GREENLAND

Greenland is the largest island in the world. The ice cap covers 85% of its total area and can be up to 3 km thick. It represents 10% of the world’s total fresh-water reserves.

Greenland and its surrounding waters are home to more than eight species of whales, two million seals, Walruses, Polar Bears, Reindeer, Musk Oxen, Arctic Hares, Arctic Wolves and a spectacular variety of seabirds.

We will sail among fantastical icebergs and make landings on remote tundra areas. We will also visit wonderful seabird cliffs and some authentic Greenland settlements. We will pass the shores dominated by the vast Greenland ice cap, which reaches the sea as a series of enormous glacier fronts, the largest outside Antarctica. We will also have a chance to observe impressive calving glaciers at close quarters. There’s also an opportunity to admire the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) at night.

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland  ( Longyearbyen– Keflavik )

Sep 04 - Sep 17, 2007              aboard Professor Multanovskiy
Sep 12 - Sep 25, 2007              aboard Grigoriy Mikheev
Sep 14 - Sep 27, 2007               aboard Aleksey Maryshev  

Day 1

Arrive in Longyearbyen, on Spitsbergen, the administrative capital of the Spitsbergen archipelago of which West Spitsbergen is the largest island. Before embarking there is an opportunity to visit this former mining village. The Parish Church and the Polar Museum are well worth visiting, while in the country around the village more than 100 species of plant have been recorded. In the early evening the ship will sail out of Isfjorden.

Day 2

We sail into Raudfjord on the north coast of West Spitsbergen, a beautiful fjord with spectacular glaciers. It is home to Ringed and Bearded Seals, seabird colonies and surprisingly rich vegetation.  We have good chances to see Polar Bears, for instance near Hamilton Glacier, or more to the head of the fjord. From there we continue to Moffen island on which Walrus haul out. If we have not seen bears on this day we may spend an other day in Liefdefjord near the Monaco glacier, where we also often see  bears.

Day 3 & 4

At sea, on our way to Greenland, along the impressive East Greenland Ice. Keep watch for Fin Whales, Humpback Whales and Minke Whales, and also for migrating seabirds, especially the Brünnich’s Guillemots, which swim with their small young from Spitsbergen, along the sea ice to South Greenland.

Day 5

Approaching Greenland we will attempt to sail through the sea ice into Foster Bugt, making our first landing at Myggebugten. Beyond the old hunters’ hut (in the first half of last century Norwegian trappers hunted here for Polar Bears and Arctic Foxes) there is extensive tundra populated by Musk Oxen and Arctic Hares. The small lakes are home to geese.

We sail through Kaiser Franz Joseph Fjord, a magnificent fjord with towering mountains on both sides, its inner reaches choked with huge icebergs and an excellent place to encounter Narwhal. An alternative is Sofia Sund, which is much narrower, and where we can see Muskoxen from the ship.

Day 6

We will land at Blomster Bugt to view the beautiful geological formations. Arctic Hares are usually seen here, and there is a lake with Great Northern Divers with young. In the afternoon we sail along Teufelschloss and Ella Ö and maye land at a beautiful spot in the early evening.

Day 7

The first half of the day we spend in Antarcticahavn, a wide and extensive valley where we also could see groups of Musk Oxen. At this time of year the autumnal colors of the sparse vegetation make the landscapes even more beautiful.

Day 8

Today we reach the Scoresby Sund and sail in the morning along the ragged and glaciated Volquart Boons Coast, a good place for seeing Narwhal. Here we may organize a zodiac cruise along one of the glacier fronts of this coast, and have our first landing near a glacier.

Later we land on Danmarks Ø where there are the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The circular ‘tent rings’ of stones indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are excellently preserved, allowing entrances and even bear-proof meat caches to be identified. There are also grave sites. In the evening we continue our sailing through the beautiful fjords to the west, choked with icebergs.

Day 9

We go ashore at Cape Hofmann Halvø, a reliable spot for viewing Musk Oxen. We may also spot Rock Ptarmigans, and Great Northern Divers at sea. The landscape here is particularly beautiful, especially during autumn when the Dwarf Willow and Dwarf Birch change color. Arctic Blueberry and Crowberry add their own colorful touch - the berries are tasty too!

Later, during a Zodiac cruise along the 3km wide face of the Eielson Glacier, we will come close to huge icebergs and may also see Ringed Seals, as well as distant views of Musk Oxen on shore. In the evening we sail through the fjord towards Scoresby Land, hoping to see Narwhal again and enjoying the contrast between the warm autumnal colors of the vegetation on shore, backed by huge dark mountains, and the cold blue of the icebergs.

Day 10

In Northwest fjord in Scoresby Land in the morning, we encounter huge icebergs, some over 100m high and more than a kilometer in length. Most of the bergs are grounded as the fjord is only about 400m deep here. We land near Sydkap to view the remains of the Thule culture winter houses. As many as 20 people lived in these tiny houses, hunting Greenland Whales and using their vertebrae to build the houses. We may also land at Gurreholm on Jameson Land. The landscape here is gently undulating, but the climate is harsh - sometimes snow lies throughout the summer - but some animals - Musk Oxen and Collared Lemmings - survive on the meager vegetation.

