Named one of National Geographic Traveler’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime, this unforgettable voyage begins above the Arctic Circle at Spitsbergen, the “wildlife capital of the Arctic,” ventures to the spectacular, remote landscape of East Greenland, and ends in Iceland. In Spitsbergen, you’ll visit spectacular glacier fronts, steep-walled fjords and wind-swept tundra, where wildlife sightings include walrus, polar bears, Svalbard reindeer and thousands of birds. During your tour of Greenland’s remote eastern coast, you’ll explore the remains of ancient Thule settlements and keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen—40 percent of the world’s muskoxen population lives here. The towering cliffs, massive glaciers, rugged fjords and vast swaths of untouched tundra in these breathtaking environments will provide sights, sounds and scenes you’ve never experienced, permanently transforming your connection to the planet we call home. Explore the amazing Arctic, immerse yourself in the beauty and fragility of a wondrous region, and return with unique memories that will last a lifetime.
Sailing from Svalbard to Greenland, follow the ice’s edge with an eye peeled to the horizon for wildlife. Navigating south, you'll explore this remote landscape not only by ship but also on foot and via Zodiac. This journey highlights the contrast and change in the Arctic as you move south, finally ending in Iceland, "the Land of Fire and Ice." An Inuit village, unique wildlife, and remote destinations are just some of the highlights on this truly unforgettable voyage through the Arctic.
Iceland is sculpted by fire and ice and is popular for its cascading waterfalls, towering cliffs, geysers that spontaneously erupt and stunning shorelines dotted with fishing villages and glaciers. On this 12-day trip aboard the technologically advanced Ultramarine, you’ll circumnavigate Iceland and explore all it has to offer. On this once in a lifetime adventure, your days will be spent sightseeing, glacier and volcano hunting and hiking through wild landscapes. Starting and ending in Reykjavik, explore the many wonders of this part of the world by small polar ship, Zodiac, coach bus, kayak and helicopter.
Explore two of the last unspoiled wilderness areas in Iceland and East Greenland. Over 14 days, you’ll cruise along Iceland’s mountainous Westfjords and Greenland’s remote northeast coast – home to the largest fjord system in the world. Discover diverse and rugged landscapes, rich in arctic wildlife. Immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of the Arctic and experience Inuit culture firsthand at Ittoqqortoormiit. Visit ancient Thule sites steeped in history, see massive icebergs and towering bird cliffs and if you’re lucky, you may also see the spectacular northern lights dancing across the sky!
The Northwest Passage has gripped polar explorers for centuries. On this 17-day voyage, you’ll hop aboard the Ocean Explorer and explore this fascinating waterway with an incredible range of off-ship adventures by Zodiac and helicopter. Passing through the Canadian Arctic archipelago, you’ll journey back in time to the height of Arctic exploration, visiting areas that the Inuit people have made their home for thousands of years. See all the highlights of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland’s west coast, stopping at Inuit and Greenlandic communities. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ilulissat Icefjord, whose Sermeq Kujalleq glacier calves off enormous icebergs, and keep your eyes peeled for the marine creatures who make their home in these harsh, remote landscapes –keep your eyes peeled for whales, walrus, muskoxen and polar bears.
Take an incredible 14-day polar cruise from Greenland to Newfoundland and explore both Arctic and boreal environments. This means you’ll experience boreal biomes – cold, dense forests dominated by coniferous trees, boreal woodlands and boreal wildlife – while looking out for caribou, black bears, red and Arctic foxes and peregrine falcons. This is a sharp contrast to what you’ll experience in Arctic biomes – home to treeless regions marked by extreme winters, low vegetation and wildlife like polar bears, seals and migratory birds. Learn about Greenlandic culture, Inuit and Nunatsiavut culture and Viking history. Experience East Coast hospitality in St. John’s, famously steeped in Celtic music thanks to its vast population of Irish descendants, and visit three UNESCO World Heritage sites – Ilulissat Icefjord, Red Bay Basque Whaling Station and the 11th century Viking ruins at l’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. This exploration really is the trip of a lifetime!
