Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland Arctic Islands: A 15-Day High Arctic Expedition Cruise Exploring Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland

Arrive at Paris, France's effortlessly cool capital where haute couture meets a world-famous café culture, renowned art galleries, avant-garde gastronomy and iconic symbol of modernity, the Eiffel Tower. Make your way to your hotel, where you will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening, meet your fellow voyagers and some of our expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, join our charter flight to the land of the Midnight Sun and the world's most northerly town and capital of Svalbard, Longyearbyen. With 'the North Pole just around the corner from the pub', as the locals like to say, Longyearbyen is the perfect gateway to our High Arctic adventure. There will be time this afternoon to explore Longyearbyen with its rich mining history and colourful buildings, shops and locals, before boarding Heritage Discoverer. The captain and expedition team will welcome you on board, and you will have time to settle into your accommodations and familiarise yourself with the ship. You are invited to join the expedition team in the Observation Lounge as we set our course for the islands of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet, as our adventure begins. A superb and very fitting start to any Longyearbyen cruise

We have four days to explore the High Arctic wilderness of Svalbard, deep inside the Arctic Circle, with long days of adventure under the Midnight Sun. This is the heart of any Svalbard expedition cruise. Spanning an enormous area of intricate coastline, the remote wilderness of North West Spitsbergen's breathtaking natural beauty combines dramatic glacier-carved fjords with 17th-century whaling camps, and High Arctic wildlife including Polar Bears and Walruses. A definitive Spitsbergen cruise experience. Steep mountains, glaciers, fjords, offshore islands and arctic tundra make this a magical place to explore, with surprises possible around any corner.

We will land on remote shores, looking for Reindeer and Arctic Foxes, as well as Walrus lounging on the beaches. Our guides will also be looking for large footprints in the sand and wisps of white fur, evidence of Polar Bears in the area. We will also look to enjoy the botanical spectacle and splendour of the tundra in bloom. For a few brief months, the snow and ice are replaced by a remarkable array of plantlife, including dazzling mounds of Purple Saxifrage, Arctic Poppies which track the sun with their radar-like flowers, and catkins of the tiny, High Arctic 'trees' of Arctic Willow – the world's northernmost woody plant. At sea, we will look for Blue, Sperm, Minke and Humpback Whales, drawn here at this time of year to feed in the rich ocean. In deep fjords like Krossfjorden and Liefdefjorden, majestic mountains are streaked with snow and ice, while massive glaciers, including Monacobreen and the 14th of July Glacier, tumble into the sea. These rivers of ice are alive with resounding creaks, cracks and groans during their gradual descent. Occasionally, gravity and this movement cause huge chunks of ice to calve off the glacier front, creating beautiful, blue-tinged floating fields of icebergs, which we will explore from our Zodiacs.

Our exploration of the north will be dictated by the legendary pack ice. The warming waters of the Gulf Stream do not reach here, so the fjords and channels can often be clogged with ice through most of the year. However, we hope to be able to navigate Hinlopen Strait, a channel between the two main islands and a taste of Svalbard's harsher side. Permanent ice caps cover much of Nordaustlandet, with snow and ice blanketing the hills, often down to sea level. Any bare ground here is a Polar desert, where only the tiniest and hardiest plants survive. At this time of year, seabirds are incredibly abundant in Svalbard. There are literally millions of them, drawn to the rich oceanic feeding grounds and safe locations to raise their young. Places where vertical towering cliffs plunge into the ocean are home to thousands of breeding Guillemots, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Little Auks and Puffins.

With masses of birds on land, as well as swirling in the air above and swimming in the surrounding sea, a Zodiac cruise under one of these bird colonies is an almost overwhelming, multi-sensory wildlife experience. While most of Svalbard is true wilderness, it also has a long history of human exploration and settlement. During our explorations, we will be looking out for indications of this through old hunters' cabins and historic whaling sites to share this human history with you. It is this variety that keeps guests returning to our Svalbard expeditions year after year

As we steam towards Greenland, there is time to relax after our Svalbard adventures. Join a lecture, relax in the ship's bar, catch up with some reading in the library, journal or edit your photos. We will also be on constant look out for whales and seabirds. Heading further west, we plan to experience the ice edge, a magical place where ice floes and open water are in a constant state of flux. If conditions allow, we will explore this sparkling, ever-changing world by Zodiacs, an unforgettable experience. From the ship, there is the opportunity to spot Ringed and Bearded Seals resting on the ice floes. While it may look like a safe place for them to sleep, they can never fully drop their guard because this is also a favoured place for Polar Bears to hunt. As with all wildlife encounters, we never know when we might see a Polar Bear, and our expert expedition team will be looking for them throughout our voyage on land, at sea and on the ice.

