Spitsbergen and Northeast Greenland

Your cruise departs early in the evening, meaning the rest of the day is free for you to explore Longyearbyen, depending on the time of your arrival. If you have the time, a visit to Longyearbyen’s Polar Museum is well worth the effort.

Early evening, the ship will set sail out of Isfjorden and north towards Raudfjorden. With luck, you may spot your first minke whale in the waters of Isfjorden.

Large seabird colonies nest in the cliffs and on the shoreline, while the waters are a haven for ringed and bearded seals. Very occasionally, polar bears can be spotted in this region of Spitsbergen.

Sailing west from the Svalbard Archipelago and across the Greenland Sea, the eastern coast of Greenland will soon come into view. Along the way, keep watch for whales and sea birds, with highlights including black guillemots and great northern divers.

This will provide your first opportunity to set foot on Greenland, as you explore the Bay and look out to the vast tundra beyond.

Leaving Foster Bay, you sail into the Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, a narrow inlet surrounded by spectacular peaks, as you continue your journey around the eastern coast of Greenland.

There will be an opportunity to land nearby at Blomsterbugt, on the opposite side of the fjord.

The afternoon will see you continue into the Antarctic Sound and to the islands of Ella, Maria and Ruth, with Maria a likely landing spot. 

Your journey then continues into Alpefjord, surrounded by the lofty peaks of the Stauning Alps. Weather conditions allowing, you will be able to take a Zodiac cruise around the Gully Glacier.

In Autumn, the sparsely vegetated valley takes on a beautiful red hue. Musk oxen are typically sighted here.

In the morning, if weather conditions allow, you will be able to go out in the Zodiacs to explore the narrower waterways and the ice formations of Vikingebugt.

The afternoon will see you land at Danmark Island, where you will be able to explore the well-preserved remains of an Inuit settlement dating back to the early 19th-century.

In the evening, you continue your course west into Røde Fjord.

In the afternoon, you’ll continue to sail up through Røde Fjord, with stunning scenery along the way, as you complete your circuit of the Scoresby Sound

Along the way, you can expect to encounter stunning icebergs, some more than 100 metres high and over a kilometre long. There will also be a chance to land at Sydkap and climb to a high viewpoint with lovely views over the bay.

In the afternoon, you’ll make a pit stop at Ittoqqortoormiit, an isolated town of approx. 500 people, sometimes said to be the most remote settlement in Greenland! You’ll have time to explore the town, and to stop at the post office if you would like to send a post card home, before setting sail late afternoon.

This evening, you sail out of the Scoresby Sound and down the scenic Blosseville Coast.

In Reykjavik, we can help with accommodation if required or with your transfer to Keflavik International Airport if flying out this evening.