Voyage to one of the wildest and remote regions in the world, the breathtaking coasts of East Greenland. Experience the region’s beauty and diversity on this unique voyage combining the best of East Greenland.

Wild. Rugged. Remote. Pristine. Words which describe, but fail to capture the majesty of one of the wildest regions on planet Earth.

The flickering aurora borealis, vast glaciers, precipitous mountains and charismatic Arctic wildlife are just some of the spectacles we hope to see on the wild shores of Earth’s largest island. Experience Tunumiit culture and incredible history in Ammassalik region, meet the locals in Greenland’s most isolated community in Scoresbysund, and experience the unrivalled majesty of the Northeast Greenland National Park – the largest in the world.

Map/Itinerary

Day 1ICELAND, REYKJAVÍK. EMBARKATION

In the afternoon, we board the ship in Reykjavík and set our course northbound for Greenland.

After boarding and welcome drinks, the Expedition Leader will inform you about the voyage, the ship’s daily routines and the various security and safety procedures, then you will have time to unpack and get comfortable in your cabin. Before sailing, there will be a mandatory safety drill.

The Captain takes the ship out of Reykjavík in the early evening, as we enjoy our first hours onboard.

Day 2AT SEA. CROSSING THE DENMARK STRAIT TOWARDS GREENLAND

Our lecturers onboard will make inspiring and enriching presentations about both Iceland and Greenland’s past history and about nature, wildlife and climatology.

Day 3KUUMMIUT AND IKATEQ

We will spend the morning in the small village of Kuummiut, which sits in breathtaking surroundings in the calm reaches of Ammassalik Fjord. Kuummiut – meaning ‘People who Live by the River’ – is one of the larger villages in the area, and one of the most prosperous. Sitting upon some of East Greenland’s richest fishing grounds, Kuummiut holds the only fish factory in the region, and fishermen from miles around come through Ammassalik Fjord (which is wide enough to stay mostly ice-free year-round) to sell their catch here.

Day 4TASIILAQ

In the morning we arrive in Tasiilaq, the largest settlement in East Greenland. Unlike the west coast, which has had uninterrupted contact with Europe since the 1700s, the coast of East Greenland remained more or less uncontacted until around 1894, when a Danish trading post was established at Tasiilaq. The vast distances involved in Arctic travel meant that the people of East Greenland (Tunumiit) were isolated from their cousins to the west, and the language, traditions and culture of East Greenland therefore differ significantly to those in other parts of the country.

Day 5AT SEA, EN ROUTE TO ITTOQQORTOORMIIT

Sailing along the coastline of this vast island (where reaching the next-closest town takes two nights and a day of sailing), it can be difficult to comprehend the scale of this huge country.

Measuring roughly four times the size of France, Greenland dominates the Atlantic portion of the Arctic, covering latitudes from 59-83°N, and 11-74°W. Around 80% of Greenland is covered by the Greenland Ice Sheet (known as Sermersuaq or ‘The Great Ice’ in Greenlandic), the largest body of ice on earth outside Antarctica. The Greenland Ice Sheet is so vast that it governs the weather patterns of the region, with summer meltwater and winter ice largely driving ocean currents in this part of the North Atlantic.

Day 6ITTOQQORTOORMIIT

Entering Scoresbysund, Earth’s largest and longest fjord system, one could be forgiven for not realising this huge 35km inlet is a fjord at all! Scoresbysund is named for English whaler and explorer William Scoresby, one of the first Europeans to map this region; the local name for this vast fjord system, Kangertittivaq, is a typical Greenlandic understatement, roughly meaning ‘The Rather Large Fjord’.

Day 7-9NORTHEAST GREENLAND NATIONAL PARK

During the night we cruise past the rugged peaks of the Liverpool Land peninsula and reach the mouth of King Oscar Fjord. We are now in the vast Northeast Greenland National Park; measuring almost a million square kilometers (almost twice the size of France), this is the largest National Park and the largest area of protected land on Earth and includes the northernmost land on the planet.

Day 10BLOSSEVILLE COAST

Possibly the most dramatic coast outside of Antarctica, the Blosseville is guarded by Greenland’s highest mountains and steepest fjords – and a belt of pack ice which was once able to ward off explorers, sometimes for years at a time!

The Blosseville Coast is named for French Explorer Jules de Blosseville, the first European to sight this formidable coastline. While attempting to survey the coast in 1833 onboard the vessel La Lilloise, the vessel and all onboard were lost without a trace. Subsequent expeditions failed to find any trace of the vessel, and its fate remains a mystery to this day.

Day 11AT SEA. LECTURES AND BIRD WATCHING

The last day will be at sea getting glimpses of sea birds migrating south.

Our lecturers onboard will make inspiring and enriching presentations about both Iceland’s and Greenland’s history, nature, wildlife and climatology. A captain’s farewell drink and a slideshow of our voyage will also be presented this evening.

Day 12REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND

As the Icelandic capital comes into view on the horizon, strange objects appear; trees larger than ankle height, glassy skyscrapers and streets full of cars, busses and people… Such a bustling capital may feel strange after the remote wilderness of Greenland!

After a hearty breakfast, it is time to bid a fond farewell to the Crew and Expedition Team, and descend the gangway back to dry land with memories of the voyage of a lifetime.

Prices

Advanced filters:

Month:

Year:

Trip Length:

Price: