Jo Meintjes Travel can also highly recommend this fascinating wilderness area.
It can be divided into visits to the following:
Alaska; The Inside Passage, The Aleutian and Pribilof Islands; The Bering Sea
Canada for polar bear and brown bear watching north of Winnipeg as far as Wager Bay in mid-summer
Iceland - land and sea tours
photos courtesy of Denise Scarrott
photos from the Arctic island voyage of 2008 taken by Jo and Denise
Greenland - for good value we recommend that you visit by ship as you may be 'befogged' on land and may have to wait several days at your own expense to fly to your next destination.
Kamchatka Peninsula, Sea of Okhotsk in the Russian Arctic - a once forbidden area - offers scenery and plentiful wildlife. Voyages around Japan, the Kurils and South Korea are also offered. Dog sledding trips are available.
North West Passage voyage by Icebreaker are not offered every year. Now that the Kapitan Khlebnikov is being retired in early 2012 it is doubtful which ships will operate this route. Please enquire.
Jo has bathed in Askja Crater, Iceland
Spitsbergen and North Cape - voyages and land excursions.
The North Pole fly-in (March) or sea (July)
Dog sledding tours and a stay in Ice Hotel in Sweden far above the Arctic Circle are possible. Jo stayed at the Ice Hotel and tried out dog sledding in 2005 as the photos on this page prove. She had a cocktail at the Ice Bar where even the glasses are made out of ice.
NORWAY - Jo Meintjes sailed from Bergen to Kirkenes and back on one of the Hurtigruten ferry ships in March 2010. These ships were upgraded in the last few years to the height of luxury with well appointed cabins, and superb dining, bar and seating areas. At the longer stops they offer excursions which are very well organised. Jo went dog sledding, saw the most northern Snow Hotel (the Ice Hotel name is patented by the Swedish one which Jo stayed in 5 years ago and is more elegant); did several coach tours to see the Saltstraumen maelstrom (from where the dictionary says the word originated), a very strong but productive tidal current; across some of the Lofoten islands, still north of the Arctic circle; and a very good guided tour around Trondheim. A guided walk around Tromsø included a visit to the brewery and the Arctic Museum featuring many artefacts of the explorers Amundsen and Nansen. At other stops she enjoyed a visit to an ice sculpture gallery as well as the world’s northern most fort.
Many other brief stops are made as the ship stops at some 60 places day & night during the 12 day round voyage. With the many ships they act as a lifeline to some very remote settlements and towns. Time permitting passengers can explore at some of these too.
Many more excursions are offered in the summer months. Jo went at a more discounted price being winter but also to spot the Northern Lights. These are always elusive but she had the opportunity one night to photograph them.
Contact Jo for first hand advice and prices by using the Enquiry Form.
Time exposure of the Northern Lights taken near the Lofoten Islands. Street lights are therefore blurred.
photo courtesy Denise Scarrott
NORWEGIAN ESCORTED TOUR - An acquaintance of Jo’s runs regular escorted tours to Norway. As Tor is of Norwegian parentage he is fluent in the language and takes a group of 10 to little known parts of Norway. Some walking/hiking is included. Tours can also be custom made for groups of friends with special interests.
For more details please contact Jo using the Enquiry form.
The barman at the Ice Hotel's Absolut Ice Bar. Everything except him is made of ice including the glasses. Don't even think of pocketing a glass as a souvenir!
Jo gets the hang of dog sledding after a couple of spectacular tumbles along the way!
The Suite they slept in at the Ice Hotel complete with ice sculptures.
photos courtesy of Denise Scarrott
Rare musk ox in Greenland
Geyser valley, Kamchatka
Arctic brochures are available. Please specify your requirements in as much detail as possible on an enquiry form.
Mother and two polar bear cubs at Wager Bay, Canada
