This is a true Arctic voyage, providing an excellent combination of both Spitsbergen and Greenland in one journey. Starting in Spitsbergen,  we first explore Raudfjord on the north-west coast of Svalbard, an area home to polar bears, ringed and bearded seals, sea bird colonies and awe-inspiring arctic scenery.

The journey then follows the ice pack of the East Greenland current, where encounters with fin, humpback and minke whales are likely and sightings of the rare Greenland (Right) whales are possible. This is an exciting voyage and often the ship is accompanied by large pods of white beaked dolphins on the bow. The approach to Greenland is dramatic as 2000m high mountains appear on the horizon, capped by the Worlds second largest ice sheet. In favourable ice conditions we explore Keiser Franz Joseph Fjord and Scoresby Sund, the largest and most spectacular fjord in the World. Here we will cruise around the spectacle of huge glaciers and beautifully sculpted icebergs, matched in size and splendour only by those of Antarctica.

The warm colours of the tundra present breathtaking landscapes and are dotted with wildlife including musk oxen and arctic hares. As we sail along the rugged Greenland coastline we keep a constant watch for polar bears, often encountered strolling along the coast or drifting on nearby ice floes.

This is a truly fascinating voyage filled with ever-changing landscapes, inspring wildlife observations and a rich historical past. Greenland's unique and colourful culture is also explored with the opportunities to visit hardy Inuit communities and observe their fascinating culture. August departures offer good birdlife sightings and often September can provide some splendid opportunities to view the Aurora borealis or Northern Lights.

Photographs kindly provided by Charlotte Caffrey, Derek Lawson, Troels Jacobsen, Richard Escott and Chris Dobbs

 Greenland Spitsbergen expedition Cruise -  Polar bears- Responsible Travel - Carbon Climate Neutral - Svalbard - Arctic holiday - Greenland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dates & Prices 2012

Cabin type (all en suite)	26th Aug - 7th Sep, 2012    Longyearbyen - Reykjavik            English / German              language voyage
Quad porthole	£4090 / €4290
Triple porthole	£4590 / €4890
Twin porthole	£5190 / €5490
Twin window	£5390 / €5750
Twin Deluxe	£5850 / €6190
Superior	£6490 / €6850
Kayaking	£225 / €240
Leica Akademie Photo workshops	£275 / €290

 

Click HERE for vessel details

Cabin type	27th Aug - 8th Sept, 2012      Reykjavik - Longyearbyen
Twin inside	£4550 / €4850
Twin porthole	£5190 / €5550
Twin Deluxe	£5850 / €6190
Superior	£6490 / €6890

Click HERE for vessel details

Fuel surcharge: £16 / €18 per day

Single supplement: There is no single supplement to pay if you are willing to share your cabin with someone of the same gender.

For a cabin to yourself the supplement is an additional 70% of the per person rate.

Our prices include
Voyage as indicated in draft itinerary
All meals, snacks, coffee and tea
All shore excursions and zodiac activities
Group airport transfers to & from the vessel (when arriving/departing on recommended group flight)
Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff
All miscellaneous services taxes and port charges throughout the programme
Comprehensive pre-departure material
Aqua-Firma automatically offsets the Carbon Emissions of your polar voyage and flights booked through us in getting to and from your voyage.

Prices exclude
International flights (please enquire)
Land based accommodation (please enquire)
Pre and post land arrangements (please enquire)
Fuel surcharge
Travel insurance
Passports and visas
Arrival and departure tax
Meals ashore
Excess baggage on flights
Items of a personal nature (alcohol, laundry etc)
Tips
€20 - Svalbard Environmental Fee

Activity Level: Low to Medium.

Day 1
Arrive in Longyearbyen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to visit this former mining town. The Parish Church and the Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the country around the village more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden. We will try to have an evening excursion in Tryghamna near a 17th century English whaling station.

Day 2 & 3
At sea, on our way to Greenland, we may see the edge of the East Greenland Ice. We keep watch for whales, and also for migrating seabirds.

Day 4
If the ice conditions allow we will try to get to Shannon Island and Kuhn Island, where we have a chance to see Muskoxen and Arctic Hares.

Day 5
On Sabine Island we will try to land in the Hansa Bugt, where during World War II the Germans had the weather station " Holzauge". Further we will  sail to Germania Havn,  where in 1869 the members of the 2nd German North Pole Expedition under Koldewey spent the winter. In the following summer they were the first Europeans to enter the Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord.

Day 6
We sail through Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord, a magnificent fjord with towering mountains on both sides, its inner reaches choked with huge icebergs. An alternative is Sofia Sund, which is much narrower, and where we can see Muskoxen from the ship. We will land at Blomster Bugt to view the beautiful geological formations. Arctic Hares are usually seen here, and there is a lake with Great Northern Divers with young. In the afternoon we sail along Teufelschloss.

Day 7
The first half of the day we spend in Alpefjord, a spectacular fjord with glaciers and ice-bergs. From there we have good view on the 3000m high by von Payer named Petermann Berg.

Day 8
Today we reach the Scoresby Sund and sail in the morning along the coast of Jameson Land. We try to reach the site where Alfred Wegener in 1930 erected a small station ( Tyskit Nunat ) as support for his planned crossing of the Greenland Ice-cap.

Day 9
We go ashore at Cape Hofmann Halvø, a reliable spot for viewing Musk Oxen. We may also spot Rock Ptarmigans, and Great Northern Divers at sea. The landscape here is particularly beautiful, especially during autumn when the Dwarf Willow and Dwarf Birch change colour. Arctic Blueberry and Crowberry add their own colourful touch - the berries are tasty too!
In the evening we sail through the fjord towards the east, enjoying the contrast between the warm autumnal colours of the vegetation on shore, backed by huge dark mountains, and the cold blue of the icebergs.

Day 10
We land on Danmarks Ø where there are the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The circular ‘tent rings' of stones indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are excellently preserved, allowing entrances and even bear-proof meat caches to be identified. There are also grave sites. In the evening we continue our sailing through the beautiful fjords to the west, choked with ice-bergs.
In the afternoon we continue along the ragged Volquart Boons Kyst, where we may take a zodiac cruise along one of the glacier fronts like in Vikinge Bugt.

Day 11
Today we land at Illoqqortoormiut, the biggest settlement in the Scoresby Sund with about 500 inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just wander around to see the sledge dogs and the drying skins of Seal, Musk Ox and Polar Bear.

Day 12
We are the whole day at sea and will have splendid opportunities to see large whales and seabird migration and, in the night, the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Day 13
Arrive in Akureyri (North Iceland) and transfer to Reykjavik by chartered bus.