Greenland and Wild Labrador (trip)
Greenland and Wild Labrador
- Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada
- Active & Adventure
| from $3,995* per person | 14 Days | September |
| Comfort accommodations | Exertion level: 3 | |
| Operator: Adventure Canada | 12 people max | |
Beginning in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland we cross the Arctic circle as we journey to the Davis Strait. Heading south, we'll enjoy a Zodiac cruise through the icebergs at Evighshedfjord before visiting the community of Kangamiut. Here we'll wander past the pretty colourful houses that dot this tiny Greenlandic town. Before crossing the Davis Strait into Canada, we'll visit Nuuk, one of the smallest capitals in the world and the political and cultural centre of Greenland. Here we can see the famous mummies, explore the markets, and sample local cuisine.
Making our way to Canada we'll watch for the whales known to frequent the waters of Baffin Bay and we'll seek out walrus during our Zodiac cruise around Monumental Island. Our first port of call in Canada will be Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik nestled on the bank of the George River. We'll explore the town on foot, learning about the land and community from local residents.
Entering Nunatsiavut, the home of the Labrador Inuit, we'll spend the next three days sailing south, the view dominated by the awe-inspiring scenery of the Torngat Mountains National Park. Towering peaks, immense fjords, fall foliage and grand skies await us. Everything is on a massive scale, with even the modest crags that overhang the fjords topping 3,000 ft. On our zodiac cruises and hikes we hope to spot a number of species that call the area home; polar bear, black bear, caribou, wolves, whales and more than a dozen bird species. We'll visit the abandoned settlements of Hebron and Okak, founded by the Moravian Church in 1776, as well as the lively community of Hopedale.
From here we'll call in at the proposed site of Labrador's second national park, the Mealy Mountains. Steeped in the traditional history of the first peoples of the land, these mountains are also home to threatened woodland caribou herd, along with moose, black bear, osprey, bald eagles and a species of special concern, the eastern population of the harlequin duck.
Our first stop in Newfoundland is at L'Anse aux Meadows, the earliest known European settlement in the New World, with Viking reminders everywhere. From here we'll visit the communities of Conche and Botwood, where we will have a chance to partake in a traditional kitchen party! Our adventure ends in St. John's, North America's oldest city, and an unforgettable end point to a remarkable trip.
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Locations visited/nearby
Canada
Itinerary
Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord)Arriving from Toronto, we will board the Clipper Adventurer via Zodiac and prepare to steam out of one of the longest fjords in the world with 168km of superb scenery! Although the fjord crosses the Arctic Circle, the waters here do not freeze, making this part of Greenland a year-round centre for fishing and hunting.
Day 2: Evighedsfjorden & Kangaamiut
Today we arrive at Evighedsfjorden, known as the Eternity Fjord. As we cruise along this meandering fjord, we find ourselves surrounded by the highest mountains in West Greenland - reaching heights of over 2,000 meters! We;'ll seek out the seals and whales who reside in the area, and scan the bird cliffs. Kangaamiut, is a small fishing community in the municipality of Qeqqata. During our visit to this colourful town, we'll be hosted by a local family and enjoy a presentation in the church before and optional hike.
Day 3: Nuuk
Welcome to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland! Nuuk, meaning 'the headland' and is situated at the mouth of a gigantic fjord system. Established as the very first Greenlandic town in 1728, Nuuk has a history that dates back over 4,200 years. Today, Nuuk is the world's smallest capital city with a population of only 15,000. Here we have a chance to spot Humpback whales in the fjord, reindeer roaming the land and birds soaring in the sky. The town itself is home to Greenland's University, a cathedral dating back to 1849 and Greenland's National Museum. We will visit some of the city's most important sites, before free time to explore on your own.
