Discovering Greenland – From Reykjavik to Nuuk

Explore the world’s northernmost capital 

Your adventure begins in Reykjavík.  

A laid-back city of art, culture and history, delightful Reykjavík is well worth spending some time getting to know.  

Take a stroll along Laugavegur with its boutiques and outdoor shops, gaze in awe at the striking Hallgrímskirkja Church, and drop in on the fascinating Reykjavík Art Museum.   

If you have the time, we recommend booking a Pre-Program with us and discovering some of Iceland’s natural highlights before your cruise begins.

We sail to Greenland across the Denmark Strait. This is the route taken by the Viking Erik the Red, who is credited as being the first European to have settled there. Sometimes we spot whales along the way, so keep a lookout. 

During the two-day crossing, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know the ship and all its onboard facilities. At the same time the Expedition Team will give presentations about the protocols of respectfully visiting the fragile natural areas and Indigenous Arctic communities. Now is the time to book excursions and maybe learn a few words of Greenlandic. 

Primarily, however, this is a time of adjustment and enjoyment. You’ll relish delicious meals in the onboard restaurants, listen to some amazing talks and simply get to relax and unwind on this comfortable ship. As we get closer to Greenland, or Kalaallit Nunaat as it is known you’ll feel the anticipation and excitement building … your adventure is about to begin!

Get straight into adventure mode 

Over the next four days we’ll be going full-on expedition style as we explore the maze of fjords, channels and islands in this spectacular and wild region. Local weather and ice conditions will determine where and when we land, but the Captain and Expedition Team are used to these conditions and know the best places to go.  

On our landings, excursions, and activities we’ll aim to visit Norse ruins, sail into majestic fjords where beautifully sculpted icebergs glisten in the sun, and go on community visits to picturesque towns. You might land at the colorful and tranquil settlement of Qaqortoq with its beautiful lake, drop by Erik the Red’s farm at Brattahlíð, and simply gaze in wonder at the spectacular mountainous landscapes of the scenic southern fjords.  

As you’ll discover, southern Greenland’s rugged mountain ranges tower above scattered green meadows and fjords. It’s a landscape sculpted by ice and weather over billions of years. The Norsemen settled here over a thousand years ago, but the harsh living conditions eventually saw them leave after only four centuries. Now, in this vast and mostly unpopulated wilderness, you’ll enjoy a sense of tranquility not often found in the modern world, so just relax, enjoy the nature, and learn all about what makes this region so special.

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, traveling 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 icecap.  

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.

Be on the lookout for wildlife and history 

Get ready to explore a grand fjord system. Locally known as the Nuup Kangerlua, the fjords around Nuuk fan out in a somehow parallel network of interconnected waterways. They’re topped by the Kangiussap Nunaa peninsula and the ice cap, most notably in the so-called Nuuk Isfjord. 

These are the lands of the ancient Norse Western Settlement, the northernmost area they managed to colonize in the Middle Ages. It was probably in Nuup Kangerlua where the descendants of the Vikings met the Thule people for the first time.  

The fjords are dotted here and there by old Norse ruins and small Inuit settlements. Some are abandoned, like picturesque Qornoq, while others are thriving, such as Kapisillit and its 88 inhabitants. Relative proximity to Nuuk somehow disguises the fact that communities along Nuup Kangerlua were until very recently as isolated as any other in Greenland. 

Weather and ice permitting, during the next two days we will explore the fjord system and enjoy the ever-changing mountain landscapes. We’ll also try to reach the icy headwaters of Nuup Kangerlua and visit one of the villages, while always looking for nature-landing, expedition-boat–cruising and wildlife-watching opportunities.

Get acquainted with a small capital in a grand setting 

We say a fond farewell to the ship, crew and Expedition Team as we end our voyage of discovery in Nuuk. The lively and compact capital is positively bustling compared to other places you will have visited – but at less than 20,000 residents, it’s hardly a metropolis.  

From here, you’ll catch a flight back to New York for the end of your expedition, taking with you a wealth of fantastic memories that will no doubt stay with you forever.