The Geographic North Pole And Scoresby Sound

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise in partnership with Le Cercle Polaire, as part of the Women at the Poles operation with featured guest Laurent Mayet, president and founder of the Cercle Polaire think tank.
• Be among the few people in the world to go in search of the Geographic North Pole and explore Ittoqqortoormiit region and the Scoresby Sound!
• Enjoy the unique experience of sailing through the heart of the ice floe and discover the endless variety of forms and states of the ice.
• Exploring the region of Ittoqqortoormiit, where the last hunters of the polar region live, at the entrance to Scoresby Sound, the world’s largest network of fjords.
• The landscapes: patches of ice floe drifting from the North Pole, hummocks, striped mountains, fjords, glaciers, icebergs. In Spitsbergen, jagged mountains, steep-sided valleys, sheer cliffs.
• The wildlife: blue and humpback whales, polar bears, narvals, seals, muskoxen, Arctic foxes, orcas, Northern fulmars, ivory gulls.
• Many brand-new activities*: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, polar plunge.

*Subject to weather and ice conditions and to sailing opportunities

ITINERARY

26 JULY 2024 - LONGYEARBYEN, SPITSBERGEN

Embarkation 26/07/2024 from 16:00 to 17:00
Departure 26/07/2024 at 18:00


Longyearbyen is the capital of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, located on Svalbard’s main island, and is the northernmost territorial capital on the planet. With winter temperatures dropping to below 40°C, the landscapes of this mining town are simply breathtaking. The glaciers, the mountains stretching as far as the eye can see and the untouched nature, make you feel like you’re in completely unexplored territory.

At sea along Spitsbergen
27 JULY 2024 - AT SEA ALONG SPITSBERGEN

Arrival 27/07/2024
Departure 27/07/2024


The largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, its name meaning “pointed mountains” in German, Spitsbergen is the last piece of land before the Arctic ice floe. Aboard your ship, you will sail along the extremely spectacular coastline of this icy land. Between millennial glaciers and rugged mountains, you will discover a jagged coastline, hollowed-out by fjords. A unique setting, the refuge of a particularly rich avifauna, offering you the possibility of taking fabulous photographs from the deck of your ship.

Navigating through the sea ice
28 JULY 2024  1 AUGUST 2024 - NAVIGATING THROUGH THE SEA ICE

Arrival 28/07/2024
Departure 01/08/2024


Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

Geographic North Pole
2 AUGUST 2024 - GEOGRAPHIC NORTH POLE

Arrival 02/08/2024
Departure 02/08/2024


Defined by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site, permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

Navigating through the sea ice
3 AUGUST 2024  4 AUGUST 2024 - NAVIGATING THROUGH THE SEA ICE

Arrival 03/08/2024
Departure 04/08/2024


Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
5 AUGUST 2024 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT

Arrival 05/08/2024
Departure 05/08/2024


Spend exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

Sailing ice floes along Greenland
6 AUGUST 2024 - SAILING ICE FLOES ALONG GREENLAND

Arrival 06/08/2024
Departure 06/08/2024


The north-east of Greenland is renowned for being home to one of the oldest and thickest layers of ice on the planet. Aboard your ship, you will have the unique opportunity of sailing to the heart of this icy wilderness, many thousands of years old, and will travel along one of the world's most isolated coasts, between drifting ice and blue icebergs.

Scoresby Sound
7 AUGUST 2024 - SCORESBY SOUND

Arrival 07/08/2024
Departure 07/08/2024


Covering an area of 13,700 km2 (5,290 mi2), Scoresby Sound is the largest and deepest fjord system in the world. Named after the explorer and whale hunter William Scoresby, who mapped the region in 1822, it opens onto the Greenland Sea to the north of the Blosseville Coast. This wild and desert region offers untouched panoramas of infinite beauty, with high snow-capped peaks rising tall alongside icebergs immersed in clear, blue-tinged waters. Rode Fjord and its cliffs coloured red by iron ore provide a fascinating setting you will not want to miss. Discovering these stunning places in the wake of great explorers like Captain Charcot, who was deeply attached to the land of the Inuit, inspires a profound reverence.

