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    The Geographic North Pole and exploration of northern Greenland

    Highlights

    Push the boundaries of navigation and set sail for 90 degrees North! During this exceptional polar exploration, you will go in search of the mythical Geographic North Pole. Head slowly up through the desert landscapes of the constantly changing ice floe. Your odyssey will continue as you travel down along Greenland, amidst the ice of the Transpolar Drift. Between majestic fjords and encounters with the Inuit culture, the region of Ittoqqortoormiit is rich in rare treasures holding inestimable value. This region near the auroral circle could offer you a choice position in a period that is ideal for observing the Northern Lights. Another Arctic marvel.

    • In alliance with The Explorers Club, this voyage will feature onboard lectures by deep-sea submersible pilot Kate Wawatai. An Explorers Club Science Grantee will also be aboard to share ongoing scientific research. 
    • Discover the landscapes (ice compression ridges, vertiginous walls of ice, glaciers) and the wildlife (opportunities to glimpse or observe polar bears, seabirds, cetaceans, etc.).
    • Activities: opportunities for outings and shore visits in a rubber dinghy; landings on the ice; kayaking; hiking or snowshoeing; polar plunging; encounters with Inuit communities.

    Map/Itinerary

    Please note:

    • This itinerary is intended as a general guide. Plans may change along the way due to weather conditions, sea state, or decisions made by the expedition leader and team to ensure the safest and most rewarding experience.

    Day 1Embarkation day - Paris/Longyearbyen

    Flight Paris/Longyearbyen.
    Approximate flight duration: 4 h 30

    We suggest you to be at the check-in counter 2 hours before departure.
    We highly recommend you arrive in Paris the day before this flight.

    Meet & greet at the airport by a local English-speaking representative.
    According to the arrival time at Longyearbyen, services or activities will be adapted before your transfer to the pier for embarkation.

    Day 2At Sea

    Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

    Day 3-5Navigating through the sea ice

    Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

    Day 6-7Geographic North Pole

    Defined by a 90° North latitude, the Geographic North Pole lies on the Earth’s rotational axis, at the intersection of all meridians. Plunged into darkness for six months of the year, then lit by the sun for the following six months, this mythical site, permanently covered in ice and remote from any land, has fascinated generations of explorers. So far, only a very few people have ever reached it: an exploit which is now accessible to you aboard Le Commandant Charcot.

    Day 8-9Navigating through the sea ice

    Enjoy the absolutely unique experience of sailing to the heart of the ice floe, this vast expanse of virgin, immaculate ice. The landscapes are constantly changing, shifting from a smooth, flat wilderness to a chaos of ice, then to channels of open water. Your ship will sail along these naturally open channels and through the areas where the frozen layer is thinnest, offering you the chance to experience magic maritime moments in the midst of drifting sea ice. It will also often be an opportunity to see a particular kind of fauna, totally dependent on the ice floe.

    Day 10Peary Land

    Named after the American polar explorer Peary, who led a first expedition there between 1891 and 1892, Peary Land is a peninsula located in northern Greenland. It stands out in the region for its dry, desert-like character, making it a polar area with surprisingly very little ice cover. Low mountain ranges and broad valleys create open landscapes, giving those who venture there an indescribable sense of freedom. Here, it is not uncommon to see fascinating musk oxen.

    Day 11Sailing ice floes along Greenland

    The north-east of Greenland is renowned for being home to one of the oldest and thickest layers of ice on the planet. Aboard your ship, you will have the unique opportunity of sailing to the heart of this icy wilderness, many thousands of years old, and will travel along one of the world’s most isolated coasts, between drifting ice and blue icebergs.

    Day 12Station Nord

    Isolated in the far north of Greenland, Station Nord is tasked with studying climate change, monitoring the Arctic environment and safeguarding Danish interests in the region. This military and scientific base was established in 1952 to strengthen Denmark’s presence in these lands, its location making it a particularly strategic outpost for the country. It houses research facilities, staff accommodation and support infrastructure.

    Day 13-14Sailing ice floes along Greenland

    The north-east of Greenland is renowned for being home to one of the oldest and thickest layers of ice on the planet. Aboard your ship, you will have the unique opportunity of sailing to the heart of this icy wilderness, many thousands of years old, and will travel along one of the world’s most isolated coasts, between drifting ice and blue icebergs.

    Day 15Northeast Greenland National Park

    With a craggy coastline formed by gigantic fjords, magnificent alpine mountains looming over them, the shores of north-east Greenland offer breathtaking landscapes and are home to the largest national park in the world. Covering an area of around one million square kilometres, almost half the island, the North-East Greenland National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is a particularly isolated region. Cut off for many months of the year by the ice floe, it is renowned for its pristine nature and rich wildlife.

    Day 16Exploration of Ittoqqortoormiit Region

    On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region that is covered with snow and ice for nine months of the year, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of an isolated territory and exploring the beauty of its infinite polar whiteness. The high alpine mountains punctuate the sky and gradually reveal their dark rock edges beneath a coat of snow. Located at the entrance to the longest system of fjords in the world, sits the village of Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the northernmost inhabited places on the East coast. Its name means ‘great house’ in Greenlandic and it is home to the last hunters of the polar region, whose ancestral way of life you will encounter. As soon as the thickness of the ice floe allows it, the hunters set out on the trail of walruses, seals, narwhals, musk oxen and polar bears, travelling by traditional dog sleds. On these expanses of immaculate snow, the silence is broken only by the sounds of the dogs, the grating of a sled coming back from a run or of footsteps on the ice. You will discover Inuit traditions through privileged and festive moments on the ice floe and in the village.

    Day 17Scoresby Sound

    Covering an area of 13,700 km2 (5,290 mi2), Scoresby Sound is the largest and deepest fjord system in the world. Named after the explorer and whale hunter William Scoresby, who mapped the region in 1822, it opens onto the Greenland Sea to the north of the Blosseville Coast. This wild and desert region offers untouched panoramas of infinite beauty, with high snow-capped peaks rising tall alongside icebergs immersed in clear, blue-tinged waters. Discovering these stunning places in the wake of great explorers like Captain Charcot, who was deeply attached to the land of the Inuit, inspires a profound reverence.

    Day 18At sea

    Take advantage of the on-board lectures and opportunities for discussion with specialists to learn more about the poles. Participate in furthering scientific research and let us discover together what these fascinating destinations have yet to reveal to us.

    Day 19Reykjavík

    Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. Perlan, the “Pearl of Reykjavík”, a museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers a panoramic view of the lush, green landscapes. A little further, one can easily spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops. For some relaxation just outside of the city, visitors have the opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.

    Inclusions/Exclusions

    Inclusions

    • Flight Paris/Longyearbyen in economy class.
    • Transfers mentioned in the programme.
    • English-speaking assistance.
    • Full board from arrival to departure day
    • High-end gastronomy in all restaurants
    • All beverages in restaurants, bars, and minibars. All drinks are included² (a selection of champagnes, wines and spirits, beers, cocktails, water, soft drinks, hot beverages)
    • 24-hour room service
    • Butler service for certain suites
    • Unlimited internet access onboard
    • Evening events, shows, and other entertainment
    • Access to the fitness area and hammam or sauna, depending on the ship
    • All port and security charges

    ²Excluding premium à la carte beverages.

    Exclusions

    • Personal expenses.
    • Any other service not mentioned in the programme.

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    Start: Sep 22, 2028

    End: Oct 10, 2028

    Departure: Paris

    Arrival: Reykjavík

    Le Commandant Charcot

    Duration: 19 Days

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    From$77,129$58,470

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