Northwest Spitsbergen & East Greenland

You will be met at the airport and transferred to the group hotel for your overnight stay. This evening you’ll meet your expedition leaders and other members of the group for a trip briefing.

Meals:  Nil

Today is yours to explore Longyearbyen. Recommendations include The North Pole Expedition Museum, the local brewery and a reindeer burger in one of the local restaurants. Board the Polar Pioneer in the late afternoon. Cruising out of the beautiful Isfjorden, we’ll be escorted by gliding fulmars and perhaps the occasional puffin. The sea kayakers will attend a briefing to distribute dry suits, poggies (paddling mitts for your hands), lifejackets and dry bag.

Meals:  B,D

Our journey takes us to the spectacular north west coast of Spitsbergen where we spend hours out and about in the wild Arctic scenery. We’ll explore the protected waters of the glacier filled Kongsfjorden or Krossfjorden, either by zodiac cruising, kayaking or walking the gentle tundra, where we take extra care not to disturb delicate wildflowers. Venturing further north, we may visit an old Dutch whaling station settled in the early 1600s, aptly named Smeerenburg (blubber town). Heading further north, to the very top of Svalbard, we’ll encounter amazing vistas in places such as Woodfjorden and Leifdefjorden, where magnificent glaciers end their journey to the sea. Paddlers and zodiac cruisers will wind their way through ice floes while walkers will take to the slopes, on the lookout for reindeer and even encountering rustic huts and remains from the bygone trappers’ era. We will always be on alert for polar bear sightings on the pack ice and on land. On board we may experience the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean and a favourite onboard activity is to stand at the bow and look below at ice being parted by our sturdy ship. A highlight for all is the sight of a bobbing walrus feeding on clams or wallowing, slug like, on shore. At our most northern point it’s time for the polar plunge, where hardy souls will shed their winter woolies, strip down to their bathing suits and dive (or jump) into the freezing polar waters. A sauna and a shot of vodka await!

Meals:  B,L,D

As we cruise southwest across the Greenland Sea, the main outlet of the Arctic Ocean, we may encounter pack ice. The strong icy currents have isolated East Greenland from the rest of the world for millennia. These currents carry nutrients from the Polar Basin, attracting large numbers of fish, seals and whales. Climatic conditions and the concentration of ice in the vicinity often create thick morning fog, that vanishes with the onset of the midday sun. As we approach East Greenland, we will seek out pack ice where we may see seals and a variety of seabirds, including Ivory Gulls and migratory Brunnichs Guillemots. Conditions permitting, there will be a good chance to launch our sea kayaks. We may also land at Northeast Greenland National Park. Home to polar bear, walrus, Arctic hare and musk ox, it?s the world?s largest national park. This stretch of Greenland?s coastline is ripe for exploration, with its many secrets locked in place by drift ice for up to eight months each year.

Meals:  B,L,D

As we approach East Greenland we seek out the pack ice where we may see seals and a variety of seabirds, including Ivory Gulls and migratory Brunnichs Guillemots. This stretch of coastline is ripe for exploration, with its many secrets locked in place by drift ice for up to eight months each year. Ice conditions permitting, we will attempt to enter Keyser Franz Josef Fjord, a remote and rarely visited fjord system with countless opportunities for exploration, before heading south along the coast of Liverpool Land, with our passage once again dependent on ice conditions. We aim to reach Scoresby Sund, the world’s longest fjord and a favourite hunting ground of the local Inuit. Massive glaciers dump into this fjord, the birthplace of the famous big Greenland icebergs. We hope to visit remote Inuit communities like the unpronounceable Ittoqqortoormiit (Scoresby Town) and to hike across the tundra in search of ancient paleo- eskimo graveyards or summer villages occupied 3,000 years ago. This area provides excellent opportunities for sea kayaking in its maze of calm, interconnecting waterways. If we are lucky, we may see musk ox and seals. We will be on the lookout for polar bears and narwhal, although these sightings are rare. Places we may visit in Keyser Franz Josef Fjord and Scoresby Sund include: CAPE HUMBOLDT – YMER ISLAND One of the many possibilities on Ymer Island is Kap Humboldt, where a lone trappers’ hut built on an ancient beach looks out across a magnificent bay dotted with huge icebergs. Water-worn birch logs washed up on pebbly beaches and a steep hillside behind the hut offer walking opportunities and the possibility of seeing musk ox grazing on the hardy foliage. Keep a lookout for Arctic fox, snowy owls and ptarmigan. SEFSTROM GLACIER – ALPEFJORD This narrow waterway flanked by mountain peaks of up to 2,200 metres is a spectacle of serrated brown mountains with hanging glaciers. Mosses, lichens and late summer Arctic flora are visible as we cruise along the coast. ITTOQQORTOORMIIT – SCORESBY SUND A colourful Inuit community of about 350 residents, many of whom still depend largely on hunting. Explore the village and meet parents pushing latest model prams with cute round-faced babies peeping out from Arctic fox fur jackets. Be on alert for four-wheel quad bikes that hurtle along rough dirt roads, against a backdrop of howling from sledging dogs secured to chains, while small Husky puppies roam free. Visit the modern supermarket or sit spellbound in the beautiful Lutheran Church serenaded by the local organist. SYDKAP – SCORESBY SUND This small promontory jutting out from Scoresby Land offers good walking and delightful views across the sound. There are great opportunities for kayaking past lonely beaches where 3,000-year-old gravesites can be visited on shore. Giant icebergs as big as ten-story buildings offer hours of enjoyment for those in zodiacs and kayakers alike. RENODDE– SCORESBY SUND Renodde, opposite Røde Ø, will delight those keen to stretch their legs with an easy tundra walk across lush vegetation with majestic fjord views. A highlight of the walk is the ancient stone remains in the shape of a kayak, speculated to be the burial place of a great paleo-eskimo hunter. Other possible landing places include Rypefjord, Ø Fjord, Fonfjord, Bjornøer, Milne Land and Hekla Havn on Danmark Island.

Meals:  B,L,D

We will head out into the Denmark Strait and cruise towards Iceland. Entertaining talks will help consolidate what we've seen and experienced, as we head south.

Meals:  B,L,D

During the early morning we cruise back into Akureyri. Say your farewells to the crew and expedition leaders before a transfer to the airport.

Meals:  B