Highlights
Beginning your journey in Kangerlussuaq, you depart aboard the superbly appointed MS Fram, as she makes her way along the beautiful Søndre Strømfjord, towards Greenland’s second largest town, Sisimiut. Here you will get the chance to discover thetown’s turbulent past.
The voyage continues on to the ice strewn waters of Disko Bay to the once thriving whaling port of Qeqertarsuaq. A walk into the fabulous Blæsedalen presents us with a majestic panorama of mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls and a possibility to explore the Arctic tundra.
The ship then takes you north, towards the remote communities of Uummannaq and Ukkusissat. Stopping to visit the tiny community of Ukkusissat you will get an inside view of the true value of life in these remote Arctic regions, before turning south where the majesty of Eqip Sermia (Sermia means glacier in Greenlandic) stands before you.
At Ilulissat you will get the chance to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sermermiut and come across the cathedral-like icebergs of the Jakobshavn Glacier, vast sculptures of ice that clamour to reach the open seas of Disko Bay. This must surely be the sparkling jewel in this most dazzling of crowns. There are options to explore this region by boat or helicopter, or a walk to the nearby ancient settlement of Sermermiut reveals an Inuit presence believed to date back some 3500 years.
Our last stop is Itilleq where you will get the chance to meet the locals and try their ‘Greenlandic Cake’ over a cup of coffee before continuing back to Kangerlussuaq.
Itinerary
To take account of the changing weather, sea and ice conditions, all our itineraries are flexible and can vary from voyage to voyage. This enables you to make the most of any opportunities that present themselves, as well as to react to the local conditions.
Any adjustments will be decided locally by the Captain – if necessary in consultation with the appropriate authorities – with safety being a prime concern.
Day 1: Kangerlussuaq
Your Greenland adventure begins in the town of Kangerlussuaq, a small community of some 600 inhabitants located at the end of a spectacular 170 kilometre long fjord.
Its thriving commercial airport originally served as a US air base, from the dark days of World War II, until the departure of the Americans in 1992. Today it serves as the gateway into this remote and pristine region and on arrival you will transfer to our vessel, the superbly appointed MS Fram, located a short distance away.
Given that there isn’t a deep water harbour capable of accommodating the ship at Kangerlussuaq, you will be transferred out to MS Fram by tender boats, so please bring waterproof clothing, including trousers in your hand luggage, for the short journey out to the vessel.
On arrival there will be ample time to settle into your comfortable surroundings and get acquainted with the ship, built specifically for exploration in these northern waters and beautifully decorated throughout.
Day 2: Sisimiut
Sail to Sisimiut.
Sisimiut is Greenland’s second largest town, with a population of approximately 5200 and lies immediately to the north of the Arctic Circle. Today Sisimiut is one of the centres for trade and education. Translating as ‘Inhabitants by the Fox Burrows’, Sisimiut is an eclectic mix of the old and the new, where modern trawlers vie for space alongside the old harbour and the streets echo with the sounds of dog sleds.
Indeed Sisimiut is the southernmost town on Greenland’s western coast where sleigh dogs can be found. A walk around the town will introduce you to the delights of the town’s 17th century heart. A visit to the pretty colonial residence of the Sisimiut Museum will uncover the town’s maritime past. For the more active, a walk to the old ruins on Teleøen, formerly known as Tømmermandsøen (The Hangover Island), will reveal a cultural history that dates back nearly 5000 years, to the Saqqaq culture.
Day 3: Qeqertarsuaq
Sail to Qeqertarsuaq.
Landing by Polar Cirkel Boat. Negotiating our way across the deep rich waters of Disko Bay, MS Fram traverses a constantly changing landscape of towering icebergs, as we make our way towards the rocky basalt shores of Disko Island.
Spot Whales
There is a chance of spotting whales in these dark, still waters as we sail towards the tiny community of Qeqertarsuaq, a once thriving whaling port, that today lies in the shadow of a backdrop of majestic mountains.
The whalers of the 18th and 19th centuries are long gone now but a walk through its narrow streets will help to invoke a sense of the town’s vibrant origins. Qeqertarsuaq’s fame in more recent times has come from its ArcticResearch Station, founded at the turn of the 20th century by the botanist Morten Porsild. The oldest in Greenland, it is still an important centre of research into the indigenous flora and fauna of the region.
For those who wish to explore a little further afield there are options to hike to the magnificent ’Valley of the Winds’ (Blæsedalen), a scenic wonderland of basalt peaks, plunging waterfalls and mountain heath which provides you with an in-depth look at some of the unique flora of the region.
