Arctic Expeditions

View itineraries

Our thoughts go out to everyone impacted by the invasion of Ukraine. We are closely monitoring the situation and hoping it will be resolved soon. In the meantime, we are making alternative plans for our departures that call in Russia. We will continue to make adjustments to our itineraries as necessary. Lindblad Expeditions will directly follow up with guests with more detailed information as it becomes available.

A mythic land under the midnight sun

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.

Read more

Arctic

Iceland

A Circumnavigation of Iceland

Special Offers

Length

11 days

Jul
Aug

From

$12,280

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Arctic

Iceland

A Circumnavigation of Iceland

Length

11 days

Jul
Aug

From

$12,280

Top Highlights

Experience all of Iceland’s geological manifestations: glaciers, geysers, thundering waterfalls, immense cliffs, geothermal springs, boiling mud pots, and lava-scapes of unearthly beauty
Meet local Icelandic experts ranging from economists to filmmakers and enjoy exclusive music performances.
Explore Iceland’s wild western coast; Siglufjörður in the north; the rarely visited rugged east coast; and the Westman islands in the south, among the planet’s youngest archipelagos
Actively explore by taking Zodiacs into fjords and serene bays
Customize your experience by taking an expedition extension

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

View Itinerary Book Now

Arctic

Iceland

New and Noteworthy

Greenland

East Greenland: Wild Shores of the High Arctic

Special Offers

Length

20 days

Sep

From

$25,740

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Arctic

Iceland

New and Noteworthy

Greenland

East Greenland: Wild Shores of the High Arctic

Length

20 days

Sep

From

$25,740

Top Highlights

Venture all the way north to Northeast Greenland National Park in search of the Arctic’s iconic wildlife—polar bears, whales, muskoxen, and more
Sail into Norway’s spectacular fjords and explore secluded inlets and coves by kayak or Zodiac
Call at the seldom-visited Jan Mayen Island, where the only residents man a remote weather outpost and have this northernmost volcano all to themselves
Conditions permitting, see the spectacular Northern Lights as we sail the remote coasts of Iceland and Greenland
Visit Iceland’s colorful villages to see contemporary life, hike over geologically recent volcanic flows, and soak in the country’s iconic hot springs

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

View Itinerary Book Now

Arctic

New and Noteworthy

Greenland

New Fabled Lands Of The North: Greenland to Newfoundland

Special Offers

Length

17 days

Aug

From

$17,010

Prices are per person

Special Offers (1)

Highlights

Arctic

New and Noteworthy

Greenland

New Fabled Lands Of The North: Greenland to Newfoundland

Length

17 days

Aug

From

$17,010

Top Highlights

Explore two UNESCO World Heritage sites alongside a team of experts: glide among soaring icebergs at the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord; and ponder the remains of the 11th-century Viking village at L’Anse aux Meadows
Meet Inuit artisans on Baffin Island and learn about their carving and weaving traditions
Join our naturalists to search for polar bears, caribou, arctic foxes, humpback and minke whales, walruses, and more in their natural habitat
Explore the untamed coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador, discovering spectacular fjords and cliffs on foot and by kayak and Zodiac

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED

View Itinerary Book Now

Arctic

Iceland

New and Noteworthy

Greenland

New Iceland & Greenland: Edge of the Arctic

Special Offers

Length

19 days

Jul

From

$20,980

Prices are per person

Special Offers (3)

Highlights

Arctic

Iceland

New and Noteworthy

Greenland

New Iceland & Greenland: Edge of the Arctic

Length

19 days

Jul

From

$20,980

Top Highlights

Hike the dramatic Dynjandi Waterfall in Iceland's remote Westfjords peninsula, and visit a farm that produces eiderdown
Explore Hvalsey and Brattahlíð, 10th-century Viking settlements founded by Eric the Red and his family in Greenland, and see the incredible Qilakitsoq mummies, preserved by freezing temperatures for some 500 years
Cruise among the dazzling icebergs calved by the Ilulissat Icefjord and encounter impressive tidewater glaciers in West Greenland
Experience local culture through visits to fishing villages and longhouses, folk performances, and tasting tours of traditional Greenlandic and Icelandic foods

