Upon arrival to Kangerlussuaq, drive through the tundra to the beautiful Reindeer Glacier, an outlier of the Greenland Icecap. After a snack lunch at Restaurant Roklubben, transport is arranged to the small port located west of the airport, where the ship, Ocean Atlantic, was anchored. Take a zodiac transfer to the ship, where you can check in to your cabin. After a safety drill, enjoy a dinner at Ocean Atlantic sets sail through the 160-kilometer Kangerlussuaq fjord.

 

On the way to the south, the ship sails to the inshore waters and into the maze of Evighedsfjorden. The fiord is one of the most beautiful in Greenland, but seldom visited. Go deeply into the fjord to see the enormous glaciers, pointed mountain peaks and rich bird cliffs.

During the night, reach the capital of Greenland, Nuuk. The first objective is to look for humpback whales in the waters just offshore from the town. Typically, they come up to breathe for a few minutes before they display their awe-inspiring fluke, as they prepare for the next deep dive. The Nuuk fjord attracts scientists and geologists from all over the world, as some of the world’s oldest types of rocks and minerals can be found here. And the fact that they also contain traces of living organisms only makes them all the more interesting.

One of the world’s smallest capitals, Nuuk is - by Greenlandic standards - a large city: as many as 18,000 people live here today. The area was previously populated by Inuit of the Saqqaq culture, who lived in Greenland from around the year 2000 BCE to 1000 BCE. From around the year 1000 to 1350 CE the Norse settlers followed. The pioneering Eric the Red settled in South Greenland and in the Nuuk region. Subsequently, members of the so-called Thule culture, the Inuit forefathers of the modern Greenlandic people moved in. They were far better equipped to survive in the tough arctic nature than the Norse settlers.

Soon thereafter Europeans began to appear along the Greenlandic coast. Dutch and Scottish whalers arrived in the 16th century. The modern history of Greenland began in 1721 when the Norwegian missionary Hans Egede founded the first colony and trade station near Nuuk which was manned the whole year around. In fact, Hans Egede came to Greenland intending to convert the Catholic Norse settlers to the Lutheran faith. But he soon realized that the Norse settlers had disappeared – the reason for their abrupt disappearance has yet to be fully uncovered.

In 1979, Nuuk was the obvious choice for the placement of the parliament, and thus definitively received the status as Greenland’s capital.

Early in the morning, arrive at Arsuk fjord, whose entrance is marked by the distinctive 1,400-meter-high Kuunnaat Mountain. Until a few years ago, Arsuk was one of Greenland's richest settlements. Here, numerous fishermen and sailors lived, picking up solid incomes on the cod industry. But the temperature in the Davis Strait fell one degree, and the fish went south to warmer waters.

Another notable point here is the former cryolite mine at Ivittuut, as the only place in the world where this very special mineral was mined, until the mine was depleted 30 years ago. Used in aluminum smelting, the mineral became strategically important and forced the Americans to set up bases in South Greenland to protect the supply during WWII.

During the early hours, Ocean Atlantic has sailed far into South Greenland through Erik Fjord.

As a small sheltered enclave, South Greenland's blue fjords and green mountains are enclosed by the ubiquitous ice cap. Wherever you look, the chalk-white glare is felt from the ice, which rises up to two thousand meters to the north and east. South Greenland has it all: Icebergs, high mountains reflecting in deep blue fjords, and Greenlandic culture with beautiful towns, settlements and colorful wooden houses adhering to the hillsides. And then the 1000-year-old Norse history, created by Erik the Red's visions of a new found country with a beautiful name.

Erik the Red or as he was called in Iceland: Eiríkur Raude, came with his men and his wife Tjodhilde in 982, and it was here, in what is now Qassiarsuk, that he built his farm Brattahlíð, “The steep grass slopes”.

Aboard Zodiacs and upon landing, start a walk through the village. Qassiarsuk and much of South Greenland practice farming and animal householding at the margin of what is possible. Large stables are built for the sheep during the hard winters, and you can see the small cultivated fields growing potatoes and turnips. In the northern end of the village are the partly the excavated ruins of stable buildings and residential areas, as well as the reconstructed church and farmhouse of Erik, Tjodhilde and their son, Leif the Lucky.

After the visit back in history, sail back out of the fjord toward the open sea.

Take a few days at sea, while the ship is heading for a more southerly course toward Vinland than the one used by Leif Eriksson. During the crossing, there are good opportunities to relax in the ship's library, participate in the series of lectures held by’ leaders on board, or look for seabirds and whales on the course to the southwest.

