Far North Greenland Expedition Cruise

In the afternoon, we board our chartered flight in Reykjavik, Iceland, bound for Kangerlussuaq in Greenland.

Upon arrival to Kangerlussuaq (Søndre Strømfjord), we will be driven to the small port located west of the airport, where Ocean Albatros will be anchored offshore. Zodiacs will transfer us the short distance to the ship, where your stateroom awaits after check-in. After the mandatory safety drill, dine in comfort with spectacular views as we set sail through the 160-kilometer Kangerlussuaq Fjord.

Below Disko Island’s 1,000-metre tall mountains, we pull into port in a protected natural harbour. The place is aptly named Godhavn (“Good harbour”) in Danish, while its Greenlandic name “Qeqertarsuaq” simply means “The Big Island”.

Up to 1950 Godhavn was the most important town north of Nuuk, the main town of Greenland, solely because of the many whales that the whaling boats towed here from the Disko Bay. This bestowed the town with much wealth, starting already in the 16th century. The town is now on its way to oblivion as it gets harder and harder to find work, and because of the infrequent connections to the mainland. We walk through town to the characteristic, octagonal church, nicknamed “the inkpot of God”. During our stay in Qeqertarsuaq, we might visit the local community.

Based on continually updated ice charts, the Captain sets as direct a course as possible all the way into Nares Strait and Hans Island. To make sure we have sufficient time to get through any pack ice, we will have a few days at sea. However, the days are by no means wasted: there are always chances to see minke whales and fin whales. We are constantly followed by the little arctic fulmar, moving from windward to lee gaining speed and dynamic in its flight along the vessel. And in the lecture hall, our expedition staff have a diverse program of lectures about Greenlandic nature and culture.

During the night we cross Melville Bay, with a coastline marked by calving glaciers. The dangerous winter ice in the bay and the long distance to the Danish colonies to the south meant that the polar Inuit from Thule district were isolated from the rest of West Greenland until just 130 years ago. They thus have a closer relationship with the Inuit in Canada and speaks a dialect that differs significantly from the southern Greenlandic language.

Uummannaq was founded as a colony in 1758 on the Nuussuaq mainland, but shortly thereafter, in 1763, it was moved to the nearby island, as seal hunting was more bountiful here. On our walk along the town’s steep streets we visit the historic train-oil building, built in 1860. Inside its yellow walls, whale and seal blubber used to be stored. Because of the horrid stench, the blubber was not boiled here, but well outside town! Behind the train-oil storage we will find a peat hut, which was still in use a few years ago.

The dry and settled arctic climate has around 2,000 hours of sunshine and 100 millimetres of precipitation per year, giving Uummannaq the right to call itself the Greenlandic Riviera!

Cape York is a rocky promontory traditionally used as the boundary between Melville Bay and the legendary Thule area. Surrounded by vast glaciers calving armadas of icebergs, the area is among the most spectacular in Greenland. The area has been utilised by waves of nomadic Inuit for thousands of years, the majority of whom came to harvest iron from the famous meteorite which fell onto the ice in the region approximately 10,000 years ago. Tools made from the meteorite were far superior to the stone and bone tools more often used by the Inuit, giving hunters in this region a serious edge. The name of the nearby settlement of Savissivik (“Place of Iron”) references the importance of this find, while the Greenlandic name for Cape York itself (meaning “Place of Beads”) indicates the importance of trade with outsiders over the meteorite.

The access the local people had to iron confused early explorers in the area, who were surprised by Inughuit technological prowess. The first westerners to find the meteorite were led by American explorer Robert Peary, who orchestrated the meteorite’s theft, removal to, and sale in the USA, making a vast profit for himself while devastating the lives of the Inuit who relied on it. His infamous presence in the area is commemorated by a large granite obelisk (marked with a P and a north-facing star) on the headland of Cape York itself. Fragments of the meteorite are on display in New York and Copenhagen, while a much smaller fragment is displayed at the small town museum in Qaanaaq.

While our exact program in the area will be dictated by wind, ice and swell conditions, options include Zodiac cruising at the edges of Melville Bay, where sea and land ice meet below the Peary Monument, or visiting the small settlement of Savissivik.

Here, we step off the edge of the map into the poorly known and rarely visited Nares Strait, gateway to the Arctic Ocean. The Nares Strait is the narrow waterway separating Greenland and Ellesmere Island, Canada. Due to the powerful Beaufort Gyre in the Arctic Ocean, the strait experiences a near-constant north-to-south current, bringing sea ice into Melville Bay even during the height of summer. This situation is made even more complex by some of the largest glaciers in the Arctic (such as the vast Petermann Glacier), which regularly calve kilometer-long icebergs into the strait; indeed, access into the Arctic Ocean through the strait is impossible most years due to expansive sea ice north of Kane Basin.

Despite the brutal conditions, the Nares Strait has been an important highway for Inuit and their ancestors since time immemorial. All inhabitants of Greenland (excluding the Norse) arrived there by crossing this strait, either by dog sled in winter, or by boat in the summer. Although the Norse never reached this far north, their artifacts have been found in the area, traded for by nomadic Inuit groups passing through the area (probably for prized walrus and narwhal ivory), hinting at these complex ancient trade networks.

More recently, the Nares Strait has been the site of one of the world’s politest political disputes. Both Canada and Denmark (on behalf of Greenland) claimed the tiny barren Hans Island, which was discovered after the borders between the two countries were established here in 1972. While the dispute dragged on, Canadian vessels would visit and leave behind a flag and a bottle of Canadian Club, while Danish vessels would remove these, raise a Danish flag and leave a bottle of schnapps, giving the dispute its nickname “the Whisky War”. This situation remained unchanged for 50 years until June 14th 2022, when the two countries agreed to divide the island equally, creating an unlikely and preposterously remote land border between Denmark and Canada.

