The Arctic is imbued with a romance—from the history of polar exploration and dauntless early Vikings to the 18th- to 21st-century Northwest Passage and North Pole explorers. It has a reputation for extraordinary beauty and majesty, which is reflected in its central symbol, the polar bear. We’ve explored it for over 30 years, which enables us to offer an Arctic expedition exploring several diverse sectors of the vast Arctic geography—and assure your safety and comfort. With a fleet of three top-tier ice-class vessels fanning out across the vast Arctic, we offer a great variety of ways to explore this region. Discover cultural centers like Iceland, the iconic coasts of Norway, the ice edge of Greenland, and so much more.
Arctic
Iceland
Special Offers
Length
11 days
From
$11,460
Prices are per person
Arctic
Iceland
Special Offers
Arctic
New and Noteworthy
Special Offers
Length
17 days
From
$22,470
Prices are per person
Arctic
New and Noteworthy
Special Offers
Arctic
New and Noteworthy
Special Offers
Length
20 days
From
$24,750
Prices are per person
Arctic
New and Noteworthy
Special Offers
Arctic
Russian Far East
Special Offers
Length
13 days
From
$20,120
Prices are per person
Arctic
Russian Far East
Special Offers
Trace the history of Viking explorers from Iceland to Greenland to the coast of North America. Venture into Greenland’s ice, where few have gone before. Sail into Norway’s towering fjords fringed in green, with tiny villages clinging to the cliffsides. See massive ice walls of tumbling glaciers. Discover the culture and fire of Iceland. There are so many ways to explore it. And with a fleet of three ships and 30+ years in the region, we have the tools and experience to ensure you a peak experience.
Experience the Fagradalsfjall volcano , in the region of Geldingadalur, post-voyage on an optional excursion (conditions permitting) included on the summer 2021 departures of: 11-day Circumnavigation of Iceland, 6-day Wild Iceland Escape, 13-day Iceland and Greenland: Wild Coasts and Icy Shores, and 19-day National Geographic Endurance Inaugural: Iceland & Greenland.
See more Highlights
Director of Expedition Photography Ralph Lee Hopkins spent two weeks obsessively devoted to capturing the mood swings of the world’s newest and most active volcano.
Read moreThe cultural activities were wonderful and it seemed like we were warmly welcomed each time we stopped.
Bonnie R.
It is a privilege to visit the Arctic, one of the planet’s most interesting places, and to this privilege, National Geographic Endurance, National Geographic Explorer, and National Geographic Resolution add the luxury of comfort—a quality of shipboard life and a philosophy of wellness designed to relax and rejuvenate body, mind, and spirit.
Jul 21
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National Geographic Explorer
Godan dag, or greetings from the mystical, magical Island of Fire and Ice. Today was the last day of our voyage circumnavigating Iceland, as the National Geographic Explorer moved towards our last port of call, Heimaey Island. The morning was abuzz as all guests, staff and crew were ushered through a mandatory Covid-19 Rapid Antigen test. A procedure that has become a part of the new norm and a very important part of Lindblad Expeditions priorities in ensuring a safe and healthy environment for all onboard our ships. Closer towards midday Captain Yuri navigated our ship close to the bird-clad cliffs, where guests were given a front seat view of a grand variety of seabirds. Ranging from puffins to Northern gannets to kittiwakes and numerous gatherings of gulls and more.
Jul 21
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National Geographic Explorer
Today was spent hiking around Djúpivogur, a small fishing town in East Iceland, where slow tourism is highly valued. The air was filled with the scent of Arctic flora and vibrating with the sound of land and sea birds, and the weather was just right for a mindful walk. For another part of the group, the pace was faster: a bus ride along mountain slopes to get to the largest glacier of Iceland, Vatnajökull. The glacier has ground up so much rock over thousands of years that the southern coast of Iceland has no harbor—only black, sandy beaches. We visited one of them, but first we geared up and did a boat ride on Fjallsárlón, a less known lagoon that has formed at the end of one of Vatnajökull’s glacier outlets. We enjoyed the majesty of the glacier and the beauty of barnacle geese swimming in between the floating glacial blocks, while our local guide gave us insights into the latest discoveries in glaciology.
