Svalbard, Iceland, and Greenland's East Coast

Days 1-2

U.S. / Oslo, Norway

Fly overnight to Oslo. On arrival, check into our group hotel. This afternoon explore this charming city. Stroll amid Oslo’s famed Vigeland sculptures—hundreds of life-size human figures set in parkland. Visit the Fram Museum, dedicated to the wooden ship sailed by Norwegian polar explorers Nansen and Amundsen. Join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening.

Day 3

Oslo / Longyearbyen / Embark Ship

Depart Oslo on a charter flight, and enjoy breathtaking vistas en route to Longyearbyen. Embark National Geographic Resolution.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 4-16

Exploring Svalbard, Greenland, and Iceland

Our day-by-day itinerary, in keeping with the nature of an expedition, is a thoughtfully considered framework based on our long experience in this dynamic arctic region. We take full advantage of our human resources—our experienced captain, expedition leader and naturalists—as well as our technological resources. Armed with the latest satellite imagery, we chart where the ice is impenetrable, and where there are leads guiding us to exciting discoveries. We have an ice-strengthened hull and forward-searching sonar, plus agile Zodiacs and kayaks, allowing us to make forays among the icebergs. The undersea specialist deploys the ROV, bringing back imagery few, if any, have ever seen. And with unforgettable days in the ice and two photographers on board, our guests have assistance to get their best photos ever.

We begin in Svalbard, Norway, a place of deep fjords, snowcapped mountains, and massive ice sheets. Svalbard is one of the best places on the planet to see polar bears in their natural habitat—the sea ice. Venture to the foot of vast tidewater glaciers, kayak among sparkling icebergs, hike the tundra, and explore fjords that split the coastline.

Svalbard’s wonders are a prelude to days ahead of discoveries on unknown shores, following the ice’s edge. Our quest is to discover the Arctic’s grand wilderness. Be on deck as our captain navigates between icebergs that drift from the calving glaciers. With a course set west, Jan Mayen is on our itinerary—an isolated volcanic island in the Arctic Ocean. Here, we discover the island’s unique geology and black sand beaches, and we learn of the interesting history of Jan Mayen’s past inhabitants. If the ice yields, we aim for Scoresbysund on the east coast of Greenland, the longest fjord system in the world. If the ice is unrelenting, we head to Iceland.

The finale of our journey is the west coast of Iceland: Ísafjörður, a picture postcard of Icelandic life; Vigur Island, where we discover the largest eider farm in the world; and Flatey Island, a former trading post.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 17

Reykjavík / Disembark Ship

Our grand adventure takes us to Iceland’s lively capital city, Reykjavík. Have a guided overview of the city, and visit the Sky Lagoon, an intimate, luxurious thermal bath that looks over the North Atlantic Ocean, prior to the flight home.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch