The Polar Bears and the Maples

Begin your expedition in Reykjavik, where Iceland’s volcanic landscapes meet the North Atlantic. Board your vessel and settle into life aboard before sailing west in the evening. Ahead lies an extraordinary route through southern Greenland, the remote Labrador coast and Atlantic Canada, eventually reaching the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Spend the day sailing west from Iceland towards Greenland. Settle into the rhythm of expedition life aboard your vessel, perhaps joining presentations introducing Greenland’s glaciers, Norse history and Inuit culture. Outside, watch the North Atlantic for seabirds and marine wildlife as the ship approaches the spectacular fjord systems of Greenland’s southeastern coast.

Arrive at Lindenow Fjord, where steep mountains, glaciers and pristine waterways provide a dramatic introduction to Greenland. Venture into this sparsely inhabited wilderness with the expedition team, surrounded by landscapes sculpted over millennia by moving ice. The remote setting captures the immense scale and silence that make Greenland’s southern fjords so compelling.

Cruise through Prince Christian Sound, one of southern Greenland’s most spectacular waterways. Towering mountains rise almost directly from the water while glaciers descend through valleys towards the narrow channel. Spend the morning watching this extraordinary landscape unfold from the ship as your vessel navigates between the rugged mainland and the islands of Greenland’s southern reaches.

Spend the morning in colourful Qaqortoq, southern Greenland’s largest town, where brightly painted houses climb the surrounding hillsides. Later, continue to Hvalsey, home to some of Greenland’s best-preserved Norse ruins. Explore the remains of the medieval church and settlement, tangible reminders of the communities that lived and farmed here centuries ago.

Leave Greenland behind and cross the Labrador Sea towards Canada. Enjoy a quieter day aboard while learning about the Inuit communities, wildlife and extraordinary geology of Labrador. The crossing marks another transition in the expedition, from Greenland’s glacier-cut fjords towards the remote northern coastline of Canada.

Enter spectacular Saglek Fjord on Labrador’s remote northern coast. Mountains and glacier-carved valleys surround the water, creating one of the voyage’s most dramatic Canadian landscapes. Spend the day immersed in this sparsely populated wilderness, where expedition exploration offers a closer perspective on the geology and natural character of northern Labrador.

Arrive in Hopedale, a small community on the Labrador coast with deep Inuit roots. The settlement provides an opportunity to encounter the living culture and heritage of Nunatsiavut while experiencing a part of Canada rarely reached by conventional travellers. Surrounded by rocky coastline and open northern wilderness, Hopedale offers a compelling cultural counterpoint to the previous days of fjord exploration.

Journey to remote Gannett Island, an important sanctuary for seabirds off the Labrador coast. The surrounding cliffs and waters support impressive concentrations of marine birds, creating excellent opportunities for observation and photography. Explore with the expedition team while taking in the rugged isolation of this rarely visited corner of Atlantic Canada.

Step ashore at Battle Harbour, a beautifully preserved historic settlement that once played an important role in Labrador’s cod-fishing industry. Traditional wooden buildings and weathered waterfront structures evoke an earlier era of Atlantic life, while the surrounding islands and open sea reinforce the community’s remarkable isolation. Explore its maritime heritage before continuing south.

Arrive at Woody Point, gateway to the remarkable landscapes of Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park. Explore a region celebrated for its dramatic geological formations, mountains, forests and fjords. The UNESCO-listed park reveals an extraordinary chapter in the planet’s geological history, while the small communities scattered around Bonne Bay add a distinctive Newfoundland character to the experience.

Enjoy another day at sea aboard your ship continues south through Atlantic Canada. Relax after the previous days of exploration, watch for marine life from the observation areas or join further talks from the expedition team. The landscapes and climate gradually change as the voyage leaves the sub-Arctic behind and heads towards Nova Scotia and the Bay of Fundy.

Explore the Tuskett Islands, a scattered archipelago off Nova Scotia’s southwestern coast. Small islands, fishing heritage and rugged Atlantic scenery characterise this maritime landscape, offering an intimate glimpse of a region shaped by generations of life on the water. Expedition-style exploration provides a fitting way to discover these lesser-visited islands and their enduring connection with the sea.

Arrive at Grand Manan, an island at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy known for rugged cliffs, fishing communities and rich marine ecosystems. Explore its coastline and keep watch across the surrounding waters, where whales and seabirds thrive in the nutrient-rich environment. The island’s lighthouses and maritime landscapes provide a picturesque final Canadian chapter to the expedition.

Reach the United States and transit the Cape Cod Canal, the celebrated waterway connecting Cape Cod Bay with Buzzards Bay. Watch the landscapes of coastal Massachusetts pass from the ship as the expedition moves from the remote environments of the Arctic and Atlantic Canada into the more settled shores of New England. From here, continue towards the New York metropolitan area.

Arrive in Bayonne, bringing an extraordinary transatlantic expedition to its conclusion within sight of the New York skyline. Disembark Silver Endeavour after a journey spanning four countries and an exceptional range of environments — from Greenland’s glacier-filled fjords and Labrador’s Inuit communities to Newfoundland, the Bay of Fundy and the coast of New England.