Arctic Safari June 18 28, 2015

Transcription

1 Arctic Safari June 18 28, 2015

2 Cover: Michelle Valberg Expedition Overview Join us for a wildlife safari like no other. Fly north over Baffin Island s dramatic fjords and valleys, touching down on a pristine virgin ice shelf overlooking electric blue waters, where Narwhal swim past on their summer migration. Make your home in a luxury yurt camp right on the ice for five days as Inuit guides help you get up close and personal with some of the most extraordinary animals of the Arctic - snorkel in search of Belugas and Bowheads, kayak out to the pack ice where Walrus gather to soak up the summer sun, track Polar Bear families as they hunt along the floe edge, climb icebergs and gaze over the glittering glacial mountains. Treat yourself to this unique land-based adventure that is rarely experienced by visitors to the Arctic. Photos: (Cover) Narwhal, Ice Edge Base Camp, Narwhal Fluke.

3 Michelle Valberg Itinerary Thursday, June 18: Ottawa Arrive in Ottawa, Canada s capital city, and transfer to your hotel. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner and briefing. Overnight at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel. Friday, June 19: Iqaluit Board a flight this morning to Canada s newest capital, Iqaluit. Founded in 1942 as an American air base, Iqaluit is now Nunavut s largest and fastest-growing community, and is the political and economic hub of the Canadian Arctic. After lunch, we visit the Parliament building, Visitor Center and museum then travel out of town for our first taste of the Arctic wilderness. Either go hiking, or if snow and ice conditions allow, on a qamutik, a traditional sled, for a dog-mushing tour. Though snowmobiles have replaced dogsledding teams in most parts of the Arctic, the qimmiq the Inuktitut name for the Inuit husky, which was bred 4,000 years ago and is North America s oldest remaining indigenous canine is still highly and visibly revered. Dinner and overnight at the Frobisher Inn. Saturday, June 20: Arctic Bay Take a morning hike in nearby Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park. This picturesque park houses ancient Thule ruins, and many varieties of wildlife Caribou and Arctic Fox are common sightings, along with 40 avian species, including Lapland Longspurs, Northern Wheatears, Red-throated Loons, and Gyrfalcons. Look for the rare Woodsia fern and Purple Mountain Saxifrage, the official flower of Nunavut. After lunch, it s off to the airport for a flight to Arctic Bay. Look down while flying over Baffin Island - it s a taste of what s to come, with its vast ice floes, broad valleys, and deep fjords. At 450 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Arctic Bay is the northernmost hamlet on Baffin Island, and our jumping-off point to the sea ice. Dinner and overnight at the Enukseot Hotel. Photos: Nunavut Flag, Inuit Hunter. Michelle Valberg

4 Sunday, June 21: Ice Edge The Inuit people comprise 85 percent of Arctic Bay s population. The sea ice is their backyard, and their expert knowledge of local animals is integral to your getting the most out of your experience on this safari. After breakfast, allow your Inuit guides to show you how they travel to their summer camps - step onto a qamutik and snowmobiles will pull you toward your Arctic Safari base camp. You may spot Thick-billed Murres and Black-legged Kittiwakes nesting on the sheer face of the towering St. Georges Society Cliffs as you pass beneath. Upon arrival at camp, enjoy hors d oeuvres as you gaze at the staggering scenery that surrounds you on the sea ice. Relax in your surprisingly elegant and warm yurt, complete with raised bed. Dinner and overnight at camp. Monday, June 22: Ice Edge Camp is strategically situated close to the floe edge, a bustling habitat that travelers rarely have the opportunity to explore on foot. The floe edge is where ice that s still attached to the land, meets the sea. In June, it acts as a kind of corral for the sea mammals passing on their annual migration toward Greenland. It blocks their path, so they congregate in pools close to land until the ice melts and they can move on. Here is where the Narwhal can be seen swimming, or logging resting at the water s surface at incredibly close proximity to land. The floe edge will be the focal point of your activity for the next five days, as you search for Narwhal and, to a lesser extent, Beluga and Bowheads. Keeping your eyes peeled for the elongated ivory tooth, or tusk, of the male Narwhal, you may find pods anywhere from 2 to 10 or more males, females, and newborns, and have the chance to photograph the magnificent animals as they appear to joust when they raise their tusks. Arctic summer means that the sun is up 24 hours a day, allowing you the greatest opportunity to view these mystical unicorns of the sea. Dinner and overnight at camp. Todd Mintz Tuesday Thursday, June 23 25: Ice Edge Following a hearty breakfast each day, join your guides and head to the floe edge to resume the search. Aside from whales, 30 species of migratory birds come to the floe edge, including Ivory Gulls, King Eider Ducks, and Northern Fulmars. If you desire a different vantage point, don a drysuit and try snorkeling off the ice. There s nothing like the unlimited visibility in this blue Arctic water. Or kayak out to the floating pack ice to look for Walrus, Ringed and Bearded Seals, and visiting Harp Seals. So as not to miss a moment, enjoy a lunch of local treats, such as fresh Arctic Char and caribou carpaccio, right on the ice at the floe edge. If the Narwhal search has been successful, or wind conditions don t allow for a safe approach of the floe edge, you may hike up a grounded iceberg for a bird s eye view over the magnificent sea ice. Your guides will always be on the lookout for Polar Bear tracks. If they find any, following them may lead to a whale or Walrus carcass left after an Inuit hunt. Here, the bears tend to congregate, and can be observed from a safe distance as they devour the remains. Where there are bears, there are often Arctic Foxes, waiting to scarf up what the bears leave behind. Michelle Valberg Each night, return to camp in the midnight sun and warm yourself at the fireplace while discussing all you ve seen. Overnight at camp. Photos: Beluga Whale, Polar Bear, Kayakers, King Eider Ducks.

