Exploring the Garden of Greenland (Eastbound)

Nuuk, meaning “the cape”, was Greenland’s first town (1728). Started as a fort and later mission and trading post some 240 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, it is the current capital. Almost 30% of Greenland’s population lives in the town. Not only does Nuuk have great natural beauty in its vicinity, but there are Inuit ruins, Hans Egede’s home, the parliament, and the Church of our Saviour as well. The Greenlandic National Museum has an outstanding collection of Greenlandic traditional dresses, as well as the famous Qilakitsoq mummies. The Katuaq Cultural Center’s building was inspired by the undulating Northern Lights and can house 10% of Nuuk’s inhabitants.

Gateway to the Greenlandic Arctic 

Arrive in Nuuk, Greenland’s compact capital, set along a deep fjord system framed by rugged mountains. Despite its small scale, the city is a vibrant centre of modern Greenlandic life.  

If time allows, we’ll explore this fascinating city. Nuuk is also where you start to feel the essence of the Arctic: ice, sea, and the mountainous peaks of Quassussuaq and Ukkusissat.   

Once on board, meet the Expedition Team, settle into your cabin, and enjoy your first dinner on board. 

Fjords, glaciers, and ghostly mining towns  

The stretch of coast between the fjord systems of southern Greenland and Nuuk is as wild as can be. Long distances separate the few scattered settlements. And although the climate is still mild by Arctic standards the topography is rough, segmented by high mountain ranges half covered by ice and cut through by deep turquoise fjords. With very few inside passages, travelling here has been a challenge since ancient times. And it still is. Mother Nature is in charge here, meaning it’s the perfect adventure playground for modern explorers. 

On our way north, and always adapted to the local conditions, we’ll get to know the landscapes of the so-called Mellembygden – the Middle Settlement of the Norse settlers. We’ll also look for the ghostly mining town of Ivittuut, where the historically important mineral cryolite was mined, but where today the only inhabitants are shy musk oxen. And we’ll sail into great fjords carved out over millennia by massive glaciers cascading down from the ice cap.  

Wildlife thrives in this isolated region. Join our Expedition Team on their wildlife watches either on board or on land, and keep your camera and binoculars ready for seabirds, nesting colonies, and whales feeding at sea. If we’re lucky, we may even see one of the few musk ox herds living on the west Greenland coast.

Qassiarsuk is the newer, Greenlandic name for this small village. Brattahlid is the older, Norse name. Here we tour the foundation remains of the manor house of Erik the Red, who found Greenland after being banished from Iceland and Norway for murder. We will also visit the site of the first Christian church ever built in North America (physiographically speaking), see a recently unearthed Norse graveyard that contains remains of 144 Norse colonists, and have a chance to admire Hans Lynge’s remarkable bronze sculpture of Erik the Red.

Discover ice-carved landscapes, Norse heritage, and remote communities

Over the next four days we fully embrace expedition mode, navigating South Greenland's maze of channels and scenic fjords. Local weather and ice conditions will determine where and when we land, but the Captain and Expedition Team know these waters well and will seek out the best the region has to offer. 

Southern Greenland's rugged mountain ranges tower above scattered green meadows and fjords, a landscape sculpted by ice over billions of years. The Norsemen settled here over a thousand years ago, drawn by the same beauty, though harsh conditions eventually drove them away after just four centuries. Today this vast, mostly unpopulated wilderness offers a rare sense of tranquillity. We may visit Norse ruins at Brattahlíð, step ashore in colourful Qaqortoq with its beautiful lake, or simply gaze in wonder at the spectacular mountainous scenery unfolding around us. 

The largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Upon arrival in this charming southern Greenland enclave, it's easy to see why. Qaqortoq rises quite steeply over the fjord system around the city, offering breath-taking panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, deep, blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs in the bay, and pastoral backcountry. Although the earliest signs of ancient civilization in Qaqortoq date back 4,300 years, Qaqortoq is known to have been inhabited by Norse and Inuit settlers in the 10th and 12th centuries, and the present-day town was founded in 1774. In the years since, Qaqortoq has evolved into a seaport and trading hub for fish and shrimp processing, tanning, fur production, and ship maintenance and repair.

The transit through the Sound is one of this voyage’s highlights. Connecting the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Seat, Prince Christian Sound or “Prins Christian Sund” in Danish is named after Prince (later King) Christian VII (1749-1808). 100 km (60 miles ), long and at times just 500 m (1500 ft) wide, this majestic and spectacular fiord throws you back into a Viking era – flanked by soaring snow-topped mountains, rock-strewn cliffs and rolling hills, it is as if time has stood still and one easily forgets that this is the 21st century. As you marvel at the sheer size of the mountains that surround you, with the Arctic waters lapping deceptively at the hull, revel in the silence enveloping you. Icebergs float serenely by, carrying with them the ages of time. Be sure to wear warm clothing as this is one spectacle that you do not want to miss.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.

Disembark in Reykjavík

Your expedition ends in Reykjavík, a city that rewards a longer look. Stroll Laugavegur for independent shops and coffee, take in the striking Hallgrímskirkja church, or lose an afternoon in the city's galleries and museums. If you can, we highly recommend staying an extra night.

This marks the end of your time with us for now, but we hope it won't be the last. It's often said that travelling to the Arctic leaves people with "the Arctic bug," and with so many wonderful memories behind you, we hope this ending is only the beginning of your next adventure.