Compare Spitsbergen and north east Greenland: 12-night cruise by Audley Travel 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 | 15 days | 11 days |
| Price From | $ 9,322 | $ 6,595 |
| Price Per Day | $ 621 | $ 600 |
| Highlights |
N/A
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| Trip Style | Private guided tour | Small ship cruise |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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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 |
The Arctic’s scenic extremes have long beguiled visitors. In the far north of Svalbard, in the Norwegian Arctic, you’ll see glacier fronts, icebergs and mountainscapes. Thousands of guillemots turn towering cliffs into a riot of movement. In other parts, it’s the encompassing stillness that can stagger you — lonely bays dotted with icebergs, or an unbroken bed of sea ice engulfing the horizon line. Our Polar cruising team have experienced Svalbard on their own voyages, and they’re well-placed to help you choose the ideal itinerary and vessel for your Arctic expedition cruise. |
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 : Longyearbyen
Today you begin your journey by boarding your international outbound flight to Longyearbyen. Arrive in Longyearbyen and make your way to your hotel.
Day 2 : Polar Cruise
After a morning to explore Longyearbyen and the excellent museum you will board the ship and set sail along the fjord.
Day 3 : Polar Cruise
Spend a day exploring the coast of Spitsbergen.
Day 4 : Polar Cruise
A day at sea.
Day 5 : Polar Cruise
A day at sea.
Day 6 : Polar Cruise
Reach the coast of Greenland and make your first landing.
Day 7 : Polar Cruise
Landings in Greenland will vary from cultural visits to sites of historical and geological significance.
Day 8 : Polar Cruise
Each day will be different with wildlife sightings always a possibility. In Antarcticahavn, a wide valley, it's possible to see musk oxen.
Day 9 : Polar Cruise
Today you may sail down Scoresby Sund, the world's longest fjord, passing the serrated glaciers of the Volquart Boons coastline. If weather conditions allow, you may go out in the Zodiacs to cruise alongside some of the glacier snouts. In the afternoon, you may explore an excellently preserved former Inuit settlement, before heading back into iceberg-choked fjords.
Day 10 : Polar Cruise
Today may see you sailing past Cape Hofmann Halvø. Its shores are full of Arctic vegetation such as dwarf willow, dwarf birch and Arctic blueberry bushes. Keep an eye out for musk oxen. Birdlife includes ptarmigans and great northern divers.
Day 11 : Polar Cruise
Scoresby Land's northwest fjord is one of the shallowest points in the entire fjord, in places only 400 m (1,312 ft) deep. Today, while exploring this area, you might see huge 100 m (328 ft) high icebergs, some of which are grounded on the bottom of the fjord. Later on, in Sydkap, you might visit the remains of dwellings made using whale vertebrae, and thought to belong to Greenland's Thule culture (from whom modern Inuits are descended).
Day 12 : Polar Cruise
Today, you may go ashore at Ittoqqortoormit, a settlement of 500 people in the Scoresby Sund. You may visit one of the world's most remote post offices and in the streets, you'll see vignettes of daily life: dog sleds and the drying skins of seals and musk oxen.
Day 13 : Polar Cruise
Sailing across the open sea to northern Iceland.
Day 14 : Reykjavik
Landing in northern Iceland and transfer to Reykjavik.
Day 15 : International return flight
Make your way to the airport for your onward flight. Your return flight will arrive the same day.
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.
