Canada & Greenland to Iceland

Your itinerary begins in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, where upon arrival you can check in to your hotel for your included overnight stay.

This morning you will join your included flight to Pond Inlet, Nunavut where your expedition ship will be awaiting for embarkation.

Located in northern Baffin Island Pond Inlet is a small predominantly Inuit community with a population of roughly 1 ,500 inhabitants. In 1818 the British explorer John Ross named a bay in the vicinity after the English astronomer John Pond. Today Pond Inlet is considered one of Canada's "jewels of the North" thanks to several picturesque glaciers and mountain ranges nearby. Many archaeological sites of ancient Dorset and Thule peoples can be found near Pond Inlet. The Inuit hunted caribou, ringed and harp seals, fish, polar bears, and walrus, as well as narwhals, geese, ptarmigans and Arctic hares long before European and American whalers came here to harvest bowhead whales. Pond Inlet is also known as a major center of Inuit art especially the printmaking and stone carving.

Buchan Gulf is a deep, elongated gash carved by glaciers during the last Ice Age that cuts 22 miles into the eastern shores of Baffin Island. The most striking feature in the Gulf ate impressive steep coastal cliffs and rock pinnacles. The cliffs are comprised of hard Precambrian metamorphic rock that rises as much as 2,000 feet from the sea. The conditions are perfect for nesting Northern Fulmars, and in fact, this area is one of the most important nesting sites for these birds in the world. European explorer William Baffin first ventured here in the 15th century to search for the Northwest Passage.

Today's excursions will consist of a program of unique shore experiences.

The starkly beautiful Sam Ford Fjord area of Baffin Island has one of the most impressive concentrations of vertical rock walls to be found anywhere in the world. It is a 110-kilometer (68-mile) waterway lined with sheer cliffs that have attracted some of the world’s best (and most extreme) rock climbers to the region. The steep stone walls were formed by ancient glaciers that carved the landscape through the ages. However, the feature that makes the shoreline truly special is the way that many of these walls rise straight up from the dark waters of the deep fjord. Swimming these waters are marine mammals including narwhals and seals that once attracted Inuit hunters to this coast.

Excursions available today include Zodiac cruising, hiking and kayaking.

Isabella Bay is about 100 kilometers south-southeast of Clyde River, on the northeast coast of Baffin Island. Designated in 2010, the Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area not only covers Isabella Bay, but also its islands, shores and the adjacent open water of the Davis Strait out to 12 nautical miles from shore. In the 19th century Isabella Bay had been an important center for whaling and this National Wildlife Area is still an important marine habitat –today a sanctuary- used for feeding and resting by adult and large adolescent bowhead whales during late summer and fall. Bowhead whales gather here to feed on the abundant copepod zooplankton blooms that occur in two deep troughs in Isabella Bay. The single largest concentration of bowhead whales in Canada has been recorded here with up to 100 whales. The Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area is Canada’s largest with more than 336,390 hectares. Although this is a sanctuary, resident Inuit have according to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement the right to harvest wildlife on lands and waters throughout the Nunavut settlement area and therefor are allowed to hunt the whales, polar bears, ringed seals and narwhals found in Isabella Bay. King Eiders, Long-tailed Ducks, Little Auks and Northern Fulmars also call Ninginganiq (“the place where fog sits”) their home.

Zodiac cruises will be offered throughout the day.

Located at the heart of Nunavut, on Baffin Island’s Cumberland Peninsula, Auyuittuq National Park offers you one of the most beautiful and striking landscapes in Canada. Large valleys and steep-walled fjords surrounded by a skyline of irregular peaks and massive glaciers, exactly how you would picture the Arctic.

Auyuittuq homes little vegetation, however, you can however spot some arctic wildlife species in these stunning and serene landscapes. Arctic foxes, caribou, lemmings, snow geese, ermines, but also polar bears and many bird species like peregrine falcons can be observed. Several cetaceans species frequent the surrounding waters of the island, narwhals, beluga whales and orcas being the most likely to be seen. The coasts of the island are a haven for many seabirds like the king eider or the little auk.

