Greenland to Canada: Inuit, Icebergs, and Wildlife
Overview
Highlights
- Arctic wildlife – polar bears, whales and walrus
- Traditional Inuit Communities
- Remote National Historic Sites of Canada
- Tundra hiking for all fitness levels
- Zodiac cruising
- Optional kayak adventure opportunities
- UNESCO World Heritage Site in Greenland
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Trip includes
- Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
- All breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks on board
- 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 landings
- An official Quark Expeditions parka to keep
- Waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore
- Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
- Hair dryer and bathrobe in every cabin
- Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Arctic Reader
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program
- Greenland voyages cruise passenger tax
- All luggage handling aboard ship
- Emergency evacuation insurance to a maximum benefit of US$100,000 per person
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Itinerary
Your arctic adventure begins a little further south, with an overnight stay in Ottawa.
After a morning charter flight to Kangerlussuaq, you’ll have a chance to walk around this small arctic town before being transferred to the ship by Zodiac. Enjoy some time out on deck taking in your new surroundings before you set sail on your arctic expedition.
Today the ship will reach the village of Itilleq, a typical Greenlandic community. It is delightfully situated in a hollow (which is the meaning of “Itilleq” in Greenlandic) on an island without any fresh water. The village has approximately 130 inhabitants.
Co...
Meaning “iceberg” in Greenlandic, Ilulissat is home to the fastest-moving glacier outside of Antarctica, Sermeq Kujalleq. This UNESCO World Heritage site is located north of the Arctic Circle, and moves at an average of 19 meters per day. Cruise at a safe distance by Zodiac, and if you’re lucky, witness the spectacle of calving ice.
Traverse the Davis Strait as you leave behind Greenlandic shores in pursuit of Canada.
Qikiqtarjuak is known as the iceberg capital of the world, naturally trapping many icebergs as they travel down the Davis Strait. An abundance of marine wildlife can be seen here as beluga and right whales, narwhals and ring and harp seals pass by. Trek up the many walking trails to join the inukshuk and share its view overlooking the island and the community.
We’ll let the weather be our guide as we explore the region’s most interesting scenery, landmarks and wildlife areas. Much of the coast of Baffin Island is relatively unexplored, so in true expedition form we will aim to go ashore and explore. We may not know what we’ll find, but at the very least we may step foot where no one has before.
Pangnirtung is located at the mouth of Pangnirtung Fjord, which merges with Cumberland Sound. It’s a stronghold of the Inuit community, and an ideal area to admire Inuit culture and their high-quality traditional art, especially textiles. While there, pick up a famous Pang touque, a must-have knit cap for anyone visiting the community.
You can expect more wildlife encounters over at Monumental Island, which is a well-known island for potential close sightings of some of the Arctic’s most iconic creatures – walrus and polar bears. You’ll enjoy a Zodiac ride along the shores in search of hauled-out walrus and prowling polar bears.
The largest island in Ungava Bay, Akpatok is the local name for thick-billed murres, which nest here. This is also a favourite spot to watch for polar bears.
Located at the southeastern end of Baffin Island, you’ll spend your last full day exploring the cliffs, narrow inlets and streams of Frobisher Bay. It’s a great place to explore by zodiac and take a refreshing hike ashore.
Your final Zodiac ride will take you from the ship to shore. Your time here will be brief, as your flight to Ottawa awaits, signaling an end to your time in the Arctic. Upon arrival in Ottawa, we will transfer you to your included hotel.
Today you can make your way home at your leisure or spend some more time in Ottawa. This fascinating capital city is home to the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Quark Expeditions.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Tour Operator
Since 1991, Quark Expeditions has specialized in expedition cruising to the Arctic and Antarctica, in ships with ice-strengthened hulls or in icebreakers. Polar travelers will enjoy unparalleled technical expertise, leadership and passion for expedition trips to the Arctic and Antarctica.
Our first voyage - The Transpolar Bridge Cruise - began July 27, 1991, in Murmansk, Russia. The ship was the nuclear powered icebreaker Sovetskiy Soyuz, an older sister of 50 Years of Victory. She sailed across the top of the world via Franz Josef Land, the North Pole, the New Siberian Islands, the Wrangel Island area and the Chukotka Peninsula. That first group of adventurers disembarked in Provideniya. Our second adventure began in that same city on August 18, 1991.
