45-Day High Arctic, Northwest Passage & Wild Labrador Coast

The name Kangerlussuaq means "Big Fjord" in the local Kalaallisut language. The settlement of about 500 people is located in western Greenland on flat land at the head of a fjord with the same name. Kangerlussuaq is the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport and most of the economy here is dependent on the air transportation hub and tourism. The rugged lands around the settlement support terrestrial Arctic fauna including muskoxen, caribou, and Gyrfalcons.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.

The name Kangerlussuaq means "Big Fjord" in the local Kalaallisut language. The settlement of about 500 people is located in western Greenland on flat land at the head of a fjord with the same name. Kangerlussuaq is the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport and most of the economy here is dependent on the air transportation hub and tourism. The rugged lands around the settlement support terrestrial Arctic fauna including muskoxen, caribou, and Gyrfalcons.

Located in northern Baffin Island, Pond Inlet is a small, predo¬minantly Inuit community, with a population of roughly 1,500 inhabitants. In 1818, the British explorer John Ross named a bay in the vicinity after the English astronomer John Pond. Today Pond Inlet is considered one of Canada's "jewels of the North" thanks to several picturesque glaciers and mountain ranges nearby. Many archaeological sites of ancient Dorset and Thule peoples can be found near Pond Inlet. The Inuit hunted caribou, ringed and harp seals, fish, polar bears, walrus, narwhals, geese, ptarmigans and Arctic hares, long before European and American whalers came here to harvest bowhead whales. Pond Inlet is also known as a major center of Inuit art, especially the printmaking and stone carving that are featured in the town’s art galleries.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

The name Kangerlussuaq means "Big Fjord" in the local Kalaallisut language. The settlement of about 500 people is located in western Greenland on flat land at the head of a fjord with the same name. Kangerlussuaq is the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport and most of the economy here is dependent on the air transportation hub and tourism. The rugged lands around the settlement support terrestrial Arctic fauna including muskoxen, caribou, and Gyrfalcons.

Perched on the seaside in the shadow of ice-capped Sermitsiaq Mountain, Nuuk is the world’s smallest capital city by population, with some 19,000 inhabitants experiencing tremendous cultural and economic growth. Watch for harp seals as you enter the harbor, and hear from local residents to learn how the community has changed over the generations. At the National Museum, examine the extraordinary 15th-century Qilakitsoq mummies found near Uummannaq—a discovery that was featured in a National Geographic magazine cover story in 1985. The Arctic ice preserved these mummies so well that researchers have been able to study their tattoos, their medical conditions and even what they ate.

Iqaluit is the capital of Canada’s newest territory, Nunavut, which is Inuktitut for “our land”. The community is located at the head of Frobisher Bay, an inlet of the North Atlantic extending into southeastern Baffin Island. The Bay is so long that it was first taken to be the possible entrance of a Northwest Passage. In Iqaluit, the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum and the Nunavut Legislative Assembly Building both house incredible collections of Inuit artwork with interesting local prints for sale in the museum shop.

Cambridge Bay is a growing Arctic community on the southeastern coast of Victoria Island along the historic Northwest Passage. It serves as a regional hub for research and transportation, with facilities like the Canadian High Arctic Research Station supporting Arctic science. The area is rich in Inuit culture and history, with nearby archaeological sites and traditional hunting practices still central to life. Visitors are drawn to its wide tundra landscapes, northern lights, and wildlife such as caribou, muskoxen, and Arctic char.

Located just north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut is the northernmost town in Greenland where the port remains free of ice in the winter. Yet it is also the southernmost town where there is enough snow and ice to drive a dogsled in winter and spring. In Sisimiut, travelling by sled has been the primary means of winter transportation for centuries. In fact, the area has been inhabited for approximately 4,500 years. Modern Sisimiut is the largest business center in the north of Greenland, and is one of the fastest growing Greenlandic cities. Commercial fishing is the lead economy in the town‘s thriving industrial base.

Evighedsfjorden, also called “Eternity Fjord,” is a dramatic fjord located on the eastern coast of Greenland. It features steep, glaciated cliffs and deep, icy waters, typical of Greenland’s rugged fjord landscapes. The fjord is largely uninhabited and remote, offering pristine scenery and opportunities to observe Arctic wildlife such as seals, seabirds, and occasionally whales. Its isolation and striking natural beauty make it a destination primarily for adventurous explorers and scientific research.

The name Kangerlussuaq means "Big Fjord" in the local Kalaallisut language. The settlement of about 500 people is located in western Greenland on flat land at the head of a fjord with the same name. Kangerlussuaq is the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport and most of the economy here is dependent on the air transportation hub and tourism. The rugged lands around the settlement support terrestrial Arctic fauna including muskoxen, caribou, and Gyrfalcons.

Perched on the seaside in the shadow of ice-capped Sermitsiaq Mountain, Nuuk is the world’s smallest capital city by population, with some 19,000 inhabitants experiencing tremendous cultural and economic growth. Watch for harp seals as you enter the harbor, and hear from local residents to learn how the community has changed over the generations. At the National Museum, examine the extraordinary 15th-century Qilakitsoq mummies found near Uummannaq—a discovery that was featured in a National Geographic magazine cover story in 1985. The Arctic ice preserved these mummies so well that researchers have been able to study their tattoos, their medical conditions and even what they ate.