Ittoqqortoormiit Region
8 AUGUST 2024 - ITTOQQORTOORMIIT REGION

Arrival 08/08/2024
Departure 08/08/2024


On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of isolated scenery and exploring the beauty of its landscapes. The high alpine mountains stand out in the sky, revealing dark rock edges. The region is home to the longest fjord system in the world, Scoresby Sound. On the edge of the fjord, the eponymous village is considered one of the most remote inhabited places in the world. The colourful houses, so typical of Greenland, dot the landscape with small red, yellow and blue patches that stand out against the surrounding arid landscape. Immersing yourself in this region will allow you to discover the ancestral way of life of the last hunters of the polar region. This will be a veritable deep-dive into the lives of the Arctic’s inhabitants.

At sea aboard Le Commandant Charcot
9 AUGUST 2024 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT

Arrival 09/08/2024
Departure 09/08/2024


Spend exceptional moments sailing aboard Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury polar exploration vessel and the first PC2-class polar cruise ship capable of sailing into the very heart of the ice, on seas and oceans which the frozen conditions render inaccessible to ordinary ships. Le Commandant Charcot is fitted with oceanographic and scientific equipment selected by a committee of experts. Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with these specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research with PONANT and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

Sailing through the Denmark Strait
10 AUGUST 2024 - SAILING THROUGH THE DENMARK STRAIT

Arrival 10/08/2024
Departure 10/08/2024


Lying between Greenland and Iceland, the Denmark Strait was crossed for the first time by theVikings in the late 10th century, during Erik the Red’s expeditions. In the Second World War, its waters were the theatre of a battle between the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy, on 24 May 1941. In the wintertime, extremely dense pack ice forms along the Greenlandic coasts and, while the Transpolar Drift sweeps icebergs along throughout the year, the strait is generally clear of ice during the summer. In the depths of the strait lies the world’s largest waterfall, an undersea cataract formed by the difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Greenland Sea and the warmer waters of the Irminger Sea. Numerous cetacean species thrive in this rich ecosystem.

Reykjavík
11 AUGUST 2024 - REYKJAVÍK

Arrival 11/08/2024 early morning
Disembarkation 11/08/2024 at 08:00


Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

For your serenity, PONANT selects a flight and organises the transfer between the airport and the port. This package is included in your cruise fare.

Embarkation day - Paris/Longyearbyen

Flight Paris/Longyearbyen selected by PONANT.
Approximate flight duration: 4 h 30.

We highly recommend you arrive in Paris the day before this flight.
We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure.

Meet & greet at the airport by our local English-speaking representative.
According to the arrival time at Longyearbyen, PONANT adapt its services or activities before your transfer to the pier for embarkation.

- Cruise aboard your cruise ship -

This programme includes:

• Flight Paris/Longyearbyen selected by PONANT in economy class.
• Transfer mentioned in the programme.
• English-speaking assistance.

This programme does not include:

• Personal expenses.
• Any other service not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

• Flight included in the programme is as of today, operated in economy class, on a European airline.
• Flights in business class are available, please contact your travel agent.
• Due to limited local transportation resources, waiting might be generated.
• For passengers in transit in Paris, we recommend staying one night in Paris before this flight.
• Programme and flight schedule are subject to change without prior notice.

PONANT activities

KAYAKING - LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
You will make the most of the sailing opportunities and weather and ice conditions to glide along on the clear waters or between the ice floes and get as close as possible to the immaculate nature of the poles. Supervised by licenced expert guides, you will try your hand in a kayak- a craft favoured by the Inuits for at least 4,000 years.  The kayak was initially used for hunting and fishing; for you, it will be a means of making the most of your adventure on the White Continent or in the Far North.*

*with limited places available

HIKING OR SNOWSHOEING
During shore landings, depending on the ecological resilience of the biome, we will propose hikes at different levels, in the company of your experienced naturalist guides. From a simple stroll along the coast to walks lasting several hours to reach particular viewpoints or historical sites, you will make the most of the opportunities provided by the weather and ice conditions. When the itineraries allow, you’ll put on snowshoes* to set off like the explorers of old and discover areas that have barely known Man.

*with limited places available

POLAR PLUNGE
Let yourself be seduced by the unrivalled sensations of being surrounded by cold water. Weather and ice conditions willing, you will have opportunities to undertake a unique experience during a polar plunge wearing just your swimming costume, in the middle of the ice. You will be be filled with intense emotions and will fully appreciate the energy boost when warming up after the swim!*

*with limited places available