East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis

Witness the Northern Lights at Scoresby Sund

Cruise route
Title: East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis
Dates:
Tripcode: PLA13-23
Duration: 8 nights
Ship: m/v Plancius
Embarkation: Akureyri
Disembarkation: Akureyri
Language: German language assistance, English speaking voyage
More about:
 
Itinerary
PLEASE NOTE:

All itineraries are for guidance only. Programs may vary depending on ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. Landings are subject to site availabilities, permissions, and environmental concerns per AECO regulations. Official sailing plans and landing slots are scheduled with AECO prior to the start of the season, but the expedition leader determines the final plan. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises. The average cruising speed of our vessel is 10.5 knots.

The East Greenland – Scoresby Sund cruise crosses the Arctic Circle into the home waters of multiple species of whale. The expedition will spot huge icebergs as it journeys into the largest and deepest fjord system in the world. Along the way the Northern Lights is guiding our way.

Day 1: On the Iceland road

Your journey begins in the morning, where by request you can transfer via chartered bus (T) from the city hall of Reykjavik (the meeting point) to the ship in Akureyri (the embarkation point). You arrive in the afternoon after a six-hour drive through northern Iceland.

PLEASE NOTE: This transfer (T) must be booked and paid for in advance. In the early evening, the ship departs from the port of Akureyri, sailing north toward the Denmark Strait.

While sailing north you’re likely to see fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, and common guillemots. You then cross the Arctic Circle, possibly spotting whales. By evening, the first icebergs flash into sight with your approach to the east Greenland coast, near Brewster.

Today you reach Scoresbysund, 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 you 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 you 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 you encounter colossal icebergs, some 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). You then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and a good shot of seeing Arctic hares.

Today you make a tundra landing on Liverpool Land, in Hurry Inlet. The afternoon stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement in Scoresbysund at about five hundred inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just stroll around to see the sled dogs and drying skins of seals and musk oxen. In the afternoon you sail south, passing the picturesque landscapes of the Blosseville Coast.

Turner Sound and Rømer Fjord grant you the opportunity to sail far inland, as they have no glacier front at the head and are not clogged with ice. In this location, you may get the opportunity to spot narwhals.  

A sea day grants you the opportunity to spot whales and seabirds – and at night, the magical northern lights.

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Akureyri, where on request you can transfer by chartered bus (T) (a six-hour drive that you must book in advance) to the Reykjavik city hall, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.

m/v Plancius

The ice-strengthened vessel Plancius is an ideal vessel for polar expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic. Full ship info »

ACTIVITIES YOU CAN PARTICIPATE IN

Photo Workshop

Cabins & Prices

Quadruple Porthole

  • 1 porthole
  • 2 upper & lower berths
  • Private shower & toilet
  • Desk & chair
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
  • Hair dryer
  • Ample storage space
  • Safe deposit box
  • This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin

Complete cabin

18400 USD

Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.

Sorry, cabin is not available

Sharing berth

4600 USD

Share your cabin with others for the best price

Sorry, berth is not available

Triple Porthole

  • 1 porthole
  • 1 upper berth & 2 lower berths
  • Private shower & toilet
  • Desk & chair
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
  • Hair dryer
  • Safe deposit box
  • Ample storage space
  • This cabin is suitable for families traveling with children, or passengers who do not require a twin or more luxurious cabin

Complete cabin

19200 USD

Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.

Sorry, cabin is not available

Sharing berth

6400 USD

Share your cabin with others for the best price

Sorry, berth is not available

Twin Porthole

  • 1 porthole
  • 2 lower berths
  • Private shower & toilet
  • Desk & chair
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
  • Hair dryer
  • Safe deposit box
  • Ample storage space

Complete cabin

12800 USD

Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.

Sorry, cabin is not available

Single cabin

10880 USD

Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).

Sorry, cabin is not available

Sharing berth

6400 USD

Share your cabin with others for the best price

Sorry, berth is not available

Twin Window

  • 1 window
  • 2 lower berths
  • Private shower & toilet
  • Desk & chair
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
  • Hair dryer
  • Safe deposit box
  • Ample storage space

Complete cabin

13800 USD

Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.

Sorry, cabin is not available

Single cabin

11730 USD

Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).

Sorry, cabin is not available

Sharing berth

6900 USD

Share your cabin with others for the best price

Sorry, berth is not available

Twin Deluxe

  • 2 windows
  • 2 lower berths
  • Private shower & toilet
  • Desk & chair
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
  • Hair dryer
  • Ample storage space
  • Safe deposit box
  • These cabins are corner cabins and are slightly more spacious than the normal twin porthole/window cabins

Complete cabin

14600 USD

Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.

Sorry, cabin is not available

Single cabin

12410 USD

Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).

Sorry, cabin is not available

Sharing berth

7300 USD

Share your cabin with others for the best price

Sorry, berth is not available

Superior

  • 2 windows
  • 1 double bed
  • 1 sofa bed
  • Private shower & toilet
  • Desk & chair
  • Flatscreen TV
  • Telephone & WiFi (supplemented)
  • Refrigerator
  • Coffee & tea maker
  • Hair dryer
  • Safe deposit box
  • Ample storage space

Complete cabin

16600 USD

Price for the complete cabin, fully occupied.

Sorry, cabin is not available

Single cabin

14110 USD

Price for the complete cabin occupied by 1 person (1.7x the shared rate).

Sorry, cabin is not available
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