Cosmopolitan Reykjavík

Discover Iceland’s modern capital

Your expedition cruise of Iceland and Greenland starts in Reykjavík, a vibrant city full of culture and history. Enjoy a walk around this compact city. Take a stroll down Laugavegur, the main shopping street, to the striking Hallgrímskirkja church. Or visit one of its many art galleries and museums.

With so much to explore, you may want to arrive early to join one of our optional Pre-Programs.

Your adventure at sea starts when you board the ship. Find your cabin, meet your Expedition Team, explore the ship, and enjoy a relaxed welcome dinner as we set sail towards our first stop, Stykkishólmur.

Beautiful Patreksfjörður

Birdwatching, waterfalls, and stunning beaches

Patreksfjörður is unforgettably beautiful. Learn about the fishing traditions in Europe’s westernmost village. You can even enjoy a dip in the town’s outdoor pool, which features wonderful views of the fjord.

You’ll have the chance to explore the surrounding area on a hike through the fjords or visit Rauðasandur beach and see seals. You can also join a tour to Dynjandi waterfalls. These are six combined falls that, together, comprise the largest and most spectacular cascade in the Westfjords.

Birdwatchers shouldn’t miss a visit to Látrabjarg, where puffins, northern gannets, guillemots, and razorbills cling to Europe’s largest bird cliff.

The Northwestern Region

Exploring northwest Iceland, expedition-style

One of the best things about expedition cruising is the feeling of freedom. We plan to spend the day in Iceland’s Northwestern Region, but as conditions can vary, there’s no pre-set plan. Rest assured, your Captain and expedition team will find the best opportunities for adventure.

We may take you ashore in our small boats (RIBs) for a hike or a beach clean-up. Or maybe we’ll launch our kayaks. If we spot a pod of whales as we’re sailing, we may stop to enjoy the sight. Be ready for anything!

Don’t forget, you can also join onboard lectures, visit the Science Center, get tips from our professional photographer, or soak in a hot tub!

Akureyri and Goðafoss

See dramatic moonscapes and waterfalls

Gaze at snowcapped peaks as we cruise along Eyjafjörður, Iceland’s longest fjord. It’s one of the best places in Europe to spot humpback whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises. Look out for orcas, blue whales, and fin whales, too.

Iceland’s ‘Northern Capital’, Akureyri, sits at the base of the fjord. Here, you can enjoy the oasis of a botanical garden and visit top-notch eateries and museums.

A little further afield, witness the picturesque Goðafoss waterfall, where turquoise waters pound against black rocks. Keep an eye out for eider ducks and Harlequin ducks at Lake Mývatn, one of Iceland’s most active volcanic areas.

Grímsey’s puffins

Cross the Arctic Circle and see Atlantic puffins

This remote and windswept island is home to just 60 people and is renowned for its Atlantic puffin colonies. Grímsey is steeped in folklore, including tales of the island’s first settler, Grímur.

Grímsey is probably best known for its proximity to the Arctic Circle, which actually cuts across the island – the only part of Iceland to do so. You’ll have the opportunity to step across that line, hopping over to the Arctic and back.

Hike to the Orbis et Globus sculpture, a huge concrete sphere that is repositioned each year to fit the northward movement of the Arctic Circle. By 2050, Grímsey will lie outside the Arctic

Hike in Bakkagerði

Local folklore and staggering natural beauty

Your cruise continues to the tiny, remote settlement of Bakkagerði. According to folklore, Bakkagerði is inhabited by a large population of local land spirits or elves, known as huldufólk, meaning ‘hidden people.’ Walk around town to explore this magical place.

This popular hiking area features lush valleys and gorgeous scenery among colorful rhyolite rocks. The coastal cliffs are home to fulmars, kittiwakes, eider ducks, and puffins. We may also visit the Atlantic puffin colony on Hafnarhólmi, a true gem for nature lovers and wildlife photographers.

Heimaey’s explosive past

Discover the town that defied a volcano

Heimaey is the only inhabited island in the Westman Islands, off the Iceland’s southern coast. It has a fascinating history and still bears the scars of the powerful volcanic eruption that nearly destroyed the island.

