HIGHLIGHTS
- Experience
highlights of the Canadian Arctic and Greenland
- Visit
traditional Inuit and Greenlandic communities
- View
arctic wildlife, such as whales, walrus and muskoxen
- Explore
the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Cruise
in a Zodiac to get up close to the spectacular scenery
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | Explorer Triple | Solo Panorama | Explorer Suite | Balcony Suite | Deluxe Balcony Suite | Terrace Suite | Penthouse Suite | Owner's Suite | Ultra Suite |
|---|
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Package
Cost: USD 2,895 per person
- One
night's pre-expedition airport hotel accommodation in Toronto
- Group
transfer from the Toronto hotel to the airport
- Charter
flight from Toronto to Resolute
- Group
transfer from the Resolute airport to the ship on embarkation day
- Group
transfer from the ship to the Kangerlussuaq airport on disembarkation
day
- Charter
flight from Kangerlussuaq to Toronto
- One
night's post-expedition airport hotel accommodation in Toronto
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Explorer Triple | (Mid-range)
Deluxe Balcony Suite | (High-end)
Ultra Suite |
|---|
Mandatory Transfer Package Details:Package
Cost: USD 2,895 per person
- One
night's pre-expedition airport hotel accommodation in Toronto
- Group
transfer from the Toronto hotel to the airport
- Charter
flight from Toronto to Resolute
- Group
transfer from the Resolute airport to the ship on embarkation day
- Group
transfer from the ship to the Kangerlussuaq airport on disembarkation
day
- Charter
flight from Kangerlussuaq to Toronto
- One
night's post-expedition airport hotel accommodation in Toronto
ITINERARY
Day
1 - Arrive in Toronto, Canada
Your
Arctic expedition begins in Toronto. Explore this vibrant city on your
own before spending the night at your well-appointed hotel.
Day
2 - Fly to Resolute and Embark
This
morning, board your charter flight to Resolute. Upon arrival,
you’ll have a chance to walk around this small Arctic town
before enjoying your first of many Zodiac cruises as you’re
transferred to your ship.
Days
3 to 6 - Exploring Canada’s High Arctic
Cruising
around the remote regions of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic aboard
Ultramarine, the newest ship in our fleet, you’ll navigate
the same icy inlets, channels and bays that fascinated legendary
explorers of long ago. Designed to give polar adventurers unprecedented
access to the hardest-to-reach places on the planet—and
equipped with two onboard twin-engine helicopters for unparalleled
access to areas only Quark Expeditions can bring you—this
one-of-a-kind ship, in its inaugural year, will take you beyond the
familiar in polar exploration. Throughout your journey, your Expedition
Team will keep an eye toward immersing you in the best the Arctic has
to offer at the top of the world.
Named
after explorer Frederick William Beechey, of the Royal Navy, Beechey
Island is a Canadian National Historic Site. It’s an
important stop on our voyage, as this is the final resting place of
three members of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated
1845–46 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. The graves,
on a remote windswept beach, were discovered in 1851 by the crew of
British and American vessels searching for signs of
Franklin’s lost expedition.
Radstock
Bay is a popular research location for observing polar bears, which are
often seen here in summer. An impressive Thule archaeological site
provides insight into how these pre-Inuit people lived in the Far North.
For
almost 5,000 years, the hamlet of Arctic Bay and its surrounding area
has been occupied by Inuit nomads migrating from the west. Surrounded
by soaring cliffs teeming with seabirds, this is a great spot to go
ashore and learn about the Inuit community’s traditional way
of life.
The
eastern end of Lancaster Sound affords numerous hiking opportunities on
Devon Island. We’ll anchor at Croker Bay, where
we’ll Zodiac cruise along the face of an active glacier.
We’ll try to keep a safe distance, but still hope to get
close enough to appreciate the splendor of calving ice. Walrus frequent
the waters here, so be sure to have your camera handy. A hike to a
nearby archaeological site is another possible excursion. At Dundas
Harbour, trek along a beach to a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police
outpost. Encounters with muskoxen are possible here.
Canada’s
most northern settlement, Grise Fjord will be your final shore visit in
the Canadian High Arctic. Now home to about 150 residents, the
traditional, mostly Inuit community was created in 1953, when the
federal government resettled eight Inuit families from northern Quebec.
Hunting and fishing are a significant part of their way of life. Visit
the monument to the first Inuit settlers, as well as the remnants of
the “old camp” where they lived.
Days
7 and 8 - Exploring Smith Sound
Before
saying goodbye to Canada, we’ll try to cruise as far north as
possible, exploring both sides of Smith Sound, the uninhabited passage
between Ellesmere Island and Greenland.
