EXPEDITIONS VICTORY EXPEDITIONS
Arctic Odyssey: Retracing the Routes of the Vikings
Ship: Clipper Adventurer
Days: 20
Passengers: 122
Dates: 8/3/2006
Highlights: Some of the most remote and pristine scenery of Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland aboard a comfortable expedition ship.
Summary: Explore the countries that fringe the Arctic Circle as they brim with life during their brief but brilliant summer. Visit tiny communities where people still work and play in traditional ways. Savor some of the most remote and pristine scenery in the Northern Hemisphere as you sail with fewer than 125 passengers aboard the intimate, comfortable Clipper Adventurer. Highly maneuverable, this expedition vessel navigates remote wilderness areas and inlets where only a select few ships can sail.
Prices from: $9,420 to $15,040
Itinerary - In Brief
Day 1: Depart the U.S.A. / Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Day 2: Ottawa / Kangerlussuaq (Sondrestromfjord), Greenland (Embark)
Day 3: Nuuk, Greenland
Day 4: Expedition Cruising
Day 5: Qaqortoq (for Hvalsey) / Nanortalik, Greenland
Day 6: Cruising Prince Christian Sound, Greenland
Day 7: Expedition Cruising Along Greenland's Southeast Coast
Day 8: Crossing the Denmark Strait / Reykjavik, Iceland
Day 9: Reykjavik
Day 10: Cruise by Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Flatey Island, Iceland
Day 11: Akureyri (for Lake Myvatn) / Grimsey Island, Iceland
Day 12: Cross the Arctic Circle / Cruising the Greenland Sea
Day 13: Jan Mayen, Norway
Day 14: Cruising the Greenland Sea
Days 15-17: Expedition Cruising Through the Svalbard Archipelago
Day 18: Longyearbyen, Svalbard (Disembark) / Oslo, Norway
Day 19: Oslo
Day 20: Oslo / Return to the U.S.A.
Itinerary - Detailed
Day 1: Depart the U.S.A. / Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Depart your home city today for Ottawa, where you’ll stay at the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel. The evening is at your leisure.
Day 2: Ottawa / Kangerlussuaq (Sondrestromfjord), Greenland (Embark)
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Greenland’s Kangerlussuaq, where you’ll embark the Clipper Adventurer.
Day 3: Nuuk, Greenland
Originally named Godthab (“good hope”) by its founder, Hans Egede, Nuuk claims to be the smallest capital city in the world. Modern Nuuk (pronounced “nuke”) houses 15% of Greenland’s population. Visit the city’s oldest area, Koloniehavn, where many buildings date from the 18th and 19th centuries. Explore the Greenland National Museum, with its collection of artifacts and exhibits that include traditional hunting tools, costumes, Inuit art, and two 15th-century Qilaqitsoq mummies discovered in 1972.
Day 4: Expedition Cruising
Sail along the southeast coast of Greenland today, on the lookout for whales, seals, and countless seabirds.
Day 5: Qaqortoq (for Hvalsey) / Nanortalik, Greenland
Qaqortoq was founded in 1775 and today is the largest town in Greenland. The town square, with its historic fountain, is a lively gathering point where fishermen arrive every day to sell their fresh catch.
Explore nearby Hvalsey, the best-preserved Norse ruins in Greenland. The area was first inhabited in the 10th century by immigrants from Iceland lured by stories of discovery by Eric the Red, who explored the coast of Greenland during his three-year banishment from Iceland. Norse settlements thrived in Greenland for centuries, but mysteriously disappeared during the 14th–15th centuries. The last known record of the colonies was news of a wedding in 1408 A.D. at Hvalsey Church, the hewn granite and lime mortar ruins of which you’ll see on tour today. Excavations of the settlement have uncovered the church, barns, and other dwellings in this small, historic community.
Later this afternoon, visit the village of Nanortalik and enjoy nature walks through the area with our onboard naturalists.
