Three Arctic Islands: Iceland, Greenland & Spitsbergen

Day 1 : Helsinki, Finland

You may arrive in Helsinki at any time today, and your accommodation will be at the airport hotel. Upon checking in to your hotel you will receive a welcome letter outlining departure information for the following day’s charter flight. Helsinki is renowned for its extraordinary architecture and intriguing mix of eastern and western influences. If you arrive early, you can take the convenient 40-minute rail service from the airport to the city center to explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District.

Day 2 : Helsinki > Longyearbyen, Svalbard

After breakfast, the group will transfer to the airport and board a private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement. As you embark this afternoon, you’ll enjoy great views of the mountainous landscape that serves as a backdrop for this seaside town.

Days 3 – 6 : Exploring Spitsbergen, Svalbard

Exploring Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, rewards you with abundant wildlife and austere beauty. Here, you’ll visit spectacular glacier fronts and steep walled fjords, with walrus, polar bears and Svalbard reindeer amongst your possible wildlife sightings. Birders will be thrilled to see arctic terns, skuas, long tailed ducks, kittiwakes and ivory gulls. If conditions allow, you could sail within 10 degrees of the North Pole!

Days 7 & 8 : Cruising the Greenland Sea

While sailing south through the Greenland Sea, your Expedition Team will teach you about the wildlife and history of Greenland, your next stop. On deck, you’ll learn to identify seabirds on the wing. Take in a lecture, share your photos, sip an icy cocktail in the bar or watch a movie – there are many things to do during your time at sea.

Days 9 – 12 : Exploring East Greenland

During your tour of Greenland’s remote eastern coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. Explore the remains of ancient Thule settlements and keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen – 40 percent of the world’s muskoxen population lives here. Finally, you will sail through spectacular Scoresbysund, the birthplace of many icebergs and, some say, the most beautiful fjord system in the world. It is also planned to visit Ittoqqortoormiit, the most remote community in East Greenland.

Day 13 : Crossing the Denmark Strait

As you cruise south, the Denmark Strait is your pathway toward Iceland. Your Expedition Team will keep you informed and entertained with presentations about the history of exploration in the Arctic and the seabirds you’ll see soaring above your ship.

Day 14 : The Westfjords

The seldom-visited Westfjords is where land meets sea in the most dramatic fashion. This rugged peninsula at the country’s remote northwestern tip is rife with fjords, mountains, tumbling cliffs, gushing waterfalls, colorful beaches, rolling green hills, high moorlands dotted with rocky outcrops, small lakes, and the occasional shaggy Icelandic sheep or grazing pony. A few modest outposts of civilization, in the form of small fishing communities nestled along the fjords and shores of the Denmark Strait, face out into the mighty Atlantic, keeping alive a maritime heritage that stretches back to the Viking days. The Westfjords are the least developed of Iceland’s coastal areas and, consequently, the wildest. Depending on the conditions, guests will venture into this territory on a Zodiac cruise or a guided shore landing at unspoiled wilderness sites where they can hike and explore on foot. One of the many highlights is Mongufoss, one of Iceland’s most remote and beautiful waterfalls.

Day 15 : Reykjavik, Iceland

After breakfast you will disembark in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, at the end of your journey. A transfer is provided to a central downtown location.

Important Reminder

Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.