Cruise the coastline of Iceland and Greenland to discover the splendors of mid-summer in the far north. Iceland’s volcanic legacy continues in this geological wonderland in its steaming fissures and fumaroles, thermal pools, and its legendary 10,000 waterfalls. Meet the citizens of colorful fishing villages, cruise by Zodiac beneath emerald hillsides laced with waterfalls, and walk among ruins that recall the heyday of Viking exploration. Visit colorful hamlets among flowering tundra and search for arctic fox, musk oxen, orca and pilot whales, and seals. Huge colonies of seabirds are another highlight with puffins, kittiwakes, and murres, along with eider ducks, sea-eagles, and cormorants. Expert naturalists and historians enlighten you along the way.
Highlights
Search for a variety of Arctic wildlife, such as polar bears and musk oxen
Photograph dramatic landscapes - fjords, glaciers, icebergs, and tundra
Explore by Zodiac to discover thousands of breeding seabirds
Visit colorfully-painted villages & fishing hamlets with Viking history
Attend cultural performances & meet the hearty residents of this landscape
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in the Icelandic capital this morning and transfer to The Grand Hotel. Lunch and the remainder of the day is at leisure to enjoy this fascinating city with its colorful architecture, interesting shops, and museums. Gather this evening for a welcome reception followed by dinner and overnight at the hotel.
After breakfast, set out to explore Iceland’s classic scenic wonders known as the Golden Circle. Begin with Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by mountains and encompassing a vast lava plain of green moss and wildflowers. Continue to Gullfoss Waterfall where the Hvita River drops 96 feet in two voluminous cascades. The Geysir Center is a huge geothermal field of both boiling and tranquil multi-hued hot springs and bubbling mud pools. After lunch, visit Fridheimar Farm, which produces tomatoes and cucumbers year-round in their impressive greenhouses and breeds Icelandic horses, before embarking the Sea Adventurer.
Board Zodiacs for a cruise along the coastline of Flatey Island, one of the largest and only inhabited islands in Breidafjördur Bay, before going ashore for a walking tour of the village. View the uniquely painted island church and the restored houses of islanders who earn a living fishing for cod and lumpfish. This evening sail past Iceland’s westernmost cape, the Látrabjarg cliff, a breeding ground for millions of seabirds including puffins, kittiwakes, northern fulmars, and thick-billed murres.
After breakfast take a walking tour of small, verdant Vigur, the summer home to vast numbers of puffins, black guillemots, arctic terns, and eiders. The tiny community dates back to the late 1800s and boasts Iceland’s only windmill. During lunch on board, cruise northward to Ísafjördur, the trading and cultural center of the West Fjords. A cultural tour reveals the history and daily life of one of Iceland’s oldest fishing settlements and visits the region’s scenic highlights. This afternoon, enjoy free time in town to browse the local shops.
Spectacular mountains surround Nansen Fjord, clad in tundra dotted with seasonal wildflowers. By Zodiac, cruise among glittering icebergs, sculpted by wind and sea into fantastical shapes, watching for harbor, harp, and hooded seals on the ice floes. Conditions permitting, take walks along pristine beaches and across tundra-carpeted landscapes, keeping an eye out for musk oxen, collared lemmings, and arctic foxes.
Cruise among enormous icebergs, calved by the numerous glaciers in this huge U-shaped fjord. Conditions permitting, hike along beaches littered with glacial moraine and observe interesting geological formations, including the Skarsgaard Intrusion, where magma was forced through the earth’s crust.
The small settlement of Ammassalik is part of the municipality of the same name which covers an area five times the size of Denmark. Ashore, enjoy a cultural performance and stroll through the town. Those who wish may continue on a hike along the river toward a waterfall, accompanied by naturalists who point out the varieties of local vegetation enjoying their brief seasonal bloom.
This horse-shoe-shaped inlet offers breathtaking scenery and an abundance of wildlife. Humpback whales are often found feeding in the nutrient-rich waters and ringed and harp seals haul out on the rocky shores.
Today cruise along the southeastern coast of Greenland. Now uninhabited, the region recalls its past civilization in skeletal sites of old Scandinavian and Inuit camps and settlements. Watch for seals, whales, and polar bears and, conditions permitting, go ashore in Napassorssuaq Fjord via Zodiac to explore this remote expanse of shoreline. Farther south, witness the portion of Greenland that fully lives up to its name. This is the most fertile part of the country; unlike the northern hunting and fishing villages, agriculture and farming are an important part of economic life.