Day 4: At Sea
Day 5: Kangiqsualujjuaq (George River)
In the shelter of a commanding granite rock outcrop we find the easternmost community of Kangiqsualujjuaq, or George River. Twenty-five kilometers upstream from Ungava Bay, the ebb and flow of the tides define the summer lives of the people and fauna of this area. Arctic flora thrives in the protected valley. The calving grounds of the George River herd, the largest ungulate population in the world estimated at several hundreds of thousands of head is nearby. After our welcome back to Canada, we will have the freedom to explore the community, meet with locals and strike out of town for a hike on the tundra
Day 6/7/8: Torngat Mountains National Park
From the Inuktitut word Torngait , meaning 'place of spirits', the Torngat Mountains have been home to Inuit and their predecessors for thousands of years, with archaeological evidence reaching back almost 7,000 years. The fjords here reach well back into the depths of the Torngats as we are overshadowed by cliffs rising straight up from the sea, peaking at 1,700 m, the highest point of land in Labrador. The Torngat Mountains claim some of the oldest rocks on the planet and provide some of the best exposure of geological history. The rocky landscape is a challenge to life, and the species that make their home here are a resilient bunch with fascinating survival adaptations. We hope to see a number of species during our time in Northern Labrador. Our intention is to make expeditionary stops in the northern reaches of Labrador, including the Eclipse Bay, Nackvak Fiord and Saglek Bay.
Day 9: Hebron
Long-abandoned Hebron was once one of the most northerly communities on the north Labrador coast. A Moravian Mission station was constructed here from 1829 to 1831 but the main buildings - the church, the mission house and the store - were not inhabited until 1837. The Moravian Mission has had a very strong influence on the history of northern Labrador. Originally known as the Unitas Fratrum, the Moravian Church traces its roots to 15th century central Europe, in what is now the Czech Republic. In 1751, a group of merchants attached to the Moravian congregation in London decided to outfit a trading and missionary voyage to the Labrador coast in order to convert the Inuit. In a highly controversial move, the station was abandoned in 1959, forcing the relocation of the Inuit who resided there. In 2005, Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Danny Williams apologized to people affected by the relocations. In August of 2009, the provincial government unveiled a monument at the site of Hebron with an inscribed apology for the site closure.
Day 10: Makkovik
With a population of just over 400, Makkovik's main industry is fishing for snow crab. The population is mainly composed of residents of mixed Norwegian and Inuit heritage. Settled by Torsten Kverna Andersen and his wife Mary Ann Thomas who set up a trading post there in 1860, the population gradually increased over the next three decades as European settlers and Inuit established roots in the community, though this territory since time immemorial was used by Inuit. Colonization was assured in 1896 when the Moravian Church established a mission station and residential school there. Both the mission and school were destroyed by a fire in 1948 but the economy was instilled in the 1950s by two notable events. First was the forceful resettlement to Makkovik of 150 Inuit residents of the northern communities of Nutak and Hebron. Second was the establishment nearby of a radar warning station by the United States government.
Day 11: Cartwright
Cartwright is a community located on the eastern side of the entrance to Sandwich Bay, along the southern coast of Labrador in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It was incorporated in 1956. Cartwright has been a settled community since 1775 when Captain George Cartwright, for whom the place is named, settled there, establishing a fish and fur trading business. Eleven years later he left Labrador, maintaining a business interest there until it was sold to Hunt and Henley in 1815. It was again sold in 1873 to the Hudson's Bay Company and has remained under company ownership ever since. Since 2002, Cartwright has been connected by road (a section of the Trans-Labrador Highway) with Blanc Sablon, Quebec where there is a car ferry to Newfoundland. Since December 2009 the remaining link between Cartwright and Goose Bay, Labrador has been completed and open to the public.
Day 12: L'Anse aux Meadows and Conche
L'Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America. Located at the tip of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, it is widely regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites globally.
On the Great Northern Peninsula, the people of Conche welcome us into their charming community. Complete with ties to its history, religion, the fishery and wildlife, Conche is made up of mostly Irish descent. We will explore the colourful town on foot, but don't be surprised if you are invited in by local residents for a 'mug up'!
Day 13: Fortune Harbour, Notre Dame Bay
Notre Dame Bay has been referred to as the "Caribbean of the North" due to its peaceful waters and breathtaking natural coves. Here we'll find the traditional Newfoundland town atmosphere in Fortune Harbour, where we'll be calling in with the ship for the first time.
Day 14: St. John's, Newfoundland
We finish in St. John's, Newfoundland's historic, vibrant capital. Picturesque and welcoming, it has been continuously fished since 1498, allowing it to boast the designation of North America's oldest European settlement. We will leave the Clipper Adventurer here.
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