Do you love adventure? Are you seeking the unknown in our largely developed world? Your wishes will be fulfilled on two premieres of the HANSEATIC nature along the same route to the legendary Hudson Bay. A nautically demanding pioneering feat that is only possible with many years of experience and a high level of expedition expertise. Your journey there begins in Greenland – with Uummannaq. Proud like the local Inuit culture, a heart-shaped mountain rises up before you. The Zodiacs will frequently take you to places that are almost impossible to reach otherwise – such as the Eqip Sermia Glacier with its ridge that is approximately 7 km (4 mi.) long. From Ilulissat, you can marvel at the glittering masses of ice on a hike to the ice fjord. The icebergs of Disko Bay are also breathtaking – and you will be right in the midst of them when cruising and riding in the Zodiacs. Explore Sisimiut, with its more than 4,000 years of history, in an active way.

You will become part of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’s own history of discovery as soon as the HANSEATIC nature cruises through Frobisher Bay for the very first time. This area is very rarely visited on expeditions, as only in summer does a brief window of opportunity to do so open up in these otherwise permanently icy waters. But even now, pack ice fields can be expected from here on. You’ll be entering unknown terrain in Iqaluit. The small capital of Nunavut and its surroundings invite you to outdoor activities*, such as hiking with your experts to the parliament, the igloo church and the museum as well as through the tundra rich in flowers. Observe caribou, Arctic foxes and various species of bird.

The Hudson Strait is also iced over and not passable for most of the year. If the route is clear, extremely rarely visited destinations await – such as the Lower Savage Islands with good chances of spotting polar bears from a respectful distance. Arctic flora adorns Diana Island with delicate flowers. Perhaps musk oxen and Arctic hares will make an appearance. On the shore of Eric Cove, a hike leads you amidst the diversity of plants and traces of the Inuit. Your experiences grow in grandeur and the impressions in intensity when the heart of this expedition lies before you – the unknown sea of Canada ...

In 1610, the English captain and explorer Henry Hudson searched for the Northwest Passage between Europe and Asia. In doing so, he was the first European to unknowingly explore an inland sea that today bears his name – Hudson Bay. Called the “ice cellar of North America” because it is completely frozen over in winter, it is colourful and lively in summer. The waters are teeming with seals, and whales can appear at any time. Largely untouched by humans, the former trade route for valuable furs and the associated history of the Hudson’s Bay Company still exude an air of great adventure. This is also true of Mansel Island, the territory of tundra swans and eider ducks. On Coats Island, Arctic birds and, if you are lucky, walruses can be spotted time and again – just like on neighbouring Walrus Island, where you will explore the scenery from the Zodiacs as well. What will the fjord and the settlement look like when Chesterfield Inlet is visited for the very first time? Marble Island, in turn, will also surprise you. Made of quartzite, it is the habitat of polar bears and Arctic foxes.

The small town of Churchill offers many exciting activities* – and above all beluga whales. The town looks like a last outpost of civilisation. The streets are dusty and the landscape vast. The harsh conditions under which people live in Canada’s north become clear here. Yet the loneliness and vastness are what makes it so appealing. The HANSEATIC nature spends two days here to ensure that you have plenty of opportunities for guided nature adventures during the day.

Selected shore excursions*:

• Beluga whale watching
  You’ll be there just at the right time when thousands of beluga whales come to swim in the waters off Churchill. From a kayak, SUP board or Zodiac (not on-board Zodiacs), you will experience the spectacle particularly intensively.
• Belugas and history
  A boat tour takes you to the countless belugas, which you can observe peacefully at your leisure. Afterwards, travel back in time with a visit to the Prince of Wales Fort. This fur-trading bastion from the early 18th century was built by the Hudson’s Bay Company.
• Visit to a husky camp
  Dave Daley is a well-known regional musher. He will captivate you with exciting stories about his dog-sledding adventures and will be happy to give you personal insights into his life with the animals.
• Tundra buggy tour
  The extra-large buggy takes you through the Churchill Wildlife Management Area – on former military tracks and through water. Look out for Arctic foxes, Arctic hares and caribou.
• Helicopter flight over Hudson Bay
  This tour lets you admire, with humility, the vastness and beauty of the subarctic tundra. From a bird’s-eye view, the drama of the remoteness becomes particularly clear. If you’re lucky, you may also spot moose and caribou.
• Visit to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre
  Feel like an explorer of Hudson Bay and gain fascinating insights into the world of ornithology, belugas, polar bears, Indigenous culture, Northern Lights and winter ecology.
  
  

A WORD OF ADVICE: POLAR BEARS IN CHURCHILL Sightings of polar bears around the town of Churchill in summer are unlikely. Often there are no bear sightings for months. Nevertheless, there is always a risk that an animal will show itself in the town. Doors and cars are therefore always open to provide protection. At 22.00 hrs, a siren sounds, signalling that minors under the age of 18 should go home. For your safety, individual exploration of Churchill is only possible to a limited extent. The use of a shuttle bus is mandatory. We always recommend a shore visit in conjunction with an organised excursion*.