Though man has always found the Arctic a challenging environment, many forms of life are quite at home at the edge of the inhabitable world. Huge numbers of wildfowl and waders visit the region each summer, nesting in the tundra. Spectacular sea cliffs are the breeding ground for millions of pairs of guillemots, puffins, kittiwakes and fulmars, while little auks, ivory gulls and skuas each have their own preferred nesting sites. Arctic hares and lemmings graze the fragile tundra along with musk oxen and reindeer.
Most visitors to the region will hope to see the very symbol of the Arctic, the polar bear, which is as at home in the sea as on land, preying on a variety of sea mammals and scavenging on whatever else is available. Now protected throughout much of their range, these majestic predators are readily seen in many parts of Spitsbergen, Arctic Canada and Greenland. Another opportunist equally at home here is the arctic fox, which feasts on eggs and chicks, often patrolling the base of the bird cliffs, awaiting a free meal. A small population of wolves inhabits northeast Greenland but it is in Arctic Canada that they are in their element. Elusive and very shy, they are one of the more difficult mammals to observe in the wild.
It is in the marine environment that the region is richest – seas teeming in plankton and fish are a bountiful larder for bearded, ringed and harp seals and walrus, which are spotted resting on ice floes or offshore islands. The seas are particularly rich in cetaceans, and arctic species, such as beluga, narwhal and the rare Greenland or bowhead whale, can be observed. Other species, such as orcas, grey, minke and humpback whales turn up periodically in different parts of the Arctic, concentrating their summer feeding in high latitudes. |
The collection of cruises offered in this brochure, have all been carefully researched to offer the very best of Arctic wildlife and scenery. Some are more adventurous than others. Some are geared towards more specific interests and choosing the right voyage is sometimes the most difficult part of the experience. If, after you’ve read about the voyages here, you still have questions, our knowledgeable team will be happy to assist and offer advice – just contact our office.
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Iceland
