Greenland of Great Explorers Cruise

To the east of the southern tip of the South Spitsbergen National Park, discover Stellingfjellet, one of the largest cliffs of the Svalbard archipelago. This impressive rocky promontory, located south of the Markhambreen glacier in the Torell Land massif, is bordered by shallow waters, rich in fish and nutriment. These feed the many colonies of nesting birds which have found refuge in the crevices of its vertiginous walls. The heights of this geological wonder are a theater for the skillful and endless dance of its inhabitants. From the sea, enjoy a privileged viewpoint for observing this grandiose décor.

Nestling on the southeast point of the island of Spitsbergen, this small bay shelters an immense glacier, the Vasil’evbreen, whose front is more than 12 miles long. This is an opportunity for an unforgettable Zodiac outing. If the conditions allow it, land directly at the foot of this majestic glacier, so as to discover the moraine and walk on the first section of the glacier. Depending on the ice conditions, also perhaps be lucky enough to approach Stellingfjellet, home to one of the largest guillemot colonies on the archipelago.

Make the most of the plethora of services and activities on board during this day at sea. Enjoy a workout class in the fitness center, or a treatment in the spa. Take in lectures or shows, do some shopping in the boutique or meet the ship’s photographers. Visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

The island of Jan Mayen, belonging to Norway, lies hidden off Greenland’s coastlines, lost between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. This small piece of land is inhabited by only a handful of Norwegian meteorologists. Tongues of ice descend from its volcanic summit, which culminates at roughly 7,300 feet and is covered with a thick glacial coat. These tongues join the sea, between ranges of black volcanic rocks at times tinged with red. If the sky is clear, enjoy the chance to glimpse the summit, decked out in magnificent light. The possible visit of a small fin whale will complete this memorable picture.

Make the most of the plethora of services and activities on board during this day at sea. Enjoy a workout class in the fitness center, or a treatment in the spa. Take in lectures or shows, do some shopping in the boutique or meet the ship’s photographers. Visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

At the entrance to Kangerlussuaq Ffjord (East Greenland), explore one of its small side branches: the magnificent Watkins Fjord. The huge glacial valley of Frederiksborg pours into this sumptuous desert of rock and ice surmounted by the jagged silhouette of the summits of the Lemon Range. The fjord owes its name to the British explorer Gino Watkins (1907-1932), who in 1930 led an expedition aboard Quest, the former ship of famous explorer Ernest Shackleton, in the aim of finding a supply point in this region on the airway between England and Canada. Come and discover this mythical place in the history of Arctic exploration.

In the Ammassalik region, the small island of Storo welcomed the famous French explorer Paul-Emile Victor during his first stay in Greenland in 1932. This young ethnologist was set down by Captain Charcot at Ammassallik then made his way to the island of Storo, where he spent a year hosted by an Inuit family. Bones, stones, a tomb and a few vestiges of huts and wooden cabins are evidence that people have been coming to the island for a very long time. Its location facing the Denmark Strait, at the entrance of a small fjord, is indeed ideal for hunting or for observing the whales, narwhals or belugas that live in the fish-rich waters of the Greenland Sea.

Be captivated by the spectacular scenery of the Sermilik Fjord, the largest in the southeast of Greenland. To the north, above the glacial valleys, the Schweitzerland Alps and their peaks that rise to an altitude of more than 10,000 feet stretch out in the distance, while in the south, where it opens onto the Irminger Sea, heavy erosion has carved the landscape. Three main glaciers calve a multitude of dazzling icebergs that drift serenely along the indigo waters of this majestic fjord. It owes its name to the Inuit word Sermilik, which generally refers to a fjord into which a glacier flows. It was mapped in 1884 by the Danish explorer Gustav Holm and his crew, while they wintered in the Ammassalik region.

In Tasiilaq, on Ammassalik Island, follow in the wake of Captain Jean-Baptiste Charcot’s famous ship, the Pourquoi Pas ?, which set off with its crew in 1935 to discover this small island of primitive and wild beauty that remained unexplored until the end of the 19th century. Along with Ittoqqortoormiit, a village with 500 inhabitants located at the entrance of the Scoresby Sound, the village of Tasiilaq and its surroundings, 500 miles farther north, are the only inhabited areas on the east coast of Greenland. The name of this island is a reference to the capelin, a small flamboyant silver-colored fish whose presence in the thousands announces to inhabitants the return of spring. A surprising discovery in a spectacular setting.

