27 July - At sea

28 July

Greenland: Umivik Bay

29 July

Greenland: Skjoldungen

The uninhabited island of Skjoldungen is situated on Greenland’s rugged east coast, between the Northern and Southern Skjoldungenfjord. Here you’ll find a starkly beautiful landscape of snow-capped mountains, steep valley sides and icebergs in crystalline shades of white and blue.

30 July

Greenland: Prince Christian Sound

The spectacular Prince Christian Sound provides a protected passage for ships rounding the southern tip of Greenland, at times narrowing to just 1,500 feet across. Waterfalls cascade down the rugged mountain sides, and you can often spot whales and seals amongst the icebergs.

31 July

Greenland: Qaqortoq

Qaqortoq is southern Greenland’s largest town, though with just 3,000 inhabitants it’s hardly crowded. A trip to the nearby hot springs at Uunartoq is recommended; relaxing in the 38°C water and watching icebergs drift across the bay is quite something.

31 July

Greenland: Hvalsey

Norse settlers were exploring the coasts of North America long before Columbus made his journey across the Atlantic, and Hvalsey is home to some of the most important Norse ruins in Greenland. The 14th-century church here is remarkably well preserved, on the site of a major medieval farmstead.

1 August

Greenland: Qassiarsuk (Brattahlid)

Founded by the Norse explorer Erik the Red in the 10th century, the sheep farming settlement of Qassiarsuk is full of history. Legend says that Erik’s wife Thorhildur forced him to build the first church in North America here, and the modern reconstruction of the church enjoys fine views across the iceberg-speckled fjord.

2 August to 4 August

Greenland: Nuuk

Greenland’s capital and largest town, Nuuk is positively cosmopolitan compared to the rest of this remote and isolated country. The setting amongst mountains and fjords is striking, and attractions include the Greenland National Museum and the picturesque Old Harbour.

4 August

Greenland: Evighedsfjorden Fjord

5 August

Greenland: Sisimiut

The name Sisimiut means ‘the people living in a place where there are fox dens’, though these days the town is better known for being Greenland’s northernmost year-round ice-free port. Around 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle, it’s a common stop for ships making the journey north to Disko Bay.

6 August

Greenland: Kangerlussuaq

Founded in 1941 as a US Air Force base, Kangerlussuaq is home to Greenland’s main airport and a place that most visitors to the country will pass through at some point. The town also offers easy access to the magnificent Greenland Ice Cap, and the surrounding countryside is a great place to see the Northern Lights.

7 August - At sea

8 August

Greenland: Ilulissat

The spectacular Ilulissat ice fjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it's the source of the many icebergs that float out across Disko Bay. The town of Ilulissat itself is Greenland’s third largest settlement, and activities on offer here include dog sledding and whale watching.

9 August

Greenland: Sisimiut

The name Sisimiut means ‘the people living in a place where there are fox dens’, though these days the town is better known for being Greenland’s northernmost year-round ice-free port. Around 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle, it’s a common stop for ships making the journey north to Disko Bay.

10 August - At sea

11 August

Canada: Pond Inlet

The small Inuit settlement of Pond Inlet sits at the entrance to the fabled Northwest Passage, on the north coast of Baffin Island. A dramatic landscape of fjords, glaciers and icebergs provides a habitat for wildlife including whales, seabirds, seals and narwhals, the otherworldly ‘unicorns of the sea’.

12 August

Canada: Dundas Harbour (Devon Island)

Devon Island is the world’s largest uninhabited island, a barren and frozen place that is used by NASA scientists to carry out research on the practicalities of missions to Mars. The chilly waters off the coast support species including bearded seals, harbour seals and humpback whales, and if you’re lucky you may even spot polar bears.

13 August to 16 August - At sea

17 August

Canada: Cambridge Bay

The remote community of Cambridge Bay is located on the southeast coast of Victoria Island, part of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. It’s the largest stop for ships transiting the Northwest Passage, despite a population of less than 2,000, and it's a great place to learn about the wildlife of the Arctic and the culture of the Inuit people who live here.

18 August to 20 August - At sea

21 August

Canada: Herschel Island

22 August to 24 August - At sea

25 August

United States: Nome

Only accessible by air or sea, the remote Alaskan town of Nome sits overlooking the Bering Strait, surrounded by miles of largely featureless tundra. This was once a boomtown; the discovery of easily extractable gold in 1898 led to a gold rush, and you can still see the remnants of the mining industry which thrived here.

26 August to 28 August - At sea

29 August

Arriving in Anchorage