by Geoffrey Ravoire, Marketing Manager & Luxury Travel Advisor

During my last transpacific flight, I finally watched Where’d you go, Bernadette, a dramedy taking a West Coast family on one of the most sought-after trips: Antarctica. Although the movie takes some creative liberties that make a travel advisor cringe, it shows how inspiring and life-changing the polar regions are. Antarctica is still on my list, but last summer I was fortunate enough to travel to its northerly sibling: the Arctic Circle.

After visiting the North Cape — the northernmost point of continental Europe — our expedition ship sailed a full day to our next stop, Bjornoya. Puffins and guillemots gliding on our ship’s thermals welcomed us to the largest bird colony of the North Atlantic. They emerged from the clouds and the Arctic Ocean as if on cue from a Hollywood director. Our gear on, we got on our RIB and were mesmerized by the thousands of birds both on the water and perched atop the towering cliffs. Bjornoya was just the first stop of a magical trip where every moment felt surreal and awe-inspiring.

After another night at sea, we spent a few days in the Svalbard archipelago, tendering to shore, kayaking among icebergs, getting up close with giant glaciers, and whale watching. Ny Alesund remains my favorite landing: the northernmost settlement in the world is now an international research center. Fascinating to me were the NASA satellites and the launching site used in 1926 by Amundsen, Ellsworth, and Nobile for the first-ever transpolar flight. The untouched beauty of this fjord and its inhabitants — be they scientists or seals — made it even more unique.

Back on the mainland, we decided to explore remote fjords and stayed at Åmot for its tranquility, absolute beauty, and incomparable sense of place. An old farm transformed into a small country hotel, Åmot sits in a pristine valley tucked away between fjords and glaciers. There, we experienced the most genuine service and extreme feeling of privacy — we even had our own 200-ft. waterfall for a private pool! Åmot is a place where guests — be they royals, movie stars, or travelers like you and me — come to disconnect and surprise themselves walking down the road in the evening to cool off in the nearby river. Champagne and canapés in hand, of course.

So, if watching Kate Blanchett kayaking among icebergs sparks a desire in you to visit the polar regions, please go. You’ll return re-energized and with an incredible new respect for our planet.