Day 6: Cruising Prince Christian Sound, Greenland
Prince Christian Sound is a wonderland of spectacular glaciers, steep fjords, and plummeting waterfalls. Listen to the creak of the ice, the cries of seabirds, and the steady surge of the sea as you enjoy expeditionary cruising.
Day 7: Expedition Cruising Along Greenland's Southeast Coast
The east coast of Greenland is a ruggedly beautiful maritime route. Towering mountains rising directly from the sea are carved by glaciers, which occasionally calve off enormous icebergs. We may circumnavigate the island of Skjoldungen, where you might spot ringed seals.
Day 8: Crossing the Denmark Strait / Reykjavik, Iceland
Watch for whales and other marine life as you cross the Denmark Strait en route to an early-evening arrival in Reykjavík, Iceland. The first Norse settlement on Iceland was founded by Norwegian Ingófor Arnarson on the site of present-day Reykjavík in 874. Old Norse, the language of the Vikings, is still spoken by Icelanders today.
Day 9: Reykjavik
Explore on your own today or join a full-day excursion to Iceland’s “Golden Circle” of lakes, waterfalls, geysers, and hot springs, situated just inland from Reykjavík. On this tour, which includes lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll see thundering Gullfoss (Golden Falls), a double cascade in the Hvita River that drops 150 feet; and Thingvellir, the seat of the world’s oldest parliament.
Day 10: Cruise by Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Flatey Island, Iceland
Cruise by the breathtaking scenery of Snaefellsnes Peninsula as you make your way to explore Flatey Island, one of a thousand islands in Breidafjördur Bay. Aboard Zodiacs, search for the area’s abundant birds — Arctic terns, red-throated divers, puffins, and black guillemots. View exceptional natural sights and watch the seas for the minke, humpback, and orca whales that frequent these waters.
Day 11: Akureyri (for Lake Myvatn) / Grimsey Island, Iceland
Arrive at the lovely town of Akureyri late this morning and join a tour to Lake Myvatn, the famous bird sanctuary. Begin with a relaxing drive through Iceland’s beautiful countryside and along the slopes of Vadlaheidi Mountain. Encounter amazing lava and rock formations, pseudocraters, and the Grotagja fissure, once used as a public bath. Stop at Godafoss waterfall from where, according to legend, the Nordic gods Odin and Thor watch over Iceland. Following your visit to Lake Myvatn, enjoy lunch at a lakeside restaurant before continuing on to the Krafla area, known for its enormous lava fields, boiling sulfuric mud pools, and steam vents. Our onboard geologist will accompany you to explain and answer questions about the phenomena you encounter. Very late this evening, you arrive at tiny Grimsey Island, which lies directly on the Arctic Circle. Cruise in Zodiacs around the island’s rugged coast, using the Midnight Sun to search for the 60 species of bird colonies that nest in the rocky crevices.
Day 12: Cross the Arctic Circle / Cruising the Greenland Sea
Join our expedition staff as they recap the experiences of the last few days and brief you on what is yet to come.
Day 13: Jan Mayen, Norway
As you approach Jan Mayen this morning, you may see the Beerenberg volcano pierce through the fog that perpetually hovers around the peak. This glacier-covered volcano is the northernmost active volcano on Earth. Based on wind and sea conditions, we hope to explore the island, which is uninhabited except for a few scientists who work here part of the year.
Day 14: Cruising the Greenland Sea
Cruising the Greenland Sea
Days 15-17: Expedition Cruising Through the Svalbard Archipelago
Cruise the waters of the Svalbard archipelago, making several landings each day aboard our Zodiacs to observe and learn. The following are representative places that we plan to visit; however, weather, ice conditions, and the spirit of exploration will determine our daily schedules.
Magdalenefjorden — Characterized by alpine peaks and tidewater glaciers, this fjord has a perfect bay ideal for beach hikes and spotting wildlife.
