Northeast Greenland Cruise

“Resource-rich” is a term that’s been used a lot lately to describe this isolated island territory. And it is a true description of Greenland, with its soaring cliffs, sparkling glaciers, and vast expanses of untrammeled terrain. But even within that vastness, the uninhabited northeast region stands apart. Very few travelers ever get there, and those who do find themselves on a true expedition. Join us on this rarely attempted Northeast Greenland cruise in the short, but spectacular Arctic fall season, when the pack ice retreats, and the northern lights spread across the sky. Musk Oxen, Arctic Foxes and Hares, and massive Polar Bears are found near the shore. Seals, as well as Fin, Minke, and Bowhead Whales, Narwhals, and Belugas congregate in the fjords. Venture into the world’s longest fjord system and enter the world’s largest national park. Hike on pristine tundra. Kayak or Zodiac around architecturally magnificent icebergs. Join Apex in this exploration of Greenland’s greatest resource—its wild splendor.

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• Days 4 – 6
• Day 7
• Days 8 – 11
• Days 12 – 14
• Day 15
• Day 16
• Day 17

• Monday, September 7: Arrive Reykjavík, Iceland

  Arrive in Reykjavík, the world’s most northerly capital, a starkly beautiful patchwork of colorful buildings, creative people, and epic natural beauty. Home to two-thirds of the country’s population, Reykjavík is Iceland’s only real city, a welcoming and walkable place. This evening, meet for a welcome dinner with your fellow Apex travelers and expedition leaders. Overnight at Hilton Nordica.

• Tuesday, September 8: Reykjavík / Embark Silver Endeavour

  Tour the city this morning, including the immense concrete Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in Iceland. An elevator ride to the top of the 245-foot tower reveals a staggering view over the city, the bay with its puffin-specked islands, and the surrounding mountains. This afternoon, head to the port to embark the Silver Endeavour, an exceptionally comfortable and capable expedition vessel with a PC-6 ice class rating, and your home away from home for the next 15 nights. Be on deck as the ship heads out of Faxaflói Bay and into the Irminger Sea.

• Wednesday, September 9: At Sea

  Settle into the ship as you cross the Denmark Strait, the very same body of water used by the Vikings to migrate from Iceland to Greenland 1,000 years ago. Attend lectures to learn more about the history, culture, flora, and fauna of Greenland. Join the expedition team as they scan the seas for Little Auks, puffins, Fulmars, Great Black-backed Gulls, and an array of whales, including Blue, Fin, and Sperm. As you approach Greenland, keep your eyes peeled for perhaps the most interesting-looking inhabitant of these waters, the endangered Hooded Seal, with the inflatable “bladder” on its head.

• Thursday – Saturday, September 10 – 12: Scoresbysund Fjord

  Be awed by the scenery as you approach the mouth of Scoresbysund, the world’s largest fjord system, extending 218 miles inland. Named for William Scoresby, the English explorer who mapped the area in 1822, the area is very sheltered, and the waters of the fjords are often glassy and calm, dotted with cathedral-like icebergs, some of which will dwarf the ship. No two mountain views are the same—some are black, layered, and covered with permanent ice, while others are jagged, pinnacled cliffs.

  The availability of open water in the wide fjord mouth draws a wide variety of wildlife. Snowy Owls and Greenlandic Gyrfalcons may be circling in the skies above, as well as several species of sea bird, including King Eiders, Atlantic Puffins, and geese which migrate to the area during the fleeting Arctic Summer. Seals dominate the sound, as well as Walrus, Beluga Whales, and the rare Bowhead Whale. The curious creatures might take an interest in the ship, too, following alongside for a better view. Weather permitting, take Zodiacs ashore to hike in the gorgeous fall colors of the tundra while you watch for ripe berries, Musk Oxen, Arctic Foxes, and Arctic Hares.