Named in honour of Sir John Franklin’s widow, the lonely and uninhabited Lady Franklin Island lies off of Baffin Island’s Hall Peninsula at the entrance to Cumberland Sound. The island is named for the wife of Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer who died trying to discover the Northwest Passage. The geology of the island is striking with vertical cliffs of Archean rocks, likely to be some of the oldest stone in Canada. The waters around Lady Franklin Island offer an abundance seabirds, ducks, seals, and walrus. With a bit of luck it is possible to see Atlantic Puffins here and perhaps even a rare Sabine’s Gull.

Monumental Island is a splinter of ancient metamorphic rock, hunching in the frigid waters of the Davis Strait, defying the ocean and ice around it. Named to honour the legendary Polar Explorer Sir John Franklin, the island displays at times displays everything Nunavut has to offer, in an ocean studded with vast icebergs drifting across from Greenland. Monumental Island is a well known den site for polar bears, the icon of the Arctic; there is a good chance to see mother bears with cubs on the island, as the bears become trapped by the lack of summer ice, using the island as a base to hunt until the ice returns in the Autumn. Seeing the white silhouette of a polar bear against the ancient black rock and autumn tundra colours is an experience that will remain long after returning on board. Groups of harp seals are a common sight in the waters around Monumental Island, and can be very curious, often swimming very close to investigate new objects such as boats. There are several sites on the island also used as haul out sites for the charismatic Atlantic Walrus. These vast animals are surprisingly gentle and skittish, and can often be observed caring for their calves on the rock bluffs while keeping a careful watch for polar bears. Almost nowhere else in Nunavut can the charismatic wildlife of the Arcticbe observed in such a stunning setting.

Excursions available today include Zodiac cruising, land walks and kayaking.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

In the bustling capital city of Greenland, you could be forgiven for forgetting you are in such a vast and isolated country. Nuuk is Greenland's economic and social hub, home to more than a third of Greenland's population, and although it feels like a world capital, scratch the surface, and a uniquely Greenlandic character can be found underneath. Nuuk Cathedral overlooks the gorgeous old Colonial Harbour district and the Greenland National Museum, resting place of the legendary Qilakitsoq mummies, the true highlight of the museum's archaeological collection. Above the Colonial Harbour sits downtown Nuuk, with lines of Scandistyle apartments, a bustling shopping district, the Greenlandic Parliament, Nuuk City Hall (which welcomes visitors to see its artwork) and even outdoor cafes selling locally produced food and beer. These nods to modernity compete for space with local artisan boutiques, the meat market selling the catch from Nuuk's vast fjord-lands, and the stunning Katuaq Cultural Centre, where blockbuster movies, as well as local and foreign performers entertain the people of Nuuk. Although Nuuk has long been a melting pot of Danish and Greenlandic ideas, this is a city where Greenland displays its sophistication, with the Country's only traffic lights, roundabouts and University. Most of all, expect to find a multitude of friendly people who are proud of who they are, and equally proud of the city they call home.

Excursions available today include a Nuuk Cultural Historical Walk, hiking and museum visits.

18 kilometers northeast of Qaqortoq, Hvalsey is part of Qaqortukulooq, one of the five sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Arctic farming complex Kujataa. Between Eriksfjord to the north and Einarsfjord to the south, the Hvalseyfjord branches off from Einarsfjord. Although Hvalsey is better known for the well-preserved ruins of one of the sixteen churches in the Norse’s Eastern Settlement, the church was in a farmstead known as Thjodhild’s Stead. This farmstead at the northeastern end of the fjord included a large building with living quarters, a hall and livestock pens, as well as other livestock pens, a storage building and a warehouse –the ruins of which can still be seen. The Norse farming laid the foundation for the Inuit farming in later centuries, leading to the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2017. In the 14th century account “Descriptions of Greenland” the abundant fish, a reindeer farm on Reindeer Island and Hvalsey’s name “Whale Island” clearly indicate that the Norse had ample food sources at that time. The church was built in the Anglo-Norwegian style of the 13th century, but is known to have been built over an older graveyard. The farmstead is mentioned in the Icelandic “Book of Settlements” as property of the Kings of Norway, and the last documented event of the Norse in Greenland is a wedding which took place in the church in September 1408. After almost 600 years of abandonment, conservation work had to be done to prevent the seaward wall from collapsing.

