The Geographic North Pole

Head for 90 degrees North! Since the 16th century, the greatest expeditions have constantly tried to reach the North Pole. This mythical geographic point inspires and attracts as much as it fascinates dreamers and conquerors seeking out the other side of the world.

What if Le Commandant Charcot achieved this absolute pinnacle adventure by enabling you, perhaps, to tread on this virtually unattainable point?

Following in the wake of Frederick Cook, Robert Edwin Peary or Roald Amundsen, who were among the many who fought to achieve this elusive goal, you will be part of the chosen few ones to attempt the odyssey, 700 km (435 miles) from any land.

From Spitsbergen, you will head towards the north to sail the waters at the edges of the Earth, towards landscapes that change constantly according to the ice and the plays of light. Nature reigns supreme here, sheltering exceptional wildlife that you will perhaps be lucky enough to see as your journey progresses: polar bears, seals or even whales! Your exploration of this silent world, frozen by the cold, will continue as you attempt to reach the Grail of all polar explorers: the North Pole!

Swept by the winds and the currents, the ice floe is constantly drifting and the Captain of your ship will manoeuvre carefully and with great humility in an attempt to reach the northernmost point of our planet.

Be one of the few people on earth to have visited the Geographic North Pole, the true top of the world

Landings and shore visits on Zodiac inflatable boats with a team of experienced naturalist guides
Lectures and information sessions given by our naturalist guides and scientists
Visit to the Ittoqqortoormiit region, home to the last hunters of the polar region, at the entrance to Scoresby Sound, the world's largest network of fjords

With featured guest Ian Dawson, British Photo Ambassador.

Wildlife: seals, whales, polar bears, petrels, arctic gulls
Fabulous landscapes: ice floes, steep mountains, valleys with steep sides, the sheer cliffs of Spitsbergen
A variety of activities: kayaking, landings or walks among the ice, polar diving without a suit, participation in the work of scientists and much more

Day 2   23 July 2025 - At sea along Spitsbergen

Arrival 23/07/2025 Departure 23/07/2025 The largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, its name meaning “pointed mountains” in German, Spitsbergen is the last piece of land before the Arctic ice floe. Aboard your ship, you will sail along the extremely spectacular coastline of this icy land. Between millennial glaciers and rugged mountains, you will discover a jagged coastline, hollowed-out by fjords. A unique setting, the refuge of a particularly rich avifauna, offering you the possibility of taking fabulous photographs from the deck of your ship.

 

Day 3-7  24 July 2025  28 July 2025 - Navigating through the sea ice

Arrival 24/07/2025 Departure 28/07/2025 Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

 

Day 8   29 July 2025 - Geographic North Pole

Arrival 29/07/2025 Departure 29/07/2025 Defined by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site, permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

 

Day 9-12   30 July 2025  3 August 2025 - Navigating through the sea ice

Arrival 30/07/2025 Departure 03/08/2025 Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

 

Day 13-14   4 August 2025  5 August 2025 - At sea along Spitsbergen

Arrival 04/08/2025 Departure 05/08/2025 The largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, its name meaning “pointed mountains” in German, Spitsbergen is the last piece of land before the Arctic ice floe. Aboard your ship, you will sail along the extremely spectacular coastline of this icy land. Between millennial glaciers and rugged mountains, you will discover a jagged coastline, hollowed-out by fjords. A unique setting, the refuge of a particularly rich avifauna, offering you the possibility of taking fabulous photographs from the deck of your ship.

 

Day 15   6 August 2025 - Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen

Arrival 06/08/2025 early morning Disembarkation 06/08/2025 at 08:00 Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.