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Discover the wonders of Svalbard’s northwest coast, Greenland’s spectacular east coast and a touch of Iceland. See calving glaciers, polar bears hunting, puffins and guillemots on nests. Tundra walks through wildflowers, photographing Arctic fox, musk oxen, seals, walrus and whales, this trip has it all. Did we mention Inuit settlement visits, kayaking near sculpted icebergs and rock climbing in East Greenland too? Highlights - Zodiac cruise Spitsbergen’s vast, calving glacial fronts - Search pack ice for polar bears and seals - Approach musk oxen and reindeer on tundra - Summit peaks in Scoresbysund, world’s largest fjord system* - Visit Ittoqqortoormiit, East Greenland’s remote Inuit village *surcharge applies
Day 1 - Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; Embarkation Day
We board Polar Pioneer in the late afternoon and sail down magnificent Isfjorde.
IMPORTANT: The voyages departing 19 AUG 2018 & 17 AUG 2019 travels in reverse and will embark in Reykjavik, Iceland and disembark in Longyearbyen, Svalbard.
Day 2/3 - Spitsbergen
Spitsbergen’s northwest coast features calving icebergs, historic whaling stations and trappers’ camps. Brunnich’s guillemots, little auks and kittiwakes nest in their thousands. Reindeer roam tundra dotted with wildflowers like saxifrage, moss campion and bell-heather. Zodiac to gain fantastic views of ice cliffs, including Monacobreen, one of Spitsbergen’s largest glaciers. In the north, we look for walrus and possibly polar bears.
Day 4/5 - Greenland Sea
Crossing the Greenland Sea, our expert naturalists and guest lecturers entertain us with fascinating talks on plants, animals and early explorers like Nansen, Andrée and Scoresby. We keep an eye out for fin whales, encroaching sea ice and seabirds. Relax and prepare for a landing, if conditions permit, on Greenland’s northeast coast, home to polar bear, Arctic hare and musk oxen.
Day 6/8 - Exploring Greenland
An ice cap covers 81 per cent of Greenland and pack ice, even in summer, may fill northern bays. Ashore, cosy trappers’ huts beckon from across the tundra, where musk ox, Arctic hare and eider ducks roam in Kejser Franz Josef Fjord. Lively cascades at Kap Humboldt provide a microclimate for spectacular hanging gardens. Kong Oskar Fjord offers spectacular glacier-carved mountains.
Day 9/11 - Scoresby Sund
In Scoresby Sound, the world's biggest fjord system, massive glaciers calve explosively, creating giant icebergs. Near Rode Island, our Zodiacs weave through a maze of grounded icebergs, some more than 30 metres high, sculpted with deep green tunnels and aquamarine lakes. Enjoy a warm Ittoqqortoormiit welcome from Inuit happy to share their culture.Our kayakers find ideal paddling conditions, winding their way through interconnected waterways, watching for polar bears and narwhals.
Day 12 - Greenland Coast
Sail south along the Blosseville Coast, search for musk ox and narwhals and marvel at the mountain scenery that dominates the skyline. If weather permits, we head for Rømer Fjord, a deep waterway with stunning mountain views.
Day 13 - Denmark Strait
We sail across Denmark Strait, reflecting on our rich experiences and enjoying the antics of northern fulmars, black-backed gulls, dolphins, orcas and other whales.
Day 14 - Iceland; Disembarkation
Arrive early morning in Keflavik. After breakfast, bid farewell to Polar Pioneer crew before your coach transfer to Reykjavik.
Please consider that our voyages are expeditionary in nature. This means, that there are no concrete itineraries, your captain and expedition leader will utilise their vast experience to chart the best course for your expedition depending on the climatic and environmental conditions. Mentioned highlights and wildlife cannot be guaranteed.
The experience of sea kayaking in the humbling wilderness of Antarctica or the European Arctic is guaranteed to stir your soul. Paddle between brash ice and icebergs of all shapes and sizes, skim past penguin rookeries or under soaring bird cliffs, or drift quietly as you watch wildlife unobtrusively, absorbing the majestic scenery.
Explore the remote and rugged summits of East Greenland, scaling sheer granite cliffs and glacial remnants in pursuit of breathtaking views of Scoresby Sund’s ice-filled fjords.
Experienced climbers will relish the chance to explore up and along the rarely-scaled peaks that dominate the landscape. And when you reach the top? A view that few people on earth will ever lay eyes on!
Svalbard is the Arctic North as you always dreamed it existed. This wondrous archipelago is a land of dramatic snow-drowned peaks and glaciers, of vast icefields and forbidding icebergs, an elemental place where the seemingly endless Arctic night and the perpetual sunlight of summer carry a deeper kind of magic. One of Europe's last great wildernesses, this is also the domain of more polar bears than people, a terrain rich in epic legends of polar exploration.
To many people, the polar bear is the Arctic. The sight of such an impressive silky white bear wandering the frozen Arctic seas in search of seals symbolizes the cold, isolated nature of the Arctic so well. Polar bears are marine mammals because they spend so much of their lives away from land. In the high Arctic where there is always some sea ice to travel on, polar bears range over ice floes in the pack ice hunting seals all summer. In some areas (e.g. southern Hudson Bay, southern Svalbard) they are simply forced to come ashore. Polar bears rarely venture inland.
Sailing deep into Scoresby Sund, towering mountains and unforgettable landscape make for a dramatic couple of days. However, it is icebergs on a grand scale that are sure to impress us the most. Scoresby Sund icebergs are often some of the most dramatic and intricately shaped, set against Greenland’s incredible mountains, there are few landscapes like this!
Complimentary custom-designed polar expedition jacket and use of gumboots during voyage
GREG MORTIMER
The Greg Mortimer, named after the Australian adventurer and Polar tourism pioneer (Greg Mortimer OAM), this unique vessel utilises some of the latest advancements in naval design & technology to revolutionise the small ship expedition cruising experience. The X-BOW makes sailing smoother and faster while protecting the vulnerable environments visited using a virtual anchoring system. Shore excursions are made easier, with four sea-level Zodiac loading decks & a specially-crafted activity platform, designed in close consultation with our world-renowned expedition & activity leaders. Unlike many new ships, the Greg Mortimer is not striving for absolute luxury. It will of course, be brand new, modern and comfortable in every way, but will stay true to a relaxed, comfortable and homely style of travel, purely focused on the expedition and destination. Ship Features: - Highly qualified and experienced expedition team and international crew - X-BOW® hull, designed to offer faster and more comfortable travel enabling the ship to pierce through waves and maintain speed of travel, lower fuel consumption and reduced air pollution emissions - All cabins feature twin or king bedding configuration and private bathroom. 80% of cabins include a private balcony. 60% of cabins can accommodate a third person - Purpose-built activities preparation areas including four Zodiac launching platforms for fast and safe transition off the ship as you embark on multiple daily excursions - Observation lounge and viewing platforms offer spectacular panoramic views of scenery and wildlife. - State-of-the-art lecture theatre, two hot tubs/plunge pools, art room, library, gym, wellness centre and more!
| Luxury star rating: | 4 |
| Guests #: | 120 |
| Crew #: | 62 |
| Ice Class: | 1A |
| Speed: | 12 |
| Refurbished: |
| Year built: | 2019 |
| Length: | 104m |
| Width: | 18 |
| Draft: | 5 |
| Tonnage: | 7400 |
| Registry: | Bahamas |
| Elec Outlets: | 220V 2 Round plug |
We understand that the trip of a lifetime takes planning, so we make the financial commitments easy to manage.
