The Arctic: Iceland, Greenland and Norway
The Arctic's extreme and isolated lands are intriguing more visitors than ever.
Iceland, Greenland and Norwegian Svalbard offer plenty sensory stimulants, starting with the aurora borealis.
This northern lights celestial spectacular pierces polar nights with intense dancing greens.
Polar bears hunt for blubbery bearded seals atop large floes of ice while blue, bowhead and beluga whales tumble below.
Dogsledding, snowmobiling and skiing are legitimate modes of transport.
What's new?
Inuit culture permeates Greenland.
March 2016 will welcome the international Arctic Winter Games to capital Nuuk, along with a song, food and dance festival.
Land visitors to Iceland seeking seclusion should head west, where adventure ice cave "Into the Glacier" is open to the public.
"Sailing Spitsbergen to Greenland following the ice's edge with an eye peeled to the horizon for wildlife is exhilarating," says Casey Mead of G Adventures.
"Landings are on foot and in small inflatable boats."
When to go: May to September.