Canadian Arctic and Northern Lights

Trace a path along the Northwest Passage on the 16-day Northern Canadian Discovery cruise on a boutique expedition ship following part of the legendary ice-filled route that challenged great explorers.


Canadian Arctic and Greenland
SWA @ Swan Hellenic

Duration: 15 nights
Starts: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Ends: Halifax, Canada
Language: English speaking voyage


Included
Optional


Visit parts of the legendary ice-filled route that challenged great explorers on this epic Northern Canadian Discovery voyage. Sail from Greenland through the iceberg capital of the world, and gaze in awe at the straits and fjords crammed with huge icebergs. Watch out for caribou and polar bears on the northern Canadian coast, and you’ll get the chance to hear the stories of the indigenous Inuit people, and discover whaling sites in Newfoundland.

Trip Highlights
• Follow the path of 16th-century whalers and 19th-century explorers
• Marvel at the glistening bergs, growlers and glaciers in the iceberg capital of the world
• Immerse yourself in Inuit culture and traditions as you wander their ancestral homelands

Itinerary

@ Swan Hellenic
@ Swan Hellenic
@ Swan Hellenic

DAY 1: KANGERLUSSUAQ
Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen.

DAY 2: DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

DAY 3: QEQERTARSUAQ
Qeqertarsuaq is the largest town on Disko Island, Greenland's largest island, on its west coast, part of Disko Bay, a UNESCO-listed site for its icebergs. The Lyngemark Glacier rises above the town. The area’s hills, basalt columns and black sand beaches reflect its volcanic origin. The area is fertile and home to species not found elsewhere in Greenland. Keep an eye out for its hot springs as we move through floating icebergs.

DAY 4: ILULISSAT
Sailing through the iceberg capital of the world to Disko Bay, the Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the cruise highlights. Given UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a popular tourist destination, and thanks to the productive Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, thousands of gargantuan icebergs calve from the Greenland ice cap into the sea. The city of Ilulissat is home to many sled-dogs.

DAY 5: SISIMIUT
The northernmost city in Greenland, just north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut remains ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Inuit, Dorset and then Thule people, dog sled remains a common form of transport. Abandoned settlements lie between Sisimiut and the Thule district to the north. The area is home to humpback whales, walrus, and Arctic foxes in their summer coat.

DAY 6: NUUK (GODTHAB)
Home to more than a third of Greenlanders, the capital of Nuuk has a thriving arts scene. Nuuk has a busy old Colonial Harbour with Nuuk Cathedral, colourful wooden houses and avant-garde architecture. It also serves as the gateway to Inuit experiences and natural adventures on the fjords among the icy seas and spectacular mountains.

DAY 7: DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect chance to relax, unwind and do whatever takes your fancy. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, trying to spot a whale from the deck, reading a chapter or two, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to the green days spent exploring on land.

DAY 8: IQALUIT, NU
The native Inuit are an integral part of Iqaluit, a remote community at the head of Frobisher Bay. Once-considered the possible entrance of a Northwest Passage, the bay provides insight into Inuit history and culture including dog-sledding on handmade qamutik sleds led by qimmiiq - North America's oldest and rarest purebred canine. Inuit artworks are showcased at Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum while Inuit history is evident at Crystal II, an ancient Thule Inuit settlement outside of Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

DAY 9: LADY FRANKLIN ISLAND
Most known for its huge vertical cliffs of Archean rocks, reputedly the oldest stones in Canada, Lady Franklin Island is an uninhabited isle off Hall Peninsula on Baffin Island. Black guillemots, ptarmigan and gulls all nest in this ice-filled area of the Davis Strait. Lumbering walrus haul out to the south at Monumental Island, which is also a well-known denning site for polar bears. Nearby, the Cumberland Sound is home to its own species of beluga whale.

DAY 10: TORNGAT MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, NL
Staffed completely by Inuit, Torngat Mountains National Park takes its name from the Inuktitut word Tongait, meaning place of spirits. Here, Inuit share their stories of spirits and traditions in their homeland, where for centuries they have been fishing and hunting polar bears and caribou. This magical land made up of dramatically spectacular mountains and deep fjords nudging up to iceberg-filled waters is only accessible by boat.

