When you think of Quark Expeditions, you probably imagine cruises, but the operator’s Arctic Watch program is actually an exciting land-based one.

Arctic Watch itself is the most northerly wilderness lodge in Canada, located specifically on Somerset Island, Nunavut. From the shoreside base camp, visitors can expect to witness beluga whales, muskox, polar bears, arctic foxes and snowy owls, as well as discover archaeological sites.

Rather than by cruise, guests will adventure via foot, sea kayak, river raft and ATV all while accommodations remain comfortable with delicious food back at base camp. Like on a ship, all meals are included.

So, just what exactly is in store?

Eight or ten days in the Canadian Arctic are family-hosted by polar experts Josée Auclair and her husband, Richard Weber, and joined by their sons, Tessum and Nansen. Quark Expeditions team members, Niki Trudeau and Dave Allcorn, also tag along.

After a private chartered plane takes guests across the Arctic Circle to the lodge, activities may begin with a beluga whale-watching hike to the Cunningham River—later the location of a raft launch. Other points of interest on the itinerary include Muskox Ridge Trail, Kayak Falls and the famed Northwest Passage. Cunningham Inlet is perfect for kayaking around icebergs, more whales, and ring and bearded seals.

READ MORE: Experience Unforgettable Polar Moments in the Arctic

The equipment gets a bit beefier when the Mercedes Unimog multi-purpose four-wheel drive truck comes out to head from Flatrock Falls towards the Somerset Island canyons. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are also at the ready to visit Cape Anne and Thule sites—formerly of bowhead whale hunters—as well as spot polar bears.

In fact, the skeletal remains of two bowhead whales from 8,000 years ago can be seen on a Badlands hike. Other animals to be seen encompass snow geese, jaegers, sandpipers and rough-legged hawks.

Additional activities include the chance to mountain climb, lake fish and even fat bike. It may not sound flattering, but it refers only to the fat tires on the bicycles that are specialized for smooth stability on the arctic terrain. All the while, opportunities for capturing breathtaking photos abound. What’s more, award-winning arctic wildlife photographer Nansen Weber is there to guide novices and enthusiasts alike.

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Best of all, all the programming is included. One thing that does come with an optional surcharge is the Beechey Island excursion. The extra tour features a De Haviland twin otter flight across the Northwest Passage with sightseeing of narwhal, bowhead whales, beluga whales, seals and polar bears. Once on the beautiful island, the mysterious remnants of the Franklin Expedition await at a gravesite and supply depot.

There are over a dozen scheduled departures at the Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge in 2018 and 2019 beginning on June 28. The experience is family friendly and suitable to most fitness levels with varying degrees of activity.

For more information, Quark Expeditions’ website offers additional itinerary details and a whole page of articles about the specific destination.