Day 1: Set sail from Longyearbyen
Your cruise departs from Longyearbyen, the de facto capital of Spitsbergen. We can arrange for your flights to/from Longyearbyen, and accommodation in town prior to the cruise, if required.
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.
Day 2: Raudfjorden
Today you sail around the north-western coast of Spitsbergen to Raudfjorden, passing fabulous coastal scenery of fjords and glaciers en route.
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.
Day 3-4: Crossing the Greenland Sea
The next two days will be spent at sea, as you make the long crossing from Spitsbergen to Greenland along the Fram Strait.
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.
Day 5: East Greenland
On reaching Greenland, you will sail into Foster Bay and, conditions allowing, land at Myggebugten.
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.
Day 6: The Islands of the Antarctic Sound
At the end of the Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord you reach Devil’s Castle (Teufelschloss), an imposing peak that is immediately recognisable at a distance.
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.
Day 7: Alpefjord
Today you sail into the Segelsällskapets Fjord, under the shadow of the dramatic Mount Berzelius. There will be time in the morning for a landing on the southern shore of the fjord, and to hike to one of the Arctic lakes.
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.
Day 8: Antarctic Haven
This morning will be spent in Antarctic Haven, a broad and expansive valley containing the remains of a 1930s Norwegian hunting station.
In Autumn, the sparsely vegetated valley takes on a beautiful red hue. Musk oxen are typically sighted here.
Day 9: Danmark Island
Today you sail into the Scoresby Sound, a network of fjords on the eastern Greenland Coast defined by its stunning mountains and sheer cliffs.
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.
Day 10: Colours of the Cape
This morning you’ll moor in Røde Fjord and travel out by Zodiac to get closer to Røde Ø, or Red Island, a setting beloved of photographers owing to the contrast between the pristine icebergs and the deep red hue of the land around them.
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
Day 11: Hall Bredning
Today you turn east through narrow fjords which gradually open into Hall Bredning, a broad bay populated with dramatic ice formations at the mouth 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.
Day 12: Ittoqqortoormiit
Continuing your exploration of the Scoresby Sound, this morning will see you visit Liverpool Land, in Hurry Inlet, on the mouth of the Sound. Here you will have impressive views of the fjords in one direction and the vast Greenland Sea in the other.
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.
Day 13: Under the Aurora Borealis
Today is at sea en route to Iceland. With luck, you may spot minke and humpback whales in the waters north of Iceland, while the night time offers good prospects for viewing the aurora borealis.
Day 14: Disembark at Akureyri
You will disembark in Akureyri this morning, from where you transfer by bus (6 hours) to Reykjavik, where your tour ends.
In Reykjavik, we can help with accommodation if required or with your transfer to Keflavik International Airport if flying out this evening.
Spitsbergen and Northeast Greenland
Please see price guide for upcoming departures. For rates, cabin availability, and information on currently available special offers, please contact us.
Spitsbergen and Northeast Greenland
2023/4 Departures Available | Starting in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, and ending in Akureyri, Iceland, this 14-day expedition cruise will see you explore western Svalbard and the north-east coast of Greenland. Along the way, you’ll encounter stunning coastal scenery as you explore the fjords of Spitsbergen and Greenland’s famous Scoresby Sound.
Outline Itinerary
Price guide
Pricing
14 days from £5365pp
Kilimanjaro Group Climb
Our guide, Charles Teete, was fantastic - very professional, friendly, and genuine.