Visit Eldheimar, a museum that features an excavated home frozen in time, and learn more about the eruption and its aftermath. You could also take a hike to find puffins at Stórhöfði, where nearly 8 million of them nest every summer. Don’t pass up the chance to climb Mount Eldfell to the volcano’s summit, where you’ll have incredible views of the town below.

Relax in Reykjavík

Enjoy an outdoor spa experience at the Blue Lagoon

Upon returning to Reykjavík, you’ll have another opportunity to explore the delights you may have missed on your first visit. In this city of art and culture, there are plenty of galleries and museums to enjoy. Or if you simply wish to relax, why not take a trip to the famous Blue Lagoon?

Enjoy an unforgettable outdoor spa experience as you relax in bright blue waters heated by geothermal energy. The water gets its iconic color from silica and other minerals carried down from the volcanic landscape. As you soak, enjoy a drink and chat with locals and fellow guests while you look forward to the next step on your adventure: Greenland!

Crossing the Denmark Strait

In the wake of Vikings

We sail to Greenland across the Denmark Strait, the route taken by Erik the Red, supposedly the first European to have settled there.

Your Expedition Team will explain the protocols of respectfully visiting wildlife habitats and indigenous Arctic communities. In the Science Center, learn more about Greenland’s geology, or join one of our Citizen Science projects. Then hit the gym, swim in the infinity pool, book a treatment in the wellness area, or enjoy a delicious meal in one of our three onboard restaurants.

Culture and history in Qaqortoq

Visit one of Greenland’s most beautiful towns

Qaqortoq has been settled since prehistoric times. The colorful houses and lush scenery of Qaqortoq provide a beautiful backdrop for its rich culture.

Explore the local museum, which includes rare Inuit artifacts, or enjoy lush scenery on a walk to a nearby lake. Join an optional excursion to meet friendly locals and hear their stories at a traditional kaffemik social gathering.

Explore Kvanefjord

Discover the glacial beauty of the west coast fjords

Experience the sublime fjords of Greenland’s west coast as we reach Kvanefjord in Sermersooq, meaning ‘Place of Much Ice.’

Have your camera ready for glistening icebergs and semi-submerged glacial ice, which is pure white with undertones of crystalline blue. These sculpted ice blocks are some of Arctic nature’s finest creations.

Few people venture into this remote fjord, making it even more special to spend the day exploring here. The Expedition Team will select places to venture ashore, where you will enjoy beautiful scenery on a nature walk. You could also head out in boats to scout for wildlife.

Fascinating Maniitsoq

A historic trading post in a dramatic setting

Today our expedition cruise reaches Maniitsoq. Nicknamed the ‘Venice of Greenland’ for its natural canals, the surrounding mountains deliver awe-inspiring views. You might even spot pods of humpback whales from shore.

Once a regional hub for trading reindeer hides, people have lived here for 4,000 years. Discover figurines carved from walrus ivory, traditional Greenlandic costumes, and many works of art in the local museum.

Maniitsoq has many hiking options with different viewpoints to discover. And don’t miss the chance to chat to the town’s welcoming locals.

Spectacular Sisimiut

Enjoy a warm welcome in Arctic Greenland

We reach spectacularly situated Sisimiut, just 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where you’ll experience the Midnight Sun at the height of summer.

Old traditions are alive and well here, and you can learn more about the ancient Saqqaq artifacts in the local museum. If you’re looking for a special souvenir, pick up a scarf, hat or mittens made of qiviut, the inner wool of a musk ox, said to be 10 times warmer than sheep wool.

One of the best experiences of your trip is meeting the local communities in the places we explore – authentic interactions that make for fantastic memories.

UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord

Nature’s artwork in UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord

Today we reach Disko Bay, a haven for whales and seals. The Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, regularly tops the list of things to see and do in Greenland. Today, you’ll find out why. Enjoy breathtaking scenery as you walk to the ice fjord and the old Inuit settlement of Sermermiut.

Marvel at giant icebergs floating past in the deep blue waters, as they take on different hues of white, gray, and blue. Even amateur photographers will return to the ship with enviable images. Back in pretty Ilulissat, enjoy a hot drink by the colorful houses along the water.

