Northeast Greenland Cruises

Some of the most beautiful landscapes on this planet

Information about Northeast Greenland

The northeast of Greenland is blessed with some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet, with the tundra, the mountains, and the huge icebergs reflected in the calm waters of the sheltered fjords. As benefits the world’s largest island, northeast Greenland is home to some record-setting features. This part of the country is part of the North-east Greenland National Park, at some 375,000 square miles, the world’s largest.

Another stunning feature here is Scoresby Sound (Scoresby Sund in Danish), one of the world’s largest and longest fjord systems. It’s so vast you could easily spend an entire cruise in the system and not explore it all. Rich in wildlife, this part of Greenland should let you experience great encounters with the wildlife highlight, the Musk-Ox, as well as a variety of birdlife. Ravens are common and also keep a look out for the Gyr Falcon, the largest falcon in the World. Also look out Wheatear, Lapland Buntings, the Arctic Hare, lemmings, and the Stoat - also known as Ermine in their white winter coats.

The presence of Lemmings mean Snowy Owl breed, but many have migrated south by the time many cruises ships explore the area later in the season.

Being remoter there is a better chance than in other parts of Greenland to see Polar Bear, but it should be stressed that are still elusive and wary compared to Svalbard bears that are not hunted. Because of the impact of hunting, although fairly low due to the fact there is only the one community in the whole vast region, at Ittoqqortoormiit, it does mean Walrus and other seals are wary.

Overall, for late seasons visits, when many seabirds have finished breeding, the real highlight is the stunning and unique Greenland landscape with the huge icebergs and autumn colours, plus the pre-historic looking Musk-Ox.

Interesting facts about Northeast Greenland

Our expert guide says: “Greenland is one of my favorite places - it’s simply stunning. After Antarctica, it’s one of the world’s remotest areas; even the Inuit abandoned the area due to the difficulty of living here. A real highlight is seeing the ‘prehistoric’ Musk Ox - remarkable creatures that, along with species from the Stoat to the wolf, migrated across the very top of Greenland from the Canadian Arctic to become established here.

Not that long ago the Caribou, Musk-Ox and the wolf were almost wiped out in NE Greenland by Norwegian hunters in the 1920's and 1930's. The hunting ceased when Denmark was successful in claiming the whole of Greenland (Norwegians called NE Greenland Eirik Raudes land). Today the vast area is patrolled by the Danish Sirius dog patrol team and Musk-Ox have returned to build up in numbers and wolf are slowly returning, but Caribou are still absent.

It is also a testimony of just how hard it was to survive in this remote region, even for experienced Inuit hunters.

Pictures of Northeast Greenland

Albatros Expedition through north atlantic

Highlights in Northeast Greenland

Vestfjord

The most westerly fjord, deep in the Scoresbysund that ‘splits’ into Rodefjord and Føhnfjord around Milneland.

Two large glaciers coming off the icesheet terminate in Vestfjord, Døde Bræ and Vestfjord Glacier, split by a nunatak reaching a height of 2,468 m (8,097 ft). The glaciers can carve so many icebergs it can be a challenge to get into the fjord at times. But still spectacualr scenery at the entrance.

Ella Island

Located at the mouth of Kempe Fjord in the northern end of King Oscar Fjord. With the larger islands to the east such as Geographical Society Island.

It is in the middle of the King Oscar Fjord and Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord ‘complex’ that matches Scoresbysund to the south. It is a great area to explore with stunning scenery, often the first Greenland landscape that many cruise ships experience that have come across from Svalbard, and you may even find wolf tracks on walks ashore. But expeditions tend to spend more time in Scoresbysund since the entrance to this fjord system can be blocked off by sea-ice drifting south in the cold southern flowing East Greenland current.

Rypefjord to end up in front at Eielson Glacier

Rypefjord & Terrassepynt

Rugged fjord that comes in from the North-West into Ofjord near Storo island, deep in Scoresbysund.

Great ship and Zodiac cruising with huge icebergs carving from the impressive Eielson glacier at the head of the fjord. Compared to many steep sided coasts in the region there is the chance for a landing at Terrassepynt. To climb up the tundra slope and look down at the fjord and the glacier at the head. Also great for Musk Ox.

Milneland

A large and rugged island with steep cliffs, well into SW Scoresbysund that can be circumnavigated with access to several deeper fjord systems with glaciers coming down from the Greenland ice sheet.

