Polar bears, bergs and beautifully bleak expanses of pack ice are what we associate most with the Arctic Circle – a magical, untamed wilderness centered on the North Pole and encompassing parts of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, northern Scandinavia and Russia.

However, that is to overlook the region’s varied terrains (pine forests, lakes, volcanoes and tundra), the Inuit communities of Greenland and the wildlife-rich Norwegian island of Spitsbergen (part of the Svalbard archipelago) with its spectacular glaciers and tiny but fascinating capital, Longyearbyen – and of course the dazzling, dancing Northern Lights which, across the region, turn the sky into an ever-shifting palette of iridescent pinks, purples and greens. Sail to Spitsbergen from Oslo, Norway’s capital, on a luxury expedition cruise and admire from afar the luminous glaciers that make up two-thirds of the island’s surface. Travel ashore by Zodiac and spot not just those iconic polar bears but harbor and bearded seals, walruses and a multitude of seabirds. If you are not a seasoned naturalist, the ship’s expert wildlife guides will help you identify them. In Greenland, visit a remote meteorological station and the small settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit, with a chance to spot Arctic foxes and musk ox along the way. Arctic Canada, meanwhile, offers soaring peaks, mirror-calm lakes and endless forest roamed by wolves. Equally wild and beautiful is the crescent of Alaska that lies within the Arctic Circle, fringing the icebound Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, where the glaciers are the size of skyscrapers and yet more animal magic awaits.