Iconic, award-winning Canadian author Margaret Atwood will be joining Adventure Canada in July, 2021 on a Voyage of Discovery Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings.
Adventure Canada says, “We are so delighted to have Margaret back! She’s been travelling with us for twenty years and has contributed so much to our journeys as one of our expert staff. She even penned a short story, The Stone Mattress, aboard one of our Arctic expeditions.”
Book before October 31, 2020 and save 15% on your Voyage of Discovery with Margaret Atwood.
(The late Graeme Gibson, storyteller and poet Svanur Thorkelsson, and author Margaret Atwood, all Adventure Canada staff experts on our Iceland Circumnavigation, 2018. Photo by Michelle Valberg.)
AN INVITATION FROM MARGARET ATWOOD
Dear friends,
I invite you to join me on the upcoming 2021 expedition with Adventure Canada, Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings. I have been travelling with Adventure Canada since 2001, when my late husband Graeme Gibson and I first joined them as staff for their Arctic Odyssey expedition. In the twenty years since, we travelled nearly every year with them, and were always deeply impressed by the calibre of the experience.
There’s nothing quite like an Adventure Canada expedition. The experience you will have is profound, but also entertaining. The staff members take their subject matter seriously, but not themselves. That to me is deeply Canadian: we don’t suffer stuffed shirts gladly. Graeme and I were avid conservationists and birders, and we both knew there is no better way to connect with the natural world than to get out into it ourselves—boots on the ground, seals in the water, ravens above.
I hope you’ll join me as we search for whales and seabirds, and explore breathtaking fjords along this seldom-visited coastline. I'll be giving a special presentation aboard the Ocean Endeavour. Maybe we'll even be lucky enough to hear some poetry in Old Norse or Anglo-Saxon, spoken as it was a thousand years ago. That's only one of the Icelandic treats awaiting us!
Hwaet! (Behold!)
Very best,
Margaret
Your Voyage of Discovery with Margaret Atwood:
July 13 to July 24, 2021
Iceland to Greenland: In the Wake of the Vikings
- Day 1: Reykjavík, Iceland
- Day 2: At Sea
- Day 3-4: East Greenland
- Day 5: Ikerasassuaq (Prince Christian Sound)
- Day 6: South Greenland
- Day 7: Hvalsey
- Day 8: Brattahlid
- Day 9: Sermersooq
- Day 10: Nuuk
- Day 11: Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord (Evighedsfjorden)
- Day 12: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
From $3,495 to $14,795 USD cruise only
SAVE 15% UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST
CONTACT US TODAY TO BOOK YOUR PLACE
ON THIS UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY
WITH ONE OF CANADA’S MOST CELEBRATED AUTHORS
(Photo: Dennis Minty courtesy of Adventure Canada)·
Day 1
Reykjavík, Iceland
Iceland’s cosmopolitan capital, Reykjavík was established in 874 AD. Powered by geothermal energy, Reykjavík is widely considered one of the cleanest, greenest cities on Earth. Food, culture, and nightlife abound. The National Culture House preserves treasures like the Poetic Edda and the Norse Sagas in their original manuscripts. We depart Reykjavík in the evening aboard the Ocean Endeavour after an organized tour.
Day 2
At Sea
Sailing west from Iceland, we are truly in the wake of the Vikings. We’ll be watching for whales and seabirds we sail the Denmark Strait. Our onboard program will prepare you for the archaeology, history, culture, and wildlife that awaits us in Greenland!
Day 3-4
East Greenland
Our first view of Greenland’s east coast will reveal a coastline traced with innumerable fjords and potentially dotted with pack ice. Our spotters will be watching for bears, seals, and humpback whales. We’ll explore the remote reaches of glaciated fjords by Zodiac.
Day 5
Ikerasassuaq (Prince Christian Sound)
Joining the Irminger and Labrador Seas through the islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago, Ikerasassuaq (Prince Christian Sound) is among the world’s most majestic waterways. Craggy mountain peaks tower over still waters fed by calving glaciers. We’ll make the most of our deck time, scouting for landing opportunities on the skirts of the mountains.
