East Greenland, Scoresby Sund, and Aurora Borealis

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Please Note: All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.

Long Hikes
Long hikes are for groups of passengers, accompanied by two armed expedition staff and a Zodiac that will sail ahead to watch for polar bears along the shoreline. Passengers who join this activity should have the willingness and ability to walk at least 15 km (9 miles) in semi-rough terrain that includes shorelines, tundra, low hills, and river crossings. Walks will take around six hours from start to finish, rest times included. We will walk at a modest pace and not cross any alpine terrain. Passengers who do not take part in long walks will have a landing in the morning at the start point of the walk, then sail to the end point of the walk for their second landing in the afternoon.

Day 1: On the Iceland road.

Your journey begins in the morning, where by request, you can transfer via chartered bus from bus stop Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre at Austurbakki, 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. Overnight aboard the ship. (D)

Note: This transfer 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.

Day 2: Sailing to east Greenland.

While sailing north you’re likely to 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 your approach to the east Greenland coast, near Brewster. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Arriving at Earth’s largest fjord.

Today you reach Scoresby Sund, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. You may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise past one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt. In the afternoon, we plan to sail by the east coast of Milne Land among a multitude of giant icebergs. If we can also land at Charcot Havn, we will make a walk to the Charcot Glacier. We will then continue by Bjørneør and sail into Øfjord. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Colors of the cape.

The goal is a Zodiac cruise near Sorte Ø, surrounded by icebergs. Their austere blue-white contrasts sharply with the sediment slopes nearby. The afternoon plan is to sail through the northern parts of Røde Fjord and into Harefjord, with the chance to see musk oxen and warm autumnal foliage. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

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 deep (1,312 feet). You then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and a good shot of seeing Arctic hares. Today’s long walk goes from Sydkap to Nordøstbugt (12 km, 7.5 miles to the northeast), where the river coming from Holger Danskes Briller flows into the sea. We plan to walk south along the shore to Satakajik, seeing whale vertebrae and the remains of Thule summer houses. Passengers who opt out of the long walking group will join us at this location for their second excursion of the day. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Settlement at Scoresby Sund.

Today you make a tundra landing on Liverpool Land, in Hurry Inlet. The afternoon stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement in Scoresby Sund at 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. In the afternoon you sail south, passing the picturesque landscapes of the Blosseville Coast. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Stewart Ø.

The island of Stewart Ø is an important hunting station for the people of Scoresby Sund and also a good area to spot polar bears, narwals, and the beautiful remains of Thule houses. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Remote shores.

Turner Sound and Rømer Fjord grant you the opportunity to sail far inland, as they have no glacier front at the head and are not clogged with ice. In this location, you may get the opportunity to spot narwhals. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Sea life under the northern lights.

A sea day grants you the opportunity to spot whales and seabirds – and at night, the magical northern lights. Overnight aboard the ship. (B,L,D)
Day 10: Journey’s end at 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 the bus stop Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre at Austurbakki, Reykjavík, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies. (B)

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner