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Journey with scientists, historians, Inuit artists, and culturalists to three distinct Arctic regions on this voyage aboard the Ocean Endeavour expedition ship. Explore the deep fjords and vibrant communities of Greenland, including the world’s smallest capital, Nuuk. Cross the Davis Strait in the wake of explorers like John Davis, Henry Hudson, and William Baffin, and search for marine life and seabirds. Meet South Baffin Island’s world-famous Inuit art-making communities and pick up a wood carving, print, or tapestry. And in Nunavik, along the Arctic coast of Quebec, keep your binoculars ready for thick-billed murres, guillemots, dovekies, and more. Plentiful sea ice means great opportunities for viewing larger Arctic fauna from the ship or aboard a Zodiac. Every day throughout this trip, there will be workshops, talks, guided hikes, and many opportunities to immerse yourself in the history, science, and traditions of this unique region.
Note: This trip is not exclusive to Atlas Obscura. Our small group of Atlas Obscura travelers will be joining around 150 adventurers from all across the world.
Arrive today in Ottawa, Ontario. After checking into the group hotel, begin getting to know fellow travelers during an evening meet-and-greet. Tomorrow, you’ll be transferred to the airport for our flight to Iqaluit.
Group Hotel, Ottawa
This morning, we’ll board our charter flight to Iqaluit, Nunavut’s bustling capital, located at the head of Frobisher Bay. A population of nearly 8,000 (and growing) call Iqaluit home. Local attractions include the territorial legislature, igloo-inspired St. Jude’s Cathedral, art shops, and more. After a short bus transfer from the Iqaluit airport, we’ll ride through the harbour by Zodiac to the Ocean Endeavour, our home for the next two weeks. Once all are aboard, we’ll begin our journey down Frobisher Bay.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Join in presentations facilitated by onboard staff—featuring talks, discussions, and debates about a wide range of topics, from wildlife illustration to offshore drilling—designed to deepen your understanding of the Arctic as we go. Our geologists will have you raving about rocks, and the tundra plants beneath your feet are worth a closer look. Throughout this journey, and especially in our early days aboard the ship, we’ll be on the lookout for wildlife. Expect compelling scenery, and soak up the Arctic splendor as we go!
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kimmirut means “the heel” in Inuktitut, referring to a marble outcrop across the bay from the community. Today (weather permitting, as always!), we’ll visit Kimmirut, widely considered one of the most charming communities on the South Baffin coast. Art aficionados may know the hamlet as Lake Harbour, once the home of a Hudson Bay company post. Art has played a major role in putting Kimmirut on the map. The Dewey Soper Building houses a gallery of outstanding works of art.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We’ll continue on to Kinngait, long the epicenter of the Inuit art market. In 1959, the West Baffin Eskimo Co-Operative was established here. Today, the cooperative is the oldest arts organization in the Canadian Arctic and the oldest professional Inuit printmaking studio in Canada. Old and new generations of outstanding artists, carvers, and printmakers continue to make Kinngait a proud hub for Inuit art. We’ll visit studios and meet the artists here—an opportunity to purchase outstanding works straight from the source and learn about the process of creating them.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
On this exploration day, we’ll be making the most of what the weather and wildlife have to offer. We can expect to navigate the icy waters of Hudson Strait. Our expedition staff will scan for polar bears, walrus, whales, seals, and seabirds as we go.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We call in at Nunavik’s most northern community, Ivujivik. This village of just under 500 people sits at the confluence of Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay, where the high tidal environment provides for rich wildlife. Nunavik is the Inuit homeland in Quebec and comprises the northern third of the province.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Heading northwest along the Ungava Peninsula, stop to explore an area of treeless tundra rich in geology and flora—tiny, hardy, and complex flowers, lichens, mosses, grasses, herbs, and shrubs capable of thriving in the low light and temperatures of the Arctic. We’ll hike through this spare landscape and enjoy a Zodiac cruise.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
At just over 560 square miles, uninhabited Akpatok Island is the biggest island in Ungava Bay. It’s named for the akpat—the thick-billed murres—that nest on ledges of its lofty cliffs. These penguin-like birds are truly a delight to watch: tremendous swimmers, but comical flyers. Here we’ll use our Zodiacs to scout the shorelines and any outlying ice with hopes of seeing polar bears, walrus, and other marine life.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today will be an expedition day in the truest sense as we navigate the east coast of Ungava Bay. We’ll search for polar bears as we call in at an abandoned fishing community. As always, expedition staff will be watching for birds, marine mammals, and wildlife on the land. Vigilance pays off—keep your binoculars and expedition gear at the ready!
