East Greenland Explorer: Icebergs & Northern Lights

Day 1: On the Iceland Road

Your journey begins in the morning, where by request you can transfer via chartered bus from Radhus Reykjavikur / city hall in Vonarstraeti in Reykjavik (the meeting point) to the ship in Akureyri (the embarkation point). You arrive in the afternoon after a six-hour drive through northern Iceland. 

PLEASE NOTE: This transfer is supplemented, and must be booked and paid for in advance. In the early evening the ship departs from the port of Akureyri, sailing north toward the Denmark Strait. For those who prefer, there is a flight with very limited space, please ask if you are interested.

Day 2: Sea Life on the Move

While sailing north you likely see fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, and common guillemots. You then cross the Arctic Circle, possibly spotting whales. By evening the first icebergs flash into sight with the approach of the east Greenland coast, near Brewster.

Day 3: Inuit Neighborhood of Yesteryear

Today you reach Scoresbysund, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. You can also enjoy a Zodiac cruise along one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt. Later you'll land on Danmark Island, where you'll find the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago.

The circular stone tent rings indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are well preserved, with easy identifiable entrances, bear-proof meat caches, and grave sites. In the evening you continue sailing the berg-crowded fjords to the west.

Day 4: Colors of the Cape

The goal is a Zodiac cruise near Rode O, one of the world's most cherished iceberg attractions: The austere blue-white of the icebergs sets sharp against the brooding red backdrop of the sediment slopes. The afternoon plan is to sail through the northern parts of Rode Fjord, with the chance to see musk oxen and warm autumnal foliage.

Day 5: Enormous Bergs, Arctic Hares

In the morning you encounter colossal icebergs, some over 100 meters (328 feet) high and more than a kilometer (.62 mile) long. Most of them are grounded, as the fjord is only about 400 meters (1,312 feet) deep. You then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and a good shot of seeing Arctic hares.

Day 6: Scoresbysund Settlement

Stopping at a lagoon on the south coast of Jameson Land, you encounter waders and geese gathering for the autumn migration. Musk oxen and collared lemming survive on the sparse vegetation here. Later in the day you visit Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement near Scoresbysund - about five hundred inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just stroll around to see the sled dogs and drying skins of seals and musk oxen.

Day 7: Under the Northern Lights

A day at sea grants you winning opportunities to spot whales and seabirds - and at night, the magical northern lights.

Day 8: Journey's End in Akureyri

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Akureyri, where on request you can transfer by chartered bus - a six-hour drive that you must book in advance - to Radhus Reykjavikur / city hall in Vonarstraeti in Reykjavik. The memories made on this voyage will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

PLEASE NOTE: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The on-board expedition leader determines the final itinerary. Average cruising speed for m/v Plancius is 10,5 knots.