Northeast Greenland In Depth

East Greenland is as far from a tourist destination as it’s possible to get these days, and you are unlikely to encounter any other ships as you sail around massive icebergs that make the vessel seem small. Scoresby Sund is the largest fjord system in the world and could be explored for weeks. It offers some of the most spectacular scenery Greenland has to offer: jagged peaks coming straight out of the sea and rare glimpses of the Greenland ice cap, the largest ice cap in the northern hemisphere. Large glaciers pour into the sea, and we cruise amongst beautiful icebergs, some of them larger than high-rise buildings.

We hope to circumnavigate Milne Land, the second largest island in Greenland, sailing through the narrow and spectacular Føhn Fjord, Røde Fjord and Ø Fjord. During shore landings, we may find remains from early Inuit cultures that settled here more than 2000 years ago. We also have a good chance of spotting magnificent prehistoric-looking musk ox or the lovely white Arctic hare. Keep an eye out for snow bunting, wheatear and ptarmigans, and polar bears. Time permitting, we may sail up into the rarely visited Nordvestfjord. This fjord is often filled with icebergs making for a challenging but spectacular navigation.

We also plan to visit the local community at Ittoqqortoormiit, home to some 450 Greenlanders and the only settlement in Northeast Greenland, 500km north of the Arctic Circle. In a town where the sea-ice blocks ships from visiting most part of the year, hunting and fishing are the only ways of survival. During our visit, we get a unique opportunity to learn more about living and surviving in this remote part of the world.

Each evening the expedition team will be on hand to discuss the wildlife and history of this spectacular region with a series of talks and presentations.

Ship: M/S Balto