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High Arctic Archipelago - National Geographic Endurance
Experience unbridled 21st-century exploration on a cutting-edge vessel, as you venture deep into remote Arctic waters to Zodiac cruise, kayak, and hike the tundra.
SPECIAL OFFER
9.2*
ECO SCORE
126
PASSENGERS
25
DAYS
3/5
ACTIVITY LEVEL
The Arctic: Drink It In
Welcome Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Set off on a grand polar adventure that traces the spectacular icy shores of Western Greenland and Arctic Canada. Powered by the new National Geographic Endurance, sail into dramatic fjords, narrow straits, and breathtaking bays and call in on remote villages where Inuit communities have lived off the land for hundreds of years. Heading ever northward, we’ll follow leads through the ice to search for the King of the Arctic, the polar bear, along with other iconic wildlife from whales to walrus. Finally, in the farthest reaches of the region, discover the untamed beauty of the storied Northwest Passage and experience the intoxicating thrill of true exploration.
- •Travel with world class experts well above 80º north into the fabled Northwest Passage.
•Explore Ellesmere Island and spot polar bears, walruses, ringed seals, belugas, bowhead whales, and maybe the elusive narwhal.
•Travel on the new gold standard of expedition ships with updated features like a science hub with scientists gathering data and a full yoga studio!
Travel Curator’s Insights:
SPECIAL OFFER:
Rates:
From $43,339 per person
Policies and protocols provided before you book.
Aug 21-Sept 13, 2024
Aug 26-Sept 18, 2025
Ask us for later dates.
August
Hover here for specific dates
Departures:
Trip Sustainability Awards
Carbon
Offsets 100% of operations and is carbon neutral
Waste
100% free of single-use plastics!
Food
Sources all food and seafood sustainably and locally
Itinerary
Day 1: Reykjavík, Iceland
Arrive in Reykjavík. Enjoy a morning excursion in the Reykjavík region as your first introduction to the land of Fire and Ice. After lunch, check into your centrally-located hotel in Reykjavík, and enjoy exploring the quaint capital city streets at your leisure. (L,D)
Day 2: Reykjavík / Kangerlussuaq, Greenland / Embark Ship
Fly from Reykjavik by chartered aircraft to Kangerlussuaq on Greenland’s western coast. Settle into your cabin and enjoy a scenic sailing through the dramatic gorge of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord, 120 miles in length, with its hanging glaciers and striking basalt ribbons. (B,L,D)
Day 3: Greenland’s West Coast and Sisimiut
Upon arrival to Sisimiut, a former whaling port, enjoy your choice of guided walks through the sights and sounds of the village, including Dog Town or Sallinnguit, a small island with centuries of history from Inuit culture through colonization and current day industry. In your free time, enjoy a local food tasting, visit the open-air museum, or explore the local artisan workshops. (B,L,D)
Days 4-5: Disko Bay
Sail into Qeqertarsuup Tunua, also known as Disko Bay, and be welcomed by floating icebergs calved off the world's most active glacier, Sermeq Kujalleq. Explore Disko Island, the second largest in Baffin Bay. Enjoy a day of expedition activities as conditions permit, including backcountry hiking, photo walks, and naturalist-led botany walks. This evening, we sail away from the Greenlandic Coast and venture to the west and the Canadian Arctic. (B,L,D)
Days 6-12: Shores of the Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage begins in the Davis Strait between Greenland and Canada. Our exploration takes us along the beautiful bays and inlets of Baffin Island’s Lancaster Sound, a favorite Inuit hunting and fishing location for hundreds of years. Carved by Ice Age glaciers, Lancaster Sound is also the eastern gateway to the Arctic Archipelago, where European explorers like William Baffin first ventured in the 17th century to search for the Northwest Passage. We continue our exploration of the Canadian High Arctic with a visit to the small Inuit community of Pond Inlet, Nunavut, an area that has been inhabited by Inuit for over 1000 years.
As we continue our exploration into Lancaster Sound, days are spent searching for ringed seals, arctic foxes, walruses, and polar bears, as well as beluga and bowhead whales. Visit Devon Island and take a walk with our ship’s archaeologist to learn about the Thule people—ancestors of the modern Inuit—that once inhabited this region. (B,L,D)
Day 13-17: Exploring Queen Elizabeth Islands
We explore the ice-laden channels and glacier-carved islands that stretch for hundreds of miles—a stunning display of raw geology. We take our cues from nature in the High Arctic Archipelago: following wildlife, stopping for hikes on the tundra, dropping anchor in a beautiful fjord or an iceberg-strewn bay to explore and kayak beneath massive ice sculptures and soaring cliffs. Sail among the northernmost cluster of islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, learning about the Inuit peoples who have hunted and fished here for thousands of years as well as the famous explorers who have sailed these waters such as Sir John Ross. We will be constantly on the lookout for animals that call this region home, such as ringed seals, arctic foxes, musk oxen, walruses, and polar bears, and beluga and bowhead whales. (B,L,D)
Days 18-22: Exploring Ellesmere Island and Northern Greenland
Heading ever northward, we make our way up the beautiful and remote east coast of Ellesmere Island. Cruise along scenic Smith Bay (a.k.a. Skog Inlet, named for Leif Skog, Lindblad's own renowned ice captain and world explorer) bordered by a steep wall of mountains, with a glacial ice tongue which pours down the mountains on either side. Be up on the bridge as we search for a patch of “polar bear ice,” the mixture of first-year and multi-year sea ice that is the preferred habitat of the ice bears. Our binoculars seek out any small ivory-colored dot on an otherwise white ice surface. With luck, these small dots will be local polar bears exploring the ice and making their way across the landscape of the Arctic Archipelago.