View Itinerary Book Now

Special Offers

FREE BAR TAB AND CREW TIPS INCLUDED
POLAR OFFER: TRAVEL TO BOTH POLES & SAVE!
Book select departures of these voyages: Journey to Antarctica: The White Continent; Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falklands; South Georgia and the Falklands; Coastal Wonders of Norway, the Faroe Islands & Iceland; Iceland & Greenland: Edge of the Arctic; Wild Greenland Escape in combination for travel between January 2022 - March 2023 and receive 20% off your second departure. Valid for new bookings made by October 31, 2022, subject to availability on select departures, not applicable on extensions or 4th Guest Travels Free offer. Call for details.
4TH GUEST TRAVELS FREE
4th person travels free on select departures. Book by October 31, 2022. Bookings of three full-paying guests may bring a fourth person for free. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. Valid on select departures, for new bookings only, subject to availability, not applicable on airfare or extensions, and is not combinable with other offers. Call for details.

View Itinerary Book Now

Life Aboard

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.

Arctic Family Travel

Read firsthand accounts of kids' adventures with us in the Arctic.

Discover

Discover the Arctic

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

1.800.EXPEDITION (1.800.397.3348)

1.800.EXPEDITION (1.800.397.3348)

Expedition Leader

Veteran expedition leaders are the orchestrators of your experience. Many have advanced degrees and have conducted research or taught for years. They have achieved expedition leader status because they possess the skills, the experience, and the depth of knowledge necessary to continually craft the best expedition possible for our guests.

Naturalists

Explore the Arctic with a team of naturalists—many of them polar veterans—with a variety of specialties: zoology, biology, ornithology, geology, polar history, and more. Our guests consistently cite the expertise and engaging company of our staff as key reasons to repeatedly travel with us.

Undersea Specialist

Discover what lies beneath the waves with an undersea specialist aboard who can dive into the cold waters to shoot video of what lies beneath the waves or deploy an ROV to depths of 1,000 feet to explore never-before-seen regions.

National Geographic Photographer

Travel and photograph with a bona fide National Geographic photographer. These top pros are at your side and at your service—providing advice, tips, and slideshows. Access to photographers of this caliber will help you improve your skills and ensure you’ll go home with incredible photos.

Certified Photo Instructor

Every Arctic expedition also offers an exclusive service—a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic certified photo instructor. This naturalist is specially trained to help you become a better, more confident photographer—and to help you understand the movements of wildlife so you can create top shots.

Video Chronicler

Video chroniclers accompany every expedition and shoot vivid HD footage—with no recycled footage ever—to provide you with a professionally edited and completely authentic memento of your expedition. Working during the day and editing into the night, they have your DVD ready for preview prior to—and available to purchase at—disembarkation.

The cultural activities were wonderful and it seemed like we were warmly welcomed each time we stopped.

Bonnie R.

1.800.EXPEDITION (1.800.397.3348)

Daily Expedition Reports

Daily Expedition Reports

8/10/2022

Read

National Geographic Explorer

Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord, Tasiusaq, Qeqqata Region