5 Friday, June 26: Arctic Bay After breakfast, pack up the qamutik and travel back to Arctic Bay. Explore the local community today visit a village of qammaqs, or traditional sod houses, watch soapstone carvers at work, or see a seal skin being stretched. Dinner and overnight at the Enukseot Hotel. Saturday, June 27: Ottawa Depart Arctic Bay on a flight back to Ottawa. Enjoy a celebratory farewell dinner and overnight at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel. Sunday, June 28: Ottawa After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home. Photos: Photography at the Ice Edge, Midnight Iceberg Walk. Market at Merkato Sandra Lim

6 Your Expedition Leader Kevin Clement Not many people can say they have lived inside Denali National Park, but Kevin Clement is one. Nowadays, however, he spends most of his time guiding ecotourism and adventure travel trips on all seven continents. Kevin has served as the Denali Foundation instructor for natural history and as a trainer for the Park s staff of naturalists. As a Certification Instructor for the Wilderness Education Association he led month-long outdoor leadership courses under the auspices of the University of Alaska. He has lived in several other national parks and has guided groups in whitewater rafts, on crosscountry skis, by sled dog, and on foot, earning certifications in scuba diving, swiftwater rescue, and wilderness medicine, as well as a Coast Guard Master s license. Most recently he s been running a sea kayaking program in Antarctica a place he has visited more than 50 times. Kevin is the consummate Renaissance Man, possessing a poetic and artistic take on the world that adds a fascinating dimension to his interpretation as you explore alongside him. Judy M., Hawaii And as he always has, he still draws and paints. His first career was as an illustrator, and his work has appeared in various juried art shows, several times winning juror s or people s choice awards. He never travels without his sketchbook. Or his sense of humor.

7 Expedition Details Arctic Safari June 18 28, 2015 $18,970 Per Person Rate On Request Solo Rate 11 Days Trip Length 14 Guests Group Size Ottawa / Ottawa Start/End Included Apex Expeditions rates include all accommodations; all meals, activities and excursions as described in the itinerary; air Ottawa/Iqaluit-Iqaluit/Arctic Bay-Arctic Bay/Ottawa, as noted in the itinerary; services of an Apex Expedition leader and local guides throughout the itinerary; select beer and wines at lunch & dinner; all gratuities; airport transfers; permits and entrance fees; all taxes. Not Included Costs not included in the price of your Apex expedition include travel to and from start and end point of trip; premium brand drinks and liquor; travel insurance (Trip Cancellation and Interruption as well as Emergency Medical and Evacuation insurance); airport departure taxes; excess baggage fees; passport and/or visa fees; items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, souvenirs, etc.); and independent travel arrangements pre- or post-trip. Payments & Terms 20% of the trip cost will confirm your place on the expedition. The final balance is due 150 days prior to departure. All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars and must be paid in U.S. dollars. Per person pricing is based on double occupancy. The Solo Rate is paid by participants who specifically request single accommodations and is subject to availability. If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, we will try to match you with a roommate of the same gender. However, if a roommate is not available, the published Solo Rate will be charged. Upon confirming your reservation you will be required to pay the published Solo Rate, if we are able to pair you with a roommate, the applicable difference will be refunded at the time that the final trip payment is due for all participants. Please note that solo accommodations are limited and cannot always be guaranteed throughout. For our full set of Terms & Conditions, please visit our web site at One-of-a-kind adventures to the world s most fascinating places. Join us. Eric Baccega

8 Reservation Form Arctic Safari June 18 28, 2015 Person 1: (Primary Contact) Passport Name: Preferred Name: Date of Birth: Address: Mailing Details: Address: City: State: ZIP Code: Country: Phone: Fax: Double Solo Person 2: (If applicable and at same address, otherwise please submit a second Reservation Form.) Passport Name: Preferred Name: Date of Birth: Address: Deposit Information: My deposit check is enclosed (20% of total tour fare) Charge my deposit to my: VISA MasterCard American Express Card #: Expires: CCV Code: Name on Card: Signature: Please return this completed form to Apex Expeditions. info@apex-expeditions.com or Mail: th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98126