Starting from the open sound (the actual area named Scoresbysund) and going in a clockwise direction from the Bear Islands: Ofjord to Storo island, then Rodefjord, then Føhnfjord back to the islands of Denmarkøya. Great ship and Zodiac cruising (even over several days), plus the chance of some landings. Spectacular ship cruising, Greenland at its best and a 'destination' within a destination with numerous highlights.

Much of the area has steep sided fjords, but where there are slopes with tundra, look at for Musk-ox.

Rodefjord and Rode island

Spectacular fjord on western side of Milne Island, red rocks contrasting with huge white icebergs floating down the fjord.

As well as ship and Zodiac cruising there is the chance to go ashore on Rode island - and climb to the top and look down on an iceberg graveyard in the red terrain. Many icebergs drift down from Vestfjord. Awesome!

Nordvestfjord

Stunning narrow and steep sided fjord that comes down from the north-west, deep in Scoresbysund, Fjord fed by several glaciers including the Daugaard-Jensen Glacier with massive icebergs floating down the fjord. Great ship cruising and excellent Zodiac cruising amongst the huge icebergs.

There is the chance of seeing seals, and, if you are very lucky, a seabird, but bear in mind they are quite shy. Although the location is a long way from Ittoqqortoormiit, hunters do get into the remoter regions of the fjord system, and it means wildlife can be be wary.

Just before reaching the mouth of the fjord there are some areas of tundra that can be good for Musk-Ox.

Føhnfjord

Sheer sided fjord on the south side of Milneland. Great ship cruising, often as part of the circumnavigation of Milneland.

Denmarkøya, on the south-east side of Milne Island, is the location of a group of small islands with landing potential at the end of Føhnfjord, at a position between the deeper fjord systems and the open ‘bay’ of Scoresbysund. The popular landing here is Hekla Havn, named after the expedition ship used by Carl Ryder when the expedition explored NE Greenland from 1891 to 92. As well as the hut remains from the expedition, there are older Innuit remains, as well as good tundra walks, wildlife, and some great geology.

Blomsterbukta

‘Flower Bay’, a great walk along a gulley to a lake at Blomsterbogten and to explore the tundra for flowers and wildlife, plus a hunter’s cabin. Part of the King Oscar Fjord system it is often combined with a visit to Ella Island in the same day.

Ittoqqortoormiit

Close to the entrance of Scoresbysund and the only community on the NE coast.

This small community is one of the remotest in the World, set up by Denmark (with Greenlanders brought in from other parts of Greenland) to mark sovereignty, with the concern (at the time) that emerging nation of Norway might make a claim with hunters visiting the area.

It is the one chance to visit and experience a community in NE Greenland.

Nansen fjord

Isolated fjord, is to the north of the Arctic Circle, and isolated between Scoresbysund further to the north, and the numerous fjords of the SE coast.

The ice sheet comes even closer to the coast here with the Christian IV Glacier at the head of the fjord. Often lots of ice in the fjord, and the isolated location, this has to be one of the best locations in Greenland to try and find a Polar Bear. Some visit this fjord after visiting NE Greenland and before heading to Iceland.

The cruises crossing the Denmark Strait can be great for seabirds and whale watching, including the Northern Bottle-nosed Whale in the seas associated with the continental slope.

Ofjord & Bear Islands

Ofjord means ‘island fjord’ with great ship cruising along this spectacular fjord deep into SW Scoresbysund.

The steep sided fjord is between two large islands, Renland and Milneland. The Bear Islands are at the start of Ofjord, a good landing that looks over the more open part of Scorsebysund. At the end of Ofjord is Storo island, the junction of several fjords coming down from the ice sheet, as well the route around Milneland.

Daneborg and Clavering Island

Daneborg, on the south coast of Wollaston Foreland peninsula, is the location of the Danish Sirius Patrol that patrols NE Greenland and the vast national park.

Cruise ships check in here coming in from Svalbard then explore nearby fjords, making sure sea ice coming south in the East Greenland current does block off the entrances to the fjord systems. Some of this sea ice can include multi year ice that has drifted south from the Arctic Ocean, in complete contrast to the warming influence of the Gulf stream on the west coast of Svalbard, not that far to the east.

Across Young Fjord is Clavering Island, were Clavering and his crew of the Griper encountered a band of twelve Inuit in August 1823. Later explorers to the region found no evidence of inhabitants in NE Greenland. There are the remains of Inuit settlements and it appears, when the the first European explorers turned up, the small population was already dying out or moving on. Possibly the combination of cold conditions at the time, and trying to survive in one of the harshest areas on the plane, even for the Innuit - NE Greenland. There was also a weather station on the island.