The west coast of Greenland is favored by mild waters of the Gulf Stream, whereas a cold sea current runs south along Baffin Island and Labrador's shores. The officers on the bridge keep an eye out for the icebergs, flowing down "Iceberg Alley" from the big glaciers in Greenland and Arctic Canada all the way south to Newfoundland.

Reach the Strait of Belle Isle between Labrador and the northernmost point of Newfoundland. It was here that Erik the Red's son, Leif Eriksson, arrived around the year 1000 after sailing down "Helluland" (Baffin Island) and "Markland" (Labrador), before reaching an area with lush meadows and trout-rich rivers, which he called Vinland. Here he wintered before he sailed back to Greenland. He was followed by his brothers Thorvald and Thorfinn, who brought women and livestock, and who stayed in the area for a number of years, possibly to explore the coast down to St. Lawrence Bay and Nova Scotia.

Vinland is marked on a map from the Middle Ages, and numerous researchers have sought the archaeological evidence of the settlement. It became the tenacious Norwegian archaeologist Helge Ingestad and his wife, Anne Stine Ingestad, who in 1962 found the final proof of Leif the Lucky’s discovery of America. A number of houses and finds of hearth sites, spinners and more has made L’Anse aux Meadows one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

In the evening, approach and dock in St. John's, North America's easternmost point. For centuries, the strategically good location attracted adventurers, traders, pirates and, not least, seafarers, who created the foundation for the city's prosperity. In 1497, Italian seafarer and explorer Giovanni Caboto - also known as John Cabot - came and proclaimed the enclave to be the first permanent settlement in North America. Overnight, the ship stays at the quay and you can spend the next day in town.

St. John's oozes charm. In addition to the long, picturesque history, the city offers unique architecture and cultural and nature experiences. In the narrow streets of the town center, there are a wealth of museums, galleries, historic buildings, parks, restaurants, pubs, and cozy shops. St. John’s downtown is one of the oldest trading places in North America. One of the city's main sights is Signal Hill with beautiful views of the old historic harbor town. Already in 1704, flags were hoisted on Signal Hill when ships approached - be they kind or hostile. And for centuries, the vantage point was a sore point in military disputes.

Another attraction in St. John's is Cape Spear. In Newfoundland folklore, Cape Spear is also called "the western world of the far east", and right here you are at North America's farthest point. In addition to a stunning landscape, Newfoundland's oldest lighthouse is also located here.

Off the south coast of Newfoundland are the two small islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, which together form an autonomous French territorial area. Miquelon is the largest of the two islands but is almost uninhabited. The 6,000 inhabitants of the territory live on the small island of Saint Pierre, which is only 8 kilometers on the longest. The inhabitants speak French, have French passports and use the euro - despite the fact that their closest French neighbors in Brest live 3,800 km away. However, the affiliation has been challenged in the past, and for centuries England and France have alternately thrown out the opposite and taken over the islands until they finally became French in 1816.

Sail into the port of Saint Pierre and walk around the streets of the small town.

The ship is around 150 nautical miles away from reaching Nova Scotia's coast. The island was originally populated by Mi'kmaq Indians before the British established a port in 1605. Later, in particular, Scots arrived - not least for the homely-looking coastlines along Cape Breton Island.

However, it is again the French commitment to the area that you should focus on during today's landing. Reach the beautiful natural harbor of the city of Louisbourg and visit the French fortress Fort Louisbourg on the opposite bank of the bay. Here, too, England and France were battled for power in eastern Canada, and the fort changed hands several times during the 18th century.

In 1920, the decayed remains of the French fort were preserved and in the following years rebuilt to its original form from the 1740s. The site is set as a Canadian National Park and is now a favorite destination. There are often historical plays, war scenes or other events.

After the visit, continue sailing along the south coast, the least inhabited part of the island and reach the final destination, Halifax.

Ocean Atlantic docks in one of Canada's busiest ports, and after breakfast, say your goodbye to the crew.

Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia, one of Canada's maritime provinces. Founded in 1749 and all the way up to 1905, Halifax was one of the largest British naval bases outside England. To defend Halifax, the British authorities built a number of fortifications in and around this strategically important port. Despite the fact that the citadel has never been attacked, the British army and the Canadian forces crewed the present citadel right up to 1906 and again during both world wars.

Halifax is one of Canada's most important immigration ports, and for more than 1.5 million immigrants, the city was their first impression before being spread across the vast country. The Titanic's shipwreck in 1912 is also an essential part of Halifax's history. Three ships from the city helped to rescue survivors and collect the bodies of those who died from the disaster, and a large number of the victims are buried in the city's cemeteries. 

There is a city tour by bus, where you can visit the old fortress, The Citadel. The fort was built in 1749 primarily to keep the French away.

After the sightseeing, take a shuttle bus transfer to the airport to catch your flight home.