Make your way to Toronto and check into your hotel located conveniently at Toronto International Airport. Departure time of the scheduled charter will be reconfirmed closer to the departure date.
Today you fly on the charter flight from Toronto Pearson Airport to KANGERLUSSUAQ, GREENLAND
Kangerlussuaq is a former U.S. Air Force base and Greenland’s primary flight hub. After our charter flight from Toronto, we will transfer to the Ocean Endeavour by Zodiac.
With 190 kilometres of superb scenery, Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord) is one of the longest fjords in the world. We begin our adventure by sailing down this dramatic fjord, crossing the Arctic Circle as we go.
Click here to view video https://www.youtube.com/embed/FMkUJ5NtVXQ?playlist=FMkUJ5NtVXQ&controls=0&rel=0&loop=1&autoplay=1&mute=1&modestbranding=1
This itinerary operates 24 August 2022 and 16 August 2023.
Highlights
- Cross the Arctic Circle as you sail the length of Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord)—190 kilometres!
- Cruise among icebergs at Ilulissat Icefjord,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Spend three days in one of Canada’s largest National Marine Conservation Areas, Tallurutiup Imanga, searching for marine life
- Seek polar bears, seabirds, and other Arctic wildlife in pristine natural environments
- Retrace the historic route of European explorers, who for centuries picked their way through ice in hopes of finding a sailing route through the passage
- Transit Ikirasak (Bellot Strait), the narrow and dramatic waterway at the very northern tip of continental North America
SISIMIUT COAST
Today we sail west Greenland’s complex coastal waterways, which include glaciers, islands, and fjords against a towering mountain backdrop. The waters are relatively warm here, due to the West Greenland Current and the subarctic location. Abundant fauna and marine life have supported human habitation here as far back as 4,500 years.
ILULISSAT
Ilulissat means “iceberg”—an apt name for this site at the outlet of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the source of many of the icebergs in the North Atlantic.
We will cruise in our fleet of Zodiacs to appreciate the icebergs, and visit the town of Ilulissat, with its museums, cafes, craft shops, and busy fishing harbour.
WESTERN GREENLAND
Exploring by ship and Zodiac along the west coast of Greenland, we have numerous options for expedition stops, to make the
most of weather and wildlife conditions. Departing Greenland, we cross Baffin Bay toward Nunavut.
AT SEA - DAVIS STRAIT
As we steam toward Nunavut, our expedition team will deepen your understanding of the Arctic. This is an excellent time to enjoy workshops, watch a documentary, or get out on deck. Keep your binoculars ready for minke and humpback whales, as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark our passage.
MITTIMATALIK (POND INLET), NU, CANADA
Mittimatalik is a busy Arctic community in a beautiful setting, a fascinating place to wander. The cultural presentation at the Community Hall is not to be missed—handcrafted goods may be available here too
TALLURUTIUP IMANGA (LANCASTER SOUND) & DEVON ISLAND
We will spend three days exploring Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound), one of the newest National Marine Conservation Areas in Nunavut. Narwhal, beluga, and bowhead whales transit and feed in this area. We’ll cruise by ship and Zodiac in search of wildlife.
On the northern border of Tallurutiup
Imanga lies Devon Island, the largest uninhabited island on Earth at over 50,000 square kilometres. Flat-topped mountains, glacial valleys, and a substantial ice cap give Devon Island its unique character. We will hike the tundra, cruise a glacier face, and seek wildlife from ship and on shore. Archaeological sites with expert interpretation allow us to learn about the Inuit history of this now-abandoned island. We’ll visit the remains of an RCMP and Hudson's Bay Company site at Dundas Harbour.
BEECHEY ISLAND
In 1845, Sir John Franklin set out from England with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, attempting to sail through the Northwest Passage. His crew overwintered at Beechey Island, where three of his men died.
Numerous search parties later used Beechey as a depot and rendezvous. Amundsen, Bernier, and Larsen visited Beechey. Thomas Morgan of the HMS Investigator was buried here in 1854 alongside Franklin’s men. The graves and ruins of Northumberland House are a haunting memorial.
PRINCE REGENT INLET
This passage marks an area rich in marine and avian life. Thick-billed murres, ivory gulls, beluga, narwhal, and bowhead whales reside in the ice-strewn waters. In addition to abundant wildlife, we’ll delve deeper into the exploration of the Northwest Passage and mercantile efforts of the Hudson's Bay Company.
KITIKMEOT REGION
The traditional territory of the Netsilik Inuit, the Kitikmeot Region consists of parts of Victoria
Island, the adjacent part of the mainland as far as the Boothia Peninsula, King William Island, and the southern portion of Prince of Wales Island. Recently, the Kitikmeot Region has been in the news since the finding of the lost ships of the Franklin Expedition in its waters. It is Nunavut’s least-populated region, though wildlife abounds here both in the sea and on land. We will spend our time navigating the
ice-strewn waters in search of wildlife.
We’ll also call in at Uqsuqtuuq (Gjoa Haven) home of the Guardians of Terror Bay. The European name, Gjoa Haven, honours Roald Amundsen, who overwintered in the bay for two years while searching for the Northwest Passage. Amundsen became the first European to cross the Northwest Passage, thanks to the knowledge and largesse of Inuit. The community has an excellent cultural centre and is well known for carvings and wall hangings.
KUGLUKTUK, NU, CANADA
Located at the mouth of the Coppermine River, Kugluktuk is the westernmost community in Nunavut.
Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay), NU, is an alternate disembarkation point, and may be used based on sea, ice, and weather conditions.
Today we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and make our way to the airport to meet our charter flights to Yellowknife, NT.
Touring arrangements with Adventure Canada end upon arrival into Yellowknife. We have included a two night stay in Yellowknife . Explore the city, go on a guided hike, take an Aurora Hunting Tour, fish for monster Pike and Lake Trout, or meet with a local guide and learn more about the Indigenous culture of the Northwest Territories..
Extend your stay in the Northwest Territories - fly out to remote lodges to view wildlife and the northern lights.
Make your way to Yellowknife Airport for your flight back home. Ask us about extending your adventure in Canada or the USA.
