Jewels of the Arctic

On day 1 arrive independently to Kirkenes, Norway, located on the border with Russia. Here you will be met by your voyage representative to join a pre-arranged half day tour of this historical town and surrounding areas. This tour will include visits to the Borderland Museum, Mount Storfjellet and the mining community at Bjørnevatn.

After your tour, it will be time to head to the port to board your expedition vessel. There will be time to settle into your comfortable cabin and get your bearings before joining the ship briefings and enjoying a fabulous welcome dinner. In the early evening we will set sail towards the Svalbard archipelago.

Days at sea can be spent enjoying bird and marine life sightings from the viewing decks, simply relaxing, or attending some of the fascinating lectures and presentations delivered by your experienced expedition team.

Over the course of the next two days you will spend some time discovering the eastern coast of the Svalbard archipelago in search of Polar bears and unimaginable scenery. Your exact route here will be determined by weather and ice conditions, but we hope to be able to sail through the Hinlopen Strait. We will sail between Spitsbergen and the smaller islands Barentsøya and Edgeøya, and this is a major polar bear migration route so hopes will be high for some sightings of these majestic creatures on the ice floes.

We will hope to visit the fertile plains of Sundeneset to see the delicate and colourful tundra, as well as Alkefjellet to see the one-hundred-metre-high dolerite towers which are home to nearly a million nesting Brünnich’s guillemots. Other wildlife to be on the lookout for includes Arctic fox and walrus.

We will spend the next two days sailing across the Greenland Sea, as whales and seabirds follow in our wake. As we begin to approach Greenland, we will likely encounter the East Greenland pack ice, and if we are lucky we will see polar bears hunting for prey. As you sail, your expedition team will keep you entertained with discussions and presentations on Greenland’s fascinating flora and fauna, as well as introducing you to the history of Polar exploration in these parts.

For those who have chosen to add kayaking to their package, there should be time for a paddle here whilst the rest of the passengers enjoy a Zodiac cruise. If the crossing is favourable, we may reach the Greenland coast by day 7 and begin our exploration of the world's largest national park early.

Please note, kayaking incurs an additional charge and should be booked in advance.

We will now spend 6 exciting days exploring along Greenland’s spectacular east coast. Be prepared for ice, and lots of it!! Your days here will be spent sailing and Zodiac cruising through deep fjords and narrow channels surrounded by some of the Arctic’s most breath-taking scenery. See glaciers and giant icebergs, walk across multi-coloured tundra which is home to musk oxen and Arctic hare, and visit ancient Thule archaeological sites and Inuit villages on this truly unforgettable adventure.

You will have the opportunity to explore around Scoresbysund, the largest fjord system in the world, as well as the Kong Oscar and Kaizer Franz Josef fjords. A visit to the remote Inuit community of Ittoqqortoormiit (Scoresby Town) will offer up the chance to meet some of the locals to learn about their way of life this far north, as well as chances to visit the excellent museum and gift shop.

Other fascinating areas we expect to visit include the beautiful bay of Cape Humboldt on Ymer Island, the Sefstrom Glacier, Sydkap, Rømer Fjord, Rode Ø, Hare Fjord, Nordvest Fjord, the neo-Eskimo site at Eskimobugt, Skipperdalen and more.

As your expedition sadly nears its end, we will spend a final day at sea sailing across the Denmark Strait towards Iceland. Make sure to spend some time on deck looking for whales and seabirds.

Your expedition ends in Reykjavik, Iceland’s vibrant capital city, where after disembarkation a transfer will take you either to the airport or a downtown location. There are lots of options for tours and adventures in Reykjavik so please feel free to ask for tips and options for extending your trip.