HIGHLIGHTS
- Witness
the awe-inspiring aurora borealis dance across East
Greenland’s night skies, with prime viewing conditions away
from light pollution
- Keep
a close watch for the unmistakable blow of whales as they surface to
breathe, and perhaps the mesmerising sight of a tail fluke as it takes
a deep dive
- Marvel
at the ancient geology of East Greenland, where mountains are painted
in stripes by nature’s brush and fjords are surrounded by
walls of various shades of pinks, oranges and purple
- Learn
about the history and culture of the Inuit, who have inhabited this
region for centuries.
- Experience
the thrill of adventure and exploration, as you sail to remote and
rarely visited parts of the world
- Feel
the power and beauty of Dynjandi waterfall in Iceland’s
Westfjords, where cascading water thunders down a dramatic cliff face
surrounded by moody skies and striking landscapes
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
Start Date | End Date | Stateroom Triple | Stateroom Twin | Stateroom Superior | Balcony Stateroom C | Balcony Stateroom B | Balcony Stateroom A | Balcony Stateroom Superior | Junior Suite |
Sep 07, 2027 | Sep 17, 2027 | 16,995 | N/A | 18,495 | 18,995 | 19,995 | 21,495 | 23,495 | 27,995 |
Rates are listed per person in USD. Promotional offers are not reflected in the rates below.
|
Start Date | End Date | (Starting from) Stateroom Triple | (Mid-range) Balcony Stateroom B | (High-end) Junior Suite |
Sep 07, 2027 | Sep 17, 2027 | 16,995 | 19,995 | 27,995 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 : Arrive in Reykjavik
Having
made your way to Reykjavik, you will be met by a representative of
Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival at
your included hotel, please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality
area where you can leave your luggage and enjoy refreshments if
arriving prior to 4pm. Whilst here you can collect your luggage cabin
tags speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to
share with you about pre-embarkation or to provide you with information
about where to dine, withdraw cash or purchase last minute items from a
local pharmacy or supermarket.
The
remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own
expense.
Accommodation: Grand
Hotel Reykjavik (or similar)
Day
2 : Embarkation
Today
we follow the path of one of Reykjavik’s most popular seismic
attractions – the Golden Circle. Stops along our route
include Thingvellir National Park, accredited as the site of
Iceland’s first parliament. A shaky start to the new nation,
it is also the point where the Eurasia and North American tectonic
plates meet as an open fissure. Our next stop is Gullfoss waterfall.
This impressive water feature tumbles 34 meters into the
Hvítá River, offering a popular photographic
opportunity. Next we explore the geothermal fields and
geysir’s for which Iceland is famous. The variety of hot
springs and bubbling pools are mesmerising as the sheer capacity of
water and steam erupting from the ground makes you ponder just how much
power is beneath your feet. Late afternoon we return to
Reykjavik to board the Sylvia Earle.
After
boarding, there’s time to settle into your cabin before our
important safety briefings before we ‘throw the
lines’ to begin our Greenland adventure. This evening, meet
your expedition team and crew at the Welcome Dinner.
Day
3 : Dynjandi
Immerse
yourself in the tranquillity of morning as we take in breathtaking
landscapes and keeping a watchful eye for whales. Later, we'll embark
on a Zodiac landing to witness the awe-inspiring power of Dynjandi
waterfall.
Days
4-9 : East Greenland
In
the coming days, a host of choices are available to us, and depending
on ice and weather conditions, the east coast of Greenland is ours to
explore. Our experienced Expedition Team, who have made countless
journeys to this area, will use their expertise to tailor our itinerary
on a day-to-day basis. This allows us to make best use of the
prevailing weather, ice conditions and encounters with wildlife. We
generally attempt up to two landings or Zodiac excursions per day,
including cruising along spectacular ice cliffs, following whales
feeding near the surface.
East
Greenland contains some of the Arctic's most impressive scenery. Deep
fjords and narrow channels, flanked by sharp ice-clad peaks up to 2,000
m (6,562 ft) high. Gigantic icebergs calved from glaciers drift
throughout the fjord system creating breathtaking scenery. The
landscape is filled with multi-coloured tundra home to musk oxen and
arctic hare. Throughout the area are ancient Thule archaeological
sites, historical trappers' huts, and modern Inuit hunters'
cabins.