After exploring to the edge of the ice, we turn our attention eastward to the largest island in the world: Greenland. The shores of northern Greenland continue to challenge explorers and locals alike to carve out their daily lives among some of the most beautiful and harsh conditions. We will kayak in sheltered coves, embark on hikes (when the coast is clear of polar bears), and visit local communities that continue the traditional hunting practices. (B,L,D)
Day 23: Ilulissat
Sail back into Qeqertarsuup Tunua, or Disko Bay, and enjoy an extraordinary cruise aboard local boats among towering icebergs of the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Ilulissat Icefjord. Visit the town of Ilulissat and hike into the Sermermiut Valley, once an Inuit settlement and now the home to a peaceful boardwalk overlooking the Icefjord. This evening, as we sail south along the coast, spend time on the bridge with your naturalists and bridge team, keeping watch for whales and glimpses of the Greenlandic Ice Sheet. (B,L,D)
Days 24-25: Kangerlussuaq / Disembark Ship / Reykjavík, Iceland
Sail back into Kangerlussuaq and disembark the ship. Take an evening charter flight to Reykjavík and transfer to the overnight hotel close to the airport. On our final morning, transfer to the airport for flights home. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included on Day 24; breakfast is included on Day 25.
Please Note: Itinerary is for guidance purposes only and may be adjusted due to unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildlife, ice, medical emergencies and other conditions beyond this operator's control at the sole discretion of this operator.
Sample Airfares:
Economy: from $600 per person
Business: from $2,300 per person
Charter( Reyjavik/Kangerlussuaq): from $1,520 per person
Airfares are subject to change.
Children: Take $500 off for each child under the age of 18.
Back-to-Back: Save 10% on any consecutive journeys taken on board one of this operator's expedition ships. This savings is applicable on voyage fares only and are not valid on extensions or airfare. Ask your Travel Curator for dovetailing options.
Group Rates: Save 5% when traveling as a group of 8 or more people. Take advantage of these great savings, while enjoying traveling with your friends and family. This savings is applicable to voyage fares only, and is not valid on extensions or airfare. Deposit, final payments, and cancellation policies for group travel vary from regular policies.
National Geographic Endurance
The first new polar build in this operator's 50-year history, National Geographic Endurance is named to honor explorer Ernest Shackleton and his legendary Transantarctic Expedition. A fully stabilized vessel of the highest ice class (PC5 Category A), she will enable adventurous guests to go where few have or can. Endurance’s most striking exterior feature is her distinctive profile, the patented X-Bow®, a game-changing design that guarantees the smoothest, most comfortable ride in all kinds of conditions.
• Capacity: 126 guests
• Cabins: 69 outside cabins, 53 cabins with balconies
• Specialists: Nat Geo Experts, Full-Time Doctor, and Wellness Coach
ACHIEVEMENTS
2022 Best Expedition Ships, Condé Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards
2021 Top Small-ship Ocean Cruise Lines, Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards
2021 #1 Small Ship Cruise Line, Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Readers' Choice Award
"The brand new, state-of-the-art X-Bow ship, the National Geographic Endurance, offers one of the most exciting, cutting-edge expedition experiences available. With her spacious, beautifully appointed cabins, expedition equipment, and National Geographic-level experts onboard, the NG Endurance is an outstanding choice for any of her far-flung destinations. Highly recommended!"
Wild Nectar
Life On Board
Deck Plan
Click to enlarge
Questions?
Rates
I've helped design itineraries in this region, and this one includes so many remote and spectacular landing sites that you'll come away from it with deeper insight into Arctic life than on most other voyages. Highly recommended!
Joy Martinello, Founder
Questions?
What’s Included & Cancellation Policy:
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Two hotel nights in Reykjavik; accommodations; meals indicated; alcoholic beverages (except premium brands); excursions; services of Expedition Leader, Naturalist staff and expert guides; use of kayaks; entrance fees; all port charges and service taxes; gratuities to ship’s crew.
NOT INCLUDED
Air transportation; personal items such as emails, laundry, etc.
