GUIDES: Leon Chartrand, PhD (Lead)
CONTACT DR. LEON for ALL expedition questions BEFORE contacting Center for International Education. chartrandl@xavier.edu or 307-690-2994
ACTIVITIES: NOTE: In order to preserve the uniqueness of this experience and show respect for Greenlandic and Icelandic peoples and, of course, to minimize overuse impacts upon a sensitive arctic landscape, specific locations of hikes and activities will only be given to the finalized roster and will not be listed here. Students will be expected to avoid tagging specific locations of activities.
Arrive in Keflavik, Iceland for four nights where well stay in Reykjavik and explore Iceland’s primary city and culture. From there we will visit Vatnajokull, Snaefellsjokull and Jokulsarglijufur parks, all three of which are famous for their geology phenomena and incredible scenery. We will visit the famous blue lagoon as well as arctic puffin colonies.
We then fly from Keflavik to Ilulissat, Greenland where we will explore Ilulissat’s fishing harbor village and culture, which will include hiking the nearby fjords. This is also an opportunity for our group to kayak around dozens of icebergs in the Greenlandic Sea, some of which are the size of NFL stadiums.
We depart on an Icebreaker ship from Ilulissat, sailing up the Davis Straight and through Disko Bay, around massive icebergs, on the way to Eqi Glacier (the most active glacier in the world!) Here, we will stay in yurts at Eqi Basecamp for three nights, listening to the frequent thundering of massive ice calving from the glacier into the bay. While at Eqi, we will hike onto the glacial moraine and learn about the history of this glacier’s advance and retreat within the context of its significance to climate science and in the future impacts of Greenland upon the world.
The Greenland Iceshelf, the Polar Icecap. Here, 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle with 24 hours of Summer Sun, we take the hike up 2000 feet to walk upon the ice shelf, the place famous now for concerns regarding climate change. We will walk in the footsteps of famous Danish and French explorers to this area.
Our return from Eqi via Disko Bay and the Davis Strait affords us a day in the Village of Ilulissat at a time when the National Greenlandic Inuit Games are being held. Here, we will visit the Greenlandic Arctic Museum and the Famous Knud Rasmussen Museum of the Arctic. We will also undoubtedly meet Greenlandic Inuit peoples with expectations to learn their perspectives on climate as well as meet the famous Greenlandic dogs, famous for their rugged endurance during -50F conditions.
We return to Reykjavik, Iceland for two final nights before returning home. And all through this experience, we will focus on the perception of these magnificent places and peoples of Iceland and Greenland within the context of climate change due to causes in faraway places and how Icelanders and Greenlanders are adapting to such changes.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 1, 2026
FACULTY: Leon Chartrand, PhD; David Gerberry, PhD; Ritta Rozzi, JD
COURSES: 6 Total CORE Credits
ENGL 205 or 140, Rita Rozzi JD, 3 Credits, CORE Lit & Moral Imagination, ER/S, or Humanities Elective, Free Elective
MATH 126/127, David Gerberry PhD, 3 Credits, CORE SCIENCE or MATH Perspectives, Env Sci/Studies, Free Elective
PROGRAM FEE: $5,275 includes roundtrip international airfare, all lodging, Eqi basecamp stay, iceshelf guides from World of Greenland, Greenland Travel, ground transportation, roundtrip icebreaker ferry from Ilulisatt to Eqi, Glacier-calving experience, visits to Iceland National Parks, Greenlandic Museum and Inuit visits, meals, snacks, beverages.
TUITION: $3,630 ($605/Credit Hour) for 6 Total Credits (separate from Program Fee)
DEPOSIT: $400 Nonrefundable deposit secures student’s spot. Deposit deducted from Program Fee.
LIMIT: Maximum 12 Students
VALUE: Attempting this program on one’s own would cost ~$15,100/person. For THIS expedition, a student’s total cost is $5,275 (Program Fee) + $3,630 (6 Credits Tuition) = $8,905 total. This is 41% less than what you’d pay if you did this on your own! Plus, you have the unique, guide-specific experiences that Dr. Leon and Xavier Expeditions’ are known for offering! For questions on payment plans, contact Xavier University’s Office of the Bursar. For questions on grants and scholarships, contact Xavier University’s Office of Financial Aid.