• Sunday, September 13: Ittoqqortoormiit

  Conditions permitting, take a Zodiac ashore at Scoresbysund’s only inhabited town, Ittoqqortoormiit, arguably the most isolated on Earth—their closest neighbors are in Iceland. Visit the town’s small museum, featuring historic photographs and costumes, and showing what a typical hunter’s home looked like in the 60s. Today, some 460 inhabitants call Ittoqqortoormiit home. Meet locals in traditional dress and peruse the handicrafts they have on offer. You will not fail to notice the many seal and Polar Bear hides hanging to dry. Hunting is still the inhabitants’ mainstay—as soon as the ice thickens sufficiently, they set out on dogsleds, following the trail of Walrus, seals, Narwhals, and Musk Oxen.

• Monday – Thursday, September 14 – 17: Kejser Franz Joseph Fjord, Northeast Greenland National Park

  The next 4 days will be spent penetrating the world’s largest, and least visited, national park via the 120-mile deep Kejser Franz Joseph Fjord. This is a true Arctic expedition, and flexibility is key. Weather, ice, and fog will determine the course to some degree, but the expedition team will keep a close eye on these conditions and choose the best locations for landings.

  Northeast Greenland National Park covers roughly 375,000 square miles, an area greater than all but the largest 29 countries on Earth and is home to just a few dozen people—the only humans you may have the fortune to encounter are the Sirius Patrol, who supervise the area on dogsleds. Despite the lack of inhabitants, a rich trove of archeological artifacts provides evidence of many waves of paleo-Eskimo settlements over the millennia. See ancient Thule sites, historical trappers’ huts, and modern Inuit cabins, all remnants of people who were attracted by the area’s bountiful hunting. It is estimated that 40% of the world’s Musk Oxen live in this park, along with Polar Bears, Arctic Foxes, Stoats, Collared Lemmings, and Greenland Wolves.

  Cruise the fjord, named for an 1869 expedition to the area funded by Austria-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph. Gape at ice-clad peaks towering up to 6,000 feet on both sides. See the coppery-red Devil’s Castle Mountain, and fields of multicolored tundra stretching far into the heart of the island. Navigate around cerulean icebergs, scanning the surrounding waters for Little Auks, puffins, guillemots, Walrus, Ringed and Bearded Seals, Humpback, Minke, and Fin Whales. Descend into kayaks and Zodiacs to get a closer look at the magnificent array of wildlife on the pack ice, and, when possible, go ashore for hikes.

• Friday – Sunday, September 18 – 20: Kong Oscar Fjord

  Kong Oscar Fjord lies at the border between Scoresby Land Peninsula and Northeast Greenland National Park. It was named in 1899 for Oscar II, king of both Norway and Sweden at the time. This fjord also cuts deep into the island—approximately 68 miles, surrounded by looming, glacier-etched mountains. Weather permitting, land on rugged Ella and Ymer Islands. Look for lemmings, Musk Oxen, Arctic Hares, foxes, and wolves, and ptarmigan darting through the tundra.

• Monday, September 21: At Sea / Isafjordur, Iceland

  Head back to Iceland, watching for sea life as you go. Stop in at Isafjordur, on a spit that juts out from Iceland’s beautiful Westfjords Peninsula, for customs and immigration clearance.

• Tuesday, September 22: Dynjandi

  Just a bit south of Isafjordur stands an iconic waterfall, Dynjandi, which translates to “Thunderous.” Known more by its nickname of “The Bridal Veil” because of the way its water spreads over the rocks, the cascade plunges 330 feet into the fjord and spans over 100 feet wide. Hike up the cliffside if you wish to see Dynjandi from the top, passing seven separate waterfalls that lead to the largest.

• Wednesday, September 23: Reykjavík / Depart

  ‘Reykjavík’ translates to ‘Smoky Bay’, named thus because of the columns of steam that rise all around it from the area’s many hot springs. Watch this colorful city emerge through the smoke and morning fog as the ship approaches Reykjavík Harbor. Disembark, and transfer to the ultra-modern Perlan Museum with its mirrored dome and high-tech Wonders of Iceland exhibit, offering interactive artificial glaciers, ice caves, and volcanoes for a tour and lunch. Afterwards, continue to the airport for your international flights home.