The 55-mile-long channel near the southern tip of Greenland offers breathtaking vistas as the ship cruises among a flotilla of ice. Volcanoes rise from the barren landscape, and icebergs, like tiny atolls, sit in pools of aquamarine waters. Steep, glacier-cut cliffs border the fjord; frozen waterfalls cling to their edges like freeze-framed photographs. By Zodiac and aboard the ship, cruise the bays and finger-like offshoots of this truly spectacular display of geology and geography.
This morning disembark in Brattahlid (Qassiarsuk) to visit the historic Norse site, named after Eric the Red’s wife who built the first Christian church in the New World. Memorials on the site commemorate Eric’s arrival in 982; see the reconstruction of a Viking farmhouse while local guides share the story of the Vikings in Greenland.
Next visit Narsaq, built on a beautiful plain on the Narsaq Peninsula, and surrounded by waters rich with seals, salmon, arctic char, and minke whales. Explore the small town with its brightly-painted houses, museum, and local handicrafts market, and visit the remains of an old Norse settlement. For those interested in geology, this area has many rare and unique rocks and minerals not found anywhere else in the world. Attend a performance by the local choir before setting sail for the Arsuk Fjord.
This morning cruise along beautiful Arsuk Fjord, home to one of Greenland’s largest bird cliffs where thousands of kittiwakes, gulls, and guillemots breed on its edges. Zodiac excursions bring you close to the edges of the rugged cliffs. Watch for white-tailed eagles, minke whales, and seals. Ashore, nature hikes along the beach and to a nearby waterfall showcase the natural beauty of the area.
Billed as the world’s smallest capital, Nuuk is home to 18,000 residents who live in colorful houses with picket fences, adjacent to a serene harbor graced by traditional kayaks. The town is also the center of Greenlandic culture and a visit to the National Museum of Greenland reveals intriguing Inuit mummies found farther north, at Uummannaq. Walk through the old and new quarters of town, as well as the open-air market filled with the bounty of the sea and land.
Day 14: Kangerlussuaq | Disembark | Ottawa, Canada
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Cross the Arctic Circle and sail down the long and sinuous Kangerlussuaq Fjord to the town at its head of the same name. Disembark and, time permitting, take a brief tour that includes a stop at the local museum, and continue to the airport for your flight to Ottawa. Transfer to the Hilton Garden Hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 15: Ottawa
1 Breakfast
Transfer to the airport for your independent flights homeward.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Cat 1
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 119-143 sq. ft
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Cat 2
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 117-153 sq. ft.
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Cat 3
Two twin beds, shower, two lower berths, double window, 115-142 sq. ft.
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Cat 4
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 121-161 sq. ft.
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Cat 5
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, double window, 121-161 sq.ft.
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Cat 6
Two lower berths, two twin beds, bath or shower, two windows, 121-161 sq.ft.
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Cat 7
Two lower berths, two twin beds, en suite bathroom, two windows, 160-165 sq. ft.
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Suite
Suite, two lower twin beds, bath with shower, four windows, sitting area, 221 sq. ft.
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Owner's Suite
Owner’s Suite, two lower berth twin beds, shower/ bathtub, four windows, sitting area, 273 sq ft.
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Single Cat 2
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 117-153 sq. ft.
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Single Cat 3
Two twin beds, shower, two lower berths, double window, 115-142 sq. ft.
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Single Cat 4
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, porthole window, 121-161 sq. ft.
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Single Cat 5
Two lower berths, two twin beds, shower, double window, 121-161 sq.ft.
Notes
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy. If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, a roommate will be assigned to you whenever possible.
- Additional singles may be available at 1.6 times the share rate.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
We are so glad that we chose Adventure Life. The service is top-notch. Everything is well taken care of and we just have to print the documents and go. Franny even gave us timely updates on possible airport strike.
KC Chan
TrustScore 4.7 | 110 reviews
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17 hours ago
quick to respond
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Lisa Gallagher
2 days ago
Personal knowledge of the trip I was considering. Patience with our figuring out which dates we could travel.
Brian
3 days ago
Clara and Rhenee were gracious and available. Phone contact is so important to answer questions and discuss all aspects of trip. If not immediately available they scheduled a time to speak.
They were knowledgeable, honest, realistic and very friendly. They are both very professional and take their role seriously.
Happy Camper
3 days ago
Jason has been wonderful. He is full of information and was very willing to listen to what was of interest to us.