Baffin Bay Cruise

Discover Sisimiut, founded in 1756 and the second largest town in Greenland. This small town is typical of Greenland, boasting bewitching panoramas: here and there, colorful stilt houses dot the undulating landscape and the small fishing port stands as the gateway to an icy realm. As for the town center, it is home to a number of historic buildings, a small church and a museum which retraces the history of the Inuit people, as well as many craft shops. Drop anchor here and set out to meet the locals in a typically arctic atmosphere.

To the east of Baffin Bay, discover Disko Bay, scattered with countless icebergs produced by the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the ship, admire the majestic ballet of these ice giants as they slowly drift across the dark waters. This site is a natural marvel of Greenland, and is also renowned as an observation point for the region’s many humpback whales. The encounters with wild fauna and stunning landscapes in the heart of this spectacular and fragile nature will be pure moments of wonder.

“The most beautiful place in the Arctic” is how Paul-Émile Victor described Greenland, a land of great icebergs and of towering ice formations calved by the giant glaciers of the polar ice cap. The Eqi Glacier is one of the region’s most impressive sights. Here, the silence is broken only by the roaring and cracking of the ice. It is impossible to know if one is shivering from cold or from the sheer thrill of being here… Imagine the vast outline of a glacier, its translucent crystals glowing with an ice-blue fire in the sunlight. Paul-Émile Victor’s shelter cannot be overlooked; it was from here that the French Polar Expeditions’ anthropological and geographic explorations set off in the 1950s.

In the curve of Uummannaq Bay, opposite a narrow passage between two islands, discover the moonscape of the small desert island of Akulleq. The ochre yellow and orange of this mineral site look ablaze under the sunshine of the polar summer. From the island’s summit, contemplate a panoramic view of the bay’s magical landscape and its huge icebergs with surprising shapes. Next, discover the Karrat Fjord. Located in the north of the famous Uummannaq Bay, it stretches out towards the ice sheet. While sailing in this exceptional setting, take the time to admire the beautiful icebergs that surround, as well as the sheer cliffs that tower along the fjord.

Well beyond the Arctic Circle, in the majestic landscapes of Greenland’s Northwest, find the village of Kullorsuaq, the last bastion of Greenland’s traditional hunters. Here find Greenland’s true character… Vast mineral expanses, sumptuous mountains, impressive glaciers and, above all, the local population which still lives off fishing and seal or bear hunting. Hospitality and respect for nature are essential elements in the daily lives of these men and women who live an austere life. Drop anchor in this remote part of the world and set off to discover these friendly people who are also talented craftsmen, deftly sewing the furs and skins of marine mammals. This will be a unique and authentic experience.

Some places in this world are so magical that their beauty cannot be described in words… Savissivik, a small Inuit village with less than a hundred inhabitants, is one such place. Rightly considered to be the biggest iceberg graveyard in Greenland, it is a stunning sight to behold. During a Zodiac outing, sail between these icy giants. Once on land, hike to a viewpoint from which to enjoy breathtaking views over these icebergs, which come in an incredibly diverse range of shapes and colors. Photographers will love it. Savissivik Bay attracts many bears and is also known for having been the home of one of the world’s biggest meteorites, but the latter has now been moved to a museum in New York.

On Baffin Island, located in northern Canada at the mouth of the famous Northwest Passage, there is a small Inuit settlement at the very bounds of infinity. To get there, cross the Arctic Circle, the imaginary line that separates man and woman from lands of mystery and wonder. It’s not so much the way of life that sets Pond Inlet’s inhabitants apart, so much as the setting. Snow-capped mountains, fjords and glaciers combine in a dazzling natural environment that fills space and expands time. Some discoveries change one forever; this is one of them.

The east coast of Baffin Island is a real lacework of fjords. Among them, in the north, is the spectacular Icy Arm fjord. While sailing these parts, be dazzled by the immense cliffs that are sometimes over 3,280 feet high. This is a paradise for base jumping (parachute jumping from the top of the cliffs). During the stop here, consider a hike at the feet of these mountains and within the glacial valleys. When getting back on the boat keep eyes open for marine mammals such as whales, orcas and even narwhals.

Welcome to the kingdom of the cetaceans! Here, those who love the giants of the Arctic won’t know where to look. Isabella Bay is in fact part of the Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area, one of the finest places to observe bowhead whales. From the ship, watch the sumptuous ballet performed by these impressive mammals. With undersea faults over 1,000 feet deep, Isabella Bay, located on the northeast coast of Baffin Island, attracts cetaceans which come here to feed. In addition to the bowhead whales, the uncontested stars of these parts, the Ninginganiq Wildlife Area is also home to ringed seals, narwhals, polar bears, king eiders, little auks and northern fulmars.

All around is a raw landscape of spectacular beauty. Nothing seems to want to disturb the silence in the Sam Ford Fjord on the east coast of Baffin Island. Located only a few kilometers away from the Inuit community of Clyde River, this fjord has the kind of world’s end appearance that only the arctic lands can offer. From the ship, be dazzled by the series of vertiginous cliffs plunging into the waters of the fjord. These impressively high walls of rock, known worldwide to climbing enthusiasts, are reflected in the waters of the fjord, as though to completely shift perspectives and blur the lines between land and sea.

Make the most of the plethora of services and activities on board during this day at sea. Enjoy a workout class in the fitness center, or a treatment in the spa. Take in lectures or shows, do some shopping in the boutique or meet the ship’s photographers. Visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

The ship glides slowly along the water towards the west coast of Greenland, to enter Evighedsfjorden, just a few kilometers south of Kangerlussuaq. Evighedsfjorden means the fjord of Eternity, and for good reason: just when you think you’ve reached the end of this stretch of sea measuring over 62 miles in length, it seems to go on forever, as though to bring even more pleasure to those sailing in it. The spectacular scenery ranges from glaciers to tundra with an abundant flora, and jagged cliffs where numerous bird species have taken up residence. Take the time to observe the white-tailed eagles and the colonies of seagulls and black-legged kittiwakes flying overhead in the area.

From 1941 to 1992, the town of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland was home to an American military base. Nowadays, thanks to its international airport, it has become a transit point for travelers seeking adventure in the Far North. Located to the north of the Arctic Circle, this town is the starting point of magnificent discoveries surrounded by unspoiled nature. Indeed, just a few dozen kilometers from there it is possible to get close to the Greenland ice sheet, the largest body of ice in the Northern Hemisphere. From Kangerlussuaq, admire the superb landscapes of tundra in autumnal colors, where arctic hares, musk oxen, arctic foxes, reindeer, falcons and eagles live.