Heart of the Arctic – Canada & Greenland Expedition

Begin Your Adventure After your charter flight from Ottawa, ON, transfer to the Ocean Endeavour by Zodiac through Iqaluit harbour. Iqaluit, at the head of Frobisher Bay, is Nunavut’s capital. A population of nearly 8,000 calls the city home. Local attractions include the territorial Legislature, igloo-inspired St. Jude’s Cathedral, art shops, and more.

Witness Wildlife, Geology, and Ice Sail through this beautiful bay named for bygone explorer Martin Frobisher and stay on the lookout for wildlife. Our geologists will have you raving about rocks! Expect compelling scenery and soak up the Arctic splendour.

Experience Inuit Culture Try your hand at athletic feats during an interactive cultural performance of Inuit games. If you’re a hiker, you’ll enjoy walking through Kimmirut’s blooming tundra on the Itijjagiaq Trail, part of the Trans Canada Trail. The community’s name means “the heel” in Inuktitut, referring to an outcrop of marble across the bay, but you may also know this hamlet as Lake Harbour, home to one of the first Hudson's Bay Company outposts on Baffin Island.

Visit World-Famous Art Studios Meet the artists and visit the studios that make Kinngait proud—plus, have the opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind pieces of art! Have a chance to talk with the old and new generations of outstanding artists, carvers, and printmakers who continue to make Kinngait a proud centre for fine art. Kinngait was ground zero for the Inuit art market when, in 1959, the West Baffin Eskimo Co-operative was established—the oldest professional Inuit printmaking studio in Canada.

Seek Whales, Seabirds, and Polar Bears Join the expedition team out on deck while navigating the icy, fast-moving waters of Hudson Strait. Search for breathtaking Arctic wildlife—polar bears, walrus, whales, seals, and seabirds—to capture the perfect photograph.

Hike the Tundra Explore an area of treeless tundra along the Ungava Peninsula of Nunavik, rich in geology, fauna, and flora. Enjoy great hiking and a Zodiac cruise with our expedition team, who give expert interpretation all along the way.

Enjoy Fantastic Birdwatching Pay a visit to uninhabited Akpatok Island, the biggest island in Ungava Bay at over nine hundred square kilometres. It’s named for the akpait (thick-billed murres) that nest on ledges of the lofty cliffs and is home to Canada’s largest colony of breeding pairs. Take a Zodiac cruise to scout the shorelines and any outlying ice, keeping your eyes peeled for polar bears, walrus, and other marine life. Large and shallow, Ungava Bay is a rich ecosystem and home to a variety of wildlife, including an endangered beluga population.

Learn Onboard Deepen your understanding of the Arctic as we travel across the Davis Strait towards Greenland. Enjoy workshops and presentations, watch a documentary, and get out on deck! Keep your binoculars ready for minke and humpback whales, as well as the seabirds that are sure to accompany our ship.

Visit Museums, Shops, and Cafés Stop in at vibrant Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. Visit the Greenland National Museum, one of the city’s many outstanding features, where the world-famous Qilakitsoq mummies rest. The old harbour includes many buildings dating from Danish colonial days, while contemporary Nuuk is known for art, shopping, pubs, and cafés.

Take a Zodiac Cruise at the Foot of a Glacier See why Kangerlussuatsiaq lives up to its Danish name, Evighedsfjorden, which means “the fjord of eternity.” Marvel at this complex coastal waterway that includes calving glaciers, sheer bird cliffs, and streams cascading against a towering mountain backdrop. Explore this sublime glacial landscape by ship and by Zodiac. The waters here are relatively warm, due to the West Greenland Current and the subarctic location.

Cross the Arctic Circle Complete your journey overnight up Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord), a 190-kilometre-long fjord surrounded by mountains and glaciers, and cross the Arctic Circle on your way. Kangerlussuaq, the settlement at the head of the fjord, is a former US Air Force base and Greenland’s primary flight hub. Transfer by Zodiac to shore, then travel to the airport by bus for your charter flight to Toronto, ON.

Itineraries are subject to change.