Wild Landscapes of West Greenland

Upon arriving in Toronto, check in at our group hotel near the airport. Stop by the hospitality desk to pick up your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team. They will provide important information about pre-embarkation procedures and the charter flight to Nuuk scheduled for tomorrow. Ensure you label your luggage tags clearly with your name and ship cabin number.

Accommodation: Westin Toronto Airport Hotel (or similar)

Make sure your luggage is properly tagged with your name and cabin number. Keep all valuables and personal items with you throughout the day. Your luggage will be delivered to your cabin prior to your arrival on board.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before boarding our charter flight to Nuuk, where the Greg Mortimer will be ready to welcome you. After boarding, take some time to get comfortable in your cabin before attending the mandatory safety briefings. This evening, you’ll have the opportunity to meet your expedition team and crew members.

We reach Sisimiut, Greenland’s second-largest town. Situated about 54 kilometers (33.5 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut offers the unique experience of the midnight sun during the summer. The town is renowned for its historic blue church, featuring a gate made of whale bone. Next to the church, the cozy museum showcases an impressive reconstruction of an Inuit turf house and exhibits detailing local history and early life in Greenland.

Sisimiut boasts a variety of hiking trails suitable for different skill levels. The easier trails take you through the town, its outskirts, and into the surrounding mountains, offering breathtaking views from spectacular vantage points.

Approximately 4,500 years ago, the Saqqaq culture migrated from Canada and settled in this area, living here for around 2,000 years before mysteriously vanishing. The Dorset culture arrived around 500 CE and remained until the 1200s, after which they were succeeded by the Thule culture. Today, most residents of Sisimiut are descendants of the Thule culture.

This captivating island shares many characteristics with Iceland rather than Greenland. While its interior is dominated by mountains and glaciers, its stunning shorelines feature black sandy beaches, unique basalt columns, hot springs, and striking lava formations. Take a Zodiac cruise in Disko Bay, where the fascinating geology is on full display. The area is also a hotspot for marine life, including humpback, fin, minke, and bowhead whales.

Uummannaq

Set on an island of the same name, Uummannaq is located 600 km (373 mi) above the Arctic Circle and is famous for its heart-shaped mountain. It’s also well-known for the Qilakitsoq mummies, Greenland’s oldest, that were discovered in nearby. The centre of town is compact and easy for you to explore independently, and there are several marked hiking trails, many of which lead to mountain lakes, for those who want to stretch their legs. Kayakers can enjoy paddling among the icebergs and keeping watch for whales that frequent the area. 

Upernavik

Set amid a labyrinth of small islands, Upernavik is home to traditional settlements and enormous icebergs that Greenland is famous for. Kayakers can paddle in the serene bay among the glittering icebergs while other expeditioners can discover the town on walks or hike in the surrounding area. Upernavik is the world’s northernmost open-air museum. A walk through the old part of town, which encompasses the original colonial buildings, tells the cultural history of the area, including the colonial and Viking periods. Keep a look out for a traditional old kayak and umiaq boat, which highlights the main mode of transport used by locals to navigate the archipelago during summer. The shy and elusive narwhal is also known to visit the area, and at nearby Apparsuit, bird enthusiasts will be thrilled to find one of the world’s largest bird cliffs. 

Take a seat in one of our numerous observation lounges and immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes that surround you. Our skilled and knowledgeable expedition team members will deliver engaging and informative talks about the regions we are traversing.

In Qeqertarsuaq, we embark on a Zodiac excursion into Disko Bay, renowned for its abundant icebergs and thriving marine life, including humpback, fin, minke, and bowhead whales. Explore the settlement with a leisurely stroll, perhaps sampling local tea crafted from fresh herbs, and delve into the town's history at the museum. Follow the path along the black sand beach, where colorful colonial buildings await your discovery.

Dubbed the 'birthplace of icebergs,' this area is renowned for producing some of the planet’s most spectacular ice formations. Embark on a hike to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Icefjord and marvel at its sheer scale. Sermeq Kujalleq, also known as Jakobshavn Glacier, is the most prolific glacier in the Northern Hemisphere, generating 20 million tonnes of ice each day. This ice flows into the Ilulissat Icefjord and Disko Bay. If conditions allow, you can enjoy a Zodiac cruise at the fjord’s mouth or kayak among the sea ice and icebergs. For a truly unique experience, consider an optional 90-minute helicopter flight over the icefjord.

Optional helicopter flight (90 mins): This excursion offers the exclusive opportunity to approach the enormous glacier up close. Departing from Ilulissat Airport, the 12-seater helicopter flies over hills, lakes, and ice fjords, landing on the mountain at Kangia, in the heart of the preserved area. Here, you can immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscape. On the return journey to Ilulissat, the flight passes over the glacier’s edge, offering stunning views of massive icebergs drifting in the fjord. The sight of some of the largest icebergs, which become stranded on an underwater moraine just outside the town, provides a magnificent finale to this excursion. Please note that a minimum of eight passengers is required for this excursion to operate.

We aim to visit a Greenlandic settlement near the Aasivissuit-Nipisat UNESCO World Heritage Site, where residents uphold a traditional fishing and hunting lifestyle with roots dating back 4,000 years. The settlement is notable for the striking Qaammat Pavilion, situated atop a ridge overlooking Ikeertoq fjord. This architecturally stunning and award-winning crystal structure was designed by Swedish architect Konstantin Ikonomidis in collaboration with the local community and UNESCO. It stands as a tribute to the natural environment, the land, and the cultural traditions of the indigenous Inuit people.

Evighedsfjorden, known as Eternity Fjord, stands as one of the most breathtaking fjord systems in west Greenland, distinguished by its forested terrain. Trek through lush valleys where hills rise to majestic snow-capped mountains, adorned with cascading glaciers flowing from steep cliff faces. Here, the solitude is profound—occasionally interrupted by the thunderous crash of calving ice, in a place where encountering another soul is a rarity.

Bid farewell to the crew and expedition team in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, before transferring to the airport for our charter flight to Toronto, where we will stay overnight at the Westin Toronto Airport Hotel (or a similar accommodation).

Enjoy breakfast and continue your journey.