Reykjavik, Greenland Sea, Nain, L’Anse Aux Meadows, St John, Kangerlussuaq, Maniitsoq, Ilulissat, Pangnirtung, Cape Mercy, Torngat Mountain National Park
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Explore Svalbard, a world of near-endless daylight, where polar bear sightings quicken your pulse, walrus haul out on sea ice and guillemot cries echo from towering cliffs. In East Greenland, sail deep into the world's largest fjord, visit remote Inuit settlements and cruise amongst iridescent icebergs. On this exclusive special departure, you'll experience something very few ever will - witnessing the celestial eclipse. You will be joined on board by former NASA astronaut Dr. Sandra H. Magnus who will share her insights through engaging lectures, offering a fascinating look at the connections between space exploration and the polar regions. Her stories of scientific discovery and environmental stewardship will no doubt inspire and this experience will offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness a Solar Eclipse in Greenland, alongside a true space explorer.
Witness a solar eclipse - a truly unforgettable experience
Experience complete wilderness - in remote Northeast Greenland
In Svalbard, push through pack ice, searching for polar bears and ringed seals
Arctic highlights - experience three Arctic regions in one voyage
This voyage combines Spitsbergen and Greenland, with a taste of Iceland. Enjoy Spitsbergen's rugged east coast, crossing a major polar bear migration route as we search out bear on the moss-laden tundra. While crossing the icy waters of the Greenland Sea, our onboard experts will share their knowledge of the region's plants, animals and history, preparing you for your landings. Greenland's remote east coast shows off the immensity of the icecap, fantastic icebergs and a fairytale landscape of granite spires rising 1000 m above exquisite fjords. Enjoy the local culture and look forward to a warm welcome as we visit remote Inuit settlements along the way.
Experience complete wilderness - in remote Northeast Greenland
Arctic highlights - experience three Arctic regions in one voyage
Sail to the Land of Ice and Fire - Iceland
Explore some of the last unspoiled wilderness areas in the world on this 11-day adventure to Northeast Greenland through the Arctic Circle. Cruise along the remote northeast coast – home to the most extensive fjord system in the world – on the Ocean Explorer and discover diverse and dramatically rugged landscapes. If you’re lucky, you’ll cap off your days of Arctic exploration with a night-time show of the dramatic Aurora Borealis – yes, the Northern Lights are regularly visible here! On this trip, you’ll learn about Greenlandic culture firsthand at Ittoqqortoormiit, visit ancient Thule sites steeped in history and marvel at the majesty of massive icebergs set against their mountain backdrops. Look out for migrating whales, seabirds, seals, polar bears and muskoxen along the way – your handy expedition team are always there to ensure you’re getting the best wildlife spotting opportunities.
Spitsbergen, Greenland and Iceland - M/V Greg Mortimer GREENLAND, SPITSBERGEN- TRIP CODE GMGI
August 2024
We joined the Greg Mortimer in Svalbard having spent the night in a hotel in Longyearbyen. The ship is modern, clean and bright. Our cabin was on the 6th deck with a balcony accessed by a sliding door with room to sit out so long as we put enough clothes on. It had ample storage space, a wonderful en-suite with a heated floor, sheer luxury! All types of plug were catered for so recharging batteries was easy. The first 3 days were spent round Svalbard looking at the wildlife and scenery. Leaving the ship on the zodiacs was very easy and well thought out. We ended up wearing 5 layers to stay warm. Sitting in the zodiac for a couple of hours could get very cold with out the right gear. The ship itself is well appointed with plenty of observation space, both indoor and outdoor. The lecture theatre is excellent and, if you don’t want to attend, you can watch the proceedings from your cabin on the TV.
The food was very good, Buffet style lunches and a good menu in the evenings.
Crossing the Greenland Sea on the 4th day was a little rough but the ship has stabilisers which worked well. There was a noticeable lack of people in the dining room on the first night though.
Reaching Greenland, the itinerary was adjusted based on the weather and conditions. Each day we generally had two zodiac trips with landings when we could. The supplied Wellington Boots were comfortable and warm although we did supplement them with a thermal sole insert and two pairs of socks.
The landscape is fantastic with towering cliffs and glaciers coming down to the sea. The scale is hard to describe as there is not much to compare it with but some mountains like the Devil’s Castle loom over the ship at some 1100m. Very impressive. Each day was at a different site with the ship moving overnight.
We did get to see a couple of Polar Bears, seals, walruses, musk ox and plenty of birds.
All in all, a wonderful trip full of fantastic scenery and wildlife on a comfortable ship designed for the job. The crew were excellent and always helpful as were the very knowledgeable Expedition staff.
If you want to see a mostly untouched wilderness with stunning views and wildlife, we can recommend this trip.