HIGHLIGHTS
- Sail
the heart of the Northwest Passage in comfort aboard our
ice-strengthened expedition ship
- Visit
ancient sites of the Thule and Dorset people with our onboard
archaeologist
- Photograph
rare birds and Arctic wildlife in their stunning natural habitat
- Marvel
at the Ilulissat Icefjord, where 90% of the North Atlantic’s
icebergs calve
- Enjoy
Greenland’s unique European approach to Arctic life
- Experience
Inuit communities, culture and worldview first hand
- See
haunting artifacts of the northern explorers, HBC and RCMP
- Sail
the waters where Franklin’s ships, HMS Erebus and Terror,
were recently discovered
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | CAT 1 - Quad Inside | CAT 2 - Triple Inside | CAT 3 - Interior Twin | CAT 4 - Exterior Twin | CAT 5 - Main Twin | CAT 6 - Comfort Twin | CAT 7 - Select Twin | CAT 8 - Superior Twin | CAT 9 - Junior Suite | CAT 10 - Suite |
|---|
| Aug 16, 2021 | Sep 01, 2021 | 10,995 | 12,995 | 14,895 | 16,395 | 17,895 | 19,395 | 20,895 | 22,395 | 23,895 | 25,395 |
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Package Cost: USD 2,495 per person - Northbound Charter Flight: Toronto, ON to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (early morning departure)
- Southbound Charter Flight: Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU to Calgary, AB (evening arrival)
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
CAT 1 - Quad Inside | (Mid-range)
CAT 6 - Comfort Twin | (High-end)
CAT 10 - Suite |
|---|
| Aug 16, 2021 | Sep 01, 2021 | 10,995 | 19,395 | 25,395 |
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Package Cost: USD 2,495 per person - Northbound Charter Flight: Toronto, ON to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (early morning departure)
- Southbound Charter Flight: Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU to Calgary, AB (evening arrival)
ITINERARY
DAY
1: Kangerlussuaq
Sondre
Stromfjord is one of the longest fjords in the world, boasts 168
kilometres of superb scenery and calm waters. Kangerlussuaq, the town
at its eastern head, means ‘the big fjord.’
We
begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord as the sun sets
before us.
DAY
2: Sismiut
Blessed
with an ice-free harbour year-round, Sisimiut has been inhabited for
the last 4,500 years, first by the Saqqaq, the Dorset, and then by the
Thule (the ancestors of today's Inuit). Their descendants form the
majority of its present-day population of some 6,000 inhabitants. It is
the largest business centre north of Nuuk and the fastest-growing
community in Greenland.
DAYS
3-4: Ilulissat
Ilulissat
translates literally into “iceberg”, and there
couldn’t be a more fitting name for this spectacular place.
Our visit will include time in the colourful town, famed for its
handicrafts, cafes, museums, and picturesque habitation.
We’ll have a chance to hike out along a boardwalk to an
elevated viewpoint where we can observe the great fields of ice. We
will also cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs in the UNESCO World Heritage
Site of the Ilulissat Icefjord. The Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier is one of
the most active and fastest moving in the world at nineteen metres per
day and calving more than thirty-five square kilometres of ice
annually. The glacier has been the object of scientific attention for
250 years.
DAYS
5-6: Western Greenland
Today
we will cruise one of Greenland’s most spectacular fjords,
known for plentiful marine life, plentiful icebergs and inspiring
landscapes. Seals use the long leads created by high winds in this
region to hunt the rich waters of the fjord. The cliffs and talus
slopes within the fjord should give us 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 of icebergs amid mountain peaks.
DAY
7: Qikiqtarjuaq
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: East Baffin
Today
we will 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
9: Northeast Baffin
Today
will be an expedition day in the truest sense as we navigate the fjords
of Northeast Baffin Island. The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel
for exploring these hidden treasures of the North, as her
manoeuvrability and shallow draft allow her to access regions that
would be impassable to larger vessels. Moving through waters known to
harbour belugas, narwhals, and other marine mammals, we will be
monitoring at all times from the deck and bridge to maximize our
wildlife opportunities.
DAY
10: Devon Island
Devon
Island is the largest uninhabited island on earth and comprises over
fifty thousand square kilometres. It was first sighted by Europeans in
1616, though they never set up a base here until the arrival of the
Hudson’s Bay Company, three hundred years later—a
short-lived endeavour now long abandoned. The island's geology consists
of reddish Precambrian gneiss and Paeleozoic siltstones and shales; a
landscape so barren in places that NASA has tested its Mars rovers at
Devon Island. Substantial Thule sites are among Devon
Island’s many treasures.
