Jewels of the Arctic

Combine the best of Spitsbergen and Greenland, with a taste of Iceland on this 14 day journey through the Arctic.

21 August - 3 September 2012

21 August - 3 September 2012
Cost: From AU$8,500
Who: Aurora Expeditions
Bookings: 1800 638 688 (within Australia) or +61 2 9252 1033
More information:  Visit www.auroraexpeditions.com.au or email info@auroraexpeditions.com.au

Jewels of the Arctic combines the best of Spitsbergen and Greenland, with a taste of Iceland. Spitsbergen's rugged northwest coast offers mountains, tundra and fjords. While crossing the icy waters of the Greenland Sea, our onboard experts share their knowledge of the region's plants, animals and history. Greenland's remote east coast shows off the immensity of the icecap, fantastic icebergs and a fairytale landscape of granite spires rising 2000 m above exquisite fjords!

Itinerary

Day 1
Flight from Reykavik to Isafjordur and board Polar Pioneer in the late afternoon to set sail across the Denmark Strait en route to Greenland.

Day 2
As we sail across Denmark Strait towards Greenland, we enjoy northern fulmars and black-backed gulls, and spot dolphins, orcas and sperm whales in their feeding grounds.

Day 3
Sailing north along the Blosseville Coast, searching for musk ox and narwhals and marvelling at the mountain scenery that dominates the skyline. If weather permits, we head for Rømer Fjord, with its stunning views.

Days 4-6
In Scoresbysund, the world's biggest fjord, the vast Greenland icecap sweeps down in massive glaciers that calve explosively, creating giant icebergs. Near Sydkap, 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 and explain the challenges of Arctic life. Our kayakers find ideal paddling conditions, wending their way through interconnected waterways, watching for polar bears and narwhals.

Days 7-9
Ashore, cosy trappers' huts beckon from across the tundra, where musk ox, Arctic fox and eider ducks roam. These are just some of the delights in Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord. Lively cascades at Kap Humboldt provide a microclimate for spectacular hanging gardens. Kong Oskar Fjord offers spectacular glacier carved mountains.

Days 10-11
Crossing the Greenland Sea, we sail through the Polar Basin's nutrient-rich waters, searching for fin whales, encroaching pack ice, and seabirds. Our expert naturalists and guest lecturers entertain us with fascinating, illustrated talks on European Arctic plants and animals, and epic tales of such early explorers as Nansen, Andrée and Scoresby.

Days 12-13
Spitsbergen's northwest coast features calving icebergs, historic whaling stations and trappers' camps. Brünnich's guillemots, little auks and kittiwakes nest in their thousands. Reindeer roam the tundra and so can you, photographing wildflowers like saxifrage, moss campion, bell-heather and hairy lousewort. From our Zodiacs, gain fantastic views of ice cliffs, including Monacobreen, one of Spitsbergen's largest glaciers. In the north, there's a good chance of seeing walrus - and possibly even polar bears - on the pack ice.

Day 14
During the early morning we cruise along Isfjorden before docking in the remote village of Longyearbyen, 'capital' of Spitsbergen. As our journey draws to an end, we will have time to reflect on the amazing experiences we have shared, before we bid each other farewell. On arrival you will be met and given a sightseeing tour to Introduce you to Longyearbyen. Afterwards you will be dropped off at the airport for a flight to Oslo.

*Only applicable for new direct bookings only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.