DAY 11: HEBRON, NL
The remote Arctic outpost of Hebron, an Inuit community, provides insight into Inuit traditions and Arctic life. The Hebron National Historic Site showcases Arctic landscapes, including fjords, icebergs and wildlife, while shedding light on Inuit heritage through abandoned mission buildings. In 1959, during an Easter service, Moravian church officials abruptly closed the mission, relocating 58 families to other coastal Labrador towns.

DAY 12: DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

DAY 13: L'ANSE AUX MEDOWS, NL
The 1,000-year-old Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows (Meadows Cove), on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, is the first and only authenticated Viking site in the Americas, believed to have been occupied by Leif Erikson. He was the first European to explore Canada's east coast in around 1021. Some of the 800 original Norse artefacts and eight sod houses are on view during a tour of the recreated village, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

DAY 14: BONNE BAY, NL
Bonne Bay, Newfoundland’s only true fjord, is part of Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Waterfalls and rocky pinnacles dot the cliffs, while majestic whales breach the surface of the fjord and playful dolphins frolic in the waves. Woody Point is a small town on its south side, known for its heritage wooden buildings, with the John William Roberts House, a testament to the town's shipbuilding past.

DAY 15: DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

DAY 16: HALIFAX
Founded as a naval base in 1749, Halifax’s seafaring history is well-grounded with the Canadian Museum of Immigration where one million Europeans landed up until 1971. Another reminder is the Noon Gun that has fired from the looming Citadel fortress since 1857. When Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 pm, April 14, 1912, ships set sail from here. Many victims are buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, while the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic displays rescued artefacts.

Itinerary

DAY 1: KANGERLUSSUAQ
Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen.

DAY 2: DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

DAY 3: QEQERTARSUAQ
Qeqertarsuaq is the largest town on Disko Island, Greenland's largest island, on its west coast, part of Disko Bay, a UNESCO-listed site for its icebergs. The Lyngemark Glacier rises above the town. The area’s hills, basalt columns and black sand beaches reflect its volcanic origin. The area is fertile and home to species not found elsewhere in Greenland. Keep an eye out for its hot springs as we move through floating icebergs.

DAY 4: ILULISSAT
Sailing through the iceberg capital of the world to Disko Bay, the Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the cruise highlights. Given UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a popular tourist destination, and thanks to the productive Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, thousands of gargantuan icebergs calve from the Greenland ice cap into the sea. The city of Ilulissat is home to many sled-dogs.

DAY 5: SISIMIUT
The northernmost city in Greenland, just north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut remains ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Inuit, Dorset and then Thule people, dog sled remains a common form of transport. Abandoned settlements lie between Sisimiut and the Thule district to the north. The area is home to humpback whales, walrus, and Arctic foxes in their summer coat.

DAY 6: NUUK (GODTHAB)
Home to more than a third of Greenlanders, the capital of Nuuk has a thriving arts scene. Nuuk has a busy old Colonial Harbour with Nuuk Cathedral, colourful wooden houses and avant-garde architecture. It also serves as the gateway to Inuit experiences and natural adventures on the fjords among the icy seas and spectacular mountains.

DAY 7: DAY AT SEA
Days at sea are the perfect chance to relax, unwind and do whatever takes your fancy. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, trying to spot a whale from the deck, reading a chapter or two, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to the green days spent exploring on land.

DAY 8: IQALUIT, NU
The native Inuit are an integral part of Iqaluit, a remote community at the head of Frobisher Bay. Once-considered the possible entrance of a Northwest Passage, the bay provides insight into Inuit history and culture including dog-sledding on handmade qamutik sleds led by qimmiiq - North America's oldest and rarest purebred canine. Inuit artworks are showcased at Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum while Inuit history is evident at Crystal II, an ancient Thule Inuit settlement outside of Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

DAY 9: LADY FRANKLIN ISLAND
Most known for its huge vertical cliffs of Archean rocks, reputedly the oldest stones in Canada, Lady Franklin Island is an uninhabited isle off Hall Peninsula on Baffin Island. Black guillemots, ptarmigan and gulls all nest in this ice-filled area of the Davis Strait. Lumbering walrus haul out to the south at Monumental Island, which is also a well-known denning site for polar bears. Nearby, the Cumberland Sound is home to its own species of beluga whale.

