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Image of an inuksuk built by the people of the North American arctic.

Arctic Explorer

Example 11 Day Cruise
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Local biking with his dogs at his side.A walrus hangs out in the snow.A view of the North American arctic.A polar bear and her cub relaxing in the ice.Image of an inuksuk built by the people of the North American arctic.
Places Visited
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Resolute Bay

Arrive in Resolute this afternoon aboard your group charter flight (not included in cruise fare) from Ottawa. Transfer to the pier and embark the Sea Adventurer and settle into your new home.

Day 2: Prince Leopold, Somerset Island & Beechey Island

The tall cliffs of Prince Leopold Island are one of the top bird sites in the High Arctic both during the breeding and summering seasons. It is a breeding site for Thick-Billed Murre, Black-legged Kittiwake, Northern Fulmar, Glaucous Gull, and Black Guillemot. It was beneath these tall cliffs, that Sir James Clark Ross, perhaps the greatest polar explorer of the 19th century, was based in 1848-49. Ross's 1848-49 expedition in search of the Franklin expedition was not successful; they spent a frustrating winter locked by ice in Port Leopold on the northeast coast of Somerset Island and returned to England the following summer. It was also from this area that Sir John Ross (James's uncle) escaped in 1833 after abandoning the Victory and spending four harrowing winters in the Arctic.

Beechey island is best known as the epicentre of the Franklin search, for it was here that the lost expedition spent its first winter (1845-46). The only record of the expedition, and subsequent explorers making it to Beechey, is the remains of three storehouses, workshops, a washhouse, many empty meat tins, and of course, three eerie graves.

Day 3: Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet)

This bustling Arctic community is surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Eastern Arctic. Have a chance to explore the town, as well as enjoy a cultural presentation at the Nattinnak Centre.

Day 4: Northeast Baffin

Make an expeditionary stop today on your way south on Baffin Island.

Day 5: Kanngiqtugaapik (Clyde River)

Perched on a floodplain surrounded by soaring mountains, Clyde River offers excellent views of glacial action. Once an important trading post, the area is home to various species of seal and the polar bears that prey on them. It is known as the "Gateway to the Great Fiords", and there are 10 fiords within a 100-kilometre radius of the hamlet.

Day 6: Igaliqtuuq (Isabella Bay)

Also know as Isabella Bay, this is a late summer and fall feeding destination for many Baffin Bay/Davis Strait bowhead whales. A previous expedition was lucky enough to find a pod of 60 bowheads here in 2005.

Day 7: Karrat Fjord

In Karrat Fjord cruise one of Greenland's most spectacular fjords. During ice breakup, narwhals and seals use the long leads created by high winds in this region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs within the fjord should give you good opportunities to see colonies of dovekies. Time spent on deck today should result in some good wildlife sightings, not to mention unbeatable photographic opportunities.

Day 8: Uummannaq, Greenland

Despite being situated in the shadow of a mountain, Uummannaq is the sunniest place in Greenland! It is an impressive and imposing 1,175-metre hunk of red gneiss called Uummannaq Mountain. This mountain serves as the town's backdrop on which colourful, single-family homes desperately cling, anchored by cables and pipes. The famous Greenlandic mummies dating from the 15th century were found on the shore opposite Ummannaq.

Day 9: Ilulissat, Greenland

250km north of the Arctic Circle find the stunning coastal community of Ilulissat. Ilulissat translates literally into "iceberg", and there couldn't be a more fitting name. Your visit will include time in the colourful town and a chance to hike out to an elevated viewpoint where you can observe the great fields of ice. Cruise in your fleet of zodiacs in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. The Icefjord is where you will find the Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier, one of the most active and fastest moving in the world at 19m per day and calving more than 35 square kilometers of ice annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for 250 years and, because of its relative ease of accessibility, has significantly added to the understanding of ice-cap glaciology, climate change and related geomorphic processes.

Day 10: Itilleq, Greenland

Living in a small town that relies primarily on fishing for its existence, Itilleq's residents are closely tied to the land and its resources. Beautifully coloured houses speckle the rocky landscape as the town's children play freely in rocky fields. Engage the local soccer team in a friendly match before parting ways.

Day 11: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

Lying at the head of the longest fjord in western Greenland, Kangerlussuaq has one of the most stable climates in the region though temperatures can range from -50C in the winter to as high as 28C in summer. Kangerlussuaq, which means 'The Big Fjord' in Greenlandic, is appropriately named, as it's 168km long and is the conclusion of of your voyage. Disembark the ship and board your group charter flight to Toronto (not included in cruise fare) where you will connect to your return flights home.

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The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor

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