Welcome to Greenland! This is where the true East Greenland expedition cruise experience begins. East Greenland is among the Arctic's most spectacular scenery, and we will enjoy the very best of it over the next three days exploring the largest fjord system on Earth - Scoresby Sund. This vast wilderness covers some 38,000 square kilometres (almost the size of Switzerland), branching into a maze of different arms and channels, the longest of which stretches inland some 350 kilometres from the sea. Explorations here are a true immersion as you appreciate the scale of one of the world's wildest places. Here snow-capped peaks and towering cliffs meet supersized tidewater glaciers calving apartment building-sized icebergs, which create a stunning sight framed by the majestic walls of the fjords. We will expedition cruise by these floating sculptures of ice by ship as well as more intimate explorations by Zodiac, giving an up-close appreciation of their overwhelming grandeur from sea level.

As we cross the Greenland Strait towards the rugged shores of Iceland, enjoy some downtime following the adventures of Greenland. Rest and learn about the fascinating nature and culture of Iceland through lectures ahead of our visit. Now is also a good time to download your photos and free up space on your memory card.

This morning, we arrive in Iceland, 'Land of Fire and Ice', where massive glaciers and active volcanoes join the Northern Lights and rich Viking heritage. Wildlife abounds here, and millions of Atlantic Puffins flock to its coastal cliffs during breeding season, and more than 20 species of whales and dolphins can be found in the surrounding waters. Heritage Discoverer sails to the small fishing community of Ísafjörður, a 16th-century trading post turned cultural epicentre located in the heart of the famed Westfjords region. Renowned for its scenic beauty and expansive wilderness, it is the least populated region in Iceland and, with its layered volcanic fjord shores, is considered one of its most scenic. We plan a morning visit to Ísafjörður to explore with our naturalists, or the town's museums, galleries, and artisan workshops. Venturing further into the heart of the spectacular fjords through some of Iceland's most rugged and untouched landscapes this afternoon, we discover world-famous Dynjandi Waterfall. Situated deep within the fjords in a sheltered bay, the water drops 100 metres via a series of six stepped waterfalls in a formidable display of nature as it traverses a lush arctic meadow filled with wildflowers before reaching the shores of the bay.

Our second day in Iceland sees us greeted by the glacier-carved terrain of Iceland's Snæfellsnes Peninsula, highlighted by the sparkling waterfalls of Drangajökull Glacier, Iceland's northernmost glacier. This morning enjoy exploring the many charms of fishing village Grundarfjörður, surrounded by spectacular mountains, including the town's landmark Mount Kirkjufell, which stands separate to the main mountain range. A sanctuary for the White-tailed Eagle, the largest predatory bird in Iceland. Options include exploring the Langjökull Glacier ice cap on Mount Kirkjufell, or a deep dive into local culture and history with a visit to a traditional farm. Try the local delicacy, fermented Icelandic Shark and encounter Iceland's famous Icelandic Horses, one of the world's oldest and purest horse breeds. This afternoon, explore the old-world charm of the remote island of Flatey, the only inhabited island of the 3,000 small islets studding Breiðafjörður Bay. Here, step back in time among the ancestral houses of this 19th century Icelandic village and discover the world's smallest library, which famously houses the Book of Flatey, one of Iceland's ancient Saga manuscripts. Penned by monks living in the island's former monastery, deemed a centre of knowledge when it was built in 1172 AD on the island's highest point. Visit Grýluvogur beach where colourful boats are anchored. The church's ceiling mural is worth a visit, as is the mural above the altar depicting Jesus wearing a traditional Icelandic woollen jersey. For naturalists, the towering volcanic cliffs attract 50 species of breeding birds, while more than 230 species of vascular plants can be found here

Early this morning we will arrive in Reykjavík, Iceland's trendy capital, where a cutting-edge arts and culture scene rubs shoulders with historic monuments and lively nightlife, and the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. After a final breakfast, we bid farewell to our fellow voyagers and take a complimentary coach transfer to a central city location or Keflavík International Airport. In case of unexpected delays due to weather and/or port operations, we ask you not to book any onward travel until after 12 noon. Note: Wildlife imagery captured using long-focus telephoto lenses and in accordance with AECO and Svalbard Government regulations.

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During our voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. This tour offers a variety of activities and excursions. Your personal interests will determine which of these you wish to join. Please note that some activities and excursions will run at similar times, and it will not be possible to participate in both. Accordingly, refunds for excursions and missed landings are not available. Voyages are planned and scheduled pending final regulatory approval.