Greenland + Canadian High Arctic
This incredible adventure takes you from Iceland to Greenland to Canada, but the voyage is about more than the destinations - this is a true immersion into the raw beauty and boundless wonder of the Arctic. Wildlife, culture and nature combine, allowing you to experience the stillness of untouched landscapes, the awe of endless horizons, and the thrill of connecting with nature in its purest form. With every moment designed for discovery, this expedition promises profound experiences that linger long after the journey ends.
offering recommendations for places and experiences that best fit your style. We are sharing this itinerary to inspire and provide an example of what a trip to the Arctic might look like. When you are ready to design a trip just for you, please let us know.
Welcome to Iceland! Upon arrival, you will be met for your shared transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.
Reykjavik, Iceland’s vibrant capital, is a unique city set amid dramatic landscapes of ice, fire, and natural beauty. Home to two-thirds of the island’s population, it’s a walkable, welcoming place where bicycles glide through streets brightened by fresh paint, even in the face of Iceland’s winds. Whether you’re soaking in geothermal pools, hiking scenic trails, or marveling at geysers and waterfalls, Reykjavik has something for everyone.
Centrally Located Hotel Meals: Dinner
Today you will have additional time to explore the city. This afternoon, you will be met for your shared transfer to the pier where you will board Silver Endeavour for this evening’s departure.
The Silver Endeavour redefines ultra-luxury expedition cruising, combining cutting-edge technology with exceptional comfort. Designed for polar exploration with a PC6 ice-class rating, it accesses some of the world’s most remote regions. Every suite includes a private balcony, luxury bedding, and butler service, with a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio ensuring personalized attention. Guests enjoy four restaurants, expansive public spaces, outdoor decks, a pool, and multiple lounges. Panoramic lounges and the Explorer Lounge provide stunning views and expert-led lectures, making every moment unforgettable.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Days at sea offer the ideal chance to relax, recharge, and enjoy onboard activities. Whether it’s hitting the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading, or soaking up the sun, these tranquil sea days perfectly complement the excitement of exploring onshore.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
The transit through Prince Christian Sound is one of the voyage’s highlights. Connecting the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Sea, this stunning 60-mile fjord, named after Prince Christian VII, feels like a journey back to the Viking age.
Flanked by towering snow-capped mountains, rugged cliffs, and rolling hills, the narrow waterway—at times just 1500 ft wide—creates a sense that time has stood still. As you admire the vast mountains and watch icebergs drift by, the serene Arctic waters and peaceful silence are mesmerizing. Don’t forget to bundle up, as this awe-inspiring passage is one you won’t want to miss.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
The largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq (pronounced “ka-ko-tok”), has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and it’s easy to see why upon arrival.
Set against a dramatic fjord system, Qaqortoq rises steeply, offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains, deep blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs in the bay, and rolling countryside. While the earliest traces of civilization here date back 4,300 years, Norse and Inuit settlers called Qaqortoq home in the 10th and 12th centuries, with the modern town being founded in 1774. Today, it’s a seaport and trading center known for fish and shrimp processing, fur production, and ship maintenance.
Back on board, Silver Endeavor heads 11 miles northeast of Qaqortoq, to Hvalsey. Hvalsey is part of Qaqortukulooq, one of five sites in the UNESCO World Heritage Arctic farming complex of Kujataa.
Situated between Eriksfjord to the north and Einarsfjord to the south, Hvalseyfjord branches off from Einarsfjord. Hvalsey is best known for the well-preserved ruins of one of sixteen churches in the Norse Eastern Settlement, originally part of a farmstead called Thjodhild’s Stead. The farm included living quarters, a hall, livestock pens, storage buildings, and a warehouse—ruins of which still stand today. Norse farming practices laid the foundation for later Inuit farming, contributing to Kujataa’s UNESCO designation in 2017.
A 14th-century text, “Descriptions of Greenland,” mentions abundant fish, a reindeer farm on Reindeer Island, and Hvalsey’s name, meaning “Whale Island,” indicating ample food sources at the time. The church, built in the Anglo-Norwegian style of the 13th century, stands over an older graveyard. The site is mentioned in the Icelandic “Book of Settlements” as property of the Kings of Norway, with the last recorded Norse event in Greenland being a wedding at the church in September 1408. After nearly 600 years of abandonment, conservation efforts have stabilized the structure’s seaward wall.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Paamiut, located in southwestern Greenland, is an off-the-beaten-path destination well worth the visit. Its brightly colored houses add warmth to the Arctic landscape.
Although the area’s history dates back to 1500 BC, it became a significant trading hub in the 18th century, thriving on seal fur, whale products, and soapstone carving. Today, Paamiut draws visitors seeking to immerse themselves in its unspoiled, majestic scenery and observe its rare wildlife. In the warmer summer months, minke, fin, and humpback whales are often spotted, even from the shore.