Under calm seas and gray, low hanging clouds, we entered this impressive fjord system. We observed low, offshore islands at first before we headed into narrower waters, where we saw steeper mountainsides, often covered in green vegetation along the coastline and along narrow ledges heading upwards. As we sailed farther in, the landscape became even more dramatic. We observed glaciers, jagged peaks shrouded in low clouds, and waterfalls lacing the rock faces. At the entrance, we also saw many birds, including black-legged kittiwakes, Iceland gulls, and the occasional glaucous gull. By this stage, we were deep into the fjord and surrounded by a beauty that transcends words. The warm weather and calm conditions meant that guests were chatting away and taking many photographs on different decks and on the bow. The glaciers varied enormously from dramatic tidewater glaciers to hanging glaciers. Many glaciers were in retreat, looking gray or brown with their smoothed edges and lots of moraine material piled on top. By late morning, we reached the end of one of the arms of this long fjord. Before us was a lovely tidewater glacier. Its face was blue, a sign of recent calving events. We hopped into our fleet of trusty Zodiacs and headed off for closer views of the Qingua Kujalleq Glacier. It was indeed dramatic, but even though we hoped and hoped, there were no calving events of note. This did not in any way detract from the experience, which also included sightings of eider ducks, black guillemots, and Iceland gulls. On one side of the fjord, some hundreds of meters further away from the main glacier, we came across two retreating glaciers that in 2010 were joined to the main glacier, a sad reminder that climate change is occurring very quickly up in these high latitudes. Off two glaciers, water poured out from underneath and made its way down the mountainside. Before heading into the fjord via a tunnel under the main glacier, the river had become a raging torrent. Over lunch and in the early afternoon, we headed for Tasiusaq for our planned activity, a choice of various walks. When we got ashore, we had a brief moment to take in the loveliness of the spot before being assaulted by hordes of mosquitoes. We hastily put on our mosquito nets before heading forth on our chosen walks. There was plenty to enjoy and see along the way, including many plants, some in flower, mushrooms, and an incredible variety of lichens. Back at the landing, we all agreed that not only had we enjoyed nature, but nature had also enjoyed us! However, we were never going to allow a mosquito to get in the way of a good walk. Photographers: Sisse Brimberg and Eduardo Shaw

Daily Expedition Reports

8/9/2022

Read

National Geographic Explorer

Nuuk and Nuup Kangerlua

We spent the morning navigating towards the entrance of Nuup Kangerlua, a large fjord system on the western coast of Greenland. The capital city of Nuuk is located at this entrance. The calm seas and lack of wind made for a very pleasant ride, and we enjoyed watching the occasional iceberg and the ubiquitous fulmars following us along the way. Related to albatrosses and of the same family popularly known as the “tubenoses,” fulmars are master flyers. They tirelessly roam the open Arctic waters, looking for small crustaceans and fish close to the surface. I will never get tired of watching a fulmar effortlessly glide above the waves, sometimes barely touching the water with the very tip of a wing! We also had the pleasure of attending a couple very interesting lectures. Naturalist Eduardo Shaw spoke about Fritjof Nansen’s first-ever crossing of Greenland’s ice cap, and Global Perspective’s guest lecturer Peter Hillary spoke about the extraordinary life and achievements of his father, Sir Edmund Hillary. National Geographic Explorer docked at Nook early in the afternoon, and we all went ashore to visit Greenland’s capital and largest city. Local guides showed us around the downtown area and explained the way of life of people in the world’s northernmost capital, only 150 miles (240 km) south of the Arctic Circle. As a side note, it is interesting to note that the second northern capital is Reykjavik, so we have visited numbers one and two during this trip! We enjoyed the city’s atmosphere with the traditional old ways combined with the amenities and feel of a modern metropolis. One can have a snack of seal meat at a fancy coffee shop or look for the perfect Inuit figurine carved from walrus ivory. A visit to the National Museum and free time to explore completed our visit to this very interesting place, regaling us with a new understanding of this vast and wonderful place we call Greenland. Photo caption and photographer: Visiting Nuuk and Nuup Kangerlua. Photo by Carlos Navarro