Jul 21
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National Geographic Explorer
This morning we awoke to calm seas and with the sun shining as bright and happy as it was when we retired last night. Just as breakfast was about to be served the call came from the Bridge to grab cameras and get on deck—a large pod, perhaps two, of orcas had been spotted ahead on the mirror-like sea! And what a rare treat it was. A dozen or so whales, male and female were sporting, spy-hopping, and breaching in a show rarely seen. We stayed with the great black and white creatures, skin sparkling as the strong sun illuminated them, and enjoyed their energetic and play-like behaviour. This was turning into a great story to tell friends and family back home. However, there are more wonders and spectacles to be enjoyed in Iceland so, after well over an hour, the captain gently turned our vessel in the direction of our afternoon destination, Skalanes Nature Reserve. During our transit to Skalanes, geologist Grace Winer gave a relevant presentation, “Iceland: La Terre Vivente – Geology of Iceland.” Iceland is a geologist’s dream with new rock being poured out daily onto the surface in the form of lava. Very much in the recent news. It is astonishing that this little island in the North Atlantic is so important in our understanding of the geological nature of our planet. We reached our afternoon anchorage in Seydesfjordur right at lunch time. As we ate (again!) and took in the marvelous view the ever-busy crew and staff prepared the Zodiacs and landing site for our afternoon adventure. We were greeted on the shore by staff from the Skalanes Nature Reserve who were our guides for the day. This was a varied itinerary, taking in archaeology of the Viking Age, botany and soil preservation, ornithology (with our usual bird companions, the Arctic tern), striking views in every direction along the wide fjord, and a very friendly dog desperate to play and make friends with us all. So far on this voyage around Iceland we have used several modern, air-conditioned coaches to take us to our destinations. Today we had a bus, an old bumpy bus with no fancy frills, except one—it drove straight through two streams and one full flowing river running down the mountainside. Why bother building bridges if you can just drive into the water and out the other side? This is a part of Iceland that most visitors never see. We were lucky to have seen it at all, let alone under such favourable circumstances. Thank goodness for expedition travel. As we left the shore in the late afternoon, the temperature dropped and a thick fog came creeping along the sides of the cliffs and laid its thick grey blanket over the entire scene as if trying to keep our destination for tomorrow a secret.
Jul 21
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National Geographic Explorer
Puffins. Puffins in the air, puffins in the cliff, puffins in the water, puffins gliding. Puffins everywhere! Certainly, Grimsey Island is Puffin Paradise. No matter where you look you are surrounded by these incredible creatures. You can sit for hours by the cliffs, watching them leave the colony for their fishing trips, returning with fish in their bills, greeting each other upon arrival. Puffins show a great variety of behaviors—and they even use tools! It was recently discovered that they can use sticks to scratch themselves! Pretty good for a seabird. Aside from a great variety of seabirds, Grimsey is iconic for being the northernmost island of Iceland, being crossed by the Arctic Circle. A huge cement marble (Orbis et Globus) marks the place. After spending our morning at Grimsey, we headed towards Husavik, where we visited interesting geological formations and one of the most iconic waterfalls in Iceland, Godafoss. Our day ended eating Icelandic hotdogs in the outer deck while enjoying the sunset.
Jul 21
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National Geographic Explorer
This morning we sailed into the majestic Arnarfjörður, a deep fjord carved by Ice Age glaciers that ground down through the basalt layers below as they flowed seaward. This location is typical of the deeply carved landscape of the Westfjords that are formed of layer after layer of basaltic lava flows that were emplaced 13,0000 to-16,000,000 years ago. Though geologically very young, these are some of the oldest rocks in Iceland. Our goal was soon in sight, splendid Dynjandi, the “thundering” waterfall that is famous in the Westfjords. Dynjandi certainly thunders and roars as it jumps down in stepwise fashion, forming a series of waterfalls over the lava layers that were carved into great steps by the relentless ice. In the evening we visited charming Vigur Island located in the giant fjord, Ísafjarđarjup, home of Atlantic puffins, eider ducks, black guillemots, wild Arctic terns, and more. The terns are in Iceland called Kria for their loud calls. Fearless in protecting their young on their nesting grounds, they do not hesitate to attack us, flying at our heads and screaming in protest that we are there. In a calmer scene, puffins posed with beaks full of small fish and eider duck hens herding their fuzzy ducklings around the grounds.
The Arctic is clearly a place we should seek to better understand and appreciate—for its own sake and for the sake of the world at large.
Sven-Olof Lindblad
