Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland – Iceland

You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.

You sail to Raudfjorden on the north coast of Spitsbergen. View the expansive fjord and its glaciers, and watch for ringed and bearded seals. Along the cliffs and shoreline, look for seabird colonies, vegetation, and polar bears.

Sailing southwest on the East Greenland Current along the edge of the sea ice, you may eventually see the coast of Northeast Greenland. Keep watch for polar bears, seals, whales, and migrating seabirds. Depending on the sea-ice conditions, you may already land at the end of day 5 at the mouth of Davy Sound.

The first half of the day, you plan to spend in Antarctic Havn, a natural harbor for the old historic ship Antarctic. To the southwest is an extensive valley where you can spot groups of musk oxen. Later, you may land at the head of one of the fjords south of it,  like the east side of Nathorst Fjord. It is all ice-dependent.

Today you reach Scoresby Sund, sailing along the glaciated 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, you plan to sail by the east coast of Milne Land among a multitude of giant icebergs. You then continue by Bjorneor and sail into Ofjord.

The goal is a Zodiac cruise near Sorte O, 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.

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. The plan is 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 the rest of the group at this location for their second excursion of the day.

Today you make a tundra landing on Liverpool Land, in Hurry Inlet. The afternoon stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement in Scoresbysund 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.

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.

Rømer Fjord grant you the opportunity to sail far inland, as it has no glacier front at the head and is not clogged with ice. In this location, you may get the opportunity to spot narwhals. At the western shore about half way to the head of the fjord are hot springs.

One of the most beautiful fjords in East Greenland, with good landing opportunities, surrounded by glacier fronts and rich in wildlife with seals of different kind and often narwals.

The plan is to sail into De Reste Bugt and d’ Aunay Bugt large fjords named by the Frenchman De Blosseville in 1833, when he made extensive discoveries at this now called Blosseville Coast. Chances to find bears, narwals and seals in these fjords are pretty good.

A sea day grants you the opportunity to spot whales and seabirds when rounding Northwest Iceland.

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 Center at Austurbakki, Reykjavík, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.