Spitsbergen East Greenland and Iceland Cruise

Categories Svalbard Spitsbergen Arctic Cruises Adventure & Eco Travel Cruises

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Discover three iconic polar destinations in one voyage, providing a comprehensive Arctic experience. Yet, each of the islands we visit offers much that is unique and memorable: Encounters with polar bears are almost guaranteed in Spitsbergen; East Greenland features the most active glaciers outside of Antarctica, and Iceland dazzles travelers with its unearthly landscapes of Ice and Fire M/V Sea Spirit The ice-strengthened small all-suite expedition ship Sea Spirit (originally Renaissance V) was built in 1991 in Italy. From that time she has changed several operators and regions of navigation, cruising in Singapore, Alaska, Pacific Basin, Arctic and Antarctica. The vessel was modified in late 2010.

Itinerary

A small town Longyearbyen, honored to be the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago, is a starting point of our expedition. Visit Polar Museum, it will be a good start of your great arctic adventure.

Embark the Sea Spirit in the afternoon and keep an eye for our first whales as we sail out of Isfjorden.

Ny Ålesund settlement – Krossfjorden, 14th of July Glacier.

In the morning we visit the most northerly settlement in the world Ny Ålesund. Founded in 1917 by a mining company the town now houses several research stations of different countries. The mooring mast used by Amundsen and Nobile in their airship flights to the North Pole embodies the great history of Arctic exploration.

In the afternoon our ship enters the picturesque Krossfjorden. We board our Zodiacs to cruise along the Glacier of 14th of July. This place is remarkable for the beautiful view: blue ice, green slopes near the glacier, a colorful variety of wild flowers, and bird colonies on the nearby cliffs. An Arctic Fox is also here – it patrols the base of the cliffs in case a chick falls from its nest.

Liefdefjorden, Andøya Island.

The landscape of Liefdefjorden may be used as a demonstration material for “Different forms of water” lecture. It is formed by glacier and snow, by rain, clouds and slushy water, by pack and sea ice. On Andøya Island we go for a walk to observe tundra landscapes and various species of arctic birds. Then we cruise along the face of the picturesque Monaco Glacier. Sometimes we see polar bears on the glacier; it offers us an incredible opportunity to get great photos.

Greenland Sea.

Days at sea don’t mean idleness and bore. Visit lectures and presentations of our expedition team and invited guests. Socialize with new friends in the cozy lounge of the ship. Or warm up your muscles in the gym before landings, hikings and other expedition activities in Greenland.

Kejser Franz Josef Fjord.

Today we start exploring the vast spaces of Northeast Greenland National Park – the world's largest and most northerly national park.

Myggbukta, which we explore in the morning, was a location of Norwegian whaling, radio and meteorology station. Even earlier, in the first half of last century the Norwegians hunted here for polar bears and Arctic foxes. We will see the old hunters’ huts and hike along the lush tundra, populated by musk oxen and Arctic hares. The picturesque small lakes are favoured by geese.

In the afternoon our ship pushes on through the beautiful Kejser Franz Josef Fjord, framed by towering mountains. We will see our first huge icebergs, so much associated with Greenland. Here we also have good chances to encounter narwhals.

Ymer Island, Blomsterbugten – Antarctic Sund – Ella Ø Island.

In the morning our ship drops an anchor by Ymer Island. Here we will discover one of the most breathtaking places in Greenland and on earth — Blomsterbugten. The name of this place is translated as “bay of flowers”. Though it is not the peak of flowering on dates of our expedition we will see dwarf birch, Arctic willow, cotton grass and purple saxifrage. It is not only flowers that make this place bright and colorful. Grass and lichen bring out the gold of the tundra, red rocks make the landscape unearthly, and a lake brown due to the erosion of the sedimentary rocks contrast dramatically with the blue of the sky. Musk oxen and Arctic hares are frequent in this place.

Have you known that there is another Antarctica high in northerly latitudes? You’ll discover it as soon as our ship enters a magnificent Antarctic Sund. Though it is not Antarctic-like scenery that gives this odd name to the place (it was a name of a ship aboard which the area was explored) you will not be disappointed with surrounded landscapes. Icebergs, mountains and fancy design of geological formations form views rival to Antarctic landscapes.

During our landing at Ella Ø we have a closer look at Sirius Patrol camp. The Sirius Patrol is Danish navy unit that conducts long-range reconnaissance patrolling, and enforces Danish sovereignty in the Arctic wilderness of Northern and Eastern Greenland. If we are lucky to meet Sirius’s members in the camp we may have unique opportunity to learn about this elite Danish navy unit first hand. Then we go for a hiking to one of the tops of the island to view one of the best vistas in the world.

Antarctic Havn – Greenland Sea.

Today we explore another “antarctic” place in Greenland – a bay of Antarctic Havn. Though groups of musk oxen and colourful autumn vegetation make the landscapes absolutely different from those in Antarctica.

We leave the area of Northeast Greenland National Park behind and go down to the world’s largest, and – some say – most beautiful fjord system – Scorsebysund.

Danmarks Ø Island – Fonfjord.

We land on Danmarks Ø where we find the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The carpets of red, yellow, and green vegetation contrast dramatically with snow patches and beautiful icebergs near the coast.

During our afternoon Zodiac cruise in Fonfjord we watch some of the most stunning icebergs in Greenland that make Scorsebysund area so popular.

Every evening spent at Scoresbysund we have a great opportunity to see fantastic Northern Lights.

Harefjord – Rypefjord, Cape Hofmann Halvø.

The Scoresbysund region contains the most productive fast-flowing outlet glaciers draining east from the Greenland Ice Cap. The Harefjord, that we plan to explore in the morning, lies on the boundary between Scoresbysund as one of the world’s largest fjord systems and the very inland ice of Greenland. So the hikes at Harefjord take us up close to one of the many outlet glaciers of the Greenland Ice Sheet. From our highest point we observe a breathtaking view over Harefjord where the glacier tongues descend into the sea. Here and further at Rypefjord we see rare blue icebergs, which are more typical for the Antarctic.

We go to Rypefjord to watch more blue “antarctic” icebergs, which are even bigger and deeper in color than in Harefjord. Here we go ashore at Cape Hofmann Halvø to walk around the breathtaking autumn tundra. With dwarf willow and dwarf birch changing their colours; with Arctic blueberry and crowberry adding their own colourful touch; with huge dark mountains and the cold blue of the icebergs – the landscapes here are something awesome! Encounters with musk oxen are almost guaranteed.

Ø Fjord – Sydkap.

In the morning be on open decks as the Sea Spirit is navigating through Ø Fjord to Sydkap. The fjord is surrounded by stunning mountains with the highest peaks up to 2000 meters.

We land at Sydkap to view the remains of the Thule culture winter houses. As many as 20 people lived in these tiny houses, hunting Greenland whale and using their vertebrae to build the houses. The landscape here is gently undulating.

Ittoqqortoormiit – Denmark Strait.

Ittoqqortoormiut is the biggest settlement in the Scoresby Sund with a population of about 450 inhabitants. We visit the town in the morning to observe the modern lifestyle above the Arctic Circle away from the other world.

In the afternoon the Sea Spirit heads for Denmark Strait. It’s time to bid farewell to East Greenland as we are passing by the stunning views of the Blosseville Kyst.

Denmark Strait.

Final lectures and presentations are on the agenda. Be on the open decks and keep an eye open for large whales migration.

Akureyri (Iceland), disembarkation.

Our arctic adventures finish in the port of Akureyri. Disembarkation in the morning is followed by the transfer to Reykjavik.