Ny Ålesund/Kongsfjord — Our cruise south along the shores of Svalbard offers some of the most spectacular alpine scenery of the entire voyage. Ny Ålesund is the northernmost village in the world, on the south arm of stunning Kongsfjord. The former coal-mining settlement is now the largest scientific research center in the High Arctic. After beating Robert F. Scott to the South Pole, Roald Amundsen — one of the last of the “modern-day Vikings” — used Ny Ålesund as his base for his next great triumph, setting sail by zeppelin to cross the North Pole to Alaska in 1926; 2006 will be the 80th anniversary of this extraordinary expedition. The mooring gantry for his ship still towers over the settlement as well as a statue dedicated to Amundsen. While here, you may wish to send a postcard home from the world’s northernmost post office.
Danskøya — Danskøya is dotted with relics from an ill-fated attempt in 1897 by three Swedes to fly a balloon from the island to the North Pole. Their balloon came down due to icing just 240 miles north of Danskøya. Explore the rocky beach strewn with a variety of artifacts left from their preparation — all collectively protected as a historic monument.
Hinlopen Strait — If ice conditions permit, our captain will maneuver the Clipper Adventurer through the Hinlopen Strait’s narrow waters, offering some of the best wildlife viewing in the High Arctic. Walrus, seals, and polar bears may be seen resting on the ice floes. Also watch for reindeer, Arctic fox, and bird species, which nest along the coastline.
Day 18: Longyearbyen, Svalbard (Disembark) / Oslo, Norway
Arrive this morning in Longyearbyen, capital of the Svalbard island group, and disembark the Clipper Adventurer. Transfer to the airport for your charter flight to Oslo, where you’ll check in at the Radisson SAS Scandinavia Hotel, located in the city center. The evening is yours to explore Oslo at your own pace.
Day 19: Oslo
Located on the sparkling Oslofjord and surrounded by mountains, Oslo is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Discover its charming environs on a morning excursion that takes you to such landmarks as Vigeland Sculpture Park, containing more than 150 pieces by sculptor Gustav Vigeland; and Holmenkollen Ski Jump, offering a great view of the city. At the Viking Ship Museum, view the collection of three Viking longboats in perfect condition. Continue to the Kon Tiki Museum, where you will see the original balsa raft used by modern-day Viking Thor Heyerdahl in 1947 to sail from Peru to Polynesia. Also on display is the slightly larger Ra II, on which Heyerdahl successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1970. Following your return to the city center by ferry, enjoy the remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure, perhaps sampling traditional cuisine while people-watching at one of Oslo’s delightful outdoor cafés.
Day 20: Oslo / Return to the U.S.A.
Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your return flight to the United States.
Notes: Included:
One pre-cruise night at the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, including one breakfast, one lunch, and all taxes and service charges; Charter flight from Ottawa to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, at the beginning of the cruise, and from Longyearbyen to Oslo at the end; Sixteen nights aboard the Clipper Adventurer in outside staterooms with lower beds, individual temperature controls, and private bathroom facilities; Two postcruise nights at the Radisson SAS Plaza in Oslo, including one lunch, two breakfasts, and all taxes and service charges; All meals during the cruise, beginning with dinner on day of embarkation and ending with breakfast on day of disembarkation, served at single leisurely seatings and prepared to order by chefs trained at some of the most prestigious culinary institutes in America; All sightseeing, shore excursions, and Zodiac exploration throughout the voyage; Experienced onboard experts to lead expeditions ashore and informal discussions, enhancing your enjoyment of the places visited; Captain’s welcome aboard and farewell receptions and dinners; Services of the ship’s friendly hospitality staff, including cruise director and hotel manager; Physician on board throughout the voyage; port charges, service fees, and onboard gratuities.
Not Included:
Airfare to/from home city; passport and visa expenses, as needed; travel insurance; items of a personal nature; fuel surcharge ($176 per person).
Per Person Regular Rates:
Category 1: $9420; Category 2: $10000; Category 3: $10680; Category 4: $11480; Category 5: $12400; Deluxe: $13,240; Suites: $14,540; Owner's Suites: $15,040
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