Day 1:

We start our journey by meeting at Ísafjