Experience Arctic Cruises and Arctic Holidays

An Arctic holiday promises to be a unique experience in many ways, whether it is enjoying the company of new friends and sharing a 'once in a lifetime experience’ or savouring the gentle unfolding of each day’s activities as they offer you a wealth of choice!

At the very top of the world, the Arctic regions include Northern Norway and Svalbard, Greenland, Northern Canada and Alaska. Although Russia has the largest land mass in the area and the Franz Joseph Land archipelago, they are not readily accessible as tourist areas.

The Arctic, the land of the midnight sun, of snow and ice, offers some of the finest scenery and wildlife experiences in the world. Visitors to the region can witness enormous colonies of seabirds thronging the cliffs and shores, and enjoy the thrilling antics of whales at sea, and seals and walruses hauled out on rocks and ice-floes. The proximity of the pack-ice offers spectacular cruising between ice-floes. The lucky may even encounter the very symbol of the Arctic – the Polar Bear.
The High Arctic is best explored from June to September, as the pack ice recedes. From the decks of huge ice breakers to Luxury Cruise Ships to 50 passenger converted research ships, there’s a lot to explore.

It is a region of wild beauty and frozen landscapes inhabited not only by unique wildlife, but also, in Greenland, by hardy native peoples, who maintain traditional cultures at the same time as embracing modern enhancements in lifestyle and communication.

The region’s main areas are:
Spitsbergen
The most accessible part of the region and the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago, a world of dazzling glaciers, ice-plateaux and snow-capped peaks. With its deep fjords, sweeping tundra and summer alpine meadows of wildflowers, the archipelago has a population of just 3,500 people in five settlements. Cruise amongst the islands and discover huge Arctic seabird colonies – little auks and Brunnich’s guillemot along with more familiar species such as puffins. Long -tailed and other skuas patrol the tundra and fjords looking for chicks and lemmings whilst the pure white Ivory Gull nests in small colonies. Animal life abounds too – reindeer, Arctic fox, walrus, seals, whales and polar bear and delicate flowers carpet the land in spring.

Greenland
It is the largest island in the world. It stretches from 60º to 83º north latitude and Kap Farvel, its southern tip, is located at almost the same latitude as the Shetland Islands. The extreme north of Greenland is the northernmost point of land on Earth. Greenland is also dominated by the second largest ice-sheet in the world, covering more than 80% of its surface area. Although huge in size, it is inhabited by less than 60,000 people.

The coastline of Greenland is varied and spectacular. Heavily indented with numerous fjords, it consists of high mountains, 2000 metre (6500 feet) high cliffs and innumerable glaciers. The large glaciers produce the huge, cathedral-like icebergs that are abundant in Greenlandic waters. The largest fjord is Scoresby Sund at more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) long.

The Inuit are the indigenous people of Greenland and are traditionally subsistence hunters, living primarily from whales, walruses, Caribou, Musk Oxen, Arctic Foxes, Polar Bears and seals.

Canadian Arctic
The realm of the polar bear, the ultimate Arctic predator. Gyr falcons and snowy owls hunt whilst the seas contain the Arctic whales – narwhals, belugas, and the endangered northern right whale (bowheads). Geese and ducks nest across these chilly lands; reindeer graze on the sparse vegetation and the other Arctic gulls, the exquisite Sabine’s and the diminutive Ross’s, can also be seen.

Quick Facts
• The Arctic contains all of the area of Earth located above latitude 66º 33 North.
• The Arctic is primarily a thick flow of ice over the Arctic Ocean.
• The Arctic includes Greenland, which is largely covered by a 1 mile thick slab of ice.
• Greenland received its name from the Vikings who were trying to attract settlers. Most of the Viking settlers died.
• More fish live along the edges of the Arctic Ocean than anywhere else on Earth.
• The average winter temperature is minus 34ºC.
• During summer, the temperature can climb to over 20ºC.
• The Arctic is the only place polar bears live.
• Unlike Antarctica, people live in the Arctic Circle.

From the UK, most Arctic holidays expeditions are to and around Svalbard. Earlier in the season, trips are limited to specific areas of the coast due to the density of the ice pack. However, by mid season, it is usually possible to circumnavigate Spitsbergen on longer itineraries. Greenland is the next most popular destination and here the emphasis is on native culture, as well as scenery and wildlife.

There are other options available for Arctic cruises and holidays, including voyages through the ice to the North Pole or an 18 day transit of the fabled Northwest Passage.

Article Source: TravelFreeGuides.com

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Arctic cruises and Arctic holidays at unbeatable prices from Arctic Bound.

by: jensmith

Total views: 0 Word Count: 835 Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2011 Time: 3:31 AM - 0 comments

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