Guided hikes will be offered throughout the day.

The largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Upon arrival in this charming southern Greenland enclave, it's easy to see why. Qaqortoq rises quite steeply over the fjord system around the city, offering breath-taking panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, deep, blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs in the bay, and pastoral backcountry.

In the local Kalaallisut language, Uunartoq means 'hot', and there is no mystery why. Several warm springs exist in Greenland, but Uunartoq Island is the only site where the waters form a pool warm enough to bathe in. Although not as well known as the famous springs of Iceland, nowhere can challenge Uunartoq for scenery. The picturesque series of steaming pools are backed by some of the best scenery Greenland has to offer. Icebergs larger than city blocks drift through the labyrinth of fjords which make up Southern Greenland, passing as they drift towards the ocean. Mountains pierce the clouds, and the tundra blooms in the long summer days; and there is no better way to appreciate the spectacular wilderness of South Greenland than from the perfectly warmed natural comfort of the Uunartoq hot spring. The ancient crystalline rock of Southern Greenland is nearly two billion years old. A fault in the rock allows water to sink down into the ground, where Earth's internal heat warms it, causing it to rise again. Uunartoq Island is the site where this water escapes, forming a sandy pool heated constantly from below. Basic changing facilities and a grass walkway to the stone-lined pool allow visitors comfort, while reconnecting with nature. It is believed that the Norse settlers in Greenland knew of and made use of the pool, but the island has never been inhabited, excluding a few summerhouses belonging to local residents.

Excursions available today include a Qaqortoq Town Walk, kayaking and a hike to the hot springs.

If you’re looking for remote and remarkable then you have found it. Cruise through Prince Christian Sound to the western end and you’ll find Aapilattoq, a (very) small Greenlandic village of just 100 inhabitants. The name of the village means “sea anemone” in the local Greenlandic language, and the fact that the village has retained its Inuit name is a good indication of what you can expect; traditional village life much as it has been for the past 100 years.

The transit through the Sound is one of this voyage’s highlights. Connecting the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Seat, Prince Christian Sound or “Prins Christian Sund” in Danish is named after Prince (later King) Christian VII (1749-1808). 100 km (60 miles ), long and at times just 500 m (1500 ft) wide, this majestic and spectacular fiord throws you back into a Viking era – flanked by soaring snow-topped mountains, rock-strewn cliffs and rolling hills, it is as if time has stood still and one easily forgets that this is the 21st century. As you marvel at the sheer size of the mountains that surround you, with the Arctic waters lapping deceptively at the hull, revel in the silence enveloping you. Icebergs float serenely by, carrying with them the ages of time. Be sure to wear warm clothing as this is one spectacle that you do not want to miss.

Excursions available today include an Aappilattoq Hike, Village Walk and Church Choir Performance, hiking and kayaking.

Located on Greenland’s relatively rarely visited rugged east coast, Skoldungen Fjord has enchanting scenery with towering mountains tipped with snow, ice-scraped valley sides and sculptured icebergs in shades of white and blue. At the top of the fjord one can easily see the retreating state of the Thrym Glacier. The U-shaped fjord offers spectacular scenery and as an extra perk, it is not uncommon to see whales in the fjord.

Zodiac cruising and kayaking will be offered throughout the day.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

The capital of Iceland’s land of ice, fire and natural wonder, Reykjavik is a city like no other - blossoming among some of the world’s most vibrant and violent scenery. Home to two-thirds of Iceland’s population, Reykjavik is the island’s only real city, and a welcoming and walkable place - full of bicycles gliding along boulevards or battling the wind when it rears up.

Upon arrival in Reykjavik you will disembark and make your way to the hotel for an included overnight stay. If your international flight is on the same day, you will be offered day-use of the hotel.