Three Arctic Islands: Svalbard, Greenland, and Iceland

Having made your way to Oslo, you will be met and transferred to the group hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense.

Enjoy breakfast in the hotel before transferring to the airport for your charter flight to Longyearbyen for embarkation. In Longyearbyen, explore the town on a guided excursion tour (note: the excursion is contingent on the arrival time of the charter flight to Longyearbyen).

On the drive to Camp Barentz, located in Advent Valley, your guide will give you an introduction to Longyearbyen's fascinating history. Once at Camp Barentz, we enjoy a presentation in the large “llavo”—a traditional building common in northern Norway. You will also have the opportunity to meet the friendly huskies and perhaps pick up some souvenirs. A visit to the Svalbard Museum is included back in town before embarking the vessel in the late afternoon. Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as the ship sets sail. This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and crew at the Welcome Dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure.

Svalbard offers arctic wilderness at its best. The experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor the itinerary, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, sea-ice conditions, and opportunities for wildlife encounters. Phenomenal fjords, magnificent mountains ranges, and a polar desert rich in fossils set the stage for heroic tales of early exploration. See walrus hauled out on sea ice or on beaches. On land, stretch your legs on walks across tundra carpeted in brightly colored wildflowers, and visit towering cliffs noisy with nesting guillemots and puffins and scree slopes that hold Svalbard's largest little auk colonies. Most memorable are encounters with the majestic polar bear on pack ice. Your Expedition Team is just as keen as you are to find them and they will be on constant watch to spot these inspiring creatures.

If you have chosen an optional activity such as kayaking, you will have an opportunity to enjoy that activity when conditions allow. For those who are enthusiastic to participate in a polar plunge, as soon as conditions are suitable, you will hear the announcement to prepare for an exhilarating dip—a memory you will savor for years to come.

As you sail towards the coast of East Greenland, you may encounter whales feeding in the rich waters of the north. As you approach East Greenland, be prepared to encounter more pack ice and perhaps spot seals and a variety of seabirds, including the northern fulmar and Brünnich’s guillemot. The strong, icy currents have isolated East Greenland from the Polar Basin, attracting large numbers of fish, seals and whales. Climatic conditions and the concentration of ice in the vicinity often create thick morning fog that only vanishes in presence of the midday sun. On board experts will inform and entertain us with fascinating discussions on plants, animals, ice and heroic tales of exploration.

The approach to Jan Mayen is spectacular. The huge 2,277 meter (7,470 foot) Beerenberg volcano is the northernmost active volcano in the world, and it last erupted in 1985. The northern part of the island is a great place to look for whales and dolphins and contains impressive glaciers, some of which reach the sea. If the weather is favorable, you will try to land at Kvalrossbukta, a relatively sheltered bay on the island’s west coast. This is one of the landings used to supply the weather station Olonkinbyen, situated on the eastern side of the island.

Sail across the Denmark Strait to Ittoqqortoormiit accompanied by sea birds while keeping a close watch for whales. Enjoy informative and entertaining lectures and presentation from the team of experts, get to know your fellow expeditioners or stay active at the gym.

In the coming days, a host of choices are available to you, and depending on ice and weather conditions, the east coast of Greenland is yours to explore. Your experienced Expedition Team will tailor your itinerary based on the prevailing weather and ice conditions to give you the best chances for encounters with wildlife. We generally attempt up to two landings or Zodiac excursions per day, including cruising along spectacular ice cliffs, following whales feeding near the surface. Be prepared to experience ice—and lots of it! East Greenland contains some of the Arctic's most impressive scenery. Deep fjords and narrow channels, flanked by sharp ice-clad peaks soaring up to 6,500 feet, and glaciers birthing gigantic icebergs that drift throughout the fjord system combine to create breathtaking scenes.

The tundra landscape is home to musk oxen, arctic hare, and reindeer. Throughout the area there are ancient Thule archaeological sites, historical trappers' huts, and the cabins of present-day Inuit hunters. A highlight is a visit to the Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit, the most isolated and northernmost permanent settlement in the region, with approximately 450 inhabitants. The community has an excellent museum, gift shop, an abundance of Greenlandic sled dogs, and provides the opportunity to meet the friendly locals.

Explore Scoresbysund, the world's largest fjord and a favorite hunting ground of the local Inuit. Massive glaciers flow into this fjord, the birthplace of hundreds of majestic Greenland icebergs. It is a spectacular place that simply needs to be seen to be believed.

Stretch your legs on hikes across tundra in search of ancient graveyards and summer villages occupied 3,000 years ago by Inuit. You may see musk ox, arctic hare and reindeer grazing. The maze of calm, interconnecting waterways in this area provides excellent opportunities for sea kayaking. You will see ring seals, perhaps catch a glimpse of the elusive narwhal, and maybe even a polar bear hunting on pack ice.

Crossing the Denmark Strait to Iceland, search for whale blows and photograph the many seabirds that trail the ship in the ever-present arctic winds.

During the early morning, cruise into Reykjavik and disembark at approximately 8:00 am. Bid farewell to your Expedition Team and fellow passengers as everyone continues their onward journeys. Transfer to Keflavik airport or downtown Reykjavik hotel (only if booked by cruise operator).

Note: We do not recommend booking flights departing prior to 12:00 pm on the day of disembarkation, in case there are delays.