Disko Bay: Meeting the Inuit & Discovering the Unknown
With featured guest Neil Gilbert, Polar Specialist having spent nearly 40 years working on Arctic and Antarctic issues.
It is spring in Greenland. The snow is everywhere and covers a landscape whose apparent monotony reveals unexpected reliefs. For the very first time for a ship, Le Commandant Charcot will humbly progress towards Baffin Bay and ice-covered villages, inaccessible to traditional ships during this early period. During a 16-day journey of exploration, you will sail to the magnificent icy Disko Bay, home to the largest icebergs in the northern hemisphere. From unforgettable experiences to warm encounters, in the cosy atmosphere of an exceptional ship, take the time to enjoy moments of intense emotion and unsuspected discoveries.
Shaped for polar exploration, Le Commandant Charcot will make its way amongst fragments of drifting and broken-up ice floe, before approaching Inuit villages encircled by ice. During this spring season, following the long winter night, sailing the western Greenlandic coast holds the promise of moments of wonder, of fantastic surprises, provided by the uncertainty, which, always, gives the orders here. As we are taught by Inuit wisdom, only the present moment matters. As you progress towards Baffin Bay, the ice will unveil its countless nuances and give you a new vision of this place at the end of the world. In Disko Bay, the show becomes dreamlike, the icebergs that floated during the summer are now stuck in the frozen sea and make up cathedrals of ice that will leave you speechless.
During this immersion in the Greenlandic spring, you will discover the local communities of the west whose villages are still encircled by the bordering ice floe. The harshness of winter gradually makes way for the spring and the activities that go with it. Thanks to its special connection with the inhabitants of this fascinating island, PONANT offers you an unforgettable experience. For two days, in Ilulissat and Qeqertarsuaq, you will enjoy a total immersion. Following the pace of the Inuit community, you will experience moments of sharing based around their spring traditions. Polar hikes, ice fishing and dog sledding will punctuate your days but the real treasure lies elsewhere. The Inuits’ way of life and philosophy will imbue you with age-old wisdom.
Find out more about the world of Le Commandant Charcot here!
When searching for a luxury yacht expedition cruise, there’s one name above all else that you need to know – Ponant Cruises. Founded in 1988 by former French Merchant Navy officers, Ponant combines succulent luxury with authentic adventures on all seven continents.
From classic Mediterranean itineraries and Caribbean sailings, to bucket-list expeditions around Greenland and Antarctica, Ponant cruises proudly counteract the banality of mainstream voyages with a unique take on the concept of small-ship cruising. It’s the absolute trip of a lifetime.
BEYOND EXPLORATION
Embark on board Le Commandant Charcotthe only passenger ship in the world to have visited both the Geographic North Pole, and the most southerly point on the planet, the edge of the Antarctic.