The Inuit hamlet of Pangnirtung promises a warm welcome to all - regardless of the crisp temperatures outdoors. Known as 'The place of Bull Caribou,' the people here have hunted and fished these lands for thousands of years. The low, brightly-painted buildings are set against dramatic and snow-capped mountain scenery, which gives Switzerland's finest a run for their money. A little further north the jagged mountains and glaciers of Auyuittuq National Park wait - offering adventures on skis, hiking trails, and climbing ropes, as well as awe-inspiring views of Mount Thor's distinctive hammerhead granite formation. Crystal-clear waters on Cumberland Sound reflect the fresh snow on majestic peaks, and are filled with large, Arctic char and turbot. Marine mammals also call by, with bowhead whales, beluga, and narwhal among the visiting cast. Located just a few miles south of the Arctic Circle, Pangnirtung basks in glorious, extended summer daylight - a time of extended activity, as snowmobiles and dog sledges dart across the landscapes, and hikers traverse crunchy trails along fjords and rivers. Local creatives draw rich inspiration from the natural setting and their ancestral lands - crafting beautiful sculptures, prints and tapestries. Visit the Center for Arts and Crafts to browse handcrafted wares from local artisans. You'll want to seek out a much-coveted, crocheted Pang Hat too - which is sure to keep you toasty, warm, and on-trend during your time in the far north.

Named in honour of Sir John Franklin’s widow, the lonely and uninhabited Lady Franklin Island lies off of Baffin Island’s Hall Peninsula at the entrance to Cumberland Sound. The island is named for the wife of Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer who died trying to discover the Northwest Passage. The geology of the island is striking with vertical cliffs of Archean rocks, likely to be some of the oldest stone in Canada. The waters around Lady Franklin Island offer an abundance seabirds, ducks, seals, and walrus. With a bit of luck it is possible to see Atlantic Puffins here and perhaps even a rare Sabine’s Gull.

The Lower Savage Islands are a small group of islands off of the southeastern tip of Baffin Island, and a common location for polar bears to be found during the summer months. With plenty of land to roam while giving each other a wide berth, plus opportunities to feed, it seems perhaps bears can be found here as the ice vanishes with the summer season’s warming temperatures.

Hebron Fjord combines breathtaking Arctic scenery with poignant human history. As your yacht glides through towering bluffs and mirrored waters, you’ll be entering the site of a former Moravian mission and Inuit settlement — a place that still holds deep cultural resonance. Though abandoned in the 1950s, Hebron’s haunting remnants stand as a reminder of the colonial and spiritual crossroads of the region. The surrounding cliffs are prime territory for spotting black bears, caribou, and soaring birds of prey, setting meaningful historical reflection against a backdrop of untamed natural beauty. Captain’s Choice Your Captain will expertly navigate ice floes, icebergs and ever-changing sea and weather conditions to ensure you experience the most from your expedition. We encourage you to embrace a spirit of adventure, spontaneity, and flexibility as your Captain works with your expedition team to determine possible sites for shore landings and Zodiac safaris. While itineraries serve to guide your exploration, all routes are always subject to change in order to prioritize safety and create the optimal expedition experience for all guests.

Nain, the northernmost permanent settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador, is a gateway to the vast wilderness of Labrador. This small Inuit community offers a glimpse into Indigenous culture and traditions that have thrived here for centuries. Surrounded by rugged coastline, fjords, and boreal forests, Nain is a place where nature and heritage come together, inviting visitors to experience authentic Arctic life and stunning natural beauty

Around the year 1000, Vikings from Greenland and Iceland founded the first European settlement in North America, near the northern tip of Newfoundland. They arrived in the New World 500 years before Columbus but stayed only a few years and were forgotten for centuries. Since the settlement's rediscovery in the last century, the archaeological site has brought tourism to the area. Viking themes abound but so do views, whales, icebergs, fun dining experiences, and outdoor activities. L'Anse Aux Meadows on the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland is a remote community of just 40 people, with St Anthony, 40 minutes away, having a population of only 3,500. The region is locally famous for springtime polar bears, nesting eider ducks, the northern extreme of the Appalachians at nearby Belle Isle, numerous spring and summer icebergs, and a rich ocean fishery. L’Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site is the UNESCO World Heritage Site that tells the story of Leif Erickson and the first Europeans in the new world. This site is often the keystone attraction for cruises themed around the Vikings. Discovered in 1960, it is the site of a Norse village, the only known one in North America outside of Greenland. The site remains the only widely-accepted instance of pre-Columbian trans-oceanic contact, and is notable for possible connections with the attempted colony of Vinland established by Leif Ericson around 1003, or more broadly with Norse exploration of the Americas. The root of the name "L'Anse aux Meadows" is believed to have originated with French fishermen in the area during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, who named the site L'Anse aux Meduses, meaning 'Jellyfish Bay'.

Halifax exudes a fine European air and lies along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors by sea are greeted by the 1758 Sambro Island Lighthouse, the oldest surviving beacon in North America. In the harborside Historic Properties district, grand and charming stone buildings built in the 18th and 19th centuries grace the cobblestone streets. The city grew up around Citadel Hill, where Fort George protected the harbor. The fortress, along with the adjacent stately Halifax Town Clock, has been gloriously restored and preserved.