Drei arktische Inseln: Island, Grönland, Spitzbergen

Reiseverlauf

Reiseverlauf abhängig von Wetter- und Eislage. Beschriebene Naturerlebnisse/Tiersichtungen sind mögliche Ereignisse auf den Expeditionen und nicht garantiert.

• Day 1

  Helsinki, Finland

  Arrive in Helsinki, Finland

  Arrive in the Finnish capital and make your way to the group hotel located right at Helsinki airport—which is included in your Charter Flight & Hotel Package. You will have the rest of the day to explore explore the many museums, galleries and restaurants, relax at a Finnish sauna or wander the vibrant Design District. If you do plan to visit Helsinki city center, you can take the convenient 40-minute rail service from the airport.

• Day 2

  Cruising

  Fly to Longyearbyen, Svalbard, and embark

  After breakfast, the group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen’s largest settlement, as part of the Charter Flight & Hotel Package. As you embark this afternoon, you’ll enjoy great views of the mountainous landscape that serves as a backdrop for this seaside town.

• Days 3 to 6

  Cruising

  Exploring Spitsbergen, Svalbard

  Exploring Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago, rewards you with austere beauty and opportunities to spot its abundant wildlife. Here, you’ll visit spectacular glacier fronts and tundra in full bloom, with walrus, polar bears and Svalbard reindeer amongst your possible wildlife sightings. Birders will be thrilled to see Arctic terns, skuas, Brünnich’s guillemots, black-legged kittiwakes and ivory gulls. If conditions allow, you could sail within 10 degrees of the North Pole.

• Days 7 and 8

  Cruising

  At Sea: Cruising the Greenland Sea

  While sailing south through the Greenland Sea, your Expedition Team will teach you about the wildlife and history of Greenland, your next stop. On deck, you’ll learn to identify seabirds on the wing. Take in a presentation, share your photos, sip an icy cocktail in the bar or watch a film—there are many things to do during your time at sea.

• Days 9 to 12

  Cruising

  Exploring East Greenland

  During your tour of Greenland’s remote eastern coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. Explore the remains of ancient Thule settlements and keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen—40 percent of the world’s muskoxen population lives here. Finally, you will sail through spectacular Scoresbysund, the birthplace of many icebergs and, some say, the most beautiful fjord system in the world. We plan to visit Ittoqqortoormiit, the most remote community in East Greenland.

• Day 13

  Cruising

  At Sea: Crossing the Denmark Strait

  As we sail south, the Denmark Strait is your pathway toward Iceland. Your Expedition Team will keep you informed and entertained with presentations about the history of exploration in the Arctic and the seabirds you’ll see soaring above your ship.

• Day 14

  Cruising

  The Westfjords: Icelands Hidden Gem

  The seldom-visited Westfjords—where land meets sea in the most dramatic fashion—are often known as “Iceland’s best-kept secret.” This rugged peninsula at the country’s remote northwestern tip is rife with fjords, mountains, tumbling cliffs, gushing waterfalls, colorful beaches, rolling green hills, high moorlands dotted with rocky outcrops, small lakes, and the occasional shaggy Icelandic sheep or grazing pony. A few modest outposts of civilization, in the form of small fishing communities nestled along the fjords and shores of the Denmark Strait, face out into the mighty Atlantic, keeping alive a maritime heritage that stretches back to the Viking days. The Westfjords are the least developed of Iceland’s coastal areas and, consequently, the wildest. Depending on the conditions, guests will venture into this territory on a Zodiac cruise or a guided shore landing at unspoiled wilderness sites where they can hike and explore on foot. One of the many highlights is Mongufoss, one of Iceland’s most remote and beautiful waterfalls.

• Day 15

  Reykjavík, Iceland

  Disembark in Reykjavik, Iceland

  You’ll disembark in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, after breakfast. If you have booked post-expedition accommodation, we provide a transfer to a central downtown location.