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Le Commandant Charcot - 270 Guests

Northeast Greenland's Unexplored Sea Ice

Reykjavik Roundtrip

Explore the north-east of Greenland, an untouched, remote region surrounded by sea ice carried along the Transpolar Drift. At the end of spring, in the comfort of this marvel of technology, be guided and amazed at the opportunities for exploration in one of the hardest to reach areas of the Far North.

Aboard your ship, a kayak or a zodiac, or during a polar hike, you will have diverse opportunities to explore these hypnotic, infinitely varied panoramas, including sumptuous glaciers, huge fjords, and icebergs trapped by the ice. Le Commandant Charcot also offers exceptional conditions for observing the Arctic wildlife. You may get the chance to glimpse a blue whale at the entrance to a fjord, or the stirring silhouette of a large bear in search of food.



 

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Explore the coasts of Blosseville, Ittoqqortoormiit and the north-east of Greenland, and take the time for a rich and careful exploration of this untouched remote region in the early Arctic summer, amid the ice carried along the Transpolar Drift.
  • Aboard Le Commandant Charcot, a polar exploration vessel opening to the exterior, savour these unique moments of exploration and observation, in the silence and respect of fragile landscapes and encountered species.
  • Experience the dog sled, at the heart of Inuit culture, an activity designed with our hosts.
  • Cross the Denmark Strait and the possibility of spotting blue whales and humpback whales.
  • The Blosseville Coast and its ice cap that comes straight from the North Pole.
  • Explore the region of Ittoqqortoormiit- where the last hunters of the polar region live - at the entrance to Scoresby Sound, the world’s largest network of fjords.
  • The landscapes: striped mountains, fjords, glaciers, icebergs, polar ice cap, patches of ice floe drifting from the North Pole, hummocks.
  • The wildlife: blue and humpback whales, polar bears, narwhals, seals, orcas, sea birds.?
  • Many brand-new activities*: kayaking, hiking or snowshoeing, ice fishing, polar diving, dog sledding, participative science.

DATES / RATES

Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
May 24, 2025Jun 07, 2024EUR 22,960 EUR 22,960
Jun 07, 2025Jun 21, 2025EUR 21,470 EUR 21,470
Rates are listed per person
Start DateEnd DateFrom EURFrom USD
May 24, 2025Jun 07, 2024EUR 22,960 EUR 22,960
Jun 07, 2025Jun 21, 2025EUR 21,470 EUR 21,470

ITINERARY

Day 1: Reykjavík
Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.

Day 2: Sailing through the Denmark Strait
Lying between Greenland and Iceland, the Denmark Strait was crossed for the first time by theVikings in the late 10th century, during Erik the Red’s expeditions. In the Second World War, its waters were the theatre of a battle between the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy, on 24 May 1941. In the wintertime, extremely dense pack ice forms along the Greenlandic coasts and, while the Transpolar Drift sweeps icebergs along throughout the year, the strait is generally clear of ice during the summer. In the depths of the strait lies the world’s largest waterfall, an undersea cataract formed by the difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Greenland Sea and the warmer waters of the Irminger Sea. Numerous cetacean species thrive in this rich ecosystem.

Day 3: Exploring the Blosseville Coast
Aboard your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a French explorer and sailor. In 1833, he set off to discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland aboard La Lilloise, an adventure with a fatal outcome. The uninhabited territory that bears his name lies to the south of Scoresby Sound. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pack ice - thin or thick, flat or pronounced - as far as the eye can see, Blosseville Coast is a wild and distant place to which very few people have access. Exploring it means a slow immersion into the heart of a frozen, almost unreal desert, where the variations in light transform one’s perception of the landscape. In the kingdom of the polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot, a silent ship open to the exterior, will offer exceptional moments observing Arctic wildlife, through a series of encounters.

Days 4-7:Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region
On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region that is covered with snow and ice for nine months of the year, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of an isolated territory and exploring the beauty of its infinite polar whiteness. The high alpine mountains punctuate the sky and gradually reveal their dark rock edges beneath a coat of snow. Located at the entrance to the longest system of fjords in the world, sits the village of Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the northernmost inhabited places on the East coast. Its name means ‘great house’ in Greenlandic and it is home to the last hunters of the polar region, whose ancestral way of life you will encounter. As soon as the thickness of the ice floe allows it, the hunters set out on the trail of walruses, seals, narwhals, musk oxen and polar bears, travelling by traditional dog sleds. On these expanses of immaculate snow, the silence is broken only by the sounds of the dogs, the grating of a sled coming back from a run or of footsteps on the ice. You will discover Inuit traditions through privileged and festive moments on the ice floe and in the village.

