HIGHLIGHTS
- With featured guest Nick Rains, Australian photo ambassador.
- The crossing of the Northwest Passage, a labyrinthine
shipping route at the boundaries of the Far North, in the wake of the
legendary explorer Roald Amundsen.
- Outings and shore visits in zodiac inflatables with a team
of experienced naturalist guides.
- The possibility of meeting the Greenlandic and Canadian
Inuit people to share a unique moment in Holman and Gjoa Haven.
- In the footsteps of the great polar explorers, the
discovery of Amundsen’s wintering site in Gjoa Haven, right
near the mythical shipwrecks of John Franklin’s HMS Erebus
and HMS Terror.
- The discovery of the western coast of Greenland, bathed by
Baffin Bay, and its traditional villages surrounded by icebergs,
glaciers, tundra and sumptuous mountains.
- Disko Bay, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see
the Northern Hemisphere’s largest icebergs.
- Landscapes: ice pack, myriads of jagged islands, fjords,
glaciers, mountain chains, monumental icebergs as you travel towards
Greenland.
- Wildlife: Arctic foxes, sea birds, belugas, narwhals,
bowhead whales, humpback whales, muskox, walruses and the possibility
of seeing polar bears.
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Superior Stateroom | Deluxe Stateroom | Prestige Stateroom-I | Prestige Stateroom-II | Prestige Stateroom-III | Deluxe Suite | Prestige Suite-I | Prestige Suite-II | Owner's Suite |
|---|
| Aug 28, 2024 | Sep 19, 2024 | N/A | N/A | 29,310 | 30,580 | 32,110 | 43,300 | 57,270 | 60,080 | 89,660 |
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Superior Stateroom | (Mid-range)
Prestige Stateroom-III | (High-end)
Owner's Suite |
|---|
| Aug 28, 2024 | Sep 19, 2024 | N/A | 32,110 | 89,660 |
ITINERARY
Day
1 : KANGERLUSSUAQ
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 travellers 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 kilometres 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 also the superb
landscapes of tundra in autumnal colours, where Arctic hares, musk
oxen, Arctic foxes, reindeer, falcons and eagles live.
Day
2 : SISIMIUT
During
your cruise, we invite you to 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, colourful
stilt houses dot the undulating landscape, and the small fishing port
stands as the gateway to an icy realm. As for the town centre, 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. When your ship drops anchor here, you will set out to meet the
locals in a typically arctic atmosphere.
Day
3 : DISKO BAY
To
the east of Baffin Bay, discover Disko Bay, scattered with countless
icebergs produced by the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. From your 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 for you.
Day
4 : AKULLEQ
In
the curve of Uummannaq Bay, opposite a narrow passage between two
islands, you will 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 you will be able to contemplate a panoramic view of the
bay’s magical landscape and its huge icebergs with surprising
shapes.
Day
5 : KULLORSUAQ
Well
beyond the Arctic Circle, in the majestic landscapes of
Greenland’s Northwest, you will find the village of
Kullorsuaq, the last bastion of Greenland’s traditional
hunters. Here is where you will 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, who live
an austere life. When we drop anchor in this remote part of the world,
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.
Day
6 : SAVISSIVIK
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 your zodiac outing, you will sail between these
icy giants. Once on land, you can hike to a viewpoint from which to
enjoy breathtaking views over these icebergs, which come in an
incredibly diverse range of shapes and colours. 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.
Day
7 : POND INLET, NUNAVUT
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 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 you forever: this is one of them.
Day 8 : SAILING
IN THE LANCASTER SOUND
Between
Devon Island and Baffin Island, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut,
Lancaster Sound forms part of the Northwest Passage, a shipping route
crossing the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, along the northern coast of
North America. Coveted for almost 300 years, it saw several expeditions
including the fatal one led by John Franklin, seen for the last time
near Lancaster Sound in August 1845. Many colonies of cetaceans, polar
bears and seabirds have taken up residence in or near these nourishing
waters at the confluence of the currents. Situated in Inuit territory,
the Sound is the subject of plans to create a marine conservation area
intended to protect this rich ecosystem and its inhabitants.
Day 9 : BEECHEY ISLAND, NUNAVUT
Beechey
Island, at the eastern end of Resolute Bay, will call to mind some of
the most important moments of Franklin’s expedition. Sir John
set off in 1845 in search of the mythical Northwest Passage and was
forced to take shelter in Erebus Harbour for two long years, while he
waited for the ice floes to recede and allow him a way through. It is a
spectacular location; seeing the three wooden grave markers, bleached
by the sun (indicating the burial places of at least three of Captain
Franklin’s men) and visiting the memorial that has been
erected in memory of Franklin and his men can only reinforce the hushed
sense of reverence. If the surrounding wilderness impresses us, the
ochre and yellows of the rocky desert soften the landscape.
