Northeast Greenland: Glaciers and Fjords

Arrive in the Icelandic capital and make your way to your included hotel. You will have the rest of the day to explore this fascinating city, known for its Norse history, and stunning architecture.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.

This afternoon, you’ll board your vessel and begin your expedition. Get ready for a great adventure ahead.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.

Experience the wonders of nature in Segelsellskäbets Fjord, where a spectacular display of “geological art” awaits your landing: alternating layers of limestone and dolomite stretching before you in a stunningly beautiful canvas created over tens of thousands of years. In the afternoon, cruise the natural beauty of Alpefjord and pass by the impressive Selströms Glacier. During your tour of Greenland’s remote northeast coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. We’ll also keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen, as 40 percent of the world’s population lives in Northeast Greenland National Park. At the entrance of the sound is East Greenland’s most northerly community, Ittoqqortoormiit, where you may spend time interacting with the Inuit people and learning about their way of life. Magnificent vistas also await at Kong Oscar Fjord, with possible landings at Ella Ø, renowned for its rugged cliffs and ice-choked waters, and flower-rich Botanikerbugt, on Ymer Ø.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

Experience the wonders of nature in Segelsellskäbets Fjord, where a spectacular display of “geological art” awaits your landing: alternating layers of limestone and dolomite stretching before you in a stunningly beautiful canvas created over tens of thousands of years. In the afternoon, cruise the natural beauty of Alpefjord and pass by the impressive Selströms Glacier. During your tour of Greenland’s remote northeast coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. We’ll also keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen, as 40 percent of the world’s population lives in Northeast Greenland National Park. At the entrance of the sound is East Greenland’s most northerly community, Ittoqqortoormiit, where you may spend time interacting with the Inuit people and learning about their way of life. Magnificent vistas also await at Kong Oscar Fjord, with possible landings at Ella Ø, renowned for its rugged cliffs and ice-choked waters, and flower-rich Botanikerbugt, on Ymer Ø.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

Experience the wonders of nature in Segelsellskäbets Fjord, where a spectacular display of “geological art” awaits your landing: alternating layers of limestone and dolomite stretching before you in a stunningly beautiful canvas created over tens of thousands of years. In the afternoon, cruise the natural beauty of Alpefjord and pass by the impressive Selströms Glacier. During your tour of Greenland’s remote northeast coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. We’ll also keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen, as 40 percent of the world’s population lives in Northeast Greenland National Park. At the entrance of the sound is East Greenland’s most northerly community, Ittoqqortoormiit, where you may spend time interacting with the Inuit people and learning about their way of life. Magnificent vistas also await at Kong Oscar Fjord, with possible landings at Ella Ø, renowned for its rugged cliffs and ice-choked waters, and flower-rich Botanikerbugt, on Ymer Ø.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

Experience the wonders of nature in Segelsellskäbets Fjord, where a spectacular display of “geological art” awaits your landing: alternating layers of limestone and dolomite stretching before you in a stunningly beautiful canvas created over tens of thousands of years. In the afternoon, cruise the natural beauty of Alpefjord and pass by the impressive Selströms Glacier. During your tour of Greenland’s remote northeast coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. We’ll also keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen, as 40 percent of the world’s population lives in Northeast Greenland National Park. At the entrance of the sound is East Greenland’s most northerly community, Ittoqqortoormiit, where you may spend time interacting with the Inuit people and learning about their way of life. Magnificent vistas also await at Kong Oscar Fjord, with possible landings at Ella Ø, renowned for its rugged cliffs and ice-choked waters, and flower-rich Botanikerbugt, on Ymer Ø.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

Experience the wonders of nature in Segelsellskäbets Fjord, where a spectacular display of “geological art” awaits your landing: alternating layers of limestone and dolomite stretching before you in a stunningly beautiful canvas created over tens of thousands of years. In the afternoon, cruise the natural beauty of Alpefjord and pass by the impressive Selströms Glacier. During your tour of Greenland’s remote northeast coast, you’ll enjoy Zodiac cruises and shore visits to several locations. We’ll also keep an eye out for grazing muskoxen, as 40 percent of the world’s population lives in Northeast Greenland National Park. At the entrance of the sound is East Greenland’s most northerly community, Ittoqqortoormiit, where you may spend time interacting with the Inuit people and learning about their way of life. Magnificent vistas also await at Kong Oscar Fjord, with possible landings at Ella Ø, renowned for its rugged cliffs and ice-choked waters, and flower-rich Botanikerbugt, on Ymer Ø.

Northeast Greenland is a vast, remote region of the world’s largest national park, covering about 972,000 km² of Arctic wilderness across Greenland’s northeastern coast and interior. It features dramatic fjords, towering glaciers, and expansive tundra where polar bears, musk oxen, Arctic foxes, walruses, seals, whales, and seabirds thrive in virtually untouched habitat. There are no permanent civilian settlements, with only a few research, weather, and military stations scattered across the park, making it one of Earth’s most pristine, wild landscapes. Access is extremely limited and usually only possible via expedition cruises or special flights during the short summer season. In summer, the coastal tundra bursts with life and endless daylight, showcasing the stark beauty of true High Arctic wilderness.

As your Arctic adventure winds down, take in a presentation by our onboard experts, share your photos, sip an icy cocktail in the bar or spend time on the outer decks watching for wildlife—there are many activities during your time at sea. Your Expedition Team will also be on hand to answer any questions and point out wildlife.

You’ll disembark in Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, at the end of your journey. If you have booked post-expedition accommodation, we provide a transfer to a central downtown location.

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation's nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island's population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh), with its ever-changing hues, Reykjavík presents a colorful sight, its concrete houses painted in light colors and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces.Reykjavík's name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. In AD 874, Norseman Ingólfur Arnarson saw Iceland rising out of the misty sea and came ashore at a bay eerily shrouded with plumes of steam from nearby hot springs. Today most of the houses in Reykjavík are heated by near-boiling water from the hot springs. Natural heating avoids air pollution; there's no smoke around. You may notice, however, that the hot water brings a slight sulfur smell to the bathroom.Prices are easily on a par with other major European cities. A practical option is to purchase a Reykjavík City Card at the Tourist Information Center or at the Reykjavík Youth Hostel. This card permits unlimited bus usage and admission to any of the city's seven pools, the Family Park and Zoo, and city museums. The cards are valid for one (ISK 3,300), two (ISK 4,400), or three days (ISK 4,900), and they pay for themselves after three or four uses a day. Even lacking the City Card, paying admission (ISK 500, or ISK 250 for seniors and people with disabilities) to one of the city art museums (Hafnarhús, Kjarvalsstaðir, or Ásmundarsafn) gets you free same-day admission to the other two.