A
highlight is a visit to the Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit, the most
isolated and northernmost permanent settlement in the region, with
approximately 500 inhabitants. Here you can explore the village, the
fascinating museum or sit in the beautiful Lutheran Church. The locals
are friendly, and from underneath their Arctic fox-fur jackets, the shy
young children are keen to say hello and practice their English. The
community boasts an excellent museum, gift shop, an abundance of
Greenlandic sled dogs, and the opportunity to meet Inuit
people.
Thanks
to the fertile volcanic soil mountains that protects areas from the
strong winds, the area is rich in wildlife. You may spot everything
from muskox and arctic foxes to mountain hares and even reindeer near
the fjord. Look skyward and you could catch a glimpse of birds
including common eider, glaucous gull, black-legged kittiwake, northern
fulmar, and arctic terns gracefully gliding or plunging into icy bays
for zooplankton.
North
of Scoresbysund, we hope to visit Kong Oskar and Kaiser Franz Josef
fjords, two of the most significant fjord systems in Greenland, each
one encompassing several smaller fjords and sounds. Thanks to the
fertile volcanic soil and the surrounding mountains offering protection
from strong winds, the area is rich in wildlife. You may spot
everything from musk ox and arctic foxes to mountain hares, and even
reindeer, near the fjord. Look skyward and you could catch a glimpse of
birds, including the glaucous gull, black-legged kittiwake, northern
fulmar, common raven and common eider.
There
are great hiking options in the area, where flowering tundra plants,
scattered bones of whales and muskox from centuries of hunting by the
Inuit and fumaroles can be found. These are areas where heated
groundwater boil to the surface creating bubbling pools and mineral
formations as the water reacts with the atmosphere.
The
area also boasts some of the most striking sedimentary sandstone,
shale, and siltstone formations imaginable. The layers of sediment here
are estimated to have taken about 4,000 years to be laid down, and the
alternating colours and patterns in the layers of rocks are stunningly
beautiful.
Day
10 : At sea
As
we cross the Denmark Strait to Iceland, we begin our series of
informative and entertaining onboard lectures from our team of
experts.
Day 11 : Disembark in
Reykjavik
During the early morning, we cruise into Reykjavik and disembark at
approximately 8.00 am. Farewell your Expedition Team and fellow
passengers as we all continue our onward journeys. Transfer to Keflavik
airport.
Note: At the
conclusion of the voyage, we recommend booking flights departing after
12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.??
Sylvia Earle (Luxury Expedition, 126-guests)
Due to sail in October 2021 our new ship honours the highly accomplished marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer, Sylvia Earle. As the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet in 1998 - this vessel pays tribute to Sylvia's long standing conservation efforts for marine protected areas and ocean wildlife. Sylvia Earle will be actively involved in the development of her namesake.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Airport
arrival and departure transfers to/from our group hotel or port on the
first day and the final day of your voyage package.
- One
night’s hotel accommodation including breakfast, in Oslo on
Day 1.
- Sightseeing
tour of Longyearbyen on Day 2, prior to embarkation (time permitting).
- Return
charter flights between Oslo and Longyearbyen.
- Onboard
accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin service.
- All
meals, snacks, tea, coffee, soft drinks and juices during voyage.
- Beer
and house wine with dinner.
- Captain’s
Farewell reception including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house
beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages.
- All
shore excursions and Zodiac cruises.
- Educational
lectures and guiding services provide by Expedition Team.
- Complimentary
access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial
consultation).
- One
3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket.
- Complimentary
use of Muck Boots during the voyage.
- Comprehensive
pre-departure information.
- Port
surcharges, permits and landing fees.
- Gratuities
during excursions and enrichment program for local guides, drivers,
venues and local sites.
- Wi-Fi.
Please note we travel to remote regions and therefore the connection
can be unreliable.
Excluded from this Voyage :
- International
or domestic flights – unless specified in the itinerary.
- Transfers
– unless specified in the itinerary.
- Airport
arrival or departure taxes.
- Passport,
visa, reciprocity and vaccination fees and charges.
- Travel
insurance or emergency evacuation charges.
- Hotel
accommodation and meals – unless specified in the itinerary.
- Optional
excursions and optional activity surcharges.
- All
items of a personal nature, including but not limited to, alcoholic
beverages (outside of dinner service), on board gratuities*, laundry
services, personal clothing, medical expenses, email or phone charges.
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
Add-on
Activities
Included
Activities
- Bird watching
- Lectures on wildlife, our environment, history and
destinations
- Marine Mammal Spotting
- Photography
- Polar plunge
- Trips ashore
- Walking
- Wildlife Watching
- Zodiac cruising
- Scenic cruising