Iceland & Greenland: Edge of the Arctic Cruise
On this 13- to 20-day Arctic voyage aboard a variety of small expedition ships, trace the rugged coast of the world’s largest island. Follow the route of the legendary Viking Erik the Red, from Iceland’s magnificent Westfjords peninsula across the Denmark Strait to the ice-sculpted shores of Greenland. Trace the coast of the world’s largest island from the rugged eastern fjords to the fishing villages of the western coast. Search for walrus, whales and caribou, and use the ship’s exploration tools to discover the undersea. Visit archaeological sites of Viking and Thule settlements and learn about everyday life near the Arctic Circle in charming coastal villages from Flatey Island to Nuuk.
Highlights are many on this Iceland & Greenland cruise. Hike the dramatic Dynjandi Waterfall in Iceland’s remote Westfjords peninsula, and visit a farm that produces eiderdown. Explore Hvalsey and Brattahlíð, 10th-century Viking settlements founded by Erik the Red and his family in Greenland, and see the incredible Qilakitsoq mummies, preserved by freezing temperatures for some 500 years. Cruise among the dazzling icebergs calved by the Ilulissat Icefjord and encounter impressive tidewater glaciers in West Greenland. And experience local culture through visits to fishing villages and longhouses, folk performances, and tasting tours of traditional Greenlandic and Icelandic foods.
All itineraries spend time discovering western Iceland. While the main 19-day itinerary explores western Greenland, a few alternative itineraries instead focus on eastern Greenland. A shorter 13-day itinerary focuses entirely on southeastern Greenland. A longer 20-day itinerary cruises first through Norway’s stunning fjords before crossing the Norwegian Sea to explore eastern Greenland, adding a visit to the seldom-seen Jan Mayen Isle. And a 17-day itinerary operates with supreme flexibility to take advantage of the weather and wildlife, with aim to explore Svalbard, Jan Mayen Isle and eastern Greenland.
Explore aboard the 148-guest National Geographic Explorer, or 126-guest sister ships National Geographic Endurance and Resolution. These small expedition ships are technologically advanced, fully stabilized and equipped with a well-rounded set of exploration tools including an ROV and enough kayaks and Zodiacs to send all guests out exploring at the same time.
Read on for details about this trip, or learn more about AdventureSmith’s Arctic cruises, Arctic trips and Iceland cruises.