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Arrive
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Day 1 Embarkation in Iceland
Your journey begins in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik, where embarkation formalities for your cruise take place later this afternoon. After time to settle in to your cabin and explore your new surroundings, head to the restaurant for a delicious first meal onboard.
Option: Spend a few days in Iceland pre-cruise to take in the highlights of the Golden Circle.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 2 Reykjavik
Today is dedicated to explorations of Iceland's intriguing capital city. You may wish to browse the quirky shops and galleries in the city centre, visit the Perlan museum on Oskjuhlið hill to take in the panoramic views, or venture out of the city for a soak in a thermal lagoon. All optional activities end in the mid-afternoon as, this evening, Le Lyrial sets sail for eastern Greenland.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 3 Sailing to Greenland
During this full day at sea, you can take full advantage of Le Lyrial's superb onboard facilities. Charge your batteries for the adventures ahead with some pampering in the spa and hammam, take a dip in the heated outdoor pool and enjoy fascinating presentations on the region's flora, fauna and history from the onboard expedition team.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 4 Ammassalik Island - Tasilaq & the Sermilik Fjord
By morning you will be approaching Greenland's eastern shores. Your first exciting opportunity to disembark will be on Ammassalik Island, a rugged island that is one of only two inhabited places in eastern Greenland. After time to explore the colourful town of Tasiilaq, you will continue on to cross the waters of the mighty Sermilik Fjord which separates Ammassalik from the mainland. The scenery as you ply the waters of the fjord is simply breathtaking. Inky blue waters are smattered with icebergs and drifting sea ice, while vistas of the majestic peaks of the Schweitzerland Alps are ever-present on the horizon.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 5 Skjoldungen Island
Today's adventures take you to Skjoldungen - a spectacular island partially encircled by a plunging fjord. Soaring rock faces, craggy peaks and pillars of ice characterise the lands surrounding the fjord, while swathes of the island itself are blanketed by birch and willow forest which provide a feast for the eyes during the summer months. Skjoldungen is also a superb place to spot wildlife and birds, with bearded seals and orcas often seen close to shore.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 6 Prince Christian Sound & Aappilattoq
The wonders of Prince Christian Sound await today, as you cruise along this magnificent 60-mile long stretch that divides the islands from the mainland under the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet. As you pass through the narrowest stretches of the sound it is impossible not to be captivated by the vertiginous peaks drenched by tumbling cascades of water, and the calving glaciers that release virgin sea ice into the sound. The small Inuit village of Aappilattoq is the only settlement to be found for far and wide. Inaccessible by road, this tiny settlement boasts a clutch of brightly painted houses set against a backdrop of colossal mountains, looking out over the sparkling waters of the sound.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 7 Hvalsø & Narsaq
Having circumnavigated the southern tip of Greenland you will approach the former Viking settlement of Hvalsø, a verdant outpost where the remains of a 14th-century church are an unlikely discovery. In nearby Narsaq, a picture-postcard Greenlandic town is framed by a rippling mountain backdrop and the waters of the Tunalliarfik fjord are an ever-changing canvas of drifting blue and white ice fragments.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 8 Ikka Fjord
Charting a course north along Greenland's south-western coastline you will encounter the astounding Ikka Fjord. Here, some 10,000 years of geological activity has driven a series of towering 'ikaite' columns up from the seabed in a phenomenon that intrigues scientists to this day. Above the surface, the calm clear waters and undulating mountains make for an utterly serene day of sailing.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 9 Nuuk
This morning one of the world's largest fjord systems brings you to the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk. One-time settlement of Eric the Red, Nuuk was a significant Norse settlement for nearly 500 years, but these days delivers a refreshing mix of traditional and contemporary Greenlandic culture. Houses painted in rich shades of red, blue and yellow contrast against the muted colours of the Davis Strait, while Nuuk's modern centre boasts a clutch of boutiques, galleries and fabulous eateries.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 10 Sisimiut
Continuing north from Nuuk, further sailing past western Greenland's ribbon-like fjords brings you to Sisimiut, the country's second largest town. Positioned just above the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut is a place to delve into the rich traditions of the Inuit people. You can also enjoy a delightful stroll around the craft shops and historic buildings in the town centre, and then take in vistas of brightly-painted stilt houses scattered across the surrounding hills.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 11 Eqi Glacier
One of Greenland's most active glaciers, the Eqi Glacier never fails to astound. The spectacle of the three-mile-wide resplendent white glacier is only heightened by the regular rumbling and cracking of the ice as the glacier calves, enormous fragments crashing into the water below. Your experience of the Eqi Glacier is complimented by a visit to the shelter of Paul-Émile Victor - the Polar explorer who led a number of significant expeditions in Greenland during the first half of the 20th century.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 12 Disko Bay
A true natural wonder of Greenland is on the agenda today as you discover Disko Bay. All the images of Greenland at its most iconic can be found here; the crash of a humpback whale tail plunging into fjord waters, mighty icebergs dwarfing tiny RIBs below, brightly painted cabins hunkering down in preparation for the long Arctic winters. It is impossible not to be drawn in by this remarkable place.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 13 Itilleq
On your final full day in Greenland you will slow the pace on Itilleq Island, a small settlement to the north of Disko Bay, lapped by the waters of the Davis Strait. A population of barely 100 people make their living here from fishing and hunting, but they are always happy to interact with visitors over a "kaffemik" or a game of football. Round off the day taking in the splendid views of the surrounding waters bathed in the light of the Midnight Sun.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Day 14 Disembark in Kangerlussuaq, flight to Paris
Your time in Greenland draws to a close this morning as you disembark Le Lyrial after breakfast. Transfer to Kangerlussuaq international airport in time for your flight to Paris where your arrangements end.
Overnight: Ponant Le Lyrial Arctic
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Depart