Welcome to a small protected bay on the eastern coast of Greenland, around 125 miles south of Tasiilaq, for a date with history and ice. During this port of call, have the opportunity to visit the remains of old peat houses from the Thule civilization. Then, after a scenic navigation, reach the starting point of the very first crossing of the Greenland ice cap, led in 1888 by Fridtjof Nansen, the great Norwegian polar explorer. A magical place where you can climb the gentle slopes of the ice cap’s first foothills to better appreciate its huge size.

Travelling to Nansen Harbor is the guarantee of a voyage back in time and will enable you to discover a superb bay, into which the ice cap plunges directly. It was because of the proximity and accessibility of the glacier that Fridtjof Nansen chose this location for his crossing of the ice cap crossing in August 1888. Sailing along the coast, imagine the first steps of the great explorer on the Greenland ice sheet.

Discover Skjoldungen Island on the southeast coast of Greenland. This uninhabited land boasts magnificent landscapes that are sure to dazzle. The island is surrounded by a stunning fjord, a distinctive feature of which is its double entrance: it forms a bend before joining the sea on the other side. Mountains, glacial valleys, rocky outcrops, tundra and willow forests make up the beautiful scenery which can be admired more closely when landing here. At this port of call, surrounded by wild and pristine nature, it is quite common to see bearded seals, orcas, but also birds such as the common redpoll, the northern wheatear or the common raven.

The ship glides silently towards the Greenland coast, in a setting punctuated by pointed peaks and majestic glaciers… You are on the verge of crossing the Prins Christian Sund, a narrow channel that stretches out and zigzags over some 62 miles between Greenland’s southeast and southwest. Fall under the spell of the primitive beauty of these unique landscapes, including rocky cliffs and waterfalls that are fed by the ice sheet and plunge into the icy waters. Here, bearded seals love to lie on the floating ice to soak up the sunshine.

Aappilattoq (Augpilatok) is a small Inuit village of around one hundred inhabitants, whose name means “sea anemone” in Greenlandic. Located in a mountainous region inaccessible by road, its picturesque, colorful houses stretch out to the southern tip of Greenland, on the banks of the spectacular Prince Christian Sound. Some 62 miles long, the sound connects the Labrador Sea to the Irminger Sea, meandering through stunning landscapes such as majestic glaciers, craggy peaks, and rocky cliffs with waterfalls fed by the ice sheet. This region was uninhabited in the 19th century. The village was created in the 1920s and the main activities revolve around hunting, fishing and livestock farming.

In the curve of a magnificent, sinuous fjord, discover the small village of Igaliku, famous for having been the episcopal seat during the Viking period. A red sandstone cathedral dedicated to Saint Nicholas was built in 1126. Its ruins, discovered in 1926, revealed the earlier presence of a pagan sanctuary on this site. A small museum set up in the church presents the origins of the village, which grew after a Danish farmer and his Greenlandic wife settled there in 1782. Igaliku is the starting point of hikes to waterfalls and to Erik’s Fjord or the Narsarsuaq plateau, which affords breathtaking views of the majestic icebergs in the fjord and of the Qooroq glacier.

From the ship, discover the town of Narsaq. Be dazzled by the beauty of the surrounding icebergs—large masses of ice in different shapes and shifting colors. Dominated by lush mountains, this small town is typical of Greenland and is located in the heart of a wonderful natural landscape. The multicolored house facades and the glaciers with their myriad shades of blue offer a magical setting, conducive to wonderment.

Make the most of the plethora of services and activities on board during this day at sea. Enjoy a workout class in the fitness center, or a treatment in the spa. Take in lectures or shows, do some shopping in the boutique or meet the ship’s photographers. Visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

The ship glides slowly along the water towards the west coast of Greenland, to enter Evighedsfjorden, just a few miles south of Kangerlussuaq. Evighedsfjorden means “the fjord of Eternity” and for good reason: just when you think you’ve reached the end of this stretch of sea measuring over 62 miles in length, it seems to go on forever, as though to bring even more pleasure to those sailing in it. The spectacular scenery ranges from glaciers to tundra with an abundant flora, and jagged cliffs where numerous bird species have taken up residence. Take the time to observe the white-tailed eagles and the colonies of seagulls and black-legged kittiwakes flying overhead in the area.

From 1941 to 1992, the town of Kangerlussuaq in Greenland was home to an American military base. Nowadays, thanks to its international airport, it has become a transit point for travelers seeking adventure in the Far North. Located to the north of the Arctic Circle, this town is the starting point of magnificent discoveries surrounded by unspoiled nature. Indeed, just a couple dozen miles from there it is possible to get close to the Greenland ice sheet, the largest body of ice in the Northern Hemisphere. From Kangerlussuaq, admire also the superb landscapes of tundra in autumnal colors, where arctic hares, musk oxen, arctic foxes, reindeer, falcons and eagles live.