Articles Three Bucket List Trips to Take on a Superyacht Charter

As you venture into the fjords and the urban glow fades into profound darkness – a necessary canvas for nature’s most magnificent light show. Your Captain will position the yacht in carefully selected locations, where steep fjord walls provide shelter while maintaining clear views of the northern sky. Here, from the warmth of your deck Jacuzzi, watch the aurora come to life.

During the polar nights, when darkness extends beyond 20 hours, your yacht becomes an ideal mobile viewing platform. Work with your crew to arrange an evening with one of Norway’s leading aurora photographers, who can help capture these ethereal moments while sharing insights into the scientific phenomena behind them. Your chef can serve traditional Norwegian cuisine on deck, perhaps reindeer carpaccio or fresh-caught Arctic char, as you wait for the lights to appear.

Daylight hours, though brief, offer their own adventures. Helicopter directly from your yacht to experience dog sledding across pristine snowfields, or visit a Sami community where generations of experience living under these lights lend a deeper cultural perspective to your viewing. For those seeking additional thrills, arrange for a snowmobile expedition across the Finnmark plateau, returning to the yacht’s warmth and comfort after a day in the Arctic elements.

As you cruise deeper into the fjords, your yacht will truly come into its own, ensuring comfort in these northern waters, with the interior offering a luxurious contrast to the harsh Arctic environment. Here, a yacht with a large skylounge is particularly favourable, boasting the perfect vantage point for wildlife spotting – from sea eagles soaring overhead to orcas hunting in the fjords.

The remote Ribbon Reefs, located in the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef, offer some of the most pristine coral environments on Earth. Unlike day-trippers limited to the southern reef, your yacht enables access to these isolated locations where seasoned divers dream of exploring.

Arrange for a leading marine biologist to live aboard during your charter, providing personal guidance as you discover famous dive sites like Steve’s Bommie and Challenger Bay. Your yacht’s dive centre will serve as the perfect platform for up to four dives per day, while non-divers can enjoy close encounters with dwarf minke whales, which migrate through these waters between May and August with 90% of sightings between June and July.

Conclude each day with a gourmet dinner featuring sustainably sourced local seafood prepared by your chef, while your onboard marine biologist presents evening talks about the day’s discoveries back on board. For the ultimate memory, arrange a helicopter photography flight to capture the reef’s spectacular colours from above.

Begin your skiing expedition in Vancouver, where your yacht awaits against the backdrop of the coastal mountains. This cosmopolitan city, with its exceptional dining and cultural scenes, provides an elegant starting point for a journey that culminates in North America‘s most remote skiing terrain.

The first days of skiing take place in and around Whistler, where your yacht positions in the protected waters of Howe Sound. Here, experience private heli-skiing through pristine terrain that offers a different perspective on the mountains you see from Whistler-Blackcomb’s slopes. As confidence builds, cruise north along the Inside Passage, where the Coast Range presents increasingly challenging terrain, and pristine powder runs ending directly at your yacht’s tender.

As you continue toward Alaska, the terrain becomes increasingly dramatic and isolated. Pass through the Great Bear Rainforest, where skiing opportunities merge with chances to spot rare wildlife including the cream-coloured Kermode bear, considered sacred by the indigenous T’simshian people.

The journey culminates in Alaska’s Chugach Range, arguably the world’s greatest heli-skiing destination. Here, your yacht serves as a mobile luxury lodge in Prince William Sound, repositioning daily to access the best conditions while avoiding the limitations of land-based operations. Expert guides from elite heli-skiing operators (sourced by your Charter Consultant) will utilise your yacht’s helipad to access untouched peaks offering runs of up to 1,800 vertical metres through terrain that makes even professional skiers pause in awe.

Between skiing and exploration, your personal chef will ensure proper nutrition for high-energy days, while onboard spa facilities will offer welcome relief for tired muscles. Evening entertainment might include watching the day’s ski footage on the yacht’s outdoor cinema screen, accompanied by insights from your professional guides.