Nuuk to Iqaluit

Perched on the seaside in the shadow of ice-capped Sermitsiaq Mountain, Nuuk is the world’s smallest capital city by population, with some 19,000 inhabitants experiencing tremendous cultural and economic growth. Watch for harp seals as you enter the harbor, and hear from local residents to learn how the community has changed over the generations. At the National Museum, examine the extraordinary 15th-century Qilakitsoq mummies found near Uummannaq—a discovery that was featured in a National Geographic magazine cover story in 1985. The Arctic ice preserved these mummies so well that researchers have been able to study their tattoos, their medical conditions and even what they ate.

Evighedsfjord (Eternity Fjord) is a large fjord northeast of Kangaamiut in southwest Greenland. The fjord has a length of 75 kilometers and several branches with numerous glaciers coming down from the Maniitsoq Ice Cap to the north can be seen. The Evighedsfjord has several bends and whenever the ship reaches the supposed end the fjord continues in another direction and seems to go on forever. Qingua Kujatdleq Glacier is at its southeastern end. At the northwestern end, a U-shaped valley has seven glaciers coming down from the mountains but not reaching the water. The glaciers had their maximum extent around the year 1870 and have gone through several cycles of advance and retreat. The mountains on either side of the fjord can reach in excess of 2,000 meters and the fjord has a depth of up to 700 meters. Evighedsfjord’s snowline is at 1,100 meters and the Evighedsfjord region is famous as one of Greenland’s best heli-skiing areas.

Itilleq is an idyllic little village located on a small island about ahalf a mile off the west coast of Greenland, and only about a mile north of theArctic Circle. It is one of the most picturesque villages in Greenland with itsquaint colorful houses surrounded by stunning rugged mountains and glaciers.Originally, the village of Itilleq was founded on another island in 1847, butwas later moved to its present location. The 100 people living here todaysurvive mainly on hunting and fishing, with a fish factory being the mainemployer.

Scattering chunks of sea ice like confetti, Eqip Sermia Glacier’s 2-mile-wide wall of ice is alive with thrilling activity. Known as the Calving Glacier, this immense formation towers up to 550 feet above the surface. Cracks and rumbles echo through the air from Eqip Sermia Glacier, one of the most active in the Northern Hemisphere. Enjoy the show, as dramatic collapses send mini-icebergs tumbling across the surface and the ship rolls gently on the ensuing waves. Explore this incredible glacier up close, immersed in pure silence, with only the calls of seabirds and the murmurings of the ice breaking the quiet. Eqip Sermia Glacier is retreating quickly, and this rapid movement drives the frequency of its calving events. Found at the terminus of Eqi Fjord, the compacted flow of ancient ice mass spills down through black and white mountains from its roots in the Greenland Ice Sheet - the second-largest body of ice in the world after Antarctica, covering 80% of the island. The deep blues and turquoise hues are caused by centuries of compression. Icy sculptures from Eqip Sermia Glacier and nearby Jakobshavn Glacier and Kangilerngata Sermia Glacier drift toward Disko Bay, where fin, humpback, and minke whales breach and roll through the lively waters.

Known as the birthplace of icebergs, the Ilulissat Icefjord produces nearly 20 million tons of ice each day. In fact, the word Ilulissat means “icebergs” in the Kalaallisut language. The town of Ilulissat is known for its long periods of calm and settled weather, but the climate tends to be cold due to its proximity to the fjord. Approximately 4,500 people live in Ilulissat, the third-largest town in Greenland after Nuuk and Sisimiut. Some people here estimate that there are nearly as many sled dogs as human beings living in the town that also boasts a local history museum located in the former home of Greenlandic folk hero and famed polar explorer Knud Rasmussen.

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and catch up with what you've been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale-watching, catching up on your reading, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shoreside.

Sitting above the Arctic Circle, visit a land of wonderful extremes, where polar bears roam, and the vastness of scenery is all-encompassing. Taking its name from the Inuktitut word for Big Island - Qikiqtarjuaq, is a place of long, summer nights that feel eternal, and contrast with the inky depths of winter. These blackened nights are illuminated by the ethereal glow of the Northern lights dancing over huge mountain peaks. A small community resides in this remote and wonderful setting, on the sheltered western shore of Broughton Island, separated from Baffin Island by a relatively narrow channel. Across this gap, the majestic, staggeringly tall mountains of Auyuittuq National Park rise. These are some of the continent’s most spectacular peaks, of poetic form and grandeur. The icy waters surrounding Qikiqtarjuaq are strewn with icebergs beginning long journeys, earning the island its title as Nunavut’s ‘Iceberg Capital’. While ice floes drift serenely on the surface, giants move in the depths - and the waters are visited by wildlife such as narwhals, bowhead whales, seals, and orcas. The skies above, meanwhile, are often alive with seabirds, particularly the Northern Fulmar. Cruise along the beautiful shoreline and take to Zodiacs for a deeper level of exploration, seeking out the wonderful wildlife of the region with our expert team on hand to identify the animals and share their fascinating insights into this wonderful region.

Located at the heart of Nunavut, on Baffin Island’s Cumberland Peninsula, Auyuittuq National Park offers you one of the most beautiful and striking landscapes in Canada. Large valleys and steep-walled fjords surrounded by a skyline of irregular peaks and massive glaciers, exactly how you would picture the Arctic.
Auyuittuq homes little vegetation, however, you can spot some arctic wildlife species in these stunning and serene landscapes. Arctic foxes, caribou, lemmings, snow geese, ermines, but also polar bears, and many bird species like peregrine falcons can be observed. Several cetacean species frequent the surrounding waters of the island, narwhals, beluga whales, and orcas being the most likely to be seen. The coasts of the island are a haven for many seabirds like the king eider or the little auk.
Established as a national park in 1972, Auyuittuq holds an extremely important place in Canada’s history due to its location. Many civilizations visited Auyuittuq since the first people settled during the Stone Age, noting the ideal conditions for whaling. Among them, Norse and English explorers but also the Inuit, a people that left their mark on the island and all the Nunavut regions. Auyuittuq means “The Land That Never Melts” in Inuktitut, the national park’s land being covered by the huge Penny Ice Glacier.

