Arctic Canada and Greenland Expedition

Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital, distils the entire improbable beauty of Iceland into one compact, creatively charged city. The soaring basalt columns of Hallgrímskirkja dominate a skyline of primary-coloured rooftops, while the Harpa Concert Hall shimmers beside the harbour like a captured aurora. Day trips from the city unlock the Golden Circle's geysers and Geysir hot spring, the black sand beaches of Vík, and the ethereal glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón. Geothermal pools — from the legendary Blue Lagoon to intimate neighbourhood hot pots — offer warmth year-round. June and July bring the bewitching midnight sun.

Nuuk, Greenland's diminutive capital, is a city of vivid contrasts — colourful colonial houses against Arctic granite, Inuit heritage alongside contemporary Nordic culture, and world-class museums steps from untamed fjords. Visitors should not miss the Greenland National Museum's Qilakitsoq mummies and a Zodiac excursion into the surrounding iceberg-studded fjord system. The prime cruising season runs from June through September, when extended daylight illuminates the landscape in an ethereal sub-Arctic glow and waters remain navigable for expedition vessels.

Qikiqtarjuaq on Baffin Island is the gateway to Auyuittuq National Park — home to the world's greatest vertical drop at Mount Thor and the legendary Akshayuk Pass hiking route through glaciers and granite peaks. The hamlet's 600 Inuit residents maintain active narwhal hunting traditions and produce acclaimed stone carvings. Must-dos include cultural presentations, purchasing art from local carvers, and witnessing the midnight sun on the Penny Ice Cap. July through September provides the only access window.

Nunavut is Canada's vast Arctic territory, a 2.1-million-square-kilometer wilderness of tundra, sea ice, and icebergs inhabited by just 40,000 people, predominantly Inuit. Must-dos include wildlife encounters with polar bears, narwhals, and caribou herds, experiencing living Inuit culture, and navigating iceberg-filled channels by expedition vessel. July through September offers the only window when sea ice conditions allow navigation.

Dundas Harbour is an abandoned RCMP outpost on Devon Island at the mouth of Lancaster Sound, established in 1924 to assert Canadian Arctic sovereignty and now a haunting heritage site with graves, ruins, and whale bones on the beach. Must-dos include exploring the settlement remains, watching for polar bears and narwhals, and reflecting on the human stories embedded in this remote landscape. Expedition ships visit from late July to early September, weather and ice permitting.

Beechey Island, Canada, offers an authentic North American experience where stunning natural landscapes meet communities of genuine character. Visitors should explore the surrounding wilderness and sample the honest, locally sourced cuisine that defines the region. The ideal visiting period is June through August, when the midnight sun bathes the landscape in golden light for nearly twenty-four hours. Cruise lines including Aurora Expeditions feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Croker Bay on Devon Island — the world's largest uninhabited island — features twin tidewater glaciers calving dramatically into dark Arctic waters, creating one of the Canadian High Arctic's most spectacular glacial amphitheatres. Must-dos include Zodiac cruises along the glacier faces, watching for polar bears and narwhals, and witnessing the thunderous calving of ancient ice. Accessible only by expedition cruise ship from late July through early September, weather and ice permitting.

Cobh is a historic harbour town in Cork, Ireland, famed as the Titanic's last port of call and the departure point for 2.5 million Irish emigrants. Must-dos include visiting the Cobh Heritage Centre and Titanic Experience, admiring St. Colman's Cathedral and its 49-bell carillon, and exploring the English Market in nearby Cork. May through September offers the longest days and best weather for this emotionally rich port.

Old Thule in Greenland offers dramatic Nordic landscapes where fjords, glaciers, and pristine wilderness create scenes of remarkable natural grandeur. The essential experience is immersion in the outdoor environment—hiking, wildlife watching, and savoring the region's exceptional seafood in settings of extraordinary beauty. Best visited June through August, when the midnight sun bathes the landscape in golden light for nearly twenty-four hours. Cruise lines including Ponant feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Twice-founded and once the wealthiest city in Latin America, Buenos Aires seduces with the world-class acoustics of the Teatro Colón, the ritual theatre of a wood-fire asado at a San Telmo parrilla, and the cobblestoned milongas where tango was born and where it burns still. Cross the estuary to UNESCO-listed Colonia del Sacramento or head south toward the glaciers of Patagonia. As South America's premier cruise hub for Antarctic expeditions and round-the-continent voyages, the city is most inviting from November through March.

Uummannaq is a vividly painted Arctic town perched beneath a heart-shaped mountain on Greenland's western coast, surrounded by colossal icebergs and rich Inuit cultural heritage. Must-dos include zodiac cruising through the iceberg-filled fjord, visiting the Uummannaq Museum, and experiencing the midnight sun's eternal golden light. July and August offer the warmest conditions and best accessibility for Arctic expedition cruising.

Vaigat Sound between Disko Island and the Nuussuaq Peninsula in western Greenland is a dramatic Arctic waterway flanked by ancient basalt cliffs, fossil beds, and calving glaciers, with excellent whale watching opportunities. Must-dos include deck-side geological viewing, whale spotting, and observing traditional Inuit settlements. Best transited July through September during the expedition cruise season.

Ilulissat sits beside the Northern Hemisphere's most prolific glacier — the UNESCO-listed Sermeq Kujalleq, which calves forty-six cubic kilometers of icebergs annually into a fjord of almost incomprehensible frozen spectacle. Visit June through August via Silversea or Hapag-Lloyd for midnight-sun zodiac cruises among hundred-meter icebergs, Knud Rasmussen's childhood museum, and the light show that transforms Greenland's ice into one of Earth's most transformative visual experiences.

Sisimiut is Greenland's adventure capital, a colourful Arctic town of 5,500 people just north of the Arctic Circle on the west coast. Must-dos include hiking the Arctic Circle Trail, whale watching for humpbacks and narwhals, and exploring the colonial-era museum. Summer brings midnight sun and hiking conditions, while winter offers dog-sledding, skiing, and northern lights.

Nuuk, Greenland's diminutive capital, is a city of vivid contrasts — colourful colonial houses against Arctic granite, Inuit heritage alongside contemporary Nordic culture, and world-class museums steps from untamed fjords. Visitors should not miss the Greenland National Museum's Qilakitsoq mummies and a Zodiac excursion into the surrounding iceberg-studded fjord system. The prime cruising season runs from June through September, when extended daylight illuminates the landscape in an ethereal sub-Arctic glow and waters remain navigable for expedition vessels.

Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital, distils the entire improbable beauty of Iceland into one compact, creatively charged city. The soaring basalt columns of Hallgrímskirkja dominate a skyline of primary-coloured rooftops, while the Harpa Concert Hall shimmers beside the harbour like a captured aurora. Day trips from the city unlock the Golden Circle's geysers and Geysir hot spring, the black sand beaches of Vík, and the ethereal glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón. Geothermal pools — from the legendary Blue Lagoon to intimate neighbourhood hot pots — offer warmth year-round. June and July bring the bewitching midnight sun.