Craggy mountains, stunning glaciers, and pristine fjords provide endless opportunities for hiking and kayaking. Rare sea eagles, called Nattoralik, inhabit the region, and spotting one is said to bring good luck. The Paamiut people, proud guardians of this natural beauty, warmly welcome visitors. You can also explore the town’s small museum to learn about local customs, traditions, and history.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch /Dinner
In Greenland’s bustling capital, Nuuk, it’s easy to forget you’re in such a vast and remote country.
As Greenland’s economic and social hub, and the home to over a third of its population, Nuuk feels like a cosmopolitan city. Yet, beneath the surface, its distinct Greenlandic character shines through. The Nuuk Cathedral overlooks the picturesque Colonial Harbour, home to the Greenland National Museum, where the famous Qilakitsoq mummies are the star of the archaeological collection.
Just above the harbor lies downtown Nuuk, with its Scandinavian-style apartments, lively shopping district, the Greenlandic Parliament, and Nuuk City Hall, which welcomes visitors to view its artwork. Outdoor cafes serve locally produced food and beer, while nearby, artisan boutiques and the meat market showcase the catch from Nuuk’s fjords.
Nuuk, a blend of Danish and Greenlandic influences, boasts Greenland’s only traffic lights, roundabouts, and university. Most of all, you’ll find warm, proud locals who are equally proud of the city they call home.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Maniitsoq is situated on Greenland’s central western coast and although it is the country’s sixth-largest town, the population is less than 2,700.
Main attractions include a small museum and an old cemetery at the town’s northern end. Local artists and artisans showcase their carvings and intricate beadwork at the community hall. The beadwork isn’t just for souvenirs, it’s a key part of the national dress worn by West Greenlandic women, featuring an ornate beaded collar. Maniitsoq also offers exciting outdoor activities, from fishing trips to heli-skiing in the nearby mountains. The town’s name, meaning “place of rugged terrain,” contrasts with the Danish name given in 1782, “New Sugarloaf.”
About 37 miles southeast of the entrance to Kangerlussuaq Fjord, and midway between Maniitsoq and Kangaamiut, lies Sermilinnguaq, a small fjord leading to the westernmost valley glaciers of the Greenland Icecap in South Greenland.
Just northeast of Maniitsoq’s rugged landscape, where peaks soar hundreds of feet into the sky, this narrow fjord with steep mountainsides is a favored halibut fishing spot for local fishermen. In 2019, the Greenland Environment Fund funded a cleanup to remove derelict fishing gear that had washed ashore, following requests from the fishermen. The rich fishing grounds also attract wildlife, with Razorbills, Brünnich’s Guillemots (Thick-billed Murres), Common Guillemots, Black Guillemots, Glaucous Gulls, and Black-legged Kittiwakes forming eight bird colonies in the area. As a result, 7,400 acres of the fjord have been designated an Important Bird Area.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Days at sea offer the ideal chance to relax, recharge, and enjoy onboard activities. Whether it’s hitting the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading, or soaking up the sun, these tranquil sea days perfectly complement the excitement of exploring onshore.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Iqaluit serves as the capital of Canada’s newest territory, Nunavut, which means “our land” in Inuktitut. This community is situated at the head of Frobisher Bay, an inlet of the North Atlantic that stretches into southeastern Baffin Island. The bay is so extensive that it was once thought to be a potential entrance to the Northwest Passage. The local museum and the legislative assembly building feature impressive collections of Inuit artwork.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Lady Franklin Island, named in honor of Sir John Franklin’s widow, is a remote and uninhabited island located off the Hall Peninsula of Baffin Island at the entrance to Cumberland Sound.
The island commemorates Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer who perished while searching for the Northwest Passage. Its geology is remarkable, featuring vertical cliffs of Archean rock, which are among the oldest formations in Canada. The waters surrounding Lady Franklin Island are rich in seabirds, ducks, seals, and walrus. With some luck, visitors might spot Atlantic Puffins and even the rare Sabine’s Gull.
Monumental Island is a fragment of ancient metamorphic rock rising defiantly from the frigid waters of Davis Strait, surrounded by ocean and ice.
