitrator ruled in favor of the Americans, and the border was drawn in Haro Strait, west of San Juan Island. The sites of the two camps are now national parks, and the eerie fog that drifted up the treeless hills added to the overall environment, reminding us that, despite the dry weather, fall and Halloween are right around the corner.
National Geographic Venture docked on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in Victoria, British Columbia just after 8:00 a.m. this morning. The capital city of British Columbia was named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and, at the time, British North America. Founded in 1843, it is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. Known as the “Garden City,” Victoria enjoys a mild maritime climate and is famous for both public and private gardens, which help keep it consistently ranked in the top twenty cities worldwide for quality of life. During the ‘Secret Garden’ tour, guests explored the British Royal Family’s grounds and immaculate gardens. Stunning redwood trees greeted us upon entry, soaring to the sky. The final two gardens were viewed after a recharge stop for coffee and pastries. Time only permitted a maximum of two activities, and there were plenty to choose from. A local historian led a walking tour through downtown Victoria, highlighting the importance of the buildings around us and how they came to be. Some guests donned helmets and saw the city by bicycle, ending at the area’s tallest totem. Still others enjoyed Victoria with a First Nations cultural tour, eating bannock and smoked salmon with Sharon. While staff joined in the fun by touring the city in the morning, the undersea team had a different idea for the afternoon. It seemed no Lindblad dive team had ever explored the underwater area just outside of town. The only barriers to penetrating the waters of Victoria turned out to be time and travel. To overcome the travel barrier, our dedicated dive team pushed a cart nearly a mile to the breakwaters in hopes of helping our guests understand a bit more about what is going on beneath the water in Victoria. While the secrets of what was seen will stay a secret until tomorrow, I can tell you it was a rather incredible scuba dive! We did our best to help everyone conserve a little energy for the cherry on top of our whirlwind visit: a private cocktail hour and viewing of the Robert Bateman Gallery. Robert Bateman has been a longtime friend of Lindblad expeditions, even hosting guests in his private home in the early days. While sampling some delicious sparkling rosé and munching on mushroom-topped chickpea cakes, guests were dazzled as they learned more about the artwork and the artist.
Just before sunrise the National Geographic Venture positioned in
Teakerne Arm inside Desolation Sound. A Zodiac was lowered about 45 minutes
before sunrise. A small group of staff were going a shore to look at a brand-new
landing! Many of our sites in Desolation Sound have been visited via recon in
2019, though we on the Venture would be the first visiting Lindblad ship! After a short scramble up a steep entry on land, our moderate hikers
group headed toward a lake that feeds into Cassel Falls. For those interested
in a “stationary hike,” chairs were pulled around our Cultural Interpreter and
Naturalist Sharon Grainger, who spent an hour and half sharing tales of the
Indigenous peoples and their relationship to the forest and the sea. From tiny
lichen to Western red cedars and Douglas firs, from the rocks to the sea,
Sharon wove all these natural resources into a story of the land and its
people, who for thousands of years honored these gifts from nature and used
them for a wonderful life! Once the stories were finished, all groups made their way back
down to the trail head and small dock and waiting Zodiacs. Some groups went hiking or kayaking. A small group headed out onto the waters
of Teakerne Arm for a Zodiac tour. Starting at the waterfall, our Zodiac cruised up to the face of
the falls with a small amount of water descending into salt water. This area of
the Pacific Northwest has not had rain for nearly four months! Our Zodiac then
began a slow cruise out towards the entrance of the arm. Our driver had spotted
what turned out to be a local oyster farm. Asking as politely as possible we
approached Jeff and asked if he wouldn’t mind sharing a little about his life
as an oyster farmer. He was more than happy to do so and brought up many
stories about his life and his third season as an oyster farmer on his tiny farm.
We got to see all kinds of sea life living on the baskets that held his oysters
and much to our joy he started sharing all the sightings of marine mammals in
the area. As he spoke, the water was filled with thousands and thousands of sand
lance. This is a very important prey fish for many marine mammals, such as humpback
whales, harbor seals, Dall’s porpoise, just to name a few. Following another old Lindblad tradition, the ship’s crew brought
some supplies to our new friend, Jeff. Our kindness was suddenly rewarded by the
sight of Dall’s porpoises surrounding the Zodiac! It all happened so fast,
cameras could not be lifted in time … just keeping the memory in our mind and
heart was delightful! Back on the Venture , we enjoyed a lovely lunch as our Bridge
officers began our journey south, heading toward tomorrow’s destination in
Victoria, British Columbia. In calm seas we maintained a watch for marine
mammals from the bow of the ship. We were rewarded with nice sightings of humpback
whales and a haul out of Steller sea lions. Our day finished with cocktails on the
bridge deck as we shared stories of our day in this extraordinary place called
the Pacific Northwest Coast.
When I first visited Alert Bay fifteen years ago, I didn’t fully comprehend the geographic importance of this community. In the 1960s and 70s, this was a thriving fishing and logging town. The town was bustling enough that they had two movie theaters and not enough taxis for all the weekend bargoers. Today it has less than half that population (around 1000 people) and is the cultural center for the Kwakwaka’wakw people, though that was the case well before the fishing and logging booms ever made it here. Given Alert Bay’s position at the northern end of Vancouver Island–right near the entrance to the open Pacific Ocean, where currents narrow and nutrients concentrate–there is an abundance of wildlife. While we didn’t see killer whales or humpbacks today, they are regular visitors. What we did see were the many birds that pass through or call this place home, including common loons, bald eagles, glaucous-winged gulls, ravens, crows, red crossbills, European starlings, etc. The morning was dedicated to exploring the natural history of the island by visiting Alert Bay’s ecological park. Many of the aforementioned birds were present along the park’s boundaries, not to mention multitudes of fungi and even some culturally modified trees (a.k.a. western red cedar trees that have been sustainably harvested for their bark over the decades). Our afternoon afforded us a chance to learn more about the Kwakwaka’wakw legacy in this part of British Columbia and to see much of the prodigious art created at the hands of locals. From totem poles to ceremonial masks to big houses made out of 80’ long, 5’ thick timbers of old growth cedar, this community has created a legacy of art. They have been ever so generous with their stories and knowledge during our visit.
It is fascinating to call at each island and see how their lives are inextricably tied to the seas through trade and fisheries—and it is just as fascinating to explore the ancient human history of the only confirmed Viking settlement in North America.
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