Canadian Arctic Discovery

At the head of one of the longest fjords in western Greenland, Kangerlussuaq has a history as a World War II airbase. Visit the 60-metre tall face of the Russell Glacier on the edge of the Greenland ice cap to hear and see it crack and break off into the meltwater. Other popular activities include kayaking on the fjords and wildlife tours of the glacial areas that attract muskoxen, reindeer, arctic foxes and gyrfalcons.

Just north of the Arctic Circle and the northernmost city in Greenland, Sisimiut remains ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Inuit, Dorset and then Thule people, dog sled remains a common form of transport and we have a chance to see abandoned settlements but it also has a cool, modern side. Watch out for humpback whales and walrus between Sisimiut and the Thule district in the north.

The word Uummannaq means ‘heart-shaped’ in Greenlandic, and refers to the twin-peaked granite mountain that is shaped like a heart covering nearly the whole northern half of the island. Folklore has it that on visiting, a piece of your heart remains on the island forever, calling you back. Sheltered by glaciated mountains, this charming fjord region is often referred to as the sunniest spot in Greenland and has been a refuge for Innuit migrations for over 4,500 years.

As you cruise to your next port of call, spend the day at sea savouring the ship’s facilities and learning about your destination’s many facets from the knowledgeable onboard experts. Listen to an enriching talk, indulge in a relaxing treatment at the spa, work out in the well-equipped gym, enjoy some down- time in your cabin, share travel reminiscences with newly found friends: the options are numerous.

The views of snow-capped mountains have given Pond Inlet in northern Baffin Island the name of Canada’s ‘jewel of the north’ and the area is a prime breeding ground for narwhals. Bowhead whales, ringed and harp seals, and walrus also warrant a vigilant eye. The Inuit community living in the hamlet of Mittimatalik are renowned for their craft skills from printmaking and stone carving, and nearby at Qulalukat the thousand-year-old Inuit sod houses merit a visit.

The impressive towering cliffs and rocks lining Buchan Gulf provide one of the world’s most important nesting sites for northern fulmars. As we cruise into this glacial fjord system on eastern Baffin Island, keep your eyes peeled for pods of narwhals who are at home in these deep waters. Polar bears roam the shores of Icy Arm, a narrow fjord with the relics of an ancient Thule semi-subterranean home sitting on the edge of the boggy tundra.

Bylot Island, off the northwest of Baffin Island, is home to Sirmilik National Park. Pronounced Siir-milick, in Inuktitut Inuit language Inuktitut it means "place of glaciers" which aptly describes the breathtaking iceberg-filled scenery surrounded by narwhals, beluga whales and ringed seals. The national park’s bird reserve is one of the most diverse seabird areas in the Arctic with more than 40 species breeding here, while hungry caribou, arctic foxes, arctic hares and wolves lie in wait.

Choked up by ice in winter, Peel Sound is a 125-mile long channel separating Prince of Wales Island to the west and Somerset Island to the east. The icebound arctic waters prevented several 19th-century explorers from achieving their goals - Sir John Franklin in 1846, Francis Leopold McClintock in 1858 and Allen Young in 1875. Take time to learn more about these early adventurers as you relax and spot polar bears on the pack ice.

Closely associated with the exploration of Canada’s High Arctic, Beechey Island Sites are five locations across Beechey Island designated as important historic sites. These include where British explorer Sir John Franklin wintered during his fateful 1845-46 Northwest Passage Expedition. Much of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was mapped while searching for the missing crew. In 1903, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen stopped to pay respect to Franklin at the beginning of his successful sailing in search of the Northwest Passage.

Dundas Harbour is the eastern entrance of the Northwest Passage on the southeast coast of the world’s largest uninhabited island, Devon Island. Despite the harsh terrain, signs of life remain with the relics of a 1000 A.D. Thule settlement and a 1920s outpost from where Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) controlled illegal whaling. Nowadays NASA research scientists camp at the 14-mile wide Haughton impact crater. Cape Liddon and Cape Vera are notable for arctic fulmars and black guillemots.

The most rugged in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Ellesmere Island is the largest of the Queen Elizabeth Islands with towering mountains, lakes, fjords, ice caps and glaciers. Alert, the Canadian Forces Station, is the world's northernmost settlement. Quttinirpaaq National Park comprises a fifth of the island. Here, arctic willow and purple saxifrage grow on the mossy tundra where arctic hare and muskoxen wander. On nearby Skraeling Island, Viking chainmail was found alongside 4,000-year-old Dorset and Thule artefacts.

As you cruise to your next port of call, spend the day at sea savouring the ship’s facilities and learning about your destination’s many facets from the knowledgeable onboard experts. Listen to an enriching talk, indulge in a relaxing treatment at the spa, work out in the well-equipped gym, enjoy some down- time in your cabin, share travel reminiscences with newly found friends: the options are numerous.

Colourful homes dot the hillside of this harbour town. The history of the townsfolk unfolds at the open-air Upernavik Museum with a church, grocers and original colonial buildings. Whale hunting and sea kayaking are also covered alongside cultural exhibits from the area’s Viking and Norse history with the Kingittorsuaq Runestone. To the north is the Upernavik Icefjord dotted with icebergs. The world’s largest seabird cliffs are on nearby Apparsuit Island with thousands of breeding black-legged kittiwakes.

Qeqertarsuaq is the largest town on Disko Island, the largest island in Greenland, on the west coast and part of Disko Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Lyngmark Glacier rises above the town and the area’s lush hills, basalt columns and black sand beaches reflect its volcanic origin. The area is very fertile and home to diverse species not found elsewhere in Greenland. Keep an eye out for its hot springs as we move through floating icebergs and whales.

Sailing through the iceberg capital of the world from Disko Bay - or Qeqertarsuaq Tunua - to the Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the cruise highlights. Given UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a popular tourist destination, and thanks to the productive Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, thousands of gargantuan icebergs calve from the Greenland ice cap into the sea. The city of Ilulissat, formerly Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven, is home to as many sled-dogs as people.

At the head of one of the longest fjords in western Greenland, Kangerlussuaq has a history as a World War II airbase. Visit the 60-metre tall face of the Russell Glacier on the edge of the Greenland ice cap to hear and see it crack and break off into the meltwater. Other popular activities include kayaking on the fjords and wildlife tours of the glacial areas that attract muskoxen, reindeer, arctic foxes and gyrfalcons.