During the night we plan to escape the confines of the Nares Strait. Entering Inglefield Bay, as we pass some of Greenland’s biggest bird cliffs and are again in habituated areas. The Captain anchors Ocean Albatros off Qaanaaq, the only proper town in northwest Greenland.

The town was founded in 1953, when the Americans built their base near the original trading post of Thule. All Inuit were transferred to this new place. Today, some 600 people live in Qaanaaq, which is supported weekly by Air Greenland flights and twice a year by cargo ship.

Depending on the weather, we might take a walk through the town, where we can visit the small museum and the well stoked super market.

Having left Qaanaaq in the evening, we set sail southwards towards Upernavik Region. Melville Bay is frequently icy even in summer, so the Captain and Expedition Leader will work carefully to chart a course through this treacherous region. Despite its remoteness, Melville Bay is typically relatively sheltered and calm, allowing excellent wildlife-watching opportunities; whales, a huge variety of seabirds and seals are all common in the area. Otherwise, a day at sea is an ideal opportunity to enjoy the onboard amenities of Ocean Albatros. With her patented X-Bow® design, the Ocean Albatros offers superior comfort even in rough weather, and her onboard amenities include two hot tubs, a sauna, and spa offering luxurious facials, massages and other treatments. During our day at sea, our knowledgeable onboard Expedition Team will provide lectures on Arctic culture, natural history and wildlife, as well as other activities.

The Upernavik territory covers an area nearly the size of Great Britain. The town itself and the ten smaller settlements in the area, inhabits some 3000 people, mostly Inuit hunters. Upernavik is a mix between the hunter culture of old and new high-tech fishing. You can equate old and new with the dog sleighs that exist alongside the modern snowmobiles.

The city itself was founded as a Danish colonial station, but the surrounding areas and small villages history go back more than 4500 years. This was when groups of hunters and gatherers travelled along the coasts of Alaska, Canada and ultimately, Greenland.

If going according to plan, we anchor and make a landing, allowing us to visit the little city and the open air museum.

Nights are getting darker, and it might be a good idea to dress up warm, go on deck and check the sky for the aurora borealis -the Northern Lights.

When you wake up this morning, you should find yourself in one of Greenland’s most beautiful and sunny regions. The ship is set to reach Uummannaq, situated on a small island. The impressive 1,175 metre heart-shaped mountain has given the town its name (Uummannaq means ‘place where the heart is’). There should be enough time to explore the city before heading back to the ship for lunch.

Ilulissat is one of the most scenic located towns in Greenland. The name simply means ‘icebergs’ in Greenlandic, and the town’s nickname is rightly ‘the Iceberg Capital of the World’.

Just south of town, Ilulissat Icefjord expels gigantic icebergs into the cold waters of Disko Bay. These impressive frozen structures are born some 30km deeper into the fjord by the enormous Sermeq Kujalleq Glacier. This 10km wide glacier is the most productive outside of Antarctica. Whereas most glaciers only calve at a rate of approximately a metre/three feet a day, the Ilulissat glacier moves forward at a rate of 25 metres per day, producing more than 10% of all icebergs in Greenland. These facts, together with the fjord’s unforgettable scenery, have secured the Ice fjord a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

During the more than 250 years that have passed since the establishment of Ilulissat, the town has steadily flourished. Today, Ilulissat is Greenland’s third largest town, with more than 4,500 inhabitants. The legendary Arctic explorer, Knud Rasmussen was born in Ilulissat.

During the visit, if the weather allows, you will have the opportunity to join a boat trip to the Ice fjord (optional excursion). The journey takes about two and a half hours in total, and offers a great opportunity to take a closer look at the amazing ice-sculpted scenery.

If a hike or a trip by boat does not present enough excitement, there is also an opportunity to arrange a flight excursion in a fixed wing aircraft over the Ice fjord (optional excursion).

Please note the boat and flight excursions to the Ice fjord are not included in the general tour price. Refer to Price Information for more details.

In the evening, we should cruise southward, leaving lovely Disko Bay behind us as we part.

Fulmars, auks and guillemots will accompany us south as we approach Kangerlussuaq. Our final day at sea offers the ideal opportunity to edit photos, share experiences with your fellow travelers and reflect on our experiences in the far reaches of the Arctic.

Our lecturers onboard will deliver inspiring and enriching presentations relevant to our voyage, and in the evening, join the Captain and officers of the Ocean Albatros for the Farewell Cocktail Party, followed a slideshow with all the memories and highlights from our voyage made by our onboard Photographer. A copy of the photos and other media will be forwarded to all guests after departure.

During the night, we will sail up the 160-kilometer/100 mile Kangerlussuaq Fjord. After breakfast aboard the ship, we will bid farewell to the ship's crew shuttling ashore by Zodiac.

Due to Kangerlussuaq’s military history and present-day role as an important air travel hub, Kangerlussuaq remains fairly isolated from Greenland’s rich cultural traditions, in comparison to other regions. While you still find cultural experiences when visiting Kangerlussuaq, the most impressive attraction is the surrounding nature, which is just beckoning to be explored. The town itself was largely constructed by the American military in the 1950s, and this small airport town has retained something of its Cold War atmosphere. Your Arctic adventure and time in Greenland concludes as we board the flight from Kangerlussuaq back to Reykjavik, Iceland.