Discover the icy wonders of Greenland and cross the Arctic circle on this 8-day expedition cruise which takes in magical fjords, calving glaciers and remote towns. Cruise past giant icebergs in Disko Bay, look out for whales and other marine life breaching the waves and sail up close to the spectacular Eqip Sermia Glacier. Explore beautiful Uummannaq, the Iceberg capital of Ilulissat, the tiny Inuit settlement of Sarfannguit and Sisimiut.
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Fly to Greenland
Reykjavik or Copenhagen - Kangerlussuaq (Greenland). Included flight from Reykjavik or Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, one of the main settlements on Greenland, with a population of around 500. Here you can take a stroll around the town on your own until embarkation time at 3pm.
We will transfer to the harbour and board the ship by Zodiacs that ferry us to the ship anchored about one kilometre out into the fjord. Check into your stateroom and after a safety briefing, enjoy a glass of champagne and dinner as we set sail.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Dinner
Exploring Sisimiut
Kangerlussuaq - Sisimiut. This morning we dock at Sisimiut, Greenland's 'second city'. Enjoy taking in the highlights of the settlement including the historical colonial quarter, 18th century Blue Church and the oldest house in town, which dates back to 1756, when Count Johan Ludvig Holstein established a colony here.
After our exploration, we set sail, heading north towards Disko Bay. Cruising on magical fjords, we pass small villages and towns on the coast. Keep your eyes peeled from the observation deck in search of whales and dolphins. As we are now in the Arctic Circle, the nights will be bright, and you can spot gigantic icebergs from the nearby Ilulissat Icefjord floating by in the midnight sun.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Disko Island & Qeqertarsuaq
Sisimiut - Qeqertarsuaq. Today we dock at the southern tip of Disko Island, in the natural harbour of Qeqertarsuaq. The town has a rich history, and was once an economic hub for the now-banned whaling industry. During our visit, we wander through town, taking in the octagonal church, multicoloured homes and fascinating local museum.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Uummannaq
Qeqertarsuaq - Uummannaq. Wake up this morning 600km north of the Arctic Circle in Uummannaq, one of Greenland's most picturesque and sunny regions. Uummannaq means ‘place where the heart is’ and an impressive 1175m high heart-shaped mountain towers over this town which is located on a small island. There's time to explore the town 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 fjord. In the fjord, icebergs of all shapes and sizes majestically float by on a course set by wind and current.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Eqip Sermia Glacier
Uummannaq - Eqip Sermia glacier - Ilulissat. This morning the ship reaches the spectacular Eqip Sermia glacier, which is renowned for its jaw-dropping beauty. Admire this incredible natural wonder as we enjoy lunch on the sun deck. We will sail as close as possible to the ice’s edge – but at a safe distance to avoid any falling blocks of ice and crashing waves which can result from the calving glacier.
This afternoon we travel on to Ilulissat where we dock for the evening. In the evening we enjot an evening walk to the Sermermiut plain.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ilulissat
Ilulissat is Greenland’s third largest town and its name literally translates to 'icebergs' in Greenlandic. In Disko Bay, which is located just off the coast of Ilulissat, gigantic icebergs rise from the freezing waters which have earned Ilulissat, the name of 'the Iceberg Capital'. These icebergs come from the Icefjord, which is located a half hour’s hike south of Ilulissat.
Today there's an optional boat trip to the Icefjord (optional and subject to an additional charge). The journey takes about two and a half hours in total, a great opportunity to take a closer look at the amazing ice-sculpted scenery. There is also an opportunity to arrange an optional flightseeing excursion over the Icefjord in a fixed wing aircraft.
Later in the day we leave Ilulissat behind and head out of Disko Bay to begin our return journey south.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sarfannguit
Ilulissat - Sarfannguit. Our port of call today is the tiny remote settlement of Sarfannguit. The hardy inhabitants here maintain a traditional Inuit lifestyle of hunting, trapping and fishing, although modern amenities such as internet and smartphones have made life easier.
Colourful houses covering the hillside with views across the water make this a little town a beautiful place to stop and thanks to good caribou hunting and fishing opportunities the settlement is relatively well off. Sarfannguit means 'small streams' in Greenlandic and is located on an island of the same name. On a walk though the village we will discover more about rural life in this challenging part of the world before returning to the ship. Setting sail, we head back towards Kangerlussuaq, taking in amazing views of the surrounding high mountains and steep valleys.
Change of Itinerary For 2025: The visit to Sarfannguit will be replaced with a visit to the settlement of Itilleq, which is another tiny village with a rich Inuit heritage.
Overnight: Ocean Albatros Ship | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Kangerlussuaq
Sarfannguit - Kangerlussuaq - Reykjavik or Copenhagen. During the night we will have completed our passage through the 160km Kangerlussuaq Fjord. After breakfast aboard the ship, we will bid farewell to the ship's staff and the Zodiac boats will shuttle us to shore. There's an included group transfer to the airport and charter flight to Keflavik (Iceland) or Copenhagen (Denmark) via Keflavik.
Please let us know whether you would like to in / out of Keflavik or Copenhagen at time of booking.
Breakfast
Prices & Dates
The prices shown are per person based on twin occupancy sharing a Category D State Room with porthole on the Ocean Albatros ship.
Read MoreHotels
The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.
Ocean Albatros , Greenland Expedition Cruising
Having made her debut in November 2022 the Ocean Albatros is one of the most popular expedition cruise vessels in the world. With the highest Polar code 6 and Ice class 1A, the Ocean Albatros is ideal for small-ship expedition cruising in the Arctic, with a sturdy construction offering high stability in rough weather. For shore landings the ship has 18 motorized rubber ‘Zodiac’ boats, taking you to exciting areas that the larger vessel can't reach. This state-of-the-art vessel is also part of a new generation of low-energy vessels, ensuring it's environmentally friendly with a 50% lower carbon footprint than traditional expedition ships. There are 95 comfortable cabins and suites on board, including 12 single cabins. All of the cabins are spacious with an en suite bathroom, sofa and a TV, with either portholes or windows, offering an unobstructed sea view. The higher category of cabins also have their own balcony. On board you can soak up the scenery and spot wildlife from the viewing deck and observation lounge or head to the Sunpool Deck to enjoy the jacuzzi and pool bar. The spa boasts a unique panorama sauna and there's a gym if you want to work up a sweat. Enjoy tasty international cuisine in the two on board restaurants and relax with a drink in the Nordic bar after an incredible day spotting giant glaciers and icebergs.
At a Glance