Day 11

In the morning we land in Illoqqortoormiut, the biggest settlement in the Scoresby Sund with about 500 inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just wander around to see the sledge dogs and the drying skins of Seal, Musk Ox and Polar Bear. After lunch we will sail south passing the amazing landscape of the Blosseville Coast.

Day 12

At the mouth of Nansen Fjord we spot Gunnbjørns Fjeld, at 3,700m: it is both the highest peak in Greenland and also the highest mountain north of the Arctic Circle. We sail into Nansen Fjord another magnificent landscape with an enormous calving glacier front, which we can easily approach. At the inner side of the fjord along the northern shore there are ample landing and zodiac cruising opportunities. We meet often tame Rock Ptarmigans with young, and on the ice-floes Bearded Seals. This area gives us the best chances to see Polar Bears in Greenland on this voyage.

Day 13

We are the whole day at sea and will have splendid opportunities to see large whales and seabird migration and, in the night, the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)

Day 14

Arrive in Keflavik and transfer for the flight home.  

South & East Greenland ( Keflavik/Narsarsuak – Keflavik )

Sep 03 - Sep 13, 2007           aboard Professor Molchanov

Day 1

We embark the chartered plane (F-50 ) in Reykjavik and fly across the Denmark Strait and the Greenland Ice Cap to Narsarsuak the international airport of South Greenland, where the ship is waiting for us. The same evening we make a landing at Brattahlid, Erik Raudes farm.

Day 2

In the morning we visit the best preserved Viking church in Greenland at Hvalsey.  Records show that there were Norsemen living here for about 500 years.

Later we sail along a great series of stranded icebergs to Lichtenau a lovely but nearly deserted Greenlandic village, where the Hernhuters had a mission in the 18^th century. At Unartoq we take a bath in a hot spring surrounded by icebergs.

Day 3

In the morning we land at Herjolfsnes an important Norse settlement, where the Vikings made their first landfall, when they reached Greenland. The remainder of the day we sail through the Prins Christian Sund, a landscape with Gothic peaks, where we land at the westernmost village in South Greenland, Appilatoq.

Day 4

At Tingmiarmut we visit some remains of Thule culture houses in a phantastic landscape with glaciers and icebergs.

Day 5 and 6

The highlight of these days is the views of some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the whole of Greenland as we circumnavigate the fantastic Skjoldungen Island. Ringed Seals are frequently seen here. At the southern end we sail by a deserted Greenlandic settlement, while further into the fjord we land near the remains of a Thule culture settlement at Qoornoq. We make a landing in the Balder Fjord with its stunning geological formations. On the second day, at the head of the fjord we make an excursion to Dronning Marie Dal, strolling through a landscape made colorful by the autumn hues of different species of berries. Later we sail into Nörrevig and make a zodiac excursion along the front of Thryms glacier.

Day 7

At Umivik we look for the place, where Nansen started his ascent of the Greenlandic ice-cap. In Køge Bugt (Ikeq) the Greenland ice cap reaches the sea. Though a true glacier the ice cap is not dangerous and easy to walk on. Those who have visited Antarctica will note the similarities of the landscape, with giant tabular icebergs calving from vast glacier fronts.

Day 8

In the settlement Isortoq, we meet the people of the most original hunting village of East Greenland, where people are still depending on hunting seals and bears.

Day 9

Ammassalik is the capital of East Greenland and the centre of an area of small hunting and fishing settlements, a population of about 3,000 living by hunting Walrus, Narwhal and Polar Bear, and fishing for Arctic Char. We will spend the whole day in and near this friendly village enabling us to experience modern Greenlandic culture.

Day 10

We return across the Denmark Strait, again keeping a sharp lookout for whales and, at this time of year, hoping to catch sight of the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights).

Day 11

Arrive in Keflavik and transfer to the airport for the flight home.

East Greenland  (Scoresby Sund)    (Keflavik – Keflavik)

Sep 13 – Sep 23, 2007              aboard Professor Molchanov
Sep 17 – Sep 27, 2007              aboard Professor Multanovskiy

Day 1

Arrive at Keflavik airport and make the short journey to the small port of the same name to join the ship. In the early evening we leave Iceland and sail west towards the Denmark Strait.

Day 2

At sea, sailing north through the Denmark Strait. This is a good area for spotting the Blue Whales, the largest animal ever to have lived on Earth. It is believed that there are just 600 or so (out of a world population of around 6,000) in the North Atlantic. We may also see Orcas (Killer Whales), and are almost certain to see Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Gannets and rafts of Common Guillemots and Razorbills. We cross the Arctic Circle and continue north, perhaps seeing White-beaked Dolphins, Humpback Whales and Minke Whales.

