Steeped in equal parts history and mystery, the fabled Northwest Passage was sought for centuries.

The most infamous of these attempts was the Franklin Expedition, a story of adventure and hubris which resulted in the loss of 2 of the Royal Navy’s finest ships and all 129 men aboard. Accusations of cannibalism and shame dogged their legacy, but after centuries of questions, new DNA evidence is revealing the fate of the doomed crew.

Quest sets out to tell the human stories that have been shaped by this harshest of landscapes: Stories of exploration, adventure and failure. Of the rich culture of the indigenous Inuit who call the ice home and the scientists who brave the danger today.

The voyage of 3,400 nautical miles represents an exceptionally rare chance to study one of the most vulnerable and important ecosystems on Earth.

It is a prime opportunity for front-line research into ice cover and biodiversity loss and to discover how changes in technology and climate have transformed navigating this notorious arctic route.

All these stories will be told in a compelling documentary series.

Quest sets sail in July 2027.