Greenland’s Disko Bay & Uummannaq

Your adventure begins with an included flight, either from Keflavik in Iceland or Copenhagen in Denmark, to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland. Upon arrival in Kangerlussuaq you will transfer to the port and board a small Zodiac boat to take you to the ship for embarkation. After time to settle in, as you join your new shipmates for dinner we will set sail through the stunning 160km long Kangerlussuaq Fjord.

Our first stop on Greenland’s wonderful west coast will be picturesque Sisimiut, Greenland’s second-largest city. Sisimiut is home to around 5,400 people and is a vibrant and colourful town that is a delight to explore. As we come ashore, you will be offered a city tour which will include the historic colonial quarter with houses dating back to 1756, as well as the museum and the beautiful church. Additionally, we will pay a visit to the busy city centre for a glimpse of what daily life is like in 21st century Greenland.

In the afternoon we will get back on board to continue our journey northward, passing the Sisimiut Isortuat Fjord, the Nordre Strømfjord settlements of Attu and Ikerasaarsuk, and the small town of Kangaatsia along the way. As we reach Disko Island in the late night/early hours of the morning, the early risers will be greeted by the sight of the icebergs on Disko Bay as they squeeze out of the Ilulissat Icefjord and dance into the frigid ocean waters.

Today we will reach the unforgettable Disko Island and Disko Bay area. Under Disko Island’s 1000-metre-high mountains we enter the protected natural habour that has the Danish name ‘Godhavn’ or Good Harbour and in Greenlandic ‘Qeqertarsuaq’ which means ‘The Big Island’.

As we come ashore we will be greeted by the local community who will host a traditional “kaffemik” for us where we can enjoy coffee, local cakes and traditional music and dancing. We will also visit the characteristic octagonal church, nicknamed “God’s Inkpot”. A thoroughly enjoyable and memorable day awaits.

When you wake up this morning, you will find yourself almost 600km north of the Arctic Circle, and in one of Greenland’s most beautiful and sunny regions. The ship has reached Uummannaq, situated on a small island. The impressive 1,175m high heart-shaped mountain that has given the town its name dominates the view (Uummannaq means ‘place where the heart is’). There is time to explore the city before heading back to the ship for lunch. From the town there is an extraordinary vista comprising the island’s 1,000-meter tall rock faces, the snow-covered peaks on Nuussuaq peninsula to the south, and out across the fiord. In the fiord, icebergs of all shapes and sizes majestically float by on a course set by wind and current. As much as 5 active glaciers at the bottom of the fiord ensure that we can observe plenty of icebergs.

Uummannaq was founded as a colony in 1758 on the Nuussuaq mainland, but shortly thereafter, in 1763, it was moved to the nearby island, as seal hunting was more bountiful here. On our walk along the town’s steep streets we visit the historic train-oil building, built in 1860. Inside its yellow walls, whale and seal blubber used to be stored. Because of the horrid stench, the blubber was not boiled here, but well outside town! Behind the train-oil storage we will find a peat hut, which was still in use a few years ago.  

The dry and settled arctic climate has around 2,000 hours of sunshine and 100 millimetres of precipitation per year, giving Uummannaq the right to call itself the Greenlandic Riviera!

In the morning the cruise ship will have reached a magnificent natural highlight, the calving Eqip Sermia glacier. We enjoy lunch on the sun deck with this magnificent natural wonder in the background.

Situated approximately 50 nautical miles north of Ilulissat, the Eqip Sermia Glacier is renowned for its jaw-dropping beauty. Legendary arctic explorers selected this location as a base for their studies. One such explorer, the acclaimed Swiss glaciologist, Alfred de Quervain, used the location as a base for his expeditions onto Greenland’s inland ice sheet over a century ago. We will sail as close as possible to the ice’s edge – but at a safe distance to avoid plunging blocks of ice and violent waves that often result from the calving glacier.

In the afternoon we head for Ilulissat, where we berth in the evening and go for an evening walk to the Sermermiut plain.

If the sea ice is too dense between the Ataa fjord and the Eqi glacier the captain will have to select a different route today. In this case, the itinerary will be adjusted accordingly and we might, for example, pay a visit to the abandoned coal mine at Qullissat or visit the settlement of Saqqaq.

Welcome to Ilulissat, the iceberg capital of the world! A beautiful town surrounded by iceberg-filled waters creates the most idyllic setting you could imagine. The icebergs come from the Icefjord, which is located a half hour’s hike south of Ilulissat, and are born by the enormous Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, the most active glacier outside of Antarctica.

As we visit here, it won’t take long to understand why this area has a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The town itself is vibrant, lively and hugely welcoming, and a truly enjoyable day can be spent simply wandering the streets and chatting to the friendly locals. Alternatively you can join a boat trip to the Icefjord to get a closer look at the amazing ice-sculpted scenery, or join a hike for a similar but more strenuous experience. For even more adventure, a helicopter flight over the icefjord is available! Whichever way you decide to see this incredible natural wonder, you can be sure of an experience that you will remember for a lifetime! Please note, both the boat trip and helicopter flight are not included in the price of your package and should be booked in advance.

Our last full day will see us visit the settlement of Sarfannguit which is picturesquely nestled at the foothills of the mountains and glaciers and is home to just over 100 residents who live off fishing, trapping and hunting for arctic char, reindeer and musk oxen.

A stroll through the settlement will offer us an insight into rural life in today’s Greenland, where modern conveniences and technological advancements, such as internet and smart phones have become commonplace, yet locals still place great value on important customs and preserving their traditions and their Inuit heritage.

Later in the day we will begin our sail through the 160km Kangerlussuaq Fjord which rewards in some incredible scenery that you won’t want to miss.

Your voyage concludes at the end of the mighty Kangerlussuaq Fjord where after breakfast you will disembark and take a Zodiac cruise to shore. An optional excursion is available today which will take you to the beautiful and iconic Reindeer Glacier. In the afternoon you will transfer to the airport for your included flight to Reykjavík or Copenhagen.