Travel Scandinavia Baltic Tours Antarctica Expedition Cruises

   
 
 

West & South Greenland Cruise Aboard a Sailing Vessel

Aurora Borealis Cruise

13 Days / 6 locations in Greenland

It is possible to take just a 7 day journey on this cruise - West Greenland, September 19 - 26, 2013 or South Greenland, September 26 - October 3, 2013. Please inquire.

Greenland or "Kalaallit Nunaat" ("Land of the People") in the Greenlandic language, is the largest island in the world, it stretches from 60º to 83º north latitude. Kap Farvel, its southern tip, is located at almost the same latitude as the Shetland Islands in Scotland. The extreme north of Greenland is the northernmost point of land on our planet. Greenland is dominated by the second largest ice-sheet in the world; more than 80% of its surface area is covered by ice reaching a thickness of over 3000 meters (10,000 feet) in the interior. Although huge in size (2,166,000 km²), it is inhabited by less than 60.000 people. Greenland is geographically a part of the North American continent but has more social and political ties with Europe.

The coastline of Greenland is spectacular. Heavily indented with numerous fjords, the coastline consists of spectacular high mountains, 2000 meters (6500 feet) high cliffs and innumerable glaciers. The large glaciers produce the huge, cathedral-like ice-bergs that are abundant in Greenlandic waters. The largest fjord is Scoresby Sund and is more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) long. Our voyages focus on East and North-East Greenland, among the most isolated, sparsely populated and scenically superb parts of the island.

The name Greenland was given by Eric the Red, a Norwegian-born Icelandic settler who was banished from Iceland around the year 982 after committing a murder. He found refuge in Greenland. When his exile was over, he returned to Iceland with stories of a green and fertile land to the north-west to lure potential settlers, hence the name Greenland. Although initially flourishing, the Icelandic settlements disappeared from Greenland around 1400, probably due to a climatic change, the Little Ice-Age. But the Norwegian settlers were certainly not the first humans to have lived on Greenland. For thousands of years Palaeo-Eskimos (the Dorset culture) had been living on the coasts of Greenland: they were finally replaced by Inuit (or Kalaallit as they call themselves in Greenland) around 1300 A.D. The Inuit now make up the majority of the Greenlandic population. The Inuit, the word means "men" in the Inuit language, are nowadays seen as the indigenous people of the North American Arctic. Inuit are traditionally subsistence hunters, living primarily from whales, walruses, Caribou, Musk Oxen, Arctic Foxes, Polar Bears and seals.

Climate

Our expeditions in North-East Greenland are planned in August and September. The reason is that access to this wild coast is dependent on the ice conditions. For much of the year the region is locked in by pack-ice, which only by late summer has broken up sufficiently to allow vessels such as ours to reach land.

Please note; although we expect to be able to reach Greenland, nature does not give us a guarantee. Pack-ice is unpredictable and may prevent our ships to complete the planned itinerary.

The Greenlandic weather varies enormously depending on where you are on this vast island. Influenced by its high latitude, the gigantic ice-cap and the surrounding oceans and seas, Greenland has an Arctic to High Arctic climate. Still, East Greenland has on average 300 days of sunshine in the year. In August we can expect surprisingly warm daytime temperatures. In Scoresby Sund the average daytime temperatures are between 5 and 9ºC (41 and 48ºF) with the highest observed temperature being 21ºC (70ºF). On a sunny, windless day even 9ºC feels quite warm. By September, autumn rapidly begins to take a hold. Temperatures drop below zero, the sea in sheltered fjords begins to freeze, the winds strengthen and snow can be expected. Still, the low sun gives spectacular sunsets and the snow adds to the Arctic feeling.

Itinerary

 
Day 1     Ilulissat
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Dinner

We arrive at Ilulissat from Reykjavik by chartered plane.

Ilulissat (5000 inhabitants) is an important West Greenland town, with museums, institutes, bookstores, etc.

 
Day 2     Ilulissat
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Today we find ourselves just south of the large Jakobshavn Glacier with its enormous ice- bergs. We climb the hill at Avangnardlit from where we have fantastic view across the Jakobshavn Isfjord, which is a World Heritage site.

 
Day 3     Disko Bay
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

The island groups of Hunde Ejland and Kronprinsens Ejland in the mouth of the Disko Bay, are surrounded by rich waters which attract both seabirds and whales. We intend to call at the small settlement on Hunde Eijland where old dwellings of Greenland’s Thule culture (dating from the 11th century) and graves from 18th century Dutch whalers can be seen.

 
Day 4     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We arrive at Sydbay (Ukivik), where the 18th Century whalers traded with the Eskimo’s at the occasion of the yearly Assivik , when people from a large area come together, on a beautiful sandy beach. We land also at nearby Isortoq with remains of houses of the Thule culture. In this area we may see Reindeer.

 
Day 5     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Kangaamiut at the mouth of Evighedsfjord is a friendly Greenlandic village where people still indulge in handcraft.

 
Day 6     Nuuk
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Nuuk (Godthåb), the capital of Greenland has a population of about 14,000. An excursion should include a visit to the museum which has a remarkable collection of Inuit mummies, dating from the 15th Century, which were found near Uummannaq, further to the north. The Cultural Centre of Nuuk, which each year has an exhibition of the work of a Greenlandic artist, is also worth visiting. The waters to the west of the town are a good place to see Humpback Whales and Blue Whales.

In the evening we land at the southern tip of Akilia, where the oldest exposed rocks of our planet (3.8 million years) can be found.

 
Day 7     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We call at Fiskenaes (formerly called Brielse Haven) and Lichtenfels a Hernhuters mission post from the 18th century

 
Day 8     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We sail past Flade Isblink and keep a lookout for Humpback Whales and Minke Whales

 
Day 9     Ivittuut
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In Ivittuut we walk along the remains of a Cryolite mine and around a small cemetery connected with it. Later we sail into Ikat Fjord famous for the curious underwater structures formed by mineral precipitation. In this area we see Musk Oxen, which were introduced into the area in the last century.

 
Day 10     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

We will try to get to Uunartoq, where we take a bath in a hot spring surrounded by ice bergs. Later we sail along a great series of stranded ice-bergs to Lichtenau a lovely but nearly deserted Greenlandic village, where the Hernhuters (Moravian brothers) had a mission in the 18th Century.

 
Day 11     At Sea
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In the morning we sail to the beautiful glacier fronts of Qaleralik Sermia, where we will have some zodiac excursions and make some landings near the glacier. Deeper into Bredefjord at Qoornooq we land in an area with beautiful remains of houses from the Thule culture.

 
Day 12     Narsarsuaq
On Board the S/V Rembrandt van Rijn
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

In Eriksfjord we visit the Viking sites of Gardar (a walk of 3 km from the landing site) and Brattahlíð, where Erik Red lived about a thousand years ago. In the evening we arrive at the airport of Narsarsuaq.

 
Day 13     Narsarsuaq
Meals: Breakfast

From Narsarsuaq we fly by regular plane to Reykjavik or Copenhagen.

 
Price Includes
Transfers Airport - Ship - Airport
Tax and Port Charges
Conferences and Shipboard Entertainment
Services of Expedition Guides
Shore Excursions
Meals Daily Shipboard
Accommodations in Select Cabin Category
OCE-1269
1.28.15.WP26