Arctic From 12 days From £7,780 GBP

South Greenland Exploring Glaciers, Fjords and Viking Culture

Starting from

Reykjavík, Iceland

Ships

Ultramarine

Departures

1 Departure in August 2027

Expedition Overview

Our 12-day South Greenland: South Greenland: Exploring Glaciers, Fjords and Viking Culture takes you to remote Greenlandic settlements rarely seen by independent travelers. This itinerary delivers some of the wildest landscapes you’ve ever imagined: towering icebergs and sweeping glaciers, plus the chance to see the Greenland Ice Sheet—the second-largest ice mass on the planet. For Viking enthusiasts, South Greenland is one of the best places on Earth to experience Norse history. You can step into Viking ruins that date back to 985.

Highlights

Check off two of the world’s most northerly capital cities: Nuuk and Reykjavik

Visit colorful Greenland villages rarely seen by independent travelers

Stand in awe before towering icebergs and sweeping glaciers

Explore Kujataa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Viking and Inuit history meet

Embrace once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to kayak remote Greenlandic fjords

Experience the most dramatic f jords of South Greenland, including a chance to see the southern outlet of the massive Greenland Ice Sheet.

Find Your Ideal Itinerary

12 Days

From Reykjavík, Iceland, on Ultramarine

Duration: 12 days
Departing from: Reykjavík, Iceland
Ship: Ultramarine
Learn more about the ship
Starting from: £7,780 GBP per person

View Brochure

Arrive in the Icelandic capital and make your way to the group hotel—included in the Charter Flight & Hotel Package—near Keflavik airport. You will have the rest of the day to explore this fascinating city, known for its Norse history and stunning architecture. If you do plan to visit the city of Reykjavik, make sure you allow for a one-hour transfer (by taxi or public transit) between Keflavik and Reykjavík.

After an early breakfast at the hotel, your group will transfer to the airport and board our private charter flight to Nuuk, Greenland. Upon arrival—and if time allows—you may be transferred from the airport to a central downtown location to enjoy some time on your own to explore this quaint port town before making your way to the pier. After a late afternoon embarkation, you will depart Greenland’s capital city en route to the stunning Arctic wilderness and picturesque coastal communities.

Your first full day in Greenland will be spent onboard Ultramarine as we transit south along the west coast of the largest island in the world. Today is an excellent opportunity to learn about Greenlandic history, glaciology, and ecology from our team of onboard polar experts. Spend some time on the outer deck to spot ice carried along by the currents of Baffin Bay, observe seabirds in flight above and around the ship, and keep your eyes peeled for any Arctic wildlife. Today also includes all mandatory briefings and preparations for Zodiac excursions other off-ship adventures.

Over the next two days you’ll experience the contrast between the Greenland Ice Sheet—the second-largest body of ice on the planet—and the grassy valleys of the coast, which is steeped in Viking history, especially at landmarks such as the Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage site. The latter provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the region’s history and cultural traditions, as well as the interaction between Norse and Inuit cultures. We’ll hike the surrounding foothills, cruise through ice-filled waters, and engage with local communities. We will visit the small settlement of Qassiarsuk, as well as the remains of Erik the Red’s estate of Brattahlíð, both of which offer further insights into South Greenland’s history and culture. You will appreciate quite quickly why Erik the Red chose this land as his home and gave Greenland its name: every direction you look rewards visitors with vistas of blue, ice-strewn waters set against a breathtaking backdrop of lush, verdant valleys and green pastures bursting with blooms. Unique to Greenland, and indeed the entire Arctic, warm microclimates deep in the fjords have created a surprisingly fertile Arctic Garden of Eden. South Greenlandic farming traditions dating back to Viking days are still kept alive. Many families work their remote sheep farms along the shores of the fjords, their lives very much attuned to the seasons as they produce a variety of organic homegrown produce (such as potatoes, turnips and kale). Also in the west, we find perfect access points to the Greenland Ice Sheet, which we’ll reach by helicopter. You’ll enjoy the most incredible views of the largest mass of ice in the northern hemisphere flowing from the heights of the polar plateau to sea level.

We’ll transit through the scenic 105-kilometer long Prins Christian Sund Fjord (Ikerasassuaq), and explore the dramatic fjords of South Greenland. Our team has planned a visit to the village of Aappilattoq, where you can experience local culture, music, and traditional foods. The journey continues to the steep-walled 70-kilometer Tasermiut Fjord, known as Arctic Patagonia, where overnight camping and various excursions are available amidst stunning glaciers and peaks. The maze of fjords, sounds, islets, inlets and skerries (rocky islands) in and around Cape Farewell (Nunap Isua) at Greenland’s most southern tip reveals a magic found nowhere else. Transiting the Prins Christian Sund Fjord (Ikerasassuaq)—one of the world’s most scenic fjords—will be truly unforgettable. Guests can then look forward to dramatic mountain and seascapes with glaciers sweeping down to the coast, and spectacular vistas around every corner. Inhabiting this domain are Southern Greenlanders living on the frontier, a people as unique as the landscape they call home. This is where the migrating hunting peoples from the east finally settled around the European trading posts. The few villages in this southern region have gained a level of fame thanks to the inhabitants who remain steadfastly faithful to their hunting and fishing heritage. Your time in Arctic Patagonia will allow you to marvel at the impressive glacier at its head, with rivers of ice tumbling toward the sea, and the imposing peaks of Nalumasortoq and Ulamertorsuaq that dominate the skyline, making for the most scenic backdrops to your hike or helicopter excursion.

The four walls and foundation of the stillstanding 14th-century Hvalsey church are considered the most iconic of all Norse ruins in Greenland. For history buffs, this site is akin to a pilgrimage. While we will have encountered Norse ruins earlier in the voyage and visited reconstructions of long-lost villages, Hvalsey evokes a surprisingly complex range of emotions— haunting, reverent, and deeply curious. Standing almost alone in an otherwise wild landscape, the Hvalsey church prompts one to wonder how civilizations can be forgotten for centuries, and then suddenly remembered. The rolling terrain of this well-chosen site, a mix of rock and vegetation, will appeal to hikers in the group.

While heading to Nuuk, relax and enjoy yourself as we cruise along the coast of Greenland, or continue your Arctic education by attending another expert-led presentation. Weather-permitting, there may be an opportunity for one last shore excursion near Ivittuut, a small peninsula on the mainland. Today is also your last chance to take advantage of Ultramarine’s beautifully-designed Tundra Spa & Sauna.

After breakfast, guests will be transferred from the pier to the town centre. You will have a half-day to explore Old Nuuk and visit the Hans Egede Church and waterfront statue, commemorating the Norwegian missionary who founded Greenland’s first European settlement in 1721. Guests will also have a chance to visit the Greenland National Museum to explore exhibits on Greenland’s cultural heritage, including the famous 500-yearold mummies and the 4,000-year-old kayak tradition. After exploring Nuuk, guests will meet at a designated spot in town for the transfer to the airport for their charter flight to Reykjavik, which is included in the Charter Flight & Hotel Package.

After breakfast at your included hotel, make your way independently to Keflavik international for your onward f light, or continue your independent explorations of Reykjavik at your leisure.

Duration: 12 days
Departing from: Reykjavík, Iceland
Ship: Ultramarine
Learn more about the ship
Starting from: £7,780 GBP per person