Compare East Greenland: Northern Lights by Quark Expeditions vs Arctic Sights and Northern Lights: East Greenland by Poseidon Expeditions
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 14 days | 11 days |
| Price From | $ 8,395 | $ 6,595 |
| Price Per Day | $ 600 | $ 600 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small ship cruise | Small ship cruise |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
All meals aboard the ship, including water, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Other drinks additional charge. |
| Description |
Scoresbysund, the world’s largest fjord system, beckons you to explore Greenland. Enticing you with some of the best displays of the northern lights, the Inuit settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit and its inhabitants offer you a rare connection to the past with their tradition of living off the land, just as their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Iceberg-choked fjords, tundra hikes and the arctic wildlife of Northeast Greenland National Park create picture-perfect scenes every day. This is one of our most active expeditions, where you can hike across mountaintops and watch herds of grazing muskoxen on the horizon. This is pure wilderness at its finest: the untouched Arctic as it was thousands of years ago |
Vast, unspoiled, virtually uninhabited—East Greenland’s Scoresby Sund is an Arctic wilderness of transcendent quality. This memorable northern lights cruise starts and finishes in Reykjavík, Iceland. Across the Denmark Strait we explore the stunning Scoresby Sund fjord complex in East Greenland. Here we discover unbelievable scenery, historical sites, massive icebergs, a contemporary Inuit village, and of course the mesmerizing northern lights. On our Greenland cruise we visit the town of Ísafjörður in the Westfjords of Iceland. On our way back we explore Iceland’s picturesque Snæfellsnes peninsula. Every night on this voyage brings another excellent chance to experience the northern lights in a beautiful setting. |
Day 1: Reykjavík, Iceland
Your adventure begins with an overnight stay in the modern city of Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital city.
Day 2: Embarkation Day in Akureyri, Iceland
You’ll fly from Reykjavik to the northern Icelandic town of Akureyri to begin your expedition to Greenland. As you sail out to sea, your first wildlife sightings will be seabirds above and whales below. Get ready for a great adventure!
Day 3: At Sea
Sail through the Denmark Strait en route to mysterious Greenland. Your Expedition Team will keep you informed and entertained with presentations about Greenland’s wildlife, history and geography.
Days 4 to 7: Northeast Greenland National Park
Fjords and colorful tundra punctuate the scenery of Northeast Greenland National Park, where arctic fox and muskoxen roam free. Your days will be spent exploring and learning about the unique history and geology of Greenland.
Kong Oscar Fjord is a hiker’s paradise. Marvel at the vibrant fall colors as you walk across the tundra at Holm Bay, cruise in a Zodiac through spectacular Alpefjord or challenge yourself with a trek to the top of nearby Ella Island (the views are worth it).
From Ella Island, you’ll head to the Antarctic—the Antarctic Sound, that is. Yes, curiously, there is an Antarctic Sound in the Arctic. The area is home to beautiful purple- and gold- colored rocks, with Ymer Island and Blomsterbugten, known as the Bay of Flowers, in the distance, waiting to be explored.
Keeping a watchful eye out for wildlife, you will then head south along the Liverpool Coast. Weather conditions are variable here, but we’ll aim to visit Storfjord.
Days 8 to 11: Scorsbysund Fjord
Arriving at Scoresbysund, you’ll find yourself mesmerized by the largest, longest and—some say—most beautiful fjord system in the world. This area was named after William Scoresby, who charted the east coast of Greenland in 1822. With clear skies, you may catch a glimpse of the northern lights during our evenings in the fjord.
At the start of the sound, Ittoqqortoormiit is East Greenland’s most northerly community. You’ll have the chance to support the local Inuit artisan community by purchasing unique handicrafts. Your time here is spent bonding with the Inuit people and gaining an appreciation of their way of life.
Sailing deeper into Scoresbysund, you’ll encounter massive icebergs and an ancient Thule settlement as we approach Sydkap and Øfjord. The scenery here is beyond belief, with towering mountainsides and hundreds of apartment-sized icebergs playing tricks with your sense of perception.
Pushing onward, your expedition will come to Rypefjord and Cape Hofmann Halvø. We will keep our eyes peeled for sightings of rare blue icebergs, which are usually seen in the Antarctic. With binoculars in hand, birders should keep watch for wheatears, snow buntings and ravens at Rypefjord.
At Cape Hofmann Halvø, we’ll have a good chance of experiencing muskoxen up close and enjoying a final hike out on the colorful tundra.
Days 12 and 13: At Sea
Our journey back to Iceland has us re-crossing the Denmark Strait, allowing a couple of days for whale watching. During our crossing, you may see white-beaked dolphins and humpback, minke and blue whales. Birders will enjoy spotting kittiwakes, gannets, guillemots, fulmars and razorbills.
Day 14: Disembarkation Day in Akureyri, Iceland
Your Greenland adventure comes to an end as you enter port in Akureyri and board your flight to Reykjavik. We provide a transfer to downtown Reykjavik. If you have time, it’s worth sticking around to explore this great city.
Day 1: Arrival in Reykjavík, Iceland (hotel night)
Welcome to Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland and starting point of our Arctic expedition! The drive from the Keflavik International Airport to the city center takes around 45 minutes by airport shuttle or taxi. After checking into your hotel, which has been arranged by us and is included in the price of the itinerary, you will be free to explore this attractive, friendly and quintessentially Nordic city.
For an excellent overview of Iceland’s history and culture, we recommend starting at the superb National Museum and Culture House. You will also want to visit the iconic Hallgrímskirkja church, Reykjavík’s most famous landmark. For those interested in natural history, we recommend the Whales of Iceland museum, which houses full-sized models of the 23 species of whale found around Iceland. For dinner, Reykjavík offers countless options for an authentic Icelandic meal.
