In the Wake of Vikings: Iceland to Greenland Cruise

Sailing west from Iceland, we are truly in the wake of the Vikings. We’ll be watching for whales and seabirds as we sail the Denmark Strait. Our onboard program will prepare you for the archaeology, history, culture, and wildlife that awaits us in Greenland!

Our first view of Greenland’s east coast will reveal a coastline traced with innumerable fjords and potentially dotted with pack ice. Our spotters will be watching for bears, seals, and humpback whales. We’ll explore the remote reaches of glaciated fjords by Zodiac.

Joining the Irminger and Labrador Seas through the islands of the Cape Farewell Archipelago, Ikerasassuaq (Prince Christian Sound) is among the world’s most majestic waterways. Craggy mountain peaks tower over still waters fed by calving glaciers. We’ll make the most of our deck time, scouting for landing opportunities on the skirts of the mountains.

South Greenland lives up to its namesake; the land is fertile and agriculture thrives. Farms and vegetable husbandry contrast with the barren ice that covers so much of the country. Jagged mountains rise from beyond green pastures, with sheep farms directly bordering ice fjords. Here we find the Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site, where Norse settlement history intersects with contemporary Greenland life.

The settlement at Hvalsey was a major Norse centre in the early centuries of the last millenium. Hvalsey Church is the best-preserved Norse ruin in Greenland. The last known record from the original Norse colony is of a wedding held here in September 1408!

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Brattahlíð is in the most fertile part of Greenland and was the home of Viking explorer Erik the Red and his descendants until the 1400s. A reconstructed Norse church and Viking longhouse are featured here. Greenlandic Inuit now run the sheep farms originally worked by Norse settlers.

The Sermersooq region of Greenland has a stunning myriad of mountain peaks, glaciers, and deep fjords. Our time will be spent on the western coast of the region, where records of human habitation stretch back over 1,500 years. We’ll explore by Zodiac or by foot, as landing conditions permit. We’ll keep a look out for nattoralik (white-tailed eagles), seabirds, marine mammals, and enjoy the lush vegetation of southwest Greenland.

Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, bridges old and new. The old harbour region of town includes many buildings dating from the Danish colonial days. Nuuk is known for art, shopping, and cafes.

The Greenland National Museum is one of Nuuk’s many outstanding features: the world-famous Qilakitsoq mummies rest here.

Defined by jagged mountain peaks, sheer bird cliffs, cascading streams, and calving glaciers, Kangerlussuatsiaq lives up to its Danish name, Erighedsfjorden which means “the fjord of eternity.” Whether by ship, Zodiac cruise, or kayak, a visit to the face of the glacier is truly a sublime experience.

Kangerlussuaq Fjord (Søndre Strømfjord) offers 190 kilometres of superb scenery. Kangerlussuaq, the settlement at the head of the fjord, is a former U.S. Air Force base and Greenland’s main flight hub. Here we will disembark the Ocean Endeavour and transfer to the airport for our charter flight to Toronto.