Day
9 : DEVON ISLAND, NUNAVUT
Located
in Baffin Bay, Devon Island is part of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
Anchored on the Arctic Cordillera, its rocky surface, similar to that
of Mars, is of great interest to scientists. Robert Bylot and William
Baffin were the first Europeans to sight Devon Island in 1616 but it
would be mapped two centuries later by the British sailor William E.
Parry, who named it after the eponymous English region. Around 1920,
the Hudson's Bay Company set up a fur-trading outpost there, until the
departure of the Inuits in 1936. A new attempt to populate it was made
at the beginning of the 1950s. Only a few buildings in ruins, vestiges
of that time, remain today.
Day
10 : FURY BEACH, NUNAVUT
The
ice floe gradually appears as you approach Somerset Island, in the
heart of the North West Passage. In a zodiac dinghy, you will land on
Fury Beach, a place with a rich history where the English explorer
William Edward Parry ran aground in 1825. He left materials and
supplies here in order to help the next expeditions that would pass by
this site. During your hike around the majestic canyon of Fury Beach,
you’ll be dazzled by the surprising landscape: the turquoise
green water and sheer cliffs are reminiscent of the Grand Canyon or the
High Atlas in Morocco. If fortune smiles on you, you will perhaps come
across a family of polar bears roaming the enormous ice floes. A
sublime hike; a sense of wonder is guaranteed.
Day
11 : BELLOT STRAIT
A
key stage in the North West Passage, the Bellot Strait, crossed by
strong currents, promises you an unforgettable sailing experience. The
entrance to the strait is dominated by the Ross Cairn. The buildings of
Fort Ross also stand not far from here. Separating Somerset Island from
the Boothia Peninsula, this 2-km-wide strait was discovered in 1852 by
Captain William Kennedy of the Royal Navy, and the Frenchman
Joseph-René Bellot, during an expedition in search of Sir
John Franklin. Discover a magnificent décor covered in snow,
fragmented by large ice floes. As you sail between them, your ship will
perhaps be accompanied by a few polar bears.
Day
11 : CONINGHAM BAY, NUNAVUT
At
the heart of the legendary Northwest Passage, discover the sheltered
Coningham Bay in the south-east of Prince of Wales Island, during an
exceptionnal sailing. The surrounding waters, rich in nutrients brought
in by the tides and currents, are home to cetaceans including beluga
whales. The polar bear, lord of the Arctic, has also established its
realm on this hunting ground where food tends to be abundant. When
conditions are favourable, extraordinary encounters with the wildlife
are possible in these isolated lands.
Day
12 : GJOA HAVEN, NUNAVUT
Discovered
by the Scottish explorer John Ross in 1830, King William Island was
named in honour of the reigning British King. In September 1903,
Captain Roald Amundsen was the first to drop anchor at Gjoa Haven, the
only inhabited part of the island, where a few Inuit were the only sign
of human life. The Norwegian sailor decided to overwinter here for two
years, to attempt to find the location of the mysterious Magnetic North
Pole. Roald Amundsen interacted with the local Inuit to learn how to
survive in these extreme conditions and freezing temperatures. We
invite you to discover this small hamlet in the Nunavut region, located
just above the Arctic Circle. Do not miss this unique opportunity to
discover these forgotten lands.
Day
13 : AT SEA
During
your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities
on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay
in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself
be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey
without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the
conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities
offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT
photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea,
they will be able to 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.
Day
14 : EDINBURGH ISLAND, NUNAVUT
Fall
under the charm of small and uninhabited Edinburgh Island, in Nunavut.
Blueberries, crowberries, arctic willow, cranberries: vegetation rules
the roost here, with no fewer than 19 types of dwarf shrubs, berries
and flowers identified. In autumn, these species are adorned with
shimmering colours that produce a magnificent picture. The tundra,
dotted with red and yellow touches, competes in its beauty with the
superb ochres of the sandy beaches and the dark tones of the
surrounding cliffs. At the end of a walk towards the heights of the
island, enjoy a superb panorama with a view over lakes, sea and basalt
mountains. An enchanting place, frequented by caribous, peregrine
falcons, reindeer, Arctic foxes and hares.
Day
15 : HOLMAN (ULUKHAKTOK)
Set
off to meet the inhabitants of Holman for an unforgettable moment in
the midst of a welcoming community. With some 500 inhabitants, this
hamlet located on the west of Victoria Island has learned how best to
adapt to an at-times harsh environment and a difficult climate. As you
visit this village in the Canadian Far North, admire the prints and
other objects created by the very rich local craftsmanship. Traditional
singing and dancing are also part of the daily life of this commune, to
the great delight of fans of Inuit culture. The village of Holman, also
called Ulukhaktok, is one of those places in which you can share an
authentic experience in a remote land.