Day 2: Welcome Aboard!
After breakfast at your hotel, the morning is yours to enjoy Reykjavík. Take a leisurely stroll through a peaceful garden or a relaxing soak in a thermal bath. Nature lovers will appreciate the abundant birdlife at Tjörnin, a placid lake in the heart of the city. You can also take advantage of shopping for souvenirs or some last-minute necessities such as cold-weather gear. Just remember, you will soon receive your very own parka to keep and waterproof boots to borrow on board the ship.
In the afternoon, you will be transferred to the pier where we will warmly welcome you aboard the deluxe expedition vessel M/V Sea Spirit. Get settled in your spacious suite and explore the ship that will be your comfortable home during the extraordinary adventure to come. After getting underway, a full schedule of events kicks off with informative briefings and introductions from your expedition staff. After the first of many delicious dinners on board, step out onto the open decks to admire the views as we sail through Faxaflói, where it is possible to encounter our first whales.
Day 3: Across Denmark Strait
As we sail north across the Denmark Strait to East Greenland, we celebrate our crossing of the Arctic Circle. We keep a continuous lookout for great whales and flocks of seabirds feeding in the productive waters near the sharp rise of Greenland’s continental shelf. After nightfall, we have our first of many opportunities to see the aurora borealis overhead.
Day 4-8: Scoresby Sund, East Greenland
The itinerary for this part of our voyage focuses on the spectacular fjords, coasts and islands of Scoresby Sund, also known as Kangertittivaq in the Greenlandic language. This area contains some of the world’s most impressive scenery and Greenland’s best wildlife viewing. As with any true polar expedition, our exact schedule and route will be shaped by weather and ice. At this late stage of the season, we expect our explorations will be minimally affected by sea ice. However, we will be alert for icebergs from surging glaciers, which can present interesting navigational challenges. Our experienced captain and expedition leader will continually adjust plans as conditions and opportunities warrant in this wild and remote corner of the Arctic.
Scoresby Sund is one of the longest and most visually stunning fjord systems in the world. Almost totally devoid of human habitation, it is also one of the most pristine natural environments on Earth. In this epic wilderness, the forces of nature have shaped a landscape of incomparable grandeur. Deep fjords and narrow passages are framed by sheer rock walls up to 2,000 meters high. Colossal icebergs—calved by immense glaciers and sculpted by wind and water into fantastic shapes—drift throughout the intricate fjord system in striking contrast to sparkling blue waters and polychromatic mountains capped with fresh snow. From verdant coastal plains to ice-clad peaks all the way to the glaciated heart of Greenland, a trip through Scoresby Sund sets a new standard for “scenic”.
Our area of exploration includes part of Northeast Greenland National Park, the largest and most northerly national park in the world. This vast Arctic landscape is a paradise for hikers who appreciate astounding views of untouched tundra wilderness. Across hillsides emblazoned with autumnal red and yellow, a flash of white reveals the flight of a snowy owl or a startled mountain hare. Tufts of the finest fleece ensnared in polar willows underfoot point the way to a nearby herd of shaggy musk oxen. You may hear the crack of horns colliding as bulls engage in fearsome battles of strength. Boreal fowl of every description are preparing to migrate south with their newly fledged chicks. All throughout the waterways of Scoresby Sund, we are on constant watch for polar bears and other marine mammals, including a variety of seals, walrus and narwhal, which can be spotted at any time.
Ancient Thule archeological sites remind us of humankind’s age-old relationship with this austere yet life-sustaining environment. For a look at how this tradition has been carried forward, we plan to visit the modern Inuit village of Ittoqqortoormiit, the only permanent settlement in the region and one of the most remote communities in the world. The village boasts a wonderful museum, a bookstore, handmade crafts for sale, a post office, and an abundance of Greenlandic sled dogs.
In September, at the equinox, day and night are given equal opportunities to astound you. As night falls, the darkening sky becomes a stage for nature’s greatest celestial performance: the Northern Lights. East Greenland is one of the very best places in the Arctic to view this otherworldly natural phenomenon. In addition to being at the perfect latitude for strong aurora displays, the skies above Scoresby Sund are often cleared by katabatic winds rolling down from the nearby Greenland Ice Sheet. Lights dancing from horizon to horizon are mirrored in calm waters while the silhouettes of gigantic icebergs and serrated mountains add to the romantic splendor of the experience.
This itinerary offers a deep dive into one of the Arctic’s most scenic and soulful environments. From dawn to dusk and beyond, your days will be filled with incredible shore excursions, world-class Zodiac cruising, and enough stunning scenery to fill your camera and overwhelm your emotions. Hikers will live their wilderness dreams and sea kayakers will be rewarded with some of the finest paddling on the planet.
Day 9: Back to Iceland
After our amazing time in Scoresby Sund, we head back across the Denmark Strait toward Iceland. Presentations and workshops by our expert staff, as well as our range of onboard recreation facilities, ensure that this day at sea is not idly spent. Seabird viewing and whale sightings can be enjoyed from panoramic open decks and balconies.
Day 10: Westfjords, Iceland
Our last expedition day is spent in the beautiful Vestfirðir (Westfjords) of Iceland. This remote and sparsely populated region of crenulated coastlines, voluminous waterfalls and rugged mountains sees only 10% of Iceland’s visitors. Deep fjords are home to whales while estuaries abound with seals and birdlife.
Day 11: Disembarkation in Reykjavík, Iceland
After filling up with one last buffet breakfast on board, we bid you a fond farewell in Reykjavík. We provide transfers to Keflavik international airport or to the city center in case you plan to extend your stay in Iceland.
