Tour members from across Canada gather for our flight to Iceland. 

Arrive in Iceland and transfer to our hotel in Reykjavik. Enjoy free time to explore Iceland’s capital, known for its striking modern architecture, contemporary music scene, and rich Viking history. 

Hotel to be announced (1 night)

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we gather for our private charter flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland — a small town that for decades served as the country’s primary airport gateway. Upon arrival, we transfer to the harbour and board a Zodiac shuttle to the ship. Following late-afternoon embarkation, we set sail into the stunning Arctic wilderness. Ultramarine (14 nights)  

Keep an eye out for seabirds and marine life as we set sail across the Davis Strait to the east coast of Baffin Island. There are many ways to spend your time aboard Ultramarine. Visit the Tundra Spa and other onboard amenities, or attend educational presentations led by the polar experts — glaciologists, historians, and other specialists. Learn about northern communities and ways of life in preparation for our first community visit. There will also be mandatory briefings with our expedition team on how we’ll safely explore this remote Arctic region. 

Qikiqtarjuaq, fondly called Qik, is a small Inuit hamlet located on Broughton Island. Known as the iceberg capital of Nunavut, Qikiqtarjuaq sits at the northern entrance to the mountainous Auyuittuq National Park, which is home to narwhals, bowhead and orca whales, polar bears, seals and migratory birds. Community visits provide an opportunity to learn about daily life and culture, and to purchase local goods, traditional handicrafts, and art. As icebergs travel down the Davis Strait, many are naturally trapped at Qikiqtarjuaq. The surrounding waters are also home to ringed and harp seals, often surfacing between floes. A hike up to the hilltop offers sweeping views of the community and its coastal setting. Cruising further north along the mountainous east shore of Baffin Island, we’ll approach Isabella Bay, an important feeding area for the largest concentration of bowhead whales in Canada. We’ll aim to launch the Zodiacs and explore the bay, binoculars at the ready. 

This is an especially exciting day, as you become one of the few travelers to explore the stunningly majestic Icy Arm Fjord, which cuts almost 80 kilometers (50 miles) deep into northern Baffin Island. Accessible only by water in summer months when the sea ice recedes, this rarely visited fjord is known for its unrivalled landscape of towering cliffs and stunning glaciers. Icy Arm Fjord is the epitome of unspoiled Arctic wilderness. We may observe polar bears, Arctic foxes, seals, walruses, and guillemots, kittiwakes and other Arctic-dwelling birds. 

At the top of Baffin Island lies Tallurutiup-Imanga (also known as Lancaster Sound), a true Arctic oasis. This channel and the surrounding lands are rich in wildlife and history — both Indigenous and European — and offer rewarding hiking opportunities. At Dundas Harbour on Devon Island, we’ll visit an abandoned RCMP outpost. At Croker Bay, we plan to cruise close enough to appreciate the splendour of glacial textures and calving ice while maintaining a safe distance. We then go ashore at windswept Beechey Island, home to the Beechey Island National Historic Sites. Maintained by Parks Canada, these sites tell the story of Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845–46 expedition to explore the Northwest Passage. What happened to Franklin and his crew remains an enduring chapter in Arctic exploration history. We also hope to explore the shores of uninhabited Prince Leopold Island, a significant migratory bird sanctuary and Important Bird Area, where we aim to launch Zodiacs for an immersive cruise at the foot of the bird cliffs. Nearby, on the northeast tip of Somerset Island, lies Port Leopold, an abandoned Hudson’s Bay Company trading post dating back to 1937, where remnants of the original store and manager’s house can still be seen.  

As we journey from Lancaster Sound along the east coast of Baffin Island, spend time on deck soaking in the scenery — expansive landscapes, jagged spires, and abundant birdlife. Today also offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy the ship’s onboard amenities and deepen your knowledge through presentations led by the polar experts.
 

Well inside the Arctic Circle, Sam Ford Fjord is a standout Arctic adventure destination on Baffin Island’s northeast coast, and one of the world’s most spectacular big-wall playgrounds. A traditional Inuit hunting area, the fjord is a study in contrasts: sheer granite cliffs seem to rise straight up from the ocean below, reaching up to 457 meters above sea level. If weather conditions permit, this region offers fabulous Zodiac cruising, sea kayaking and paddling as well as opportunities to go ashore. With a bit of luck, we may see Arctic foxes onshore, and we’ll keep our eyes peeled for polar bears during our offshore excursions. 

As Ultramarine continues eastward across the Davis Strait, we’ll have a choice of presentations by the polar experts, who will share insights that bring greater meaning to the experiences so far and set the stage for our time in West Greenland.

Ilulissat, located in Disko Bay, is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ilulissat Icefjord, the thoroughfare for countless icebergs calved from one of the world’s fastest-moving glaciers, Sermeq Kujalleq. Locals have constructed a boardwalk leading to an elevated overlook, where you can view bergs of all sizes spread out before you. The inner harbour is a rare sight, with icebergs drifting among fishing boats and skiffs. The town itself is well worth exploring. As we approach, watch for whales that frequent the iceberg-laden waters. Eternity Fjord, home to the tallest mountains in all of West Greenland, offers exceptional opportunities for Zodiac exploration, providing access to areas larger vessels cannot navigate. Appreciate nature in its rawest form as we hike among the towering peaks and photograph the colourful tundra and dramatic landscapes. Another fascinating highlight is Maniitsoq. Soaring, snow-capped mountains surround this small, rocky town, whose name means “the uneven place.” Playful humpback whales spend the summer in the surrounding waters, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled as we transit ashore by Zodiac.  

Our destination is Kangerlussuaq, which is Greenlandic for “the long fjord.” At the end of this 180 kilometre fjord is a settlement bearing the same name. The town is known for its natural beauty, and for previously being the home of the largest airport in Greenland. One last Zodiac ride brings us ashore before we transfer to the airport for our charter flight to Iceland. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be transferred to your included hotel for the night. 

Hotel to be announced (1 night)

As our Arctic adventure comes to an end, we gather for our flights back to Canada.