Three Arctic Islands: Svalbard, Greenland, and Iceland

Having made your way to Longyearbyen, 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 joining your fellow expeditioners on a guided city tour of 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, 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 the friendly Expedition Team 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 the ship sails toward the coast of East Greenland, you may encounter whales feeding in the rich waters of the north. Approaching 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. Our experts will inform and entertain you with fascinating discussions on plants, animals, ice, and heroic tales of exploration.

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. 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. North of Scoresbysund lie Kong Oskar and Kaiser Franz Josef fjords, two of the most significant fjord systems in Greenland, each one encompassing several smaller fjords and sounds. Thanks to the fertile volcanic soil and the surrounding mountains offering protection from strong winds, the area is rich in wildlife. You may spot everything from musk ox and arctic foxes to mountain hares, and even reindeer near the fjord. Look skyward and you could catch a glimpse of birds, including the glaucous gull, black-legged kittiwake, northern fulmar, common raven, and common eider.

We will attempt to enter Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, a remote and rarely visited fjord system with countless opportunities for exploration, located within the Northeast Greenland National Park. Cruising through Kong Oskar Fjord, marvel at the geological beauty of the mountains. The ship will then head south along the coast of Liverpool Land, with passage dependent on ice conditions.

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.

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. 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. North of Scoresbysund lie Kong Oskar and Kaiser Franz Josef fjords, two of the most significant fjord systems in Greenland, each one encompassing several smaller fjords and sounds. Thanks to the fertile volcanic soil and the surrounding mountains offering protection from strong winds, the area is rich in wildlife. You may spot everything from musk ox and arctic foxes to mountain hares, and even reindeer near the fjord. Look skyward and you could catch a glimpse of birds, including the glaucous gull, black-legged kittiwake, northern fulmar, common raven, and common eider.

We will attempt to enter Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, a remote and rarely visited fjord system with countless opportunities for exploration, located within the Northeast Greenland National Park. Cruising through Kong Oskar Fjord, marvel at the geological beauty of the mountains. The ship will then head south along the coast of Liverpool Land, with passage dependent on ice conditions.

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 your downtown hotel or to Keflavik airport.

Note: We do not recommend booking flights departing prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation, as we may experience delays at the conclusion of the voyage.