Disko Bay: Whale Safari & Aurora Borealis

Arrive in Aasiaat from Kangerlussuaq by chartered plane (flight not included in the voyage cost). Aasiaat is a settlement which was created in the 17th century to support the whaling at the mouth of Disko Bay. Its port is ice free from late spring to early winter. Spend the first part of the night at anchor in Aasiaat or in one of the bays nearby.

Today find yourself at the mouth of the Disko Bay, surrounded by rich waters, which attract both seabirds and whales. Expect to see your fist Greenland whale. In the evening spend the night in Fortune Bay or Engelsmandens Haven, where there are warm springs.

Another day of opportunities to see Greenland whales, when sailing south of Godhavn. In the afternoon sail to the mouth of the Jakobshavn Isfjord with its enormous icebergs, where you will float for quite some hours.

n the morning we land at Flakkerhuk, on the east side of Disko Island, making our way through waters dominated by huge icebergs. We intend to land at several points along the coast, like Narujuk and Modderbugt to observe a population of birds typical to the High Arctic, with species such as Long-tailed Skua, Turnstone and Grey Phalarope. The birds breed on a beautiful tundra landscape backed by basalt cliffs. Later in the day we may also pay a visit to Saqqaq, famous because of the remains of dwellings of the Saqqaq Culture, 4000 years ago. Some miles to the west are cliffs with Cormorants and a beautiful hidden lagoon with remains of turf houses. An alternative is to sail into Ata Sund to the glacier front of Eqip Sermia

In the morning in Davis Strait you may glimpse the edge of the Baffin Bay sea-ice, some tens of miles west of Disko Island. Try some landings in Nordfjord and Qasigissat, in a lush tundra landscape near lakes in valleys surrounded by basalt cliffs. At Qasigissat there are accessible populations of of ducks and geese.

In Diskofjord sail into the Kuanerssuit Fjord toward some warm springs. Near Sioraq settlement, where the people keep sledge dogs, visit a Thule dwelling site with large turfhuts in a great setting. In the evening cruise along Queqertaq Island (1000 m high) with the largest northern fulmar colony in Greenland.

Another day of opportunities to see Greenland whales when sailing south of Godhavn to Hunde Ejlands, with a small Greenlandic settlement, old dwellings of Greenland’s Thule culture (dating from 11th century), and graves from 18th century European Whalers.

Arrive in Aasiaat, a settlement which was created in the 17th century to support the whaling at the mouth of Disko Bay. Its port is ice free from late spring to early winter. In the morning fly from Aasiaat to Kangerlussuaq by chartered flight, and onward by scheduled flight to Copenhagen (flights not included in the voyage cost).