Go wild in Vaigat Sound

Remote, untamed landscapes and bountiful nature

The rugged Vaigat Sound is our northernmost point. You may feel like the first person to explore it. We are at the hands of Mother Nature today and the Expedition Team will identify the best landing sites to explore.

If possible, we’ll take small boats (RIB) out for a shore landing or take an optional kayaking trip between icebergs. You may visit Camp Frieda, trek across the tundra, and get up close to a glacier and learn how it moves.

Have your binoculars and camera ready as wildlife sightings in Disko Bay can include orcas and bowhead whales, as well as harp, hooded, bearded, and ringed seals.

Beguiling Evighedsfjord

The ethereal beauty of Evighedsfjord

We will now return south. Enjoy a day of exploration in the magical and imposing Evighedsfjord, near Kangerlussuaq. Until that day, we won’t have determined the exciting adventures that lie in store for you.

The ‘Fjord of Eternity’ is fed by an ice cap that calves huge icebergs into its waters, 2,300 ft deep. It is surrounded by misty mountains with beautiful white ridges, punctuated by crystal-blue ice caves.

Nature reigns here. The only settlements in this region are tiny fishing villages clinging to the shores. Like always, we’ll be on the lookout for Arctic flora and wildlife, including whales and seabirds.

Nuuk, Greenland’s capital

Experience Greenlandic culture, old and new, in Nuuk

After several days exploring remote, idyllic icescapes, you’ll cruise into Nuuk, Greenland’s colorful capital. It has a population of 18,000 people and a striking mix of old and new buildings.

Compare the old buildings like the Hans Egede House and Nuuk Cathedral with the ultra-modern architecture of Greenland’s parliament building.

Visit the National Museum to gain fascinating insight into life here 500 years ago and see the six Qilakitsoq mummies. Or join a long hike through Paradise Valley and around Mt. Lille Malene as part of an optional excursion.

Forgotten town

Ivittuut’s fascinating World War II history

As you wander around the abandoned ruins of this ghost town, it’s hard to believe that Ivittuut, a former mining outpost, once played a pivotal role in the course of history.

During World War II, the US secretly stationed troops here to prevent rare cryolite, used to make aluminum alloys, from falling into enemy hands. Supplies were instead shipped to the UK to manufacture aircraft that fought in the Battle of Britain.

Here, you can walk among the area’s deserted buildings. In what was once the last Viking settlement in Greenland, the only inhabitants you’re likely to see nowadays are musk oxen.

Prince Christian Sound

Breathtaking panoramas and abundant wildlife

We aim to explore the incredible waters of Prince Christian Sound, stretching 60 miles long. Sharp-peaked granite mountains provide a stunning contrast to the bright white glaciers. Look out for calving icebergs and colorful houses in the village of Aappilattoq.

Nature is abundant here. Keep an eye out for ringed and bearded seals resting on the ice and glaucous gulls and black guillemots soaring above. You may even spot minke and humpback whales.

If sea ice prevents us from entering the sound, we’ll head to the jagged Cape Farewell, the southernmost point of Greenland.

Reflections of Greenland

Time to rest, relax and reflect

After exploring the ethereal beauty of western Greenland, we set our course back to Iceland. Enjoy two days at sea recapping highlights with the Expedition Team, learning more about the delicate ecology of Greenland in the Science Center, and relaxing.

Out on deck, you might spot seabirds or whales that like to follow our ship. Our onboard photographer will share tips to capture them in action. You can even log the whales you see for our Happywhale Citizen Science project.

This might be the time to enjoy the panoramic sauna, the hot tubs on deck, or the heated pool. Why not book a treatment in our wellness area?

Return to Reykjavík

Unforgettable memories of your Grand Expedition

Your Grand Expedition Cruise to Iceland and Greenland comes full circle as you arrive back in Iceland’s stylish capital in the early morning. When you arrive, your mind and your camera will be full of unforgettable memories, from the spectacular vistas to your incredible encounters.

If you want to discover more, we recommend joining one of our optional Post-Programs.