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Greenland or "Kalaallit Nunaat" ("Land of the People") in the Greenlandic language, is the largest island in the world, it stretches from 60º to 83º north latitude. Kap Farvel, its southern tip, is located at almost the same latitude as the Shetland Islands in Scotland. The extreme north of Greenland is the northernmost point of land on our planet. Greenland is dominated by the second largest ice-sheet in the world; more than 80% of its surface area is covered by ice reaching a thickness of over 3000 meters (10,000 feet) in the interior. Although huge in size (2,166,000 km²), it is inhabited by less than 60.000 people. Greenland is geographically a part of the North American continent but has more social and political ties with Europe.

The coastline of Greenland is spectacular. Heavily indented with numerous fjords, the coastline consists of spectacular high mountains, 2000 meters (6500 feet) high cliffs and innumerable glaciers. The large glaciers produce the huge, cathedral-like ice-bergs that are abundant in Greenlandic waters. The largest fjord is Scoresby Sund and is more than 300 kilometres (185 miles) long. Our voyages focus on East and North-East Greenland, among the most isolated, sparsely populated and scenically superb parts of the island.

The name Greenland was given by Eric the Red, a Norwegian-born Icelandic settler who was banished from Iceland around the year 982 after committing a murder. He found refuge in Greenland. When his exile was over, he returned to Iceland with stories of a green and fertile land to the north-west to lure potential settlers, hence the name Greenland. Although initially flourishing, the Icelandic settlements disappeared from Greenland around 1400, probably due to a climatic change, the Little Ice-Age. But the Norwegian settlers were certainly not the first humans to have lived on Greenland. For thousands of years Palaeo-Eskimos (the Dorset culture) had been living on the coasts of Greenland: they were finally replaced by Inuit (or Kalaallit as they call themselves in Greenland) around 1300 A.D. The Inuit now make up the majority of the Greenlandic population. The Inuit, the word means "men" in the Inuit language, are nowadays seen as the indigenous people of the North American Arctic. Inuit are traditionally subsistence hunters, living primarily from whales, walruses, Caribou, Musk Oxen, Arctic Foxes, Polar Bears and seals.

Climate

Our expeditions in North-East Greenland are planned in August and September. The reason is that access to this wild coast is dependent on the ice conditions. For much of the year the region is locked in by pack-ice, which only by late summer has broken up sufficiently to allow vessels such as ours to reach land.

Please note; although we expect to be able to reach Greenland, nature does not give us a guarantee. Pack-ice is unpredictable and may prevent our ships to complete the planned itinerary.

The Greenlandic weather varies enormously depending on where you are on this vast island. Influenced by its high latitude, the gigantic ice-cap and the surrounding oceans and seas, Greenland has an Arctic to High Arctic climate. Still, East Greenland has on average 300 days of sunshine in the year. In August we can expect surprisingly warm daytime temperatures. In Scoresby Sund the average daytime temperatures are between 5 and 9ºC (41 and 48ºF) with the highest observed temperature being 21ºC (70ºF). On a sunny, windless day even 9ºC feels quite warm. By September, autumn rapidly begins to take a hold. Temperatures drop below zero, the sea in sheltered fjords begins to freeze, the winds strengthen and snow can be expected. Still, the low sun gives spectacular sunsets and the snow adds to the Arctic feeling.

Itinerary

We arrive in Ilulissat from Reykjavik by chartered plane.

Ilulissat (5000 inhabitants) is an important West Greenland town, with museums, institutes, bookstores, etc.

Today we sail along the large Jakobshavn Glacier with its enormous ice- bergs. South of it we climb the hill at Avangnardlit from where we have a fantastic view across the Jakobshavn Isfjord, which is a World Heritage site.

The island groups of Hunde Ejland and Kronprinsens Ejland, in the mouth of Disko Bay, are surrounded by rich waters which attract both seabirds and whales. We intend to call at the small settlement on Hunde Eijland where old dwellings of Greenlands’s Thule culture (dating from the 11th Century) and graves from 18th Century Dutch whalers can be seen. Later we will make Zodiac excursions in the beautiful narrows of the Kronprinsens Ejland archipelago. This day we will have good opportunities to observe foraging Greenland Whales in the mouth of Disko Bay.

Another day of opportunities to see Greenland Whales, when we sail to Disko Island and land at Engelskmandens Havn and Fortunebay near Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn), where there are warm springs.

Today we sail to Flakkerhuk, on the east side of Disko Island, making our way through waters dominated by huge icebergs. We intend to land at several points along the coast, like Narujuk and Modderbugt to observe a population of birds typical to the High Arctic, with species such as Long-tailed Skuas, Turnstones and Grey Phalaropes. The birds breed on a beautiful tundra landscape backed by basalt cliffs. Good walkers may walk to Skansen, where the ship will pick them up from.

At Naajat, on the north side of Oqaatsut, we sail with zodiacs along a Kittiwake colony of more than 10,000 breeding pairs. Near Anitdlagia we have a fine opportunity to land and watch the Kittiwakes from land. At Langebugt we land and make an excursion to a beautiful lake, Eqaluernerit Taserssuat.

Sailing through Ata Sund we reach the Eqip Sermia a great glacier front, where the French explorer De Quervain built his station and ascended to the ice-cap. In the evening we sail to Ilulissat.

Ilulissat from where we fly to Reykjavik by chartered plane.