3 of the best: awe-inspiring Arctic incentives in Canada’s Baffin Bay

The Arctic is one of the last frontiers of adventure travel and home to some of the world’s greatest natural phenomena. Glaciers, icebergs, polar bears, and the northern lights combine to create bucket-list incentive itineraries worth bragging about.

For an Arctic experience your team will never forget, head to the Qikiqtaaluk (or Baffin) Region of Nunavut, one of Canada’s three territories, which is as diverse as it is iconic.

Here, towering mountains rise from the sea. Glaciers mark their slow advance across the tundra and icebergs flow across the crystal waters of Baffin Bay, which teem with marine mammals. Nunavut is home to some of Canada’s most iconic wildlife, including polar bears, narwhals, beluga whales and walruses. This enchanting environment provides the perfect backdrop for you and your team to experience these incredible animals in their natural habitat.

If you’re interested in rewarding your top performers with the Arctic adventure of a lifetime in Baffin, here’s three experiences you won’t want to miss…

Dive beneath the ice

See more than just the tip of the iceberg on an ice diving experience like no other. Local expert Arctic Kingdom can organise for your incentive group to be immersed in a frozen underwater world, diving under the light of the midnight sun.

With a skilled Arctic dive master, teams will discover the most incredible ice formations found anywhere on the planet – pack ice, cracks, the sea floor of the Arctic Ocean. Highlights include diving through seal holes or cracks in glaciers, and even diving inside an iceberg. Be sure to look out for pods of narwhal, polar bears, harp seals, bearded seals, ringed seals, bowhead whales, and belugas.

After an exhilarating ice dive, take in dramatic landscapes of towering granite cliffs, mountains, glaciers, and icebergs. Experience the floe’s edge – also known as the “line of life” where the open water meets the ice, or visit the Bylot Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary, which attracts more than 200,000 birds annually.

Credit: Yohei Miyashita. Arctic Kingdom - Diver under iceberg at crack.

Credit: Michelle Valberg. Arctic Kingdom - Air Balloon

Float above the top of the world

Take your top performers on an unforgettable journey above the icy wilderness with a hot air balloon adventure in the Arctic.

Book a private flight with Arctic Kingdom to the floe’s edge for truly spectacular views of the pristine Nunavut scenery. Watch and photograph polar bears hunting from an unprecedented angle with guides who are experienced balloonists.

These awe-inspiring expeditions give groups a once in a lifetime chance to fly between northern communities, or even across the ice caps, from Nunavut’s Baffin Island to Greenland. Brace yourself for the elements – ballooning takes place in the winter so you can enjoy the natural ice in all its wonder.

Because of how quietly they glide across the wind, hot air balloons provide a low-impact way to see the stunning landscapes below without scaring the wildlife. They also have the advantage of being non-polluting, which makes for an appealing option in the Arctic region where the impact of climate change is clearly visible.

Cruise between icebergs on a Zodiac

Discover a whole world of glittering glaciers and marvel at the sheer immensity of the awe-inspiring icebergs on a cruise through the fabled Northwest Passage with a local operator such as Adventure Canada.

There are a variety of itineraries available, most of which give small groups the chance to get out on Zodiacs, inflatable boats which are perfect for manoeuvring through the icy waters and incredible scenery, and viewing the wildlife that makes the region so unique.

Zodiacs allow your top performers to get up close to the electric blue icebergs. Cruise through drifting pack ice, watching for inquisitive seals and breaching whales. Discover quaint coastal villages and enjoy stories and legends from the expert guides. Meet Nunavut communities, experience an Inuit cultural welcome and explore remote Arctic hamlets along the way.

Getting there

There are no roads to Nunavut, which helps to reinforce the exclusive nature of the experience in the minds of your guests. The easiest way for incentive groups to get here is by air on regularly scheduled flights that depart from the following cities: Ottawa, Montréal, Winnipeg, Churchill, Edmonton, Calgary, and Yellowknife.

This content is sponsored by Destination Canada Business Events. To find out more about exploring one of the last vast areas on the earth in all its glory, get in touch with the Destination Canada Business Events team or visit businesseventscanada.ca

Credit: Jason van Bruggen, Destination Canada