Day 1 - Wednesday - Aug 28, 2024
Arrive in Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital, which lies just below the Arctic Circle. Transfer from the airport and have a panoramic overview of the Old Town, including Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral with its 210-foot tower before gathering for a welcome dinner this evening with your fellow travelers.
Day 2 - Thursday - Aug 29, 2024
Fly by chartered aircraft to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, a military outpost and one of the few airports in the entire country. Embark the National Geographic Explorer at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, a 120-mile-long waterway with a name that means "large fjord" in Greenlandic.
Day 3 - Friday - Aug 30, 2024
| Coastal Navigation, United States |
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Dozens of deep fjords carve into Greenland's west coast, many with glaciers fed by the ice sheet that covers about 80 percent of the country. Discover this beautiful and rugged coastline in Zodiacs, keeping an eye out for humpback and minke whales. At Sisimiut, a former whaling port, enjoy a guided walking tour of the colorful wooden buildings that create this tiny hamlet. Visit the museum and discover the tastes of Greenland hosted by a local chef.
Day 4 - Saturday - Aug 31, 2024
| Cruising Ilulissat / Disko Bay, Greenland |
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Sail into Qeqertarsuup Tunua, also known as Disko Bay, to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ilulissat Icefjord, a tongue of the Greenland ice cap that extends to the sea. Take an extraordinary small boat cruise with locals among towering icebergs at the mouth of the fjord. Watch for whales along the nutrient-rich edges of the icefjord. Visit the town of Ilulissat and the recently opened Ilulissat Icefjord Centre and/or hike to the archeological site in Sermermiut, an abandoned valley previously inhabited by several distinct Inuit cultures.
Day 5 - Sunday - Sep 1, 2024
| Cruising Detroit de Davis, Canada |
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Spend time on the bow of the ship watching for whales, polar bears, and other wildlife; enjoy the ship's amenities; and attend expert-led talks about the Arctic as we navigate the massive icebergs of Davis Strait on the way to Baffin Island.
Day 6 - Monday - Sep 2, 2024
Day 7 - Tuesday - Sep 3, 2024
Disembark at the hamlet of Pangnirtung-home to the Inuit for thousands of years-and interact with its thriving community of artists. Visit a craft center to see soapstone carvings, weavings, and prints depicting life in the Arctic. Hike along a riverside trail for sweeping views of Auyuittuq National Park, and discover the remains of a bygone whaling era on uninhabited Kekerten Island.
Day 8 - Wednesday - Sep 4, 2024
Day 9 - Thursday - Sep 5, 2024
| Cruising the Lower Savage Islands, Canada |
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Day 10 - Friday - Sep 6, 2024
| Resolution Island, Canada |
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Spend two days exploring Frobisher Bay and the islands south of Baffin Island as we make our way south towards the northern tip of Labrador. Hike the tundra in search of Arctic foxes and walruses hauled out on the shore. Set out in pursuit of polar bears, which often find themselves stranded on the Lower Savage Islands and Resolution Island after the pack ice retreats during the summer. Be on the lookout for seabirds and marine mammals during kayak and Zodiac excursions along the coast.
Day 11 - Saturday - Sep 7, 2024
| Captain's Choice, United States |
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Day 12 - Sunday - Sep 8, 2024
| Captain's Choice, United States |
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Day 13 - Monday - Sep 9, 2024
Spend five days tracing the beautiful, wild coast of Labrador, exploring on foot and by kayak and Zodiac. Explore the shores throughout Torngat National Park and start to delve into the local Inuit history with an onboard archeologist. Stop at the deserted outpost of Hebron, the peninsula's northernmost settlement, to walk among the historic buildings of the Moravian Mission Station established here in the 1830s. Watch for peregrine falcons and other birds soaring over the rocky shorelines of the spectacularly narrow Mugford Tickle, and take in the impressive sight of the 4,000-foot-high Kaumajet Mountains. Head into the tiny fishing settlement of Indian Harbour to observe vast colonies of common murres along the sea cliffs. Continue to scenic Battle Harbour to discover the reconstructed 19th-century buildings and legacy of this historic fishing village.
Day 14 - Tuesday - Sep 10, 2024
| L'anse Aux Meadows, Canada |
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In the 1960s, the remains of a Viking village established in the 11th century were excavated at L'Anse aux Meadows, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk among the Norse ruins and reconstructed sod huts, and learn the saga of the Vikings in North America, who arrived here nearly 500 years before the explorations of Columbus.
Day 15 - Wednesday - Sep 11, 2024
| Newfoundland, Canada, Canada |
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Cliffs, fjords, and beaches grace the northwestern tip of Newfoundland. Hike, kayak, and explore by Zodiac with the expert guides amid this stunning scenery and keep an eye out for migrating birds and whales.
Day 16 - Thursday - Sep 12, 2024
Today, disembark in St. John's and transfer to the airport for your flight home.