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today will be spent entirely at sea, as we steam across the Davis Strait toward Greenland. It’ll be an excellent time to enjoy workshops and group learning, watch a documentary, or dive into our shipboard library. While on deck, keep your binoculars ready for surfacing minke and humpback whales amid pack ice, as well as the seabirds that are sure to mark our passage.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland that bridges old and new. The old harbor region of town includes many buildings dating from the Danish colonial days. The modern downtown includes shopping, cafes, and restaurants, and public institutions with a European influence. The Greenland National Museum is one of Nuuk’s many outstanding features; the world-famous Greenland mummies are housed here. The museum’s exhibits also offer in-depth information about the colonial, Norse, and Inuit presence in Greenland.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The western coastline of Greenland is a rich mixture of fishing communities, islands, and complex coastal waterways. The waters are relatively warm here, due to the West Greenland Current and the sub-Arctic location, making for lusher vegetation. In the spirit of expedition travel, we’ll keep plans flexible today and avail ourselves of the opportunities that present themselves.
Cabin, Ocean Endeavor
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early this morning we’ll complete our overnight journey up Sondre Stromfjord—a 104-mile-long fjord surrounded by mountains and glaciers. Kangerlussuaq, the town at its eastern head, means "the big fjord" and is a former U.S. Air Force base, as well as Greenland’s primary flight hub. We’ll transfer to shore by Zodiac before driving along Greenland’s longest road—less than 12 miles—to the airport. Our charter flight will take us to Toronto, where you can extend your stay or catch flights homeward.
The total cost of your trip depends on the type of cabin you select. Cabin costs vary, from the Interior Twin ($7,395 per person) to the Comfort Twin ($11,295 per person). Note that the price of the trip does not include the two charter flights, which cost an additional $2,295.
There are 10 cabin types available to choose, including quads, suites, and twins. We strongly recommend recommend the twin cabin types in categories 3–6, which offer a range of options and prices. Free single supplement cabins are available in select categories. All cabins have private baths. Exterior cabins have windows while interior cabins do not. If you’d like more detailed information and/or photographs of the different cabin types, or would like to book a cabin type not listed below, please contact us.
Kayaking: Explore at water level in small groups with our experienced kayak guides. We offer double kayaks, as well as the essential gear for safety and comfort.
Biking: Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, an independent explorer, or are keen to cover more ground, bikes offer an opportunity to experience communities and landscapes at your own pace. We carry a fleet of Kona mountain bikes. These multi-geared, all-purpose bikes are available during select community excursions.
This expedition can be as leisurely or active as you’d like it to be. Excursions off-ship are optional, but they’re often the most exciting part of the day. Anyone with a medium level of mobility can come aboard the inflatable boats (Zodiacs) used for on-shore excursions—it is comparable to getting in and out of a pick-up truck. For any biking and kayaking (available at a supplementary cost), basic experience is required and physical fitness is essential. All final decisions on excursions will be made by the Expedition Leader.
We recommend arriving in Ottawa, Canada on July 19; the group’s charter flight departs in the early morning on July 20. Your hotel room for July 19 is included in the trip cost, and the hotel will serve as the location for an evening meet-and-greet. For returning home after the trip, we recommend departing from Toronto on August 1 or later, and reserving your own hotel for the night of August 1 We will arrive on the return charter flight to Toronto in the late afternoon on August 1. The private charter flights are an additional cost of $2,295 and will be booked through Atlas Obscura and Adventure Canada.
Because of the exploratory nature of these voyages, we do not have a rigidly set itinerary. The final decisions on our daily program will make the best use of local ice and weather conditions, spontaneous opportunities, and wildlife. The notes in this itinerary are designed to give you a good idea of our intentions, and what your days will look like, but there will very likely be some changes.