ARCTIC

For most of us a genuinely once-in-a lifetime journey, visiting the Arctic region is a chance to experience life at the edge of the world and reset one’s expectation of what travel can do for us. At one time a place only frequented by professional explorers, with the right trip its extraordinary beauty can now be experienced by conscientious international travellers, either by land or specially built ships.

The distinctive landscapes and pristine waters of this most serenely beautiful part of the world are home to residents – including polar bears, walruses, bowhead and beluga whales and narwhals – that travellers will never forget having glimpsed in the wild. Add to that the sheer scale and majesty of the natural landscapes, from dizzyingly large icebergs to fjords and mountains, and the Arctic is that rare example of a travel destination that is indisputably “breathtaking”.