9 grand journeys from pole to pole and around the world

From polar plunging to cruising the world, there’s something magical about Antarctica. These once-in-a-lifetime journeys from the Arctic to Antarctica will let you experience the icy paradise like never before.

1. Go pole to pole

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

See a leopard seal up close. (Image: Benn Berkeley)

What’s more brag-worthy than doing a polar plunge? Doing it twice! Follow the pathway of legendary explorers to both ends of the Earth. Luxury cruise line Seabourn has announced its Pole to Pole: Grand Expedition for 2027 and 2028, a 94-day cruise from the High Arctic to Antarctica covering some 20,000 nautical miles. Experiences such as the polar plunge, the chance to witness the northern lights, a submarine dive and kayaking past glaciers are on this extraordinary itinerary.

2. Follow Sami reindeer herders in Finnish Lapland

Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

A Sami befriending a reindeer. (Image: Visit Finland/Mikko Ryhänen)

Reindeer are sacred to the Sami People of Lapland. One of the few continuing Indigenous cultures of Europe, the Sami have been herding reindeer through the Arctic for 2000 years. It’s an ancient tradition that continues today, despite a history of suppression by the state. Join a Sami family for a day or few during the herding season. You’ll see how the Sami live in the harsh, wild beauty of the Arctic, and, in doing so, support the continuation of their Indigenous traditions.

A reindeer in its natural habitat. (Image: Visit Finland/Jani Kärppä)

3. Indigenous-led excursions in Arctic Canada

Travelling with: Imogen Eveson

Circumnavigate the icy waters of Pond Inlet with HX Expeditions. (Image: Andrea Klaussner/Hurtigruten/HX Expeditions)

Sailing the legendary Northwest Passage just got even more captivating thanks to HX Expeditions’ first-of-its-kind excursion program created with a community-first approach. Developed in collaboration with Inuit communities in Arctic Canada, these Indigenous-led experiences – only accessible during the brief summer season – range from storytelling hikes to Arctic char fishing using traditional weir techniques. During the launch phase, 100 per cent of excursion revenue went directly to local individuals, artists and businesses in Nunavut.

A polar bear walking alone Radstock Island. (Image: Camille Seaman)

4. An expedition in Svalbard

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Journey past slow-moving rivers of ice.

Listen closely to hear the Earth in motion, shifting, uplifting, grinding, cracking, squeaking, calving and splintering on a magical journey past slow-moving rivers of ice along the Norwegian coast. The Frozen soundtrack will be your inevitable earworm on an expedition cruise with Hurtigruten onboard purpose-built ships designed to navigate around the large masses of ice. Sail from Svalbard to Bergen under the glow of the midnight sun on the Svalbard Line exploring fjords, islands and wildlife along the way.

5. Visit the subantarctic islands

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

The subantarctic islands are teeming with penguin colonies. (Image: Unsplash/Paul Carroll)

Considered some of the most isolated archipelagos on Earth, the subantarctic islands are pristine, wild and often described as the Galápagos of the Poles. South Georgia and the Falklands are popular stops on an Antarctic cruise, teeming with penguin colonies, sea lions, fur and elephant seals and diverse species of seabirds. Closer to home, the islands lying below New Zealand – including the Snares, Campbell and Auckland islands – as well as Australia’s own Macquarie Islands – serve as critical breeding grounds for albatross, as well as hosting large colonies of sea lions and king penguins. You can see these subantarctic islands in-depth with Aurora Expeditions, Ponant and Scenic.

6. The final frontier

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Cruise Antarctica on the luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot. (Image: Ponant/Julien Fabro)

The wild and remote continent is becoming more accessible to mere mortals. With the announcement of Silversea’s new hotel in Puerto Williams, Chile, the southernmost city on Earth, its guests can experience a seamless journey to the Frozen Continent. Ponant will venture to unchartered regions in 2028, with its world-first 64-day circumnavigation of Antarctica on its luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot. And if sleeping under the stars in Antarctica seems like a far-fetched idea, think again. HX Expeditions has launched the most diverse kayaking and camping program in the region, offering its adventurous guests once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

The ship features a heated indoor pool in the Wellness Lounge on Deck 9. (Image: Ponant/Julien Fabro)

7. Access to Greenland

Travelling with: Sarah Reid

An art shop in Qeqertarsuaq on Disko Island. (Image: Sarah Reid)

Once primarily the domain of cruise tourism, Greenland has seen a transformation since the 2024 opening of a major new airport in the capital Nuuk, with another set to open in the remote fjord-side town of Ilulissat in 2026. Intrepid Travel launched its Greenland Expedition in 2025 in response to this new accessibility, offering a rare opportunity to experience the country’s surreal landscapes in a low-impact way while engaging with locals on their terms on a journey conducted mostly on foot. Led by passionate Greenlandic guides, the expedition is focused on the Ilulissat and Disko Bay areas, where colourful houses cling to craggy coasts, sled dogs laze under a midnight sun and immense icebergs bob on glittering seas.

8. Relive the Kangaroo Route

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

The Great Sphinx of Giza in Cairo, Egypt. (Image: Unaihuizi Photography)

Relive the golden age of aviation, when air travel was slow but sophisticated, by hopping along the iconic Kangaroo Route made famous by Qantas in 1947. Captain’s Choice is honouring the original Sydney to London flight path with a 14-day Pioneering Spirit of the Kangaroo Route tour. Departing 3 February 2026 onboard a privately chartered Qantas Airbus A330-300, passengers will stop in Darwin, Singapore, Kolkata, Colombo, Cairo, Toulouse and Rome. A gala dinner in the residence of Sri Lanka’s prime minister, special access to the feet of the Sphinx and after-hours entry to the Vatican are among the special inclusions of this nostalgic tour.

9. Cruise the world

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

Visit 31 countries aboard Viking Vesta. (Image: Viking/Eric Laignel)

Around the world in how many days? That’s up to you – with an increasing number of cruises criss-crossing the globe. Viking does it in 142 days, visiting 31 countries aboard Viking Vesta in 2027 and 2028. Celebrity has a moderate 110-day Grand Voyage on Celebrity Solstice in 2026 while Royal Caribbean claims the longest world cruise at 274 nights on Serenade of the Seas. Embark on a cross-cultural odyssey of the seven continents, from the Far East to northern Europe, switching between modern metropolises, timeworn cities and natural wonders, with island-hopping in between.