DETAILS
Situated north of the continental mainland of Canada, less than 500 miles from the North Pole, the Arctic Canadian Archipelago consists of thousands of islands. This region has been explored by some of history’s explorers in their attempt to find the fabled Northwest Passage. Mountainous icebergs and some of the most active glaciers in the world are the dominant features of this remote wilderness.
- Pricing from
- $11,490
NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT – (LIMITED AVAILABILITY)
- Trip Type
- Group Travel Tour, International Ocean & Sea Voyages
- Departure Dates
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Aug 24, 2023 - Sep 6, 2023
CANCELLATIONS & REFUNDS: All cancellations are subject to a $300 per person administrative fee. Cancellations received 61-90 days prior to departure will be assessed a penalty equal to 50% of the total program cost per person. Cancellations received within 60 days of departure are subject to 100% cancellation penalties. Requests for cancellations must be made in writing. No refunds will be made for any part of this program in which you choose not to participate.
TOUR MAP
ITINERARY
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day 1 & 2
Arrive in Reykjavik, Iceland. Transfer to hotel
Depart the U.S. on an overnight flight. Arrive in Reykjavik and transfer to our deluxe hotel. Gather with fellow travelers this evening for a welcome dinner. (D)
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day 3
Tour Reykjavik, embark on Vega and sail
After breakfast at the hotel, begin your exploration of Reykjavik with a panoramic tour of the city’s major attractions, including Parliament, the national museum, and Höfði house (site of the 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit). Leaving the city, drive through lava formations of all shapes and sizes to the geothermal fields of Krysuvik, where powerful jets of steam escaping from deep below the Earth’s crust share the landscape with multicolored pools of boiling mud. After a light lunch, visit the superb Viking Museum, which houses a fully seaworthy replica of a typical Viking ship. Return to Reykjavik in late afternoon and embark Vega. (B,D)
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day 4
At sea
During this day at sea, attend informative lectures and briefings from the ship’s expert expedition staff, relax and enjoy cruising the open sea, and treat yourself to some of the many amenities aboard Vega. (B,L,D)
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day 5
Skjoldungen, Greenland
On the rugged east coast of Greenland, Skjoldungen Fjord is surrounded by lofty snow-capped mountains growing thick with dwarf birch, Arctic wildflowers, and willow forests. Serpentine rivers and large crevasses of ice pillars, known as seracs, share the sea with icebergs calved from the Thrym Glacier and gleam in a white to blue spectrum. In addition to the natural beauty of the fjord, whales are often seen here, cavorting among the floating bits of ice. (B,L,D)
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day 6
Prins Christian Sund & Aappilattoq
The small, colorful and charming Nordic homes of Aappilattoq, the only settlement in Prins Christian Sund, are a stark contrast to the snow-tipped mountain ridges in this icy wilderness. A beautifully dramatic fjord in the south of Greenland, Prins Christian Sund is a favorite habitat of Fin, Blue and Minke whales, and also hosts muskoxen, Bearded seals, and an occasional Polar bear. Explore these unspoiled, picturesque waterways, where magnificent glaciers tower and sheer granite cliffs are the site of crystal-clear waterfalls. (B,L,D)
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day 7
Ivittuut
Ivittuut (formerly Ivigtut) is an abandoned mining village built on the site of an ancient Norse settlement. Cryolite, a mineral used as flux in processing aluminum, was found in great quantities here, and the once incredibly productive mine played a crucial role in the Allies’ production of aluminum for fighter planes during WWII. Walk among the Ivigtut’s deserted buildings, see the enormous hole from which cryolite was mined, and pause at the above-ground cemetery used by the community until Ivittuut was abandoned. (B,L,D)
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day 8
Nuuk
Situated just 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Nuuk (also known by its Danish name, Godthab) is the northernmost capital in the world. It is also the oldest town in Greenland, founded by missionaries in 1728. It is a town of colorful wooden houses, avantgarde architecture and fjords of clear ice water. (B,L,D)
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day 9
Sisimiut
Today we sail some 50 miles north of the Arctic Circle to call in Sisimiut, the second largest town in Greenland, boasting a population of just about 6,000. Primarily a fishing village, Sisimiut offers a small museum and an arts and crafts center. We may have the opportunity to see artisans at work and perhaps to purchase some Greenlandic arts and crafts. (B,L,D)
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day 10 & 11
Ilulissat/Disko Bay
Heading further north, we come to Ilulissat and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Disko Bay. Here we will spend two days exploring this fascinating region. Eqi Glacier is one of the world’s most active glaciers and offers our best chance to witness calving. This is also the point in our expedition where we are most likely to see Beluga whales as they feed on the rich krill in front of the glaciers. Weather and ice permitting, we will call in the town of Ilulissat (the word means “iceberg”), where Knud Rasmussen grew up, and where we will gain a first-hand sense of why he was drawn to devote his life to the exploration of the Arctic. (B,L,D)
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day 12
Exploring Fjords/Kangerlussuaq
As we sail south to make our way to Kangerlussuaq and our expedition’s end, the Captain and Expedition Leader will take Vega in and out of the fjords that define the coast, choosing our exact route on the basis of ice and weather conditions, and following sightings of the whales and seals that thrive in these ice-choked waters. During the course of the day, you might enjoy kayaking in the fjords or exploring glacial areas that attract muskoxen, reindeer, arctic foxes, and gyrfalcons. (B,L,D)
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day 13
Kangerlussuaq/Disembarkation/Reykjavik
After breakfast aboard, disembark and transfer to the airport for a flight to Reykjavik. On arrival in Iceland’s capital, check in to our hotel for overnight. (B)
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day 14
Reykjavik/Homeward
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for flights homeward. (B)
Everything you need to know about the tour
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