DAY
11: Beechey Island
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
Sailing
Peel Sound, we get into serious polar bear country and will be on the
lookout for good spotting opportunities. Parry Channel 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. Depending on ice
conditions, we may make expedition stops along the way among the
spectacular landscapes, a perfect setting for hiking and exploring the
geological diversity of the area.
DAY
14: Usqsuqtuuq (Gjøa Haven)
In
1903, explorer Roald Amundsen attempted the Northwest Passage, sailing
through the James Ross Strait. Unable to proceed due to sea ice, he
spent the winters of 1903–04 and 1904–05 in the
beautiful harbour he found—Usqsuqtuuq. While there, he
learned Arctic living skills from the local Netsilik Inuit, skills that
would later prove invaluable in his Antarctic explorations. He used his
ship, Gjøa, as a base for explorations in the summer of
1904, sledding the Boothia Peninsula and travelling to the magnetic
North Pole. Usqsuqtuuq offers a lot to its visitors, including the
Northwest Passage Territorial Historic Park, and Canada’s
most northerly golf course. Although Usqsuqtuuq is becoming more
modern, many traditional Inuit activities are still being enjoyed,
including throat singing, drum dancing, and hunting.
DAY
15: Queen Maud Gulf
Sir
John Franklin’s flagship, the HMS Erebus, was a Hecla-class
bomb vessel, built in Wales in 1826. She was named after the dark
region in Hades of Greek mythology and weighed 372 tons. The ship took
part in the Ross Expedition from 1839 to 1843 and was abandoned during
the legendary Franklin Expedition after becoming icebound during an
attempt to locate the fabled Northwest Passage. Her sunken wreck had
actually been designated a National Historic Site prior to being
located in September of 2014 by a Parks Canada underwater archaeology
team. Two years later, Franklin’s other ship, Terror, was
located, spurring further interest in one of the great mysteries of
polar exploration.
DAY
16: Coronation Gulf
Located
between Victoria Island and the Arctic coast of mainland Canada, the
Coronation Gulf is an extensive body of water that is linked to the
Arctic Ocean via the Dolphin and Union Strait on the west and by the
Dease Strait and Queen Maud Gulf on the east.
The
gulf was named in 1821 by John Franklin in honour of the coronation of
King George IV. The environment and Inuit cultural history of the
region was studied by Rudolph Anderson and Diamond Jenness in 1916 as
part of the Canadian Arctic Expedition. We will be exploring the area
scouting for an opportunistic expedition stop.
DAY
17: Kugluktuk (Coppermine)
Located
at the mouth of the Coppermine River, southwest of Victoria Island on
the Coronation Gulf, Kugluktuk is the westernmost community in Nunavut.
Coppermine reverted to its original Inuinnaqtun
name—Kugluktuk, meaning “place of moving
waters”—on January 1st, 1996. The Coppermine River
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 European explorers to the area. Today we will
disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport to meet
our charter flights home.
Ocean Endeavour - AC (Expedition, 198-guests)
The Ocean Endeavour is the perfect vessel for expedition cruising. Outftted with twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, multiple lounges, and a top deck observation room, she is purpose-built for passenger experiences in remote environments. The Ocean Endeavour boasts a 1B ice class, enabling her to explore throughout the Arctic summer. At 137 metres in length, the Ocean Endeavour has plenty of interior and exterior space. Ample deck space ofers comfortable lounge chairs, a swimming pool, two saunas, and a hot tub. The spacious interior allows for varied workshops and presentations to occur simultaneously. The three lounges aboard the Ocean Endeavour are optimal locations for seminars, events, parties, and conversation.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
ABOARD
- Pre-departure
materials
- The
expertise and company of our expedition staff
- Onboard
educational programming
- Interactive
workshops
- Evening
entertainment
- All
shipboard meals, including on deck barbecues & afternoon tea,
24-hour coffee, tea and snacks
- Hors
d’oeuvres & snacks during evening recaps
- 24-hour
documentary and film programming
- Fully
stocked library
- Nikon
Camera Trial Program
ASHORE
- Introductions
to local people and customs
- Sightseeing
- Museum
entries, park accesses, port taxes
- Access
to pristine wilderness areas
- Zodiac
tours and cruises
- On-site
archaeology workshops
- Community
programming: local performances, presentations, and demonstrations
Not Included:
- $250
USD Discovery Fund Fee
- Commercial
and charter flight costs
- Gratuities
(suggested at $15 USD per person per day)
- Bicycle
rentals
- Personal
expenses
- Mandatory
medical evacuation insurance
- Additional
expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes
- Possible
fuel surcharges
- Pre-
and post-trip hotel accommodation
- Additional
costs associated with credit card payment
- Program
enhancements
