Day 1 Kangerlusauq, Greenland | Embark
Kangerlussuaq is a former US Air Force base and Greenland’s primary flight hub. After our charter flight from Toronto, we will be bused along Greenland’s longest road—less than twenty kilometres—to the port. Zodiacs will be waiting to transfer us to the Ocean Endeavour.
Sondre Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world and boasts 168 kilometres of superb scenery. We begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord, crossing the Arctic Circle as we go.
Day 2 Sisimiut, Greenland
- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
People have lived in the Sisimiut area for 4,500 years. For the first 2,000 years, the people of the Saqqaq culture occupied the area. Approximately 2,500 years ago, new people brought the Dorset culture to the Sisimiut area. They lived here for 1,500 years and were followed by the people of the Thule culture—the ancestors of the current population. All these cultures came from Canada. The people primarily lived on fish, birds and mammals such as whales and seals. The ice-free conditions in the sea around Sisimiut, including some of Greenland’s deepest fjords, allow us to sail in waters that are home to many whales and seals.
Day 3 Ilulissat, Greenland
- Ship
- 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Ilulissat translates literally into “iceberg”, an apt name for this site at the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The icefjord is the outlet of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, source of many of the icebergs in the North Atlantic.
Here, we will cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs to appreciate the icebergs. And visit the bustling town of Ilulissat, with its museums, cafes, craft shops, and busy fishing harbour.
Day 4-6 Western Greeland
- Ship
- 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Explore by ship and Zodiac along the west coast of Greenland. Here you can find spectacular fjords, where you can look out for marine life in majestic and inspiring landscapes dotted with icebergs.
Options for expedition stops, to make the most of weather and wildlife conditions. Departing Greenland, cross Baffin Bay toward Nunavut. Your onboard presentation schedule have you learning as you go.
Day 7 Qikiqtarjuaq
- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Qikiqtarjuaq, a community located on Broughton Island, is known for its wildlife, whale watching, and as an access point for Auyuittuq National Park. It is one of the Nunavut communities closest to Greenland. Qikiqtarjuaq (fondly called “Qik”, for short) is known as the iceberg capital of Nunavut and was home to a NORAD military station that formed part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) line in the 1950s.
Qikiqtarjuaq also boasts a burgeoning traditional Inuit craft industry, and local craftspeople are eager to share their wares. Talented local artists produce Inuit carvings, with a particular focus on intricate ivory work and jewelry. The community is famously warm and welcoming of visitors.
Day 8-9 East Baffin
- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Today explore the eastern coast of Baffin Island or Qikiqtaaluk in the region of Auyuittuq National Park. Named after English explorer William Baffin, Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada, and home to 11,000 people. Likely known to Pre-Columbian Norse of Greenland and Iceland during the eleventh century, the island is presumed to be the Helluland of the Viking sagas. The Penny Ice Cap and the Barnes Ice Cap are the largest ice caps on the island, both remnants of the Laurentide ice sheet that once covered much of the North American continent. Both are currently in a state of retreat.
Day 10 Devon Island
- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Devon Island is the largest uninhabited island on Earth at over fifty thousand square kilometres. The island's geology is stunning, and very visible as you sail the coast. Flat topped mountains, glacial valleys, and a substantial ice cap give Devon Island its unique character.
Devon Island has a rich human history, and boasts historical and archeological features. Also be on the watch for wildlife!
Day 11 Beechey Island
- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
In 1845, Sir John Franklin took his expedition of 129 men and two ships into the Wellington Channel. Not a soul returned from the fateful expedition. The three graves found at Beechey Island left no indication as to the fate of the rest of the British party, but the island gradually became a touchpoint for those searching for survivors. A fourth grave on Beechey today holds a sailor from one such expedition. In the autumn of 2014, Canadian archaeologists discovered remnants of the HMS Erebus and in 2016, Franklin’s second ship, the Terror was also located.
Day 12-13 Peel Sound and Parry Channel
- Ship
- 2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
The ‘obvious’ route through the Northwest Passage, Parry Channel seldom provides a full transit because of ice. It is named after Arctic explorer William Edward Parry, who got as far as Melville Island in 1819 before being blocked by ice at McClure Strait.
Peel Sound was the Franklin expedition’s route south. It presents numerous wildlife and exploratory opportunities. The setting is optimal for hiking and exploring the geological diversity of the area.
Day 14-16 Kitikmeot Region
- Ship
- 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
The Kitikmeot Region consists of parts of Victoria Island, the adjacent part of the mainland as far as the Boothia Peninsula, King William Island, and the southern portion of Prince of Wales Island. Its regional seat is Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay), though it also contains five other hamlets. Recently, the Kitikmeot Region has been in the news since the finding of the lost ships of the Franklin Expedition in its waters. It is Nunavut’s least-populated region, though wildlife abounds here both in the sea and on land.
Day 17 Kugluktuk (Coppermine) | Disembark
Located at the mouth of the Coppermine River to the southwest of Victoria Island on the Coronation Gulf, Kugluktuk is the western most community in Nunavut. Coppermine reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun name—Kugluktuk, meaning “place of moving waters”—on January 1st, 1996. The Coppermine River itself is designated a Canadian Heritage River for the important role it played as an exploration and fur trade route. Copper deposits along the river attracted the first explorers to the area. Disembark here and make your way to the airport to meet your charter flight home.
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