Beginning in Helsinki, Finland and ending in Ottawa, Canada, this 21-day Greenland adventure takes you first to the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. Afterwards, cross the Greenland Sea to explore the silent shores and dazzling ice fields of the world's largest island. Travel aboard famed Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov with special guest Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen, former member of Greenland's SIRIUS dog sled patrol.

August 4, 2011— Overnight in Helsinki, Finland.
August 5, 2011—Murmansk, Russia.
August 6, 2011—At sea.
August 7, 2011—Ny Alesund, Spitsbergen.
August 8 to 9, 2011—At sea.
August 10, 2011— Danmarks Havn, Greenland.
August 11, 2011— Shannon and Sabine Islands.
August 12, 2011— Daneborg and Eskimonaes.
August 13, 2011— Ella Island.
August 14 to 16, 2011—Scoresbysund.
August 17, 2011— Ittoqqoortoormitt.
August 18, 2011— At sea.
August 19, 2011— Tasiilaq.
August 20, 2011— Bernstorfs Isfjord.
August 21, 2011— Nanortalik.
August 22, 2011— At sea.
August 23, 2011— Disembark Kangerlussuaq. Overnight in Ottawa.
August 24, 2011— Ottawa, Canada.

(August 4 - 24, 2011) Covered in ice and shrouded in myth, Greenland was settled by two of the world's great heroic cultures: the nomadic ancestors of today's Inuit, and the ferocious land-hungry Vikings of Iceland and Norway.

Today's Greenland is no less mysterious, and few travelers are privileged to see as much of it as you will aboard a one-of-a-kind Greenland semi-circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle, your last chance to tour the Arctic seas aboard celebrated Russian icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov.

The ice-bound northeastern shore of the world's largest island is impenetrable to all but a few ships with powerful icebreaker capabilities - yet includes some of the most breathtaking Arctic scenery ever seen. Visit traditional Greenlandic communities, sail through one of the most beautiful fjord systems int he world, and emerge forever changed by your visit to this mythic land of ice and snow.

Your adventure begins with an overnight stay in magical Helsinki, Finland's capital.

From Helsinki, board our charter flight to Murmansk, Russia, where you'll join Khlebnikov.

Enjoy a presentation on Khlebnikov's storied history, and an introduction to Greenland's SIRIUS dog sled patrol from special guest Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen. Peter was a member of this elite special task force of the Royal Danish Navy from 1977 to 1979.

Spitsbergen is the largest island in a small archipelago known as Svalbard and administered by the Kingdom of Norway. Ny Alesund was once a mining town, but is now home to several international research stations. You'll have time to explore, but don't try calling home - wireless devices are banned, as they interfere with sensitive research equipment!

While crossing the Greenland Sea, be sure to take a helicopter flight for an unforgettable view of Khlebnikov crushing through the pack ice. When you're not flying, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, especially polar bears and walrus hunting along the ice edge.

Visit this tiny weather station, operated by eight hardy souls and located halfway down the remote seacoast of Northeast Greenland National Park, the world's largest national park. Enjoy a Zodiac cruise through Dove Bugt (Greenlandic for "bay"), watching for polar bear, walrus and muxk oxen.

See a unique side of Greenland when you visit these two island gems. Both were named in 1823, Shannon for a Royal Navy frigate of the same name, and Sabine after an Irish scientist who traveled to the area to perform geophysical research.

The small hamlet of Daneborg serves as headquarters for the famed SIRIUS Patrol, a special force of the Royal Danish Navy tasked with maintaining Danish sovereignty in northern and eastern Greenland. The hitch? The area can only be properly patrolled by dog sled. Gain insight into the challenges faced by this elite military corps with special guest Peter Schmidt Mikkelsen.

After your visit to Daneborg, Khlebnikov will cruise to Eskimonaes, a previous SIRIUS command center destroyed by Nazi invaders during WW II. You'll tour the site ruins, and then visit a traditional Thule settlement. Here you'll learn about the culture of Greenland's indigenous peoples.

Be sure to pack both binoculars and camera, because today you climb to the top of Ella Island for a spectacular view of five fjords, beyond which you may also spot musk oxen gracing. Later, at Blomsterbugra, you'll visit a trapper's hut and hike to a beautiful freshwater lake.

Scoresbysund ("Scoresby's Sound") is the largest, longest, and - some say - he most beautiful fjord system in the world. The area was named for William Scoresby, a whaler scientist and man of the cloth who charted the east coast of Greenland in 1822.

The Greenlandic name for this community means "place with big houses," and it is one of the world's last remaining examples of a living hunter society. In part this is due to the year-round sea ice, which makes commercial fishing impractical.

Continuing your cruise down the east coast of Greenland, you'll pass south through the Arctic Circle through seas once sailed by Eric the Red, the colorful outlaw who founded the island's first Norse colony.

One of the fastest-growing communities in Greenland, Tasiilaq has over 1900 inhabitants. On your visit you'll take part in a number of planned activities, including a hike through spectacular Ammassalik Island scenery.

The name translates to"ice fjord" which means a good possibility of spotting icebergs at the head of this magnificent waterway. When conditions permit, a shore landing allows you to hike the rugged terrain of this beautiful inlet.

Perched just north of the bottom tip of Greenland, Nanortalik was established early in Greenland's history, by both Inuit and Norse settlers. During your visit you'll view breathtaking mountain scenery, and soothe your tired legs in natural hot springs after hiking the tundra and visiting an ancient Viking settlement.

Cruising northward again, you'll have a chance to photograph the magnificent vistas of western Greenland, and spot many beautiful seabirds. Sailing up to Sondre Stromfjord, you'll cross back inside the Arctic Circle, ready to wind up your epic Arctic adventure.

Your Greenland adventure cruise ends in Kangerlussuaq, where you'll say goodbye to shipboard friiends, and board a flight to Ottawa, Canada.

Your Greenland adventure cruise ends in Kangerlussuaq, where you'll say goodbye to shipboard friiends, and board a flight to Ottawa, Canada.