Greenland/Canada
Heart of the Arctic: An Expedition to Northern Canada & Greenland
Program No. 25006RJ
Voyage into the Arctic by expedition ship and get up close to massive glaciers and expansive tundra while searching for polar bears, whales and more!
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15 days
14 nights
41 meals
14B 13L 14D
3
Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord
At Sea
4
Nuuk
At Sea
5
At Sea, Davis Strait
At Sea
6
Ungava Bay
At Sea
7
Ungava Bay Continued
At Sea
8
Ungava Peninsula, Quebec
At Sea
10
Kinngait (Cape Dorset)
At Sea
11
Hudson Strait
At Sea
12
Kimmirut (Lake Harbour)
At Sea
13
At Sea, Frobisher Bay
At Sea
15
Program Concludes
Ottawa
At a Glance
From glaciers and fjords to polar bears and belugas, there’s nothing like the landscapes and ecosystems of the Arctic. Experience the vastness and magnificence of northern Canada firsthand and get a new perspective on geological features and wildlife via expedition ship and smaller Zodiac vessels. Set sail across the region’s bays while keeping your eyes peeled for walruses, whales, seals and more. Then, make land on the world’s largest island — Greenland — and explore its capital on foot, including a stop at the Greenland National Museum. Voyage through Inuit culture, Arctic wildlife and geology on this unforgettable learning adventure.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles per day over hilly, rocky, uneven terrain. Climbing stairs between decks on board as well as external gangway stairs to transfer between the ship and Zodiacs. Most embarkations and disembarkations will be via Zodiac, which require stepping up or down approximately 12 inches. Zodiac landings will generally entail disembarking onto rocky or gravelly beaches and in windy weather can make for rather splashy rides.
Best of all, you’ll…
- In the Canadian territory of Nunavut, visit Akpatok Island, which boasts spectacular limestone cliffs and an abundance of birds.
- Delve into the area’s Inuit culture as you visit an Inuit art studio and explore Kimmirut, where the Inuit people have lived for thousands of years.
- Search for arctic wildlife from smaller Zodiac vessels.
Suggested Reading List
(22 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Heart of the Arctic: An Expedition to Northern Canada & Greenland
Program Number: 25006
Uqalurait: an Oral History of Nunavut
Gossip: a Spoken History of Women in the North
Canada's Relationship With Inuit: A History of Policy and Program Development
What We Know About Climate Change
The Right to Be Cold: One Women's Story of Protecting Her Culture, the Arctic, and the Whole Planet
Paper Stays Put: A Collection of Inuit Writing
Arctic Dreams and Nightmares
Unikkaaqtuat: An Introduction to Inuit Myths and Legends
This definitive collection of Inuit legends is thoughtfully introduced and carefully annotated to provide the historical and cultural context in which to understand this rich oral tradition.
Arctic Dreams
The Greenlanders
Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author Jane Smiley’s The Greenlanders is an enthralling novel in the epic tradition of the old Norse sagas.
The Snow People
Spirited, enthusiastic and sympathetic, Marie Herbert tells the fascinating story of two years of Arctic adventure: in doing so she has written an important anthropological account of a vanishing way of life.
The Voyage of the Narwhal
This Cold Heaven
In This Cold Heaven Gretel Ehrlich combines the story of her travels with history and cultural anthropology to reveal a Greenland that few of us could otherwise imagine.
The Ice At The End of the World
In The Ice at the End of the World, Jon Gertner explains how Greenland has evolved from one of earth's last frontiers to its largest scientific laboratory.
Who Owns the Arctic: Understanding Sovereignty Disputes in the North
Give Me My Father's Body: The Life of Minik the New York Eskimo
Arctic Eden
A Naturalist's Guide to the Arctic
A primer on Arctic climate, geography, plants, birds, mammals and insects in a single nicely written book. It's a highly recommended, enthusiastic guide to natural history throughout the Circumpolar North.
Inuit Women Artists: Voices from Cape Dorset
Melting Away, Images of the Arctic and Antarctic
In her masterful series of 75 portraits and essays, Camille Seaman shows how climate change has wreaked havoc on both the North and South Poles.
The Arctic, A Guide to Coastal Wildlife
An essential handbook for the ship-based traveler, this compact guide to the plants, marine mammals and birds of the Circumpolar North features handsome watercolor illustrations and lively text. This new edition includes a section on the Bering Sea.
The Future of the Arctic