DAY 10: TORNGAT MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, NL
Staffed completely by Inuit, Torngat Mountains National Park takes its name from the Inuktitut word Tongait, meaning place of spirits. Here, Inuit share their stories of spirits and traditions in their homeland, where for centuries they have been fishing and hunting polar bears and caribou. This magical land made up of dramatically spectacular mountains and deep fjords nudging up to iceberg-filled waters is only accessible by boat.

DAY 11: HEBRON, NL
The remote Arctic outpost of Hebron, an Inuit community, provides insight into Inuit traditions and Arctic life. The Hebron National Historic Site showcases Arctic landscapes, including fjords, icebergs and wildlife, while shedding light on Inuit heritage through abandoned mission buildings. In 1959, during an Easter service, Moravian church officials abruptly closed the mission, relocating 58 families to other coastal Labrador towns.

DAY 12: DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

DAY 13: L'ANSE AUX MEDOWS, NL
The 1,000-year-old Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows (Meadows Cove), on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, is the first and only authenticated Viking site in the Americas, believed to have been occupied by Leif Erikson. He was the first European to explore Canada's east coast in around 1021. Some of the 800 original Norse artefacts and eight sod houses are on view during a tour of the recreated village, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

DAY 14: BONNE BAY, NL
Bonne Bay, Newfoundland’s only true fjord, is part of Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Waterfalls and rocky pinnacles dot the cliffs, while majestic whales breach the surface of the fjord and playful dolphins frolic in the waves. Woody Point is a small town on its south side, known for its heritage wooden buildings, with the John William Roberts House, a testament to the town's shipbuilding past.

DAY 15: DAY AT SEA
Sea days are rarely dull. Take the time to sit back and let the world go by. The ship’s observation decks provide stunning views of the passing ocean. A day at sea gives you the opportunity to mingle with other passengers and share your experiences of this incredible trip or head to our library which is stocked full of reference books. Get an expert’s view in one of our on-board lectures or perhaps perfect your photography skills with invaluable advice from our onboard professional photographers.

DAY 16: HALIFAX
Founded as a naval base in 1749, Halifax’s seafaring history is well-grounded with the Canadian Museum of Immigration where one million Europeans landed up until 1971. Another reminder is the Noon Gun that has fired from the looming Citadel fortress since 1857. When Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 pm, April 14, 1912, ships set sail from here. Many victims are buried at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, while the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic displays rescued artefacts.


@ Swan Hellenic
@ Swan Hellenic
@ Swan Hellenic


INCLUSIONS

• Return regional flights to the port of embarkation and/or disembarkation (where specified)
• Group return transfers from the airport to the cruise port (via our included accommodation where applicable)
• One night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel or onboard
• All meals onboard
• 24-hour room service
• Coffee, tea, soft drinks and selected alcoholic beverages available 24-hours per day
• Lecture programmes by the experienced expedition team and guest speakers
• Standard WiFi
• Onboard gratuities and port taxes
• One selected shore excursion/expedition activity per port of call
• Branded expedition parka and use of rubber boots in Polar Regions
• Itineraries are correct at time of publishing and may be subject to change

EXCLUSIONS

• All other expenses specifically not mentioned under Inclusions


Dates & Rates


Ship: SH Vega | Date: 15 Sept 2025 - 30 Sept 2025 (1483)
Oceanview D4
$8,980
Oceanview M4
$9,480
Balcony D5
$11,780
Balcony M5
$12,280
Balcony D6
$12,880
Suite
$16,380
Premium Suite
$18,080

* The prices are per person in US Dollars, unless expressly specified in a different currency. In that case, payment will be in US dollars at the exchange rate of the day.
** Rates are correct at the time of publication. All prices will be re-confirmed by email at the time of booking.
NOTE: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

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