Cape Dyer is a remote wilderness and lies at the southeast tip of Canada’s vast Baffin Island. It is located north of the Arctic Circle in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Terraced cliffs rise up out of the icy sea as you sail close to land and there is a smattering of the purest white snow-capped mountains in the distance. Baffin Island is the largest island in Canada with a vast rugged landscape, which measures 507,451 square kilometers (195,928 square miles). It is the fifth largest island in the world. If you're lucky you might just spot one of the polar bears that populate the island. Other animals that roam these cold lands include Arctic foxes, Caribou, and Arctic hares. Seals and walruses can be seen hauled out or close to shore in the water. Keep a look out for whales in the sea around Baffin Island, there are four species for eagle-eyed nature watchers to spot - Narwhals, Orca, Beluga, and Bowhead.

Once a hub for Inuit and European whalers - braving the harsh Arctic conditions - Blacklead Island now provides a glimpse into this northerly realm of ice, industry, and heritage. In the cold Arctic waters of Nunavut, offshore from Baffin Island, Blacklead Island was once an Inuit campsite and a key location for Inuit bowhead whaling. Its frontier position offered access to the once bountiful deep waters of Cumberland Sound. From the 1860s to the early 1900s, it became one of the most important whaling stations in the region, attracting Inuit hunters and later European whalers, who sought the bowhead whales that thrived in these icy waters. Today, the island is home to a well-preserved Inuit village, which provides insights into how the industry shaped Inuit life. It’s now preserved as a National Historic Site of Canada, and the island’s archaeological remains share insights from its history. Visitors can also see the stone foundations of an Anglican mission built in 1895, and the remnants of Thule houses - homes to the ancestors of the modern Inuit people. Zodiac explorations along the rocky shores of Blacklead Island offer a chance to spot diverse Arctic wildlife, from seabirds nesting on the cliffs to seals and perhaps the elusive bowhead whales that were so pivotal to this island’s story.

Named in honour of Sir John Franklin’s widow, the lonely and uninhabited Lady Franklin Island lies off of Baffin Island’s Hall Peninsula at the entrance to Cumberland Sound. The island is named for the wife of Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer who died trying to discover the Northwest Passage. The geology of the island is striking with vertical cliffs of Archean rocks, likely to be some of the oldest stone in Canada. The waters around Lady Franklin Island offer an abundance seabirds, ducks, seals, and walrus. With a bit of luck it is possible to see Atlantic Puffins here and perhaps even a rare Sabine’s Gull.

Monumental Island in Davis Strait was named by Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall as a tribute to the memory of Sir John Franklin who died in his quest to find the Northwest Passage. The island is offshore of Baffin Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago of the territory of Nunavut. Around the shoreline scores of Black Guillemots dive and fish for little Arctic cods and capelins. Successful birds fly off with a minnow grasped tightly in their beaks. On a far larger scale, it is possible to find groups of walruses with their impressive tusks along the shores of the island. However, the coup de grâce is to spot a polar bear’s white silhouette against the dark background of the bedrock on Monumental Island.

Discover the untouched beauty of High Bluff Island - a remote island waiting in the icy waters of the Hudson Strait. Rising from the frigid seas, just south of one of the world’s largest islands, Baffin Island, a visit to this uninhabited land promises a unique Arctic experience. Whether you're capturing the sights and scenery through the camera lens or taking in the distant wonders by foot or Zodiac, there’s much to discover on and around this tiny isle. The island’s closest neighbor, Big Island, lies to the west, while a series of rocky outcrops can be found to the south. Along the upper coastline, 330-foot-tall precipices rise, looking out across North Bay’s vast waters toward Baffin Island. Watch for Arctic wildlife, including marine mammals, as you explore and embark on expedition activities. Silversea’s expert expedition team will be on hand throughout to help you identify wildlife and the unique features of this isolated Arctic island. Part of the Kimmirut Inuit Owned Land, the official name for High Bluff Island has now been changed to Qikiqtarjuarusiq, in recognition of the Inuit ownership and connection with these lands. The nearest town, Kimmirut, lies to the north, tucked into an inlet on Baffin Island’s southern coastline.

Akpatok Island is the largest island in the middle of Ungava Bay, south of Baffin Island and north of Quebec. Its name is the local name for the Thick-billed Murre, which nests here in vast numbers. In fact, the entire island is designated a Canadian Important Bird Area. Other common wildlife are Polar bears, seals, and walrus. One of the most distinctive features of the island is the steep limestone cliffs ringing the shore. They rise 490 to 820 feet straight up from the sea to a flat plateau. Although is uninhabited today, remains of a Dorset settlement have been documents at the southern end of the island.

The Lower Savage Islands are a small group of islands off of the southeastern tip of Baffin Island, and a common location for polar bears to be found during the summer months. With plenty of land to roam while giving each other a wide berth, plus opportunities to feed, it seems perhaps bears can be found here as the ice vanishes with the summer season’s warming temperatures.

Iqaluit is the capital of Canada’s newest territory, Nunavut, which is Inuktitut for “our land”. The community is located at the head of Frobisher Bay, an inlet of the North Atlantic extending into southeastern Baffin Island. The Bay is so long that it was first taken to be the possible entrance of a Northwest Passage. In Iqaluit, the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum and the Nunavut Legislative Assembly Building both house incredible collections of Inuit artwork with interesting local prints for sale in the museum shop.