19 Days Ultimate Arctic Discovery Voyage , Iceland – Northeast Greenland – Spitsbergen – Bear Island – Norway

While sailing north, you’re likely to see fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, and common guillemots. We will then cross the Arctic Circle, possibly spotting whales. By evening the first icebergs flash into sight with our approach to the east Greenland coast, near Brewster, and at night you might enjoy views of the enchanting aurora borealis.

Today we reach Scoresby Sund, Earth’s largest fjord system, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. You may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise past one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt. The afternoon goal is to visit Danmark Island, where we find the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago.

The circular stone tent rings indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are well preserved, with easy identifiable entrances, bear-proof meat caches, and grave sites. In the evening, we continue sailing the berg-crowded fjords to the west.

The goal is a Zodiac cruise near Røde Ø, one of the world’s most cherished iceberg attractions. The austere blue-white of the icebergs sets sharp against the brooding red backdrop of the sediment slopes. The afternoon plan is to sail through the northern parts of Røde Fjord, with the chance to see musk oxen and warm autumnal foliage.

In the morning, we encounter colossal icebergs, some of which are over 100 meters (328 feet) high and more than a kilometer (.62 mile) long. Most of them are grounded, as the fjord is only about 400 meters deep (1,312 feet). We will then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and a good shot of seeing Arctic hares.

For the first half of the day, we will have an easy landing and excursion at a lagoon 4 km (2.5 miles) west of Kapp Stewart, a place where migrating geese and waders collect for their autumn migration. The low and gently undulating tundra is ideal for some easy walks, and hopefully we will continue to see other local wildlife. In the afternoon, we visit the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit.

In the morning, we pass through the strait between North Liverpool Land and the island of Uunartoq Qogertaq. Last century it was connected by a glacier with the mainland, but in 2005 an OEX expedition discovered that the glacier had disappeared and that you can now sail through the strait. In the afternoon, we land at Antarctic Havn, an extensive valley where you can spot groups of musk oxen. At this time of year, the sparse vegetation is dressed in the fiery colors of autumn.

We enter Segelsällskapets Fjord in the morning, seeing the streaked slopes of the Berzelius Mountains bordering the north side. Our landing will be on the south shore, where you can see ancient sedimentary formations lying right at your feet. A hike takes us near a small lake with good chances to see musk oxen, Arctic hares, and ptarmigans. In the afternoon, the ship ventures into Alpefjord, aptly named for the spire-like peaks that thrust up around it. You may then embark on a Zodiac cruise around Gully Glacier, which once blocked access to the interior of these waters. Continuing deep into the fjord, we experience a definitive Greenland adventure.

Our morning plan is to head into Antarctic Sound, where we find the islands of Ruth, Maria, and Ella. Maria is the most likely spot for a landing. We arrive at Teufelschloss (Devil’s Castle), a mountain with layered geology. On the other side of the fjord is Blomsterbugt and the intended landing site.

Today we sail through Kaiser Franz Josef Fjord, surrounded by towering mountains and bright interior icebergs. In the morning, we land in Margrethe Dal near Thule/Dorset remains, and later we will sail into Foster Bay at Myggebugten. Beyond the old hunters’ hut where Norwegian trappers hunted for polar bear and Arctic fox in the first half of the 20th century, there is a sprawling tundra populated by musk oxen, with geese floating the small lakes. In the afternoon, we sail northward along the Greenland coast and will probably have our last sights of Greenland when we sail by Shannon Island.

We sail northeast along the outer fringes of the southward moving Greenland sea ice, with its seabirds, whales, seals, and maybe a polar bear sighting. Our aim is Spitsbergen.

We sail northeast along the outer fringes of the southward moving Greenland sea ice, with its seabirds, whales, seals, and maybe a polar bear sighting. Our aim is Spitsbergen.

You disembark in Longyearbyen at 09:00 AM at the latest. From here you can take a shuttle to the airport, departing for home or wherever your next adventure lies.

You touch down in Longyearbyen, the administrative center of Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. Enjoy strolling around this former mining town, whose parish church and Svalbard Museum make for fascinating attractions. Though the countryside appears stark, more than a hundred species of plant have been recorded in it. In the early evening the ship sails out of Isfjorden, where you might spot the first minke whale of your voyage.

Bell Sund is one of the largest fjord systems in Svalbard. The ocean currents make this area slightly warmer than other areas in the archipelago, which shows in the relatively lush vegetation. Here there are excellent opportunities to enjoy both history and wildlife.

One possibility is Ahlstrandhalvøya, at the mouth of Van Keulenfjorden, where piles of beluga skeletons can be found. These remains of 19th-century whale slaughter are a haunting reminder of the consequences of rampant exploitation. Fortunately, belugas were not hunted into extinction, and you may still see them in the area.

In Recherchefjord at Lagerneset, the Dutch had a 17th-century whaling station, and in the Recherche lagoon we see often ringed seals. Alternatively, we may land at Millarodden at the north side of Bell Sund, where we may see walruses hauling out.

Though the bird mountains of Ingeborgfjellet are deserted in September, a landing on the northern shore of Bell Sund makes for a good walk among whale bones, while the southern shore has fantastic geological formations.

We start the day by quietly cruising Brepollen in the spectacular Hornsund area of southern Spitsbergen, enjoying the scenery of glacier fronts and towering mountain peaks. The mountain of Hornsundtind rises to 1,431 meters (4,695 feet), while the peak of Bautaen testifies to why early Dutch explorers gave this island the name Spitsbergen, meaning “pointed mountains.”

There are 14 magnificent glaciers in the area, and we have a fair chance of encountering seals and polar bears. In late afternoon, we will try to reach Palfylodden, a walrus haul-out site at the southern entrance of the fjord.

Depending on the prevailing winds, we will sail in the morning along the east coast of Bear Island by Myserifjellet. We also plan to land in Kvalrossbukta, where we will see the remains of a whaling station from early in the previous century.

Afterward we may land in the shallow valley of Rendalen, where we still might see great skuas with their fledging young. Just south of this is the rock formation Perleporten, where in very calm weather you can sail through by Zodiac. The high seabird cliffs are deserted by this time.

Next we will spend a whole day sailing south on the Barents Sea en route to Norway, possibly encountering different species of whales in the mixing zones of the Gulf Stream and Barents currents. Later in the night, we may have the first chance to see the aurora borealis while the skies get darker.

You disembark in Tromsø at 09:00 AM at the latest. From here you can take a shuttle to the airport, departing for home or wherever your next adventure lies.