Day
16 : JESSE HARBOUR
In
the glacial waters of the Beaufort Sea, on the eastern shores of Banks
Island, Jesse Harbour is thought of as the end of the world, beyond the
72nd parallel north. The island is known for its large population of
musk oxen, these behemoths covered in thick fur, perfectly adapted to
the harsh Arctic climate. In these distant polar lands, the changing
weather imposes its will. Conditions permitting, an outing and various
hikes will provide an opportunity to get as close as possible to the
abundant fauna that inhabits the ice floe and this far-flung world.
Day
17 : SMOKING HILLS
In
the far north of the Northwest Territories, nestling at the junction of
the Amundsen Gulf, the Smoking Hill astonish, intrigue and captivate.
Considered one of the most fascinating and mysterious phenomena on the
planet, this geological paradise, where dozens of kilometres of smoke
columns emanate from impressive cliffs coloured in ochre and crimson,
will take you on a timeless journey. Spotted for the first time by the
British navigator John Franklin during an exploration of the region in
1926, these smoking strata of hydrocarbons result from the chemical
reaction between the oil shales and the lignite deposits, a mix of clay
shale and pyrite that spontaneously ignites on contact with air,
causing this unique natural phenomenon.
Day
18 : SAILING IN BEAUFORT SEA
Delimited
by the entrance to the Northwest Passage and the Amundsen Gulf to the
east and by Canada’s Yukon and Northwest Territories to the
west, the Beaufort Sea makes up part of the – almost
– inaccessible Arctic Ocean. Due to its extreme weather
conditions, it was not explored until 1914, by the Canadian explorer
Vilhjalmur Stefansson. However, it was named after Francis Beaufort, a
British admiral and hydrographer. You will sail on these remote waters
strewn with a mosaic of ice resulting from sea-ice breakup. Surrounded
by this stunning scenery, you may spot a few belugas and bowhead
whales, established in colonies in the region.
Day
19 : KING POINT, YUKON
On
the edge of the Beaufort Sea, on the northeastern side of the Yukon,
one of the three territories in the far north of Canada, you will sail
near King Point. It was off its rocky coast edged with tundra that
Roald Amundsen anchored with other whalers after crossing the legendary
Northwest Passage aboard the Gjöa, and wintered from August
1905 to March 1906. One of his crewmen, Gustav Juel Wiik, a young
engineer who died of respiratory problems, is buried inside the King
Point magnetic observatory. If conditions are favourable, you might
even catch a glimpse of the abundant wildlife in the area, including
the polar bear.
Day
20-22 : SAILING IN BEAUFORT SEA
Delimited
by the entrance to the Northwest Passage and the Amundsen Gulf to the
east and by Canada’s Yukon and Northwest Territories to the
west, the Beaufort Sea makes up part of the – almost
– inaccessible Arctic Ocean. Due to its extreme weather
conditions, it was not explored until 1914, by the Canadian explorer
Vilhjalmur Stefansson. However, it was named after Francis Beaufort, a
British admiral and hydrographer. You will sail on these remote waters
strewn with a mosaic of ice resulting from sea-ice breakup. Surrounded
by this stunning scenery, you may spot a few belugas and bowhead
whales, established in colonies in the region.
Day
22 : KING ISLAND, ALASKA
Situated
in the Bering Sea, King Island was discovered in 1778. It is named
after James King, a crew member of the expedition led by James Cook.
King Island was inhabited by a group of Inupiat until the mid-20th
century; their now-abandoned village was called Ukivok. You will enjoy
sailing around this island with its sheer cliffs that shelter many bird
species, such as tufted and horned puffins, black-legged kittiwakes,
and thick-billed murres.
Day
23 : NOME, ALASKA
Located
along the Bering Strait at the westernmost point of Alaska, Nome offers
the rustic charm of a former gold-mining town, set in the middle of
magnificent wilderness. As you weave in and out of the brightly
coloured houses, you will discover the pioneering legacy that still
marks local traditions. Fishing, reindeer rearing, sledge-racing...
People here live from their manual labour. The surrounding plains
provide stunning vantage points for observing Arctic fauna.
Le Boreal (Luxury Expedition, 264-guests)
Le Boreal embodies the subtle alliance between luxury, intimacy and wellbeing which is PONANT's signature. The elegance of her exterior and interior lines and her intimate size (only 132 staterooms and suites) make this a rare and innovative yacht on the cruise market. Superior materials, discreet elegance and a tasteful decor reflect a nautical mood subtly revisited. Aboard, soothing neutral grey tones are enlivened by splashes of red, our signature theme linking tradition and innovation to create personal touches in the spirit of a private yacht.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Flight Paris/Kangerlussuaq and Kangerlussuaq/Paris selected
by PONANT in economy class.
- Transfers mentioned in the programme.
- English-speaking assistance.
Excluded
from this voyage:
- Personal expenses.
- Any other service not mentioned in the programme.