Daily Expedition Reports

8/8/2022

Read

National Geographic Explorer

Brattahlíð, Greenland

This morning, we are anchored in front of the first Norse farm in Greenland, Erik the Red’s farm, Brattahlíð. The morning starts out bright and surprisingly warm. It only becomes warmer as the morning progresses, and we remove as many layers of clothing as possible! Along the shore, we are faced with an impressive expanse of lush grassland. This is not natural. The meadows are a result of human effort and sheep diligence; humans remove the woody vegetation, and the sheep keep it from coming back. Today, there is a small farming community at the site, Qassiarsuk. We make a Zodiac landing next to the mouth of a small stream. Arctic char live in the stream, perhaps preparing to spawn. There are a couple of houses between us and our first destination, and the folks here are friendly. I am sure the people are accustomed to visitors. After all, this is one of the most important Norse sites in Greenland, the farm of the founder of the Greenland colony. Our first destination is a short hike up a small hill. Here are two buildings, replicas of a Norse Long House and a chapel. The ruins of both original buildings are located nearby. The chapel is known as Tjoldhilde's Church. Tjoldhilde was Erik the Red’s wife. She was Christian, Erik was not. It is said that Tjoldhilde had the ‘church’ built some distance from the main farm residence so as to not antagonize Erik. The ‘church’ is very small, a family chapel really, with space for only a handful of people. Around the chapel would be consecrated ground where people would be buried. We are lucky with our timing. An official UNESCO guide is in attendance, and he is more than happy to answer all our questions and more. He knows the area and its history, as this is where he grew up. We, too, have our own expert on the history of Norse Greenland, Hafsteinn Saemundsson of Iceland. Hafsteinn stations himself near some ruins, situated below the hill upon which the replicas are built. Next to the chapel is a replica of a Long House. From the outside, the turf walls and roof make the building look like a small hill. On the inside, the house is surprisingly spacious. Displays of period clothing help us envision the people who lived here for close to 500 years, until their world got too cold, and they disappeared like a dream after waking. Well, a dream to me, but the end must have been sad. The people were cut off from the rest of the world, running out of food after slaughtering all their animals, perhaps fighting each other. Who knows? We have time to think about it or not as we wander the hills, learn about the ruins, and visit the large statue of Leif Erikson, son of Erik the Red. Photo caption and photographer: Tjoldhilde's Church. Photo by Dennis Cornejo

Daily Expedition Reports

8/7/2022

Read

National Geographic Explorer

Hvalsey and Qaqortoq

This morning, we visited the Norse settlement ruins of Hvalsey, where we explored the area and its surroundings. Later in the day, we went into Qatorqoq, the largest town in South Greenland. We got to see how local communities live in this part of the world.

Daily Expedition Reports

8/7/2022

Read

National Geographic Endurance

Chukchi Sea and Bering Strait

How did the three weeks of our voyage fly by so quickly? Today is the last day of our Northwest Passage expedition. As we rounded the northwest corner of Alaska this morning, bowheads and fin whales surrounded the ship. We continued to learn from the experts on board about the history and nature of the region. Kevin outlined the history of Alaska in his talk – from prehistoric cultures in the area, to the sale of the land by Russia to the U.S., to the Alyeska pipeline. Jamie showed some harrowing images of how some of humanity’s activities are influencing birds, specifically seabirds and shore birds. He gave some advice that each of us can follow. For example, pet owners can put a bell on outdoor cats so birds can hear them approach, and we can participate in beach cleanup days. After lunch, Lisle gave a disembarkation briefing. Then Erin shared about her experience working for BBC as a researcher for their segments for nature history TV. Her photos of working on St. Lawrence Island and on the eastern side of Greenland were incredible. We are all excited to see the film when it comes out in September. When the credits start rolling, we will all be able to say, “I know Erin!” Steve brought it all home for us with his all-encompassing presentation, “A is for the Arctic.” He invited us to shout out terms related to our trip, starting with each letter of the alphabet. In the evening, we had another chance to reminisce about our experience when Sue presented the Guest Photo Slideshow. We laughed and cheered for the photos, and then Captain Aaron came up to say a few words about his team and the voyage. He mentioned we were the first passenger ship to stop at Zenith Point and only the forty-eighth ship to take the exact path we did. What an adventure it was! Tomorrow’s goodbyes will be quite emotional…

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

1.800.EXPEDITION (1.800.397.3348)

1.800.EXPEDITION (1.800.397.3348)

View our brochure for more details

Arctic

Arctic 2022-23

Go Farther | 2022-23