Our Ships: Polar Adventure Ships and Icebreakers
We have the largest and most diverse fleet of adventure ships in the Antarctic and Arctic. Travelers choose from more departures and a greater variety of itineraries than is available anywhere else. Within the fleet is the only nuclear-powered icebreaker - 50 Years of Victory - sailing to the North Pole. Every ship is equipped with Zodiacs - inflatable landing craft - for shore transfers and ocean-level cruising.
Our Polar Adventure Ships are platforms for optional sea-kayaking, camping, mountaineering and cross-country skiing. Their small size enables them to sail channels and bays through which our icebreakers cannot sail. The ability to get close to landscapes and wildlife make these vessels extraordinary base camps for photographers.
None of our vessels carries more than 199 travelers from around the world - Europe, Asia, Oceania, North America and Africa. All share a preference for travel to remote wilderness areas accompanied by Expedition Team members eager to share their knowledge and love for the Arctic and Antarctica.
Our People: Technical Expertise, Leadership and Passion
Our Expedition Team members understand ice conditions and the impact of weather on ships and helicopters. Some are experts in polar history, marine biology and glaciology. All are experienced and understand the rigors of expedition travel. They drive Zodiacs for ocean-level cruising. They lead hikes to unnamed ridges. They tell stories about polar research station assignments and wildlife encounters. The Captains and their officers and crews are skilled at navigating through pack ice under extreme conditions. The Hospitality Teams prepare meals and pour beverages during gale force winds. There isn’t a more capable team of professionals.
Our talented people behind the scenes in IT, Finance, Operations, Administration and Management are equally passionate about the polar regions. Our team of Sales and Client Service people are who you meet before you travel.
From inception, the people who are Quark Expeditions have combined a spirit of adventure with a deep sense of environmental responsibility and a strong desire to educate others about the wonders of the Arctic and Antarctica. Making these remote regions accessible to travelers is our pleasure and passion.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International airfare
- Passport and applicable visa expenses
- Government arrival and departure taxes not mentioned above
- Meals ashore unless otherwise specified
- Baggage, cancellation, interruption, and medical travel insurance
- Excess baggage charges
- Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac cruising
Accommodation
Transportation & Flights
Designed to carry travelers in comfort to the most remote corners of the world, Sea Adventurer was built in Yugoslavia in 1976, refurbished in 1999 and had further upgrades in 2002. You will be impressed by this ice-strengthened ship, which carries up to 117 passengers and features a spacious forward lounge and bar, window-lined dining room and promenades. The nimble, ice-strengthened Sea Adventurer is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. Take a look at what to expect for 2017: A new look and feel throughout Renovations to the interior of the ship including outside cabins with ensuites, spacious forward lounge and bar, and other amenities The addition of new passenger cabins New bathrooms in every cabin, and upgrades to the Main Lounge and Main Dining Room, gym, and select suites Significant technical enhancements – including two new engines, generators, gear boxes, drive systems, and re-bladed propellers Increased fuel efficiency, and a minimized carbon footprint.
Staff and Crew: 83 Guests: 117 Lifeboats: 4 partially enclosed Length: 101.1 meters Breadth: 16.2 meters Draft: 4.5 meters Propulsion: Diesel Twin Engines - 5,200 horsepower. Ice Class: 1A Cruising Speed: 12 knots in open water Registration: Bahamas
All requests for cancellation must be received in writing. Cancellations received 180 days or more prior to departure, are refunded less an administrative fee of minimum US$1250, AU$1000, £650, €800 per person. If cancellation is received between 179 days and 120 days, the deposit is forfeited. If cancellation occurs less than 120 days prior to departure, all payments are forfeited. If full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due immediately. To protect the traveler’s investment, we recommend that you obtain adequate trip cancellation insurance.
Cancellations cannot be made online.
Add an Extra Rush of Adrenaline to Your Expedition
Every Quark voyage includes great daily outdoor activities including Zodiac cruises, and hiking. Contact a Quark Polar Travel Adviser to learn more about adventure options, including physical requirements.
$595 per person
Kayaking in the Arctic is probably one of the most intimate and inspiring ways you can explore the rugged coastlines and calm bays of the regions we visit.
Kayaking in the Polar Regions is highly weather-dependent, however we guarantee at least one outing throughout your voyage, but your kayak guides will take you out as many times as possible throughout your voyage.
Offered on most Arctic voyages, spaces are limited and require some kayaking experience. All equipment, guides and instructions are provided by Quark.
Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.
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