Northeast Greenland Extreme – Aurora Borealis

Day 1: Embarkation in Longyearbyen
You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. In the early evening, the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.

Day 2: At Sea towards Greenland
At open sea, we sail toward Greenland and meet migrating seabirds and whales. The waters here can sometimes be dramatic – the scent of adventure is in the air!

Day 3: Among the sea ice
Sailing westward, we see the jagged edge of the sea ice flashing ahead of us. Keep watch for whales, migrating seabirds, and seals here. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a polar bear.

Day 4: Isle de France
If ice and weather conditions are favorable, we land at Isle de France, which was first reached by the Duke of Orleans on the Belgica in 1905. We aim to go ashore at Kap St. Jacques, where, under the guidance of an archeologist from the National Greenland Museum, we can see the remains of the Independence II culture. If we don’t make it to Isle de France, we will spend a day on the ice or on the west coast of Germania Land, an area with musk oxen and sometimes lonely, ranging wolves.

Day 5: Dove Bugt
When sailing into Dove Bugt, we have landing possibilities at the south coast of Germania Land, a mostly unglaciated area west of the Danmarkshavn station. Alternatively we land at Store Koldewey, named by the second German Polar Expedition of Koldewey 1869-’70, at Kap Ahrend or Kap Alf Trolle.

Day 6: A historic past, a beautiful present
Sir Edward Sabine performed his pendulum experiments on Sabine Ø (formerly Inner Pendulum Island) in 1823. Koldewey built a station at Germaniahavn. On its south side is Hvalros Island, where the population of walruses is increasing again. From this date onward, sailing south, we will experience darkness at night and have increasing opportunities to see the Aurora Borealis.

Day 7: First and last Inuit
On the south side of Clavering Ø, the English Explorer Douglas Clavering met the local Inuit in 1823. It was the first and last time Europeans met these people in Northeast Greenland, but the material remains of their culture are frequently seen. We hope to make a landing near Eskimonaes.

Day 8: Tundra, mountains, and icebergs
We may sail into Foster Bugt and land at Margrethedal, where there are remains of Thule culture from some centuries ago on the east side of the river. Musk oxen populate the lower tundra areas near the shores. From there, we sail through Sophia Sund, surrounded by mountain slopes where musk oxen graze.

Day 9: Alpine landscapes
You enter Segelsällskapets Fjord, with the banded slopes of the Berzelius Mountains bordering the north side. You will land on the south shore, where ancient sedimentary formations lie right at your feet. A hike takes you close to a small lake with good chances to see musk oxen, Arctic hares, and ptarmigans. Alternatively, you land in Blomsterdal (Flower Valley) near Antarctic Havn, where we often spot groups of musk oxen. In the evening, we sail along the strait between the island of Isikaja and the mainland. Until 30 years ago, Isikaja was connected to the mainland by a glacier, but it has now disappeared.

Day 10: Settlement Ittoqqortoormiit
The morning stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the only settlement in Scoresby Sund at about four hundred inhabitants. At the post office, you can buy stamps for your postcards or stroll around to see the sled dogs and drying skins of seals and musk oxen. If time allows, you may land at a beautiful lagoon a few km west of Kap Stewart, where migratory birds gather, and you will have an opportunity for a stroll on the autumnal tundra of Jameson Land.

Day 11: Enormous icebergs & Arctic hares
In the morning, you will likely encounter icebergs, some over 100 meters high and a km long. Most of them are grounded as the fjord is only about 400 meters deep. You then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and Arctic hares. Today’s walk may go from Sydkap to Nordöstbugt (12 km to the northeast), where the river coming from Holger Danskes Briller flows into the sea. We can walk south along the shore to Satakajik and see whale vertebrae in the construction of the remains of Thule summer houses. Passengers who opt out of the long walking group will join again at this location. In the evening, we will sail south by Kap Brewster near the southern entrance of the fjord.

Day 12: Leaving from Earth’s largest fjord
In the early morning, we will sail by the east coast of Milne Land among a multitude of giant icebergs. After a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt, where we now and then have met polar bears, you may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise past one of the glacier fronts on the Volquart Boons Coast. In the early evening, we leave Greenland, sailing south by Kap Brewster.

Day 13: At Sea
We will sail southward in the cold East Greenland Current and later in the warm Gulfstream Current with a multitude of sea life (whales, seals, seabirds) at the mixing zones of these waters. A sea day grants you the opportunity to spot whales and seabirds – and, at night, the magical Northern Lights.

Day 14: Disembarkation in Akureyri, Iceland
You disembark in Akureyri, where, on request, you can transfer by chartered bus (a six-hour drive) to the bus stop Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre at Austurbakki, Reykjavík. PLEASE NOTE: This transfer from Akureyri to Reykjavik is an additional cost and must be booked and paid for in advance.

PLEASE NOTE: The probability of reaching Isle de France in the second week of September with m/v Hondius is about 70% (based on ice charts from the last 12 years). All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per State and AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.