Named to honor the legendary Polar Explorer Sir John Franklin, the island showcases the beauty of Nunavut, with vast icebergs drifting in from Greenland. Known as a denning site for polar bears, the iconic animals can often be seen with their cubs on the island, as they take refuge there when summer ice is scarce, using the island as a hunting base until autumn brings the ice back. Witnessing the white silhouette of a polar bear against the ancient black rock and autumn tundra is an unforgettable experience. Groups of curious harp seals frequently inhabit the waters around Monumental Island, often approaching boats to investigate. The island also features several haul-out sites for the charismatic Atlantic walrus, which, despite their size, are surprisingly gentle and skittish. Observing these magnificent animals caring for their calves while keeping a watchful eye for polar bears is a remarkable sight. Few places in Nunavut offer such stunning views of the Arctic’s captivating wildlife.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Located near the northernmost edge of the Labrador Peninsula, Akpatok Island’s steep, sheer limestone cliffs rise dramatically from icy waters. In winter, this uninhabited island is covered in snow and surrounded by sea ice, attracting a large array of wildlife, particularly the world’s largest population of breeding Thick-billed Murres (known as Brünnich’s Guillemots in Europe), estimated to exceed a million birds. These auks gather on the island’s bare cliffs from June to September, where they incubate their single, pear-shaped egg on the ledges. Glaucous Gulls can often be seen soaring above while Black Guillemots swim nearby. Additionally, the island serves as a summer refuge for polar bears as they await the winter’s ice formation.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Kimmirut is a traditional Inuit hamlet of 455 residents, situated on the southernmost peninsula of Baffin Island, just across the Hudson Strait from mainland Québec. It is the southernmost community on Baffin Island, and its name, which translates to “the heel,” refers to a distinctive rocky outcrop that resembles the back of a foot.
The first contact with Europeans occurred around 1000 AD when Dorset and Norse sailors from Greenland interacted with the local population. This intermittent contact continued for another 500 years between the Thule people and the Vikings. Interactions increased as fur hunters moved further north, whalers arrived in Hudson Strait seeking bowhead whales, and Anglican missionaries came across the bay in 1900. In 1911, Kimmirut became home to the first Hudson Bay trading post on Baffin Island. Today, formerly known as Lake Harbour, Kimmirut is home to over 400 residents who maintain a traditional way of life, fostering a vibrant culture of arts and crafts, including stone carving, ivory scrimshaw, and jewelry making with local gemstones.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Cape Dorset is a small Inuit hamlet situated on Dorset Island, off the southern shore of Baffin Island. Traditionally known as Kinngait, meaning “high mountain,” the area features an impressive 800-foot mountain that defines the Cape. It’s a paradise for nature lovers, boasting breathtaking landscapes and a rich variety of Arctic wildlife, including migratory caribou, seabirds, whales, seals, and walruses.
The ancient Thule (Dorset Culture) peoples inhabited this region for three thousand years, making it the site of the first archaeological discoveries. Captain Luke Foxe was the first European to land here during his quest to find the Northwest Passage in 1631, naming the Cape in honor of his sponsor, Edward Sackville, the Earl of Dorset. In 1913, the Hudson’s Bay Company established a trading post, exchanging furs and skins for essential supplies like tobacco, ammunition, flour, gas, tea, and sugar. When the market for white fox fur collapsed in 1949, the art industry began to flourish. Since the 1950s, Cape Dorset has earned the title of the “Capital of Inuit Art,” becoming a significant economic force in the community, with over 20% of residents employed in the arts.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Coats Island, located in Nunavut, Canada, is a remote and uninhabited landmass nestled in the Arctic waters of Hudson Bay. Covering an area of approximately 1,290 square miles, the island is characterized by its rugged terrain, rocky outcrops, and vast stretches of tundra. Known for its stunning natural beauty, Coats Island serves as an important habitat for a variety of Arctic wildlife, including migratory birds, seals, and polar bears.
The island’s unique ecosystem and pristine landscapes make it a significant area for wildlife observation and research. Historically, Coats Island was inhabited by the Thule and later the Inuit, who relied on its resources for survival. Today, it remains largely untouched, offering a glimpse into the Arctic’s rich natural heritage.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Days at sea offer the ideal chance to relax, recharge, and enjoy onboard activities. Whether it’s hitting the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading, or soaking up the sun, these tranquil sea days perfectly complement the excitement of exploring onshore.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Archaeological findings around Churchill reveal the historical presence of Pre-Dorset, Dorset, and Inuit groups, dating back approximately 4,000 years. Located on the western shore of Hudson Bay at the mouth of the Churchill River, Churchill served as a significant base for the Hudson’s Bay Company and the fur trade. Two forts were constructed in the early 18th century, both recognized as Canadian National Historic Sites. The Parks Canada Visitor Center, situated in the VIA Rail Station, features exhibits on the region’s human and natural history. Today, Churchill has a population of about 1,000 residents and is accessible only by rail, air, or ship between July and November.
The deep-sea port primarily handles the transport of Western Canadian grains. Once the ice melts in the Churchill River Basin, hundreds of beluga whales arrive to feed and rest.
The area between Churchill and the Nelson River to the south is well-known as polar bear territory, and the town even features a Polar Bear Holding Facility, often referred to as the Polar Bear Jail.
Aboard Silver Endeavor Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Today marks the end of your unforgettable journey. You will be met at the pier for your shared transfer to the Churchill Airport where you’ll board your onward flight.
N/A Meals: Breakfast