Day 6
South Greenland
South Greenland lives up to its namesake; here, the land is fertile and agriculture thrives. Farms and vegetable husbandry contrast with the barren ice that covers so much of the country. Jagged mountains rise from beyond green pastures, with sheep farms directly bordering ice fjords. Here, Norse settlement history intersects with contemporary Greenland life.
Day 7
Hvalsey
The Norse settlement at Hvalsey was a major centre in South Greenland in the early centuries of the last millenium. Hvalsey Church is the best-preserved Norse ruin in Greenland. The last known record from the original Norse colony is of a wedding held here in September 1408!
Day 8
Brattahlid
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Brattahlið is in the most fertile part of Greenland and was the home of Viking explorer Erik the Red and his descendants until the 1400s. A reconstructed Norse church and Viking longhouse are featured here. Greenlandic Inuit now run the sheep farms originally worked by Norse settlers.
Day 9
Sermersooq
The Sermersooq region of Greenland has a stunning myriad of mountain peaks, glaciers, and deep fjords. Our time will be spent on the western coast of the region, where records of human habitation stretch back over 1,500 years. We’ll explore by Zodiac or by foot, as landing conditions permit. We’ll keep a look out for Nattoralik (white-tailed eagles), seabirds, marine mammals, and enjoy the lush vegetation of southwest Greenland.
Day 10
Nuuk
Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, bridges old and new. The old harbour region of town includes many buildings dating from the Danish colonial days. Nuuk is known for art, shopping, and cafes.
The Greenland National Museum is one of Nuuk’s many outstanding features: the world-famous Qilakitsoq mummies are housed here.
Day 11
Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord (Evighedsfjorden)
Defined by jagged mountain peaks, sheer bird cliffs, cascading streams, and calving glaciers Kangerlussuatsiaq lives up to its Danish name, Evighedsfjorden meaning Fjord of Eternity. Whether by ship, Zodiac cruise, or kayak, a visit to the face of the glacier is truly a sublime experience.
Day 12
Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Søndre Strømfjord offers 168 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the settlement at the head of the fjord, is a former US Air Force base and Greenland’s main flight hub. Here we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and transfer to the airport for our charter flight to Toronto.
Your Ship
Ocean Endeavour
Adventure Canada’s spacious, ice-strengthened vessel features twenty Zodiacs, advanced navigation equipment, and stabilizers. A doctor, paramedic, medical clinic, and enhanced health regime offer peace of mind. Roomy facilities offer comfortable travel with plenty of breathing room for all.
All Cabin Categories Include
- Private bath
- Telephone
- Flat Screen TV
- Intercom
- Hair dryer, bathrobe, towels, body wash, and hair care products
· No single supplement on a limited quantity of cabins in categories 3 to 7!
Once these cabins are sold, the single supplement fee is 1.5 times the berth cost.
·Tour Starts: Reykjavík, Iceland
Ends: Toronto, ON, Canada
·Southbound Charter Flight: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, to Toronto, ON. Evening arrival.
Price: $1,295 USD
Inclusions and Exclusions
- Included:Passage aboard the Ocean Endeavour
- Applicable taxes and credit card fees
- Complimentary expedition jacket
- Contribution to Adventure Canada's Discovery Fund
- Special access permits, entry and park fees
- Team of expedition staff
- Guided activities
- Sightseeing and community visits
- All Zodiac excursions
- Port fees
- Pre-departure materials
- Educational program
- Nikon Camera Trial Program
- Interactive workshops
- Evening entertainment
- All shipboard meals
- Not Included:Commercial & charter flights
- Program enhancements/optional excursions
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
- Mandatory medical evacuation insurance
- Additional expenses in the event of delays or itinerary changes
- Possible fuel surcharges
- Pre- & post-trip hotel accommodation and administrative fee
MORE SAVINGS ON ADVENTURE CANADA’S VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY
Marvel in the wonders of nature and culture. Travel alongside scientists, historians, naturalists, researchers, and artists, who share their passion and experience.
Adventure Canada’s 15% Early Booking Bonus is valid on any of its 2021 European, Arctic, and Atlantic Canada expeditions. This promotion is combinable with the Canadian company’s Free Single Supplement and League of Adventurers loyalty rewards program. Add confidence to the mix with its new flexible booking policy.
(Top Photo: Scott Sporleder courtesy of Adventure Canada)