Days 8-10: Exploration of North-East Greenland
Set sail for North-East Greenland to immerse yourself further and up higher in the Arctic region to explore the unexpected riches of the sea ice, where traditional ships cannot travel at this time of the year. As the light shifts and the moods of the sky change, the different states of the ice and the infinite diversity of its textures create an exceptionally stunning tableau. With patience and humility, you will sail amid the pearl-white floating cathedrals and the ice carried by the Transpolar Drift. En route, icebergs have their journey halted by ice and pressure ridges reveal their sharp edges. In the midst of this icy vastness, beauty is found in the detail and the magic of the moment. In the realm of polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot is a reassuring cocoon built for polar exploration and offers you wonderful opportunities to observe these lords of the ice when you happen upon them. You may even get the chance to admire the moving sight of a mother and her cub travelling across the immaculate icy expanse.

Days 11-13: Exploring the Blosseville Coast
Aboard your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a French explorer and sailor. In 1833, he set off to discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland aboard La Lilloise, an adventure with a fatal outcome. The uninhabited territory that bears his name lies to the south of Scoresby Sound. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pack ice - thin or thick, flat or pronounced - as far as the eye can see, Blosseville Coast is a wild and distant place to which very few people have access. Exploring it means a slow immersion into the heart of a frozen, almost unreal desert, where the variations in light transform one’s perception of the landscape. In the kingdom of the polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot, a silent ship open to the exterior, will offer exceptional moments observing Arctic wildlife, through a series of encounters.

Day 14: Sailing through the Denmark Strait
Lying between Greenland and Iceland, the Denmark Strait was crossed for the first time by theVikings in the late 10th century, during Erik the Red’s expeditions. In the Second World War, its waters were the theatre of a battle between the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy, on 24 May 1941. In the wintertime, extremely dense pack ice forms along the Greenlandic coasts and, while the Transpolar Drift sweeps icebergs along throughout the year, the strait is generally clear of ice during the summer. In the depths of the strait lies the world’s largest waterfall, an undersea cataract formed by the difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Greenland Sea and the warmer waters of the Irminger Sea. Numerous cetacean species thrive in this rich ecosystem.

Day 15: Reykjavík - Disembarkation

Le Commandant Charcot (Luxury Expedition, 270-guests)

Le Commandant-Charcot welcomes you to an intimate and refined atmosphere. Equipped with just 135 staterooms including 31 suites with balconies and outside views, the ship offers outstanding gastronomy in its two restaurants, relaxation in the indoor pool surrounded by its winter garden, relaxation in the well-being area with sauna and Snow Room... Like on a private yacht, each of our guests is unique.

(Click image to view Ship details)

WHAT'S INCLUDED

At PONANT, the "all-inclusive" includes:
  • accommodation in stateroom,
  • the full meal plan,
  • the Open Bar: beginning with boarding, and during the duration of the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wine, beer, Charles Heidsieck champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served on request and at any time of the day. Certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar,
  • free Wi-Fi internet access 24 hours a day*,
  • activities offered during expedition cruises (see section "Expedition cruises"),
  • access to all the common areas:
  • on board our sister ships and Ponant Explorers: fitness room, steam room, hair salon, swimming pool (sea water, heated), solarium, lounges, theater, boutique & leisure area.
  • on board of our three-masted Le Ponant: Solarium of 400 m², marina, lounge, Boutique & leisure area.
  • For all our cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic, we charter aircraft and transfers in order to facilitate the arrival and the departure of our passengers
  • Port taxes are included in your cruise fare.
  • The breakfasts, lunches and dinners served on board are included in the price of the cruise
  • Access to the steam room and the fitness room is free, except on Le Ponant which does not have them.
  • What champagne is included in the price of the cruise?
  • The rates displayed on our site are per person, on the basis of a double occupancy.

ADVENTURE OPTIONS
  • Dog sledding
  • Kayaking - Le Commandant Charcot
  • Ice fishing
  • Polar plunge
  • Hiking or snowshoeing
  • Participative science 

 
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DISCLAIMER: Rates are per person, subject to availability and can change at any time