Day
9 - Qaanaaq, Greenland
Your
first stop in Greenland is Qaanaaq, formerly known as Thule, one of the
northernmost towns in the world (there’s a reason ancient
philosophers called it Ultima Thule, or “edge of known
territory”). Here, local Inuit share their culture and
traditions, and the museum sheds more light on what it’s like
living near the top of the world.
Day
10 - At Sea
As
we sail south along the west coast of Greenland, presentations by our
on-board experts will prepare you for the adventures that lie ahead.
Days
11 to 15 - Exploring West Greenland
With
spectacular glaciers, soaring fjords and vibrant communities, the west
coast of Greenland will leave you breathless.
Nuussuaq
(formerly known as Kraulshavn) is the only mainland community in the
Upernavik Archipelago. Founded in 1923 as a trading station,
it’s one of the most traditional hunting and fishing villages
in Greenland.
It’s
not surprising that the red-hued, heart-shaped mountain that rises up
behind Uummannaq gave the traditional community its name (Uummannaq
means “heart-like” in Greenlandic). As your ship
approaches the shore, you’ll want to be on deck to take in
the incredible view of the twin peaks towering over the vibrantly
painted wooden houses dotting the rocky terrain below. The settlement
was established as a Danish colony in 1758 on the mainland, but it
relocated five years later because seal hunting was more plentiful here.
In
the nearby archaeological site of Qilaqitsoq (also known as
Qilakitsoq), you’ll visit the ruins of an ancient settlement,
where the remains of eight fully dressed mummies were discovered under
a rock outcrop in 1972 by a pair of hunters. The famous Greenlandic
mummies, which date back to 1475 A.D., are on view at the Greenland
National Museum in Nuuk.
Cruising
farther south rewards with spectacular views of Eqip Sermia. The
jagged, blue-tinged glacier soaring out of the crystal-clear water is
one of the most beautiful sights in Greenland, and we hope to Zodiac
cruise along its massive front from a safe distance. We may also go
ashore to explore nearby.
Just
south of Ilulissat, which means “iceberg” in
Greenlandic, is the impressive Ilulissat Icefjord. The UNESCO World
Heritage Site is home to Sermeq Kujalleq, the most productive glacier
in the northern hemisphere. As we Zodiac cruise at the mouth of the
fjord, you may be lucky to witness the wonders of calving ice (listen
to the loud roars as the ice breaks off). Founded in 1741, the
traditional town, which boasts more sled dogs than people, is famous in
its own right: it was the birthplace of explorer Knud Rasmussen, the
first to traverse the Northwest Passage by dogsled, in the early 1920s
. Hikes here lead out to stunning views of the young icebergs as as
they float out the fjord to Disko Bay.
In
Sisimiut, you’ll be treated to a traditional kayaking
demonstration.
The
kayak (an Inuit word that the English borrowed) is
Greenland’s national symbol and can be traced back to the
country’s first immigrants, who used vessels that resemble
the narrow one- or two-person boats. The town has several 18th-century
colonial buildings, including the oldest surviving church in Greenland,
so take time to wander through the historic area. You’ll also
have a chance to hike amongst the area’s surrounding
mountains.
Situated
in a scenic hollow on a small island with no freshwater, the colorful
community of Itilleq, which has about 130 inhabitants, is surrounded by
sea, mountains and fjords. The final excursion of your Arctic adventure
may be a hike around Itilleq Fjord.
Day
16 - Disembark in Kangerlussuaq & fly to Toronto
Enjoy
one more Zodiac ride to shore, where you’ll board your
charter flight back to Toronto, Canada. Upon arrival in Toronto, we
will transfer you to your included hotel.
Day
17 - Depart Toronto, Canada
Today,
you can make your way home at your leisure or spend some time exploring
this fascinating city.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Beginning Arctic 2025, Quark Expeditions will be offering Bar service and Wi-Fi for all guests
- Shipboard
accommodation with daily housekeeping
- All
meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board
- Beer
and house wine during dinner
- All
shore landings per the daily program
- Leadership
throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader
- All
Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program
- Formal
and informal presentations by our
- Expedition
Team and special guests as scheduled
- Photographic
journal documenting the expedition
- Waterproof
expedition boots on loan for shore
- landings
- Official
Quark Expeditions® parka to keep
- Coffee,
tea and cocoa available around the clock
- Complimentary
reusable water bottle
- Hair
dryer and bathrobe in every cabin
- Comprehensive
onboard materials, including a map
- and
an informative Arctic Reader
- All
miscellaneous service taxes and port charges
- throughout
the program
- All
luggage handling aboard the ship
- Emergency
evacuation insurance to a maximum
- benefit
of US$500,000 per person
- Greenland
voyages cruise passenger tax
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Kayaking:
USD 695
- Paddling: USD 195
- Flightseeing: Free
- Heli-landing: Free
