The Ultimate Fjord and National Park Expedition

Your adventure starts in the world’s northernmost capital. Reykjavik has traditional charm coupled with a cosmopolitan outlook. This small, safe city is the perfect size for a walking tour, and is packed full of art, culture and history. We recommend you make the most of being here before embarkation, if you have the time.

Take a stroll along Laugavegur, the main shopping street, with its boutiques and outdoor shops, or head to the architecturally striking Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral. Art lovers can visit the Reykjavik Art Museum, the National Gallery and the many smaller galleries and museums dotting the city.

Stopping off at the National Museum, the Saga Museum and the Maritime Museum will fill you in on Iceland’s history. Pack your swimsuit if you fancy a dip in one of the city’s 18 swimming pools, many of which have saunas and hot tubs.

From Reykjavik you’re just hours away from geysers, glaciers, hot springs and waterfalls – the name actually means ‘Smoky Bay’ due to the rising steam from the surrounding geothermal features. Why not book a Pre-Programme with us and spend some extra days discovering Iceland’s famed Golden Circle, a circuit of natural highlights including waterfalls, national parks and geysers.

Your expedition ship awaits you in Reykjavik Harbour. After you check in and collect your complimentary expedition jacket, you’ll have time to settle in your relaxed and stylish cabin. There is a mandatory safety drill just before departure after which you can walk around and explore your new home-from-home and enjoy and the premium onboard experience.

The welcome dinner in the evening ends with a toast by the Captain, wishing everyone an enjoyable adventure. You’ll then meet the Expedition Team and key members of the crew who’ll provide you with information about what to expect on your exciting voyage to Greenland.

As we leave Iceland behind, we’ll sail across the Denmark Strait towards the shores of Greenland. This is the same route that was taken by the Vikings when they migrated there some 1,000 years ago. In fact, we’re following in the wake of Erik the Red, who is said to have been the first European to settle in Greenland, having gone there with his father at age 10.

You’ll have time to relax, get to know your Expedition Team, and check out the onboard facilities. In the Science Center there will be lectures on a range of topics, preparing you for the adventure ahead. While you’re there, check out the library and the scientific equipment that is there for you to make use of throughout the voyage.

They’ll also talk you through important guidelines from AECO, the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators. You'll learn how you can help protect wildlife habitats, and the best ways to keep a safe distance from animals so as not to disturb them.

If you’re feeling active, you can hit the fitness facilities and get your pulse up. The panoramic sauna offers ‘sightseeing as you sweat’ and there are hot tubs and a heated pool on deck.

Later, why not enjoy a drink in the panoramic Explorer Lounge & Bar and get to know some of your fellow explorers, or just settle into a sofa and watch the rhythmic ocean waves roll by outside.

Scoresbysund is a fjord system spreading like the branches of a tree over an area of around 24,000 square miles. The scenery is simply spectacular, with white and blue icebergs floating in mirror-like waters surrounded by stark black and brown mountains which loom up around us. It’s the world’s largest fjord system and you’ll feel a deep sense of serenity over the next four days exploring this vast pristine wilderness.

The area’s steep basalt mountains, some reaching 6,500 ft., not only create a stunning backdrop but also provide shelter from the chilling Arctic winds. Furthermore, vast stretches of open water at the wide fjord system’s mouth, as well as areas which remain ice-free even in winter have made this a haven for an abundance of Greenland’s iconic wildlife. You might be able to spot muskoxen, Arctic foxes and mountain hares here.

Birdlife thrives here. Little auks, Atlantic Puffins, Fulmars, Snowy Owls, the Greenlandic Gyrfalcon, and Great Black-backed Gulls are just some of the species that we’ll be hoping to see. Additionally, various types of seal can be seen on the shores or lounging on ice floes. Keep a lookout too for whales, which can be spotted in the waters around here.

As this is an expedition cruise, the Captain and Expedition Team will guide us to the most favourable spots on a daily basis. We’ll make the best of the conditions, ensuring we can pack in as many shore landings, nature walks, kayaking tours and wildlife sightings as possible. As you explore and learn about this precious ecosystem, you’ll come to feel at one with the vast Scoresbysund fjord region.

Words are barely adequate to describe the pure tranquillity and grandeur of the largest national park in the world. It’s also the least visited park on earth and only a small number of expeditions are permitted to visit over the short summer season. Thanks to our expertise and experience here, we are one of them.

You’ll see majestic fjords and giant icebergs, while wildlife including hares, muskoxen and Arctic foxes roam the coasts and tundra. You might even be lucky enough to spot polar bears. These elusive creatures are usually spread out across the enormous region, making it a real highlight if we do manage to locate them.

Apart from old trapper huts, some science research stations, and a military outpost, there are very few traces of human life in this 375,000 square mile park. The only other people we might encounter are the Sirius Patrol rangers who monitor the area on dog sleds. Otherwise, this is one of the quietest places on earth, and you’ll feel a deep sense of peace as we explore this beautiful wilderness.

The Northeast Greenland National Park is an International Biosphere Reserve, and naturally we will respect the fragile ecology, leaving no trace behind. The Captain and Expedition Team will assess the ice conditions and choose the best locations for landings daily. You can also enjoy exciting optional activities such as kayaking and long guided nature walks, as well as taking a bracing dip in the icy waters – if you’re brave enough!

Apart from spotting wildlife, photographing the flora and icebergs, and appreciating the silence, there’s also the opportunity to participate in our Citizen Science projects, which will help preserve the region for the wildlife, and for future generations.

After exploring the remote beauty of Greenland, we set our course back for Iceland. Spend the days at sea recapping your experiences with new friends, studying nature in the Science Center, sitting in on a lecture or two, or just relaxing on deck. Look out for the sea birds which follow our ship, or maybe see if you can spot some whales.

The route back ‘home’ is likely the same one those last Vikings took when they abandoned their experiment in living on Greenland in the 15th century. Why did they leave? Historians can’t agree, but it seems likely they tried to live like European farmers in an environment that wouldn’t support their cows, sheep and pigs. If only they had taken advice from the Inuit Greenlanders, their descendants might still be there today.

As you reflect on your voyage, you may now appreciate what a precious place Greenland is. From the delicate ecology of the fjord systems, and the ethereal elegance of the floating ice and glaciers, we hope that the beauty you encountered has made its mark on you and that your expedition cruise has been a life-changing experience.

Your expedition ship will arrive back in the Icelandic capital today. Once you have disembarked, why not check out some of the things you might have missed in this charming and compact city before our voyage began.

We are sure you will have had an amazing experience along Greenland’s east coast with us, and we hope to see you again in the future for more adventures.

If you want to explore more of Iceland, why not add on one of our Post-Programmes before you head home, or simply extend your stay to enjoy Reykjavik and the surrounding geothermal attractions.