Greenland, Labrador and Newfoundland – Encounters at the Edge | Flight from Copenhagen

By the 11th century, Copenhagen was already an important trading and fishing centre and today you will find an attractive city which, although the largest in Scandinavia, has managed to retain its low-level skyline. Discover some of the famous attractions including Gefion Fountain and Amalienborg Palace, perhaps cruise the city’s waterways, visit Rosenborg Castle or explore the medieval fishing village of Dragoer. Once the home of Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen features many reminders of its fairytale heritage and lives up to the reputation immortalised in the famous song ‘Wonderful Copenhagen’.

Start your adventure in Denmark´s wonderful capital

Your adventure begins with an overnight stay in Denmark's capital Copenhagen. 

Enjoy this stylish and compact city, packed with architectural gems, coffee shops and parks. The colourful canal district of Nyhavn is a great place to people watch and enjoy a Danish pastry.  

No visit to Copenhagen would be complete without a visit to see the Little Mermaid - getting there by bike or on foot beside the waterfront is easy.  

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.

Welcome to the capital of Greenland

You'll have an early start today as we depart Copenhagen and fly to Nuuk.  

Nuuk is Greenland’s colourful and compact capital. With a population of fewer than 20,000, it’s a striking mix of old and modern buildings. If you’re more a fan of the former, head down to the old part of town by the waterfront, where you’ll find Nuuk Cathedral and the statue of Hans Egede standing on a hill. In the water below, look out for the beautiful Mother of the Sea statue for a striking juxtaposition between two cultures. 

Your expedition ship awaits you in the harbour. After being welcomed aboard and collecting your complimentary expedition jacket, it's time to settle into your cabin and then enjoy your first dinner on board.   

Prepare for adventure as we head south

While sailing towards South Greenland, you’ll have time to get acquainted with the AECO rules and recommendations regarding operations and landings in the fragile Arctic environment. Make sure you attend these fascinating and important presentations. 

You can also enjoy the state-of-the-art ship facilities and join the first lectures on topics such as ornithology, geology and culture. You’ll also learn about the Citizen Science projects we run on board the ship. 

The coast of Greenland is carved by many fjords. Depending on the conditions, in the afternoon we may be able to cruise deep into one of our favourites, Kuannersooq Fjord, as it’s known in Greenlandic, or Kvanerfjord in Danish. 

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.

Greenlandic life at the edge of the ice cap

South Greenland offers curious travellers an intriguing blend of Norse history, Inuit culture, and breathtaking landscapes.  

Here you can explore Viking settler ruins, and discover colourful small towns, marvelling at awe-inspiring fjords, mountains, glaciers and icebergs along the way. Combining rich cultural experiences with thrilling outdoor adventures, both history enthusiasts and nature lovers will be enraptured. 

Over the next two days, our possible destinations and landing sites include: 

• Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site 

• Qassiarsuk 

• Brattahlíð (Qassiarsuk) 

• Hvalsey 

• Qaqortoq 

For more detailed information about each of these, along with our explorer's guide to the Northwest Passage and Arctic Canada, see our Travel Guide here.

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.

Witness the immense Torngat Mountains

Welcome to Canada! After clearing customs, we’ll be joined by Park Rangers who’ll accompany us as we explore the Torngat Mountains National Park over the coming days. 

Meaning ‘place of spirits’ in Inuktitut, the national park spans some 6,000 miles, extending from Saglek Fjord to Labrador’s tip, and from the Atlantic coast to the Québec border. This wilderness is peppered with small glaciers and it’s home to polar bears and caribou. It also has rich Inuit heritage of hunting and fishing. 

While exploring this magnificent area, we hope to visit: 

• Saglek Bay 

• Nachvak Fiord 

• Ramah 

For more detailed information about each of these, along with our explorer's guide to the Northwest Passage and Arctic Canada, see our Travel Guide here.

Head back in time and delve into the history of Labrador

Over the next five days, we’ll cruise south, unearthing the fascinating history of coastal Labrador and discovering its rich cultural heritage.  

This area is home to some of Labrador’s most important Moravian settlements, and a once busy fishing village that’s now a National Historic Site. There are also breathtaking waterways to transit and a whaling past to uncover. Over the next five days, our potential destinations may include: 

• Hebron 

• Nain

• Battle Harbour 

• St Anthony

Relive the tales of Vikings, pioneers and early explorers

Your cruise continues to the island of Newfoundland. With a coastline of towering mountains, peaceful bays and lush forests, and a heritage that’s colourful and diverse, Newfoundland is sure to enchant. 

As we explore, you can delve into the island’s past, from pioneering missionaries and early explorers to as far back as Viking settlers. Over the next two days, we hope to visit: 

• St Anthony 

• UNESCO-listed L’Anse aux Meadows & Norstead 

• Bonavista 

For more detailed information about each of these, along with our explorer's guide to the Northwest Passage and Arctic Canada, see our Travel Guide here.

Old meets new in the province's capital (metro-area population a little more than 200,000), with modern office buildings surrounded by heritage shops and colorful row houses. St. John's mixes English and Irish influences, Victorian architecture and modern convenience, and traditional music and rock and roll into a heady brew. The arts scene is lively, but overall the city moves at a relaxed pace.For centuries, Newfoundland was the largest supplier of salt cod in the world, and St. John's Harbour was the center of the trade. As early as 1627, the merchants of Water Street—then known as the Lower Path—were doing a thriving business buying fish, selling goods, and supplying alcohol to soldiers and sailors.

End your adventure on a colourful note

We say a fond farewell to our ship as we end our expedition in St John’s, Newfoundland’s capital.  

As one of the oldest cities in North America, St John’s is nothing but charming. Colourful houses are etched into the steep and rugged hillside along the coast, and Signal Hill with the proud Cabot Tower watches over the city from above. It’s well worth exploring the city further if you have time before your onward journey. 

Whatever your next steps are, you’ll take with you a wealth of memories that will no doubt endure, and experiences that will change the way you see the world.