Day 4: Uummannaq/ Ukkusissat
Sail to Uummannaq & Ukkusissat
Landing by Polar Cirkel Boat. Continuing north we sail towards the scenic splendour of Uummannaq, situated at the foot of an 1170 metre tall heart-shaped mountain. This is Greenland’s ‘sunshine coast’, receiving more hours of summer sun than any other part of the island. It is also an area abundant in marine life.
Whilst Uummannaq itself is a thriving fishing community, relying heavily on the processing of halibut, a walk through the town will reveal a history rich in cultural and historical diversity.
Visit the huge granite blocks of its central church and the museum with its collection of traditional arts and crafts and displays of costumes from the famous Qilakitsoq mummies.
There is an opportunity to hike to the enchantingly named ‘Santa’s Cabin’, which takes you to the surrounding hills, across a landscape rich in Arctic flora where the views out towards the Nuussuaq Peninsula are quite breathtaking (suitable for reasonably fit passengers).
This evening you will call at the village of Ukkusissat, nestling amidst the glorious setting of a magnificent vista of mountain scenery. A small community of less than 200 people, the village is named after a nearby soapstone deposit that was mined for centuries by Inuit craftsmen to make oil lamps, pots and pans. It was from here that the German climatologist and geophysicist Alfred Wegener departed on his ill-fated expedition to study the ice cap and its climate.
Learn more of the traditions and history of this remote community by taking our tender boats ashore to pay a visit.
Day 5: Eqip Sermia
Eqip Sermia (Glacier)
Sailing through the ice packed waters off the coast of Saqqaq we head towards the magnificent bulk of the Eqip Sermia.
This glacier has a front edge of some 5 kilometres and offers you a spectacular opportunity to get close to its imposing mass and experience the raw power of a unique natural phenomenon. There is every chance to see and hear it calving whilst you are here.
Utilising our tender boats you will land near the glacier and, for those who wish, take an exhilarating hike in the area. Before returning to the ship, we can also enjoy a BBQ dinner looking out across the glacier in surely what must be the best restaurant in town.
Day 6: Ilulissat
Ilulissat
The Greenlandic word for ‘the place by the icebergs’ is Ilulissat and never was a place more aptly named. Birthplace of Knud Rasmussen, Greenland’s third largest town is situated at the mouth of a vast ice fjord that lies encased in a quite breathtaking array of gigantic icebergs, originating from the mighty Jakobshavn Glacier, the most productive of its kind in the northern hemisphere. These cathedrals of ice plunge into the icy depths below, choking the mouth of the fjord as they jostle to reach the open waters of Disko Bay.
Our time here allows you the opportunity to explore the natural and cultural diversity of the region in some detail, with a visit to the town and a number of optional excursions that offer some remarkable close-up views of this most spectacular of settings.
There are options to sail out to the mouth of the fjord on a cutter, whilst a helicopter flight over the glacier takes you along the length of the 40km fjord, with magnificent views towards the ice cap and the sea.
You can also take a guided hike to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sermermiut, a settlement where the Inuit presence is believed to date back 3500 years.
Day 7: Itilleq
Itilleq
In the early afternoon we reach the small settlement of Itilleq. Greenlandic for ‘the hollow’, Itilleq was founded in 1847 on another island, but was later moved one kilometre east to its present location, at the head of the Itilleq Fjord.
Around 130 people live here, who are mainly engaged in hunting and fishing. The island has no freshwater, and for this reason Itilleq makes use of a facility to convert seawater to freshwater. There is a church in Itilleq with an interesting history, it was built in Thule (Umanak- North Greenland) in 1930 and was moved to Itilleq in 1963.
Day 8: Kangerlussuaq
Voyage ends in Kangerlussuaq
Disembarking the ship for the last time, you will return to the now seemingly busy shores of Kangerlussuaq by tender boats.
Kangerlussuaq boasts a gravel road that actually leads all the way to the ice cap, some 25km to the east, and the ride will take you through a landscape peppered with reindeer, musk oxen, Arctic foxes and birds, to the very edge of the ice.
This evening you are invited to join us for a final meal, before a transfer to Kangerlussuaq airport for your overnight flight home.
The above is subject to availability at time of booking and subject to the terms and conditions of ITT (International Travel & Tours CC). The above is based on current air-fares and exchange rates. Fluctuations in air-fare and/or exchange rate will be calculated at time of payment.
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