Day 3

In the morning we will spot our first icebergs appear as we approach the east coast of Greenland, passing the huge cliff faces of Kap Brewster. We intend to make our first landing in Scoresby Sund. Since the mouth of this, the world's longest fjord, remains ice-free almost all the winter, it is an excellent place for viewing seals. The area is also home to the only large seabird colonies on the eastern coast of Greenland. Serious hikers can cross the valley and climb on to the plateau of Kap Brewster from where they will have an excellent view over the fjord, Liverpool Land and the sea. On their way they may spot the white Gyr Falcon, Wheatears and Snow Buntings, and Arctic Hares. In the evening we sail further into the Scoresby Sund making our way along the ragged and glaciated Volquart Boons Coast, a good place for seeing Narwhal.

Day 4

We continue along Scoresby Sund, taking a Zodiac cruise along the glacier front in Vikingebugt, a bay surrounded by basaltic mountains. Later we land on Danmark Ø where there are the remains of an Inuit settlement abandoned around 200 years ago. The circular ‘tent rings’ of stones indicate the summer houses, while the winter houses can be seen closer to a small cape. The sites are excellently preserved, allowing entrances and even bear-proof meat caches to be identified. There are also grave sites.
 
Day 5

We go ashore at Cape Hofmann Halvø, a reliable spot for viewing Musk Oxen. We may also spot Rock Ptarmigans and at sea Great Northern Divers. The landscape here is particularly beautiful, especially during autumn when the Dwarf Willow and Dwarf Birch change color. Arctic Blueberry and Crowberry add their own colorful touch - the berries are tasty too!

Later, during a Zodiac cruise along the 3 km wide face of the Eielson
Glacier, we will come close to huge icebergs and may also see Ringed Seals, as well as distant views of Musk Oxen on shore. In the evening we sail through the fjord towards Scoresby Land, hoping to see Narwhal again and enjoying the contrast between the warm autumnal colors of the vegetation on shore, backed by huge dark mountains, and the cold blue of the icebergs.

Day 6

On our way to Sydkap in Scoresby Land in the morning, we encounter huge icebergs, some over 100 m high and more than a kilometer in length. Most of the bergs are grounded as the fjord is only about 400 m deep here. We land near Sydkap to view the remains of the Thule culture winter houses. As many as 20 people lived in these tiny houses, hunting Greenland Whales and using their vertebrae to build the houses. We may also land at Gurreholm on Jameson Land. The landscape here is gently undulating, but the climate is harsh - sometimes snow lies throughout the summer - but some animals - Musk Oxen and Collared Lemmings - survive on the meager vegetation. The lemmings are preyed upon by Long-tailed Skua, Snowy Owl and Arctic Fox.

Day 7

We land in Illoqqortoormiut, the biggest settlement near Scoresby Sund with about 500 inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just wander around to see the sledge dogs and the drying skins of seals, Musk Ox and Polar Bear. After lunch we will sail south, passing the amazing landscape of the Blosseville Coast where groups of Harp Seals can be spotted among the ice floes.

Day 8

We continue along the Blosseville Coast with wonderful views of snow covered peaks - these are the highest mountains of Greenland, some of them reaching over 3000m.
At the mouth of Nansen Fjord we spot Gunnbjørns Fjeld, at 3700m: it is both the highest peak in Greenland and also the highest mountain north of the Arctic Circle.
Next we sail into Mikis Fjord, bounded by steep cliffs. The fjord is a good place to spot Narwhal, Polar Bear, Ringed Seals and Harp Seals. At Södalen at the head of Mikis Fjord we land in a marshy delta. There are good populations of both Common and Arctic Redpolls, as well as a chance of seeing flocks of Barnacle Geese and Pink-footed Geese.

Day 9

In the morning, we head south for Kangerlussuaq fjord where glaciers reach the sea creating a fabulous landscape of glacier fronts, icebergs and cliffs. On shore there are the remains of dwellings of Thule culture people. The fjord is also a good place to see Polar Bears and Ivory Gulls. We conclude the day with a Zodiac trip to Skaergårdshalvø, a popular summer hunting ground for the people of Ammassalik. Most years a number of families arrive here in early summer and stay until the end of the hunting season and we might be able to meet them. In the afternoon we will sail south-east towards the Denmark Strait.

Day 10

The whole day at sea offers excellent opportunities  to see large whales and seabird migration and, at night the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Day 11

Arrive and Keflavik, and transfer for the airport for the flight home.

SUMMARY

Inclusions:

·        Expedition cruise onboard ‘Grigoriy Mikheev’, ‘Aleskey Maryshev’, ‘Professor Multanovskiy’ or ‘Professor Molchanov’, modern and comfortable ice-strengthened vessels, providing accommodation for just 46-54 travelers;

·        All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea;

·        All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac;

·        Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff;

·        All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program;

·        Comprehensive pre-departure material.

2007 Dates and Rates  (US$)

Note: All dates & rates are subject to change.