Arctic Expeditions | Journeys
THE WILD NORTH: CANADA'S POLAR BEAR & LANDSCAPE EXPEDITION
The High Arctic is a place of enchantment, a landscape of profound contrasts. Here, nature reveals itself in striking duality—calm and pristine, frozen in time, yet also fierce and unyielding with powerful winds. It’s an environment that redefines what’s essential, inviting you to cultivate resilience, teamwork, and a mindset ready for anything.
I invite you to join me on up to a 10-day excursion into the High North, where you’ll camp under the Arctic sky and experience genuine northern hospitality. Traverse lunar-like landscapes, towering mountains, and surreal ice formations—vivid scenes so breathtaking they almost defy imagination with the hopes of seeing polar bears and cubs in their frozen home.
Maximum group size is 6.
Join this exclusive expedition limited to just 6 participants.
Tentatively planned for mid April, 2026.
By signing up now, you'll get early access to dates and booking options when they're confirmed. This trip will be finalized in mid-May after Emily returns from this itinerary.
EXPEDITION OVERVIEW
Experience the pristine Arctic wilderness of Baffin Island in partnership with expert local operators who know this landscape intimately. This extraordinary expedition starts on Pond Inlet where we travel to a location renowned for its polar bear habitat where mothers and cubs emerge in the crystalline spring light.
Our local partners have developed a specialized mobile camp approach specifically designed to adapt to the Arctic's changeable conditions while providing remarkable comfort in one of Earth's most remote environments. This isn't just a visit to the Arctic—it's a complete immersion in its raw beauty and silent majesty.
Each day, we'll venture out across the landscape in search of polar bears and their cubs, moving with the rhythm of the Arctic day. Witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat against a backdrop of towering glaciers and vast frozen landscapes that stretch beyond imagination.
As the Arctic spring awakens, you'll have extraordinary opportunities to photograph not just bears, but the breathtaking landscapes of northern Canada—sweeping fjords, dramatic mountain ranges, and the interplay of light across ice formations that create an ever-changing canvas.
This expedition offers more than wildlife encounters—it provides a profound connection with one of our planet's last truly wild places, where the elements still reign and nature reveals itself in its most authentic form.
10-DAY ITINERARY
Day 1 Upon arrival to our Arctic base, we will take advantage of every minute and start our commute via snowmobile and komatiq to base camp. The crew will brief you on safety and rules for life on sea ice and get you acquainted with the amenities around camp.
Day 2 Half way to our bear camp location, we set up a one night camp in a fiord along the coast.
Days 3-7 Bear Camp in a prime viewing area. Everyday we travel the region for bear and cub sightings. This is a bear rich area, and so we have night time bear watch for safety.
Days 8-10 We travel back towards our starting point and again camp half way on the ice on our return. A welcome back hotel night before your flight back to the south.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
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1 night in hotel, 10 nights camping in the Arctic (all camp equipment provided)
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Ground transportation
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Travel by komatik (sled) to/from the Bear Camp
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Includes all meals from arrival to departure
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Expert local guide, local Inuit guides, plus Emily with maximum 6 guests
NOT INCLUDED
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Round-trip airfare to northern Canada
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Mandatory emergency medical and trip interruption insurance
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Items of a personal nature
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Additional expenses in the event of flight delays
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Hotel nights before and after the tour
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
This expedition requires a moderate fitness level. Participants should be comfortable with:
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Sustained below-freezing temperatures throughout the expedition
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Being towed by snowmobile in a komatiq (sled) - you will experience wind, cold, speed, moving backwards, and uneven/choppy terrain
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You must be comfortable as a passenger
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Mobile camping conditions in an extreme environment
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No serious health conditions that could be compromised in a remote setting
TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE
Beyond photography, this expedition offers a rare opportunity to disconnect from modern life and experience one of Earth's most pristine wilderness areas. The Arctic landscape challenges us to embrace a different rhythm of life, where nature dictates the pace and the raw beauty of this environment reveals itself in breathtaking ways.
EXPEDITION INVESTMENT & TERMS
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Per Person Rate: Contact Emily
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Group Size: Limited to 6 participants
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Single Supplement: Please speak with Emily directly to determine availability and cost
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
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Initial Deposit: $1,000 per person to secure your place
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Interim Payment: 40% of total expedition cost due 120 days prior to departure
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Final Payment: Remaining balance due 90 days prior to departure
RESERVATION POLICY
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Your place on the expedition is confirmed only upon receipt of deposit
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Payments accepted via credit card, bank transfer, check, or ACH
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No processing fee for payments made by check or ACH
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A detailed expedition preparation guide will be provided upon registration
CANCELLATION POLICY
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Deposit is non-refundable
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120-90 days prior to departure: 50% of total expedition cost
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89-60 days prior to departure: 75% of total expedition cost
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59 days or less prior to departure: 100% of expedition cost
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We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation coverage
EXPEDITION PROTECTION
Given the remote nature and specialized arrangements for this expedition:
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Comprehensive travel and medical evacuation insurance is required
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Documentation of appropriate coverage must be provided 90 days before departure
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We can provide recommendations for insurance providers experienced with expeditions of this nature
THE ELEMENTAL EXPERIENCE
Emily McCulliss offers transformative expeditions that operate at the intersection of challenge, growth, and story.
The Canadian Arctic wilderness presents a rare convergence of extraordinary solitude and profound beauty. In this demanding environment, Emily's passion for transformative travel combines with the expertise of local specialists to create an unparalleled expedition.
This journey pairs Emily's vision with the invaluable skills of professional Inuit guides who have spent their lives in these landscapes. Their deep knowledge of polar bear behavior, ice navigation, and survival in extreme conditions ensures both safety and extraordinary wildlife encounters.
"The Arctic's stark beauty demands more than technical skill—it requires mental resilience, adaptability, and spiritual openness. Being transported across these frozen landscapes, feeling the bite of constant cold in your lungs, and maintaining presence despite physical discomfort creates a unique alchemy where challenge transforms into unexpected clarity.
This frozen realm doesn't just test your limits—it dissolves artificial boundaries. With each day's journey across the ice, each dawn search for emerging bears, each moment spent in silent observation, you discover capabilities that have always existed beneath the surface of everyday life.
In the silence of this ancient ice, surrounded by nothing but what's essential, you experience a rare simplicity that cuts through life's complexities. This is where your true story emerges—in tracks across snow, in breath visible against Arctic light, in the patient surrender to nature's own timing."
Emily's role is to bridge the gap between the technical expedition and your personal journey of transformation. While our local experts handle the navigation and camp operations, Emily focuses on helping you process and integrate the experience, developing your photographic narrative, and facilitating the inner journey that unfolds alongside the physical one.
This collaborative approach ensures you benefit from both authentic local expertise and Emily's unique perspective on how extraordinary environments catalyze personal growth.