HIGHLIGHTS
- Meet
the Inuit people, at the end of the winter, and share unique moments
related to their spring traditions, on the ice floe and in broad
daylight, including dog sledding, an activity designed with our hosts.
- Set
off on the trail of the great explorers who attempted to navigate the
eastern coast of Greenland, a region that long remained isolated due to
being hard to reach.
- Outings
and shore visits in a zodiac inflatable or hovercraft* with a team of
experienced naturalist guides.
- The
Blosseville Coast and its ice cap that comes straight from the North
Pole.
- The
landscapes: alpine landscapes, polar ice cap, fjords, icebergs,
glaciers, patches of ice floe drifting from the North Pole.
- The
wildlife: polar bears, seals, Arctic foxes and hares, sea birds.
- Many
brand-new activities: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, ice fishing,
polar diving, cold-water swimming, dog sledding, participative science.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
May 05, 2023 | May 15, 2023 | 18,800 |
19,174 |
May 15, 2023 | May 25, 2023 | 15,140 |
15,441 |
Rates are listed per person
|
Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
May 05, 2023 | May 15, 2023 | 18,800 |
19,174 |
May 15, 2023 | May 25, 2023 | 15,140 |
15,441 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 - REYKJAVÍK
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.
Day
2 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
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.
Day
3 - NANSEN HARBOR
Travelling
to Nansen Harbor is the guarantee of a voyage back in time and will
enable you to discover a superb bay, into which the ice cap plunges
directly. It was because of the proximity and accessibility of the
glacier that Fridtjof Nansen chose this location for his crossing of
the ice cap crossing in August 1888. Sailing along the coast, you can
imagine the first steps of the great explorer on the Greenland ice
sheet.
Day
4-6 - AMMASSALIK REGION
Still
almost unknown just a century ago, the east coast of Greenland remains
the most authentic and majestic region. Here, the alpine mountains
merge intimately with the sea, while the fjords are adorned with high
snow-capped peaks and drifting icebergs. Follow in the wake of Captain
Jean-Baptiste Charcot's famous ship, the Pourquoi Pas?, which set off
with its crew to discover Ammassalik, a small island of primitive and
wild beauty where the Inuit people chose to live. The name of this
island is a reference to the capelin, a small flamboyant silver
coloured fish, whose presence in the thousands announces to inhabitants
the return of spring. A surprising discovery in a spectacular setting.
Day
7 - STORO ISLAND
In
the Ammassalik region, the small island of Storo welcomed the famous
French explorer Paul-Emile Victor during his first stay in Greenland in
1932. This young ethnologist was set down by Captain Charcot at
Ammassallik then made his way to the island of Storo, where he spent a
year hosted by an Inuit family. Bones, stones, a tomb and a few
vestiges of huts and wooden cabins are evidence that people have been
coming to the island for a very long time. Its location facing the
Denmark Strait, at the entrance of a small fjord, is indeed ideal for
hunting or for observing the whales, narwhals or belugas that live in
the fish-rich waters of the Greenland Sea.
Day
8 - KANGERLUSSUAQ (EAST GREENLAND)
Midway
between the magnificent Sermilik fjord and the vast expanses of
Liverpool Land, you will discover the impressive Kangerlussuaq Fjord,
one of the largest on the south-east coast of Greenland. You will sail
through a wonderful décor of ice and vertiginous, jagged
peaks of dark grey rock coated in snow that plunge into the deep blue
waters of the fjord. The fjord is fed by the gigantic Kangerlussuaq
glacier, the largest on the east coast of the Greenland Ice Sheet. In
the north-west, the Watkins Range is home to the tallest peaks in the
Arctic. Gunnbjorns Fjeld stands 3,693 metres (12,000 feet) tall. Known
for its abundant fauna, this hard-to-reach fjord is uninhabited,
although Inuit hunters have been visiting it for thousands of years.
Day
9 - EXPLORATION OF BLOSSEVILLE COAST
Aboard
your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a
French explorer and sailor. In 1833, aboard La Lilloise, he set off to
discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland and
gave French names to various sites on the coast. The adventure probably
has an unfortunate outcome, since the crew was never found. This
uninhabited territory, which now bears his name, lies to the south of
Scoresby Sund. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pieces of pack ice,
Blosseville Coast is one of these wild and hard-to-reach places that
very few people are lucky enough to explore.
Day
10 - AT SEA ABOARD LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
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.
Day
11 - REYKJAVÍK
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.
Le Commandant Charcot (Luxury Expedition, 270-guests)
Le Commandant-Charcot welcomes you to an intimate and refined atmosphere. Equipped with just 135 staterooms including 31 suites with balconies and outside views, the ship offers outstanding gastronomy in its two restaurants, relaxation in the indoor pool surrounded by its winter garden, relaxation in the well-being area with sauna and Snow Room... Like on a private yacht, each of our guests is unique.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- DOG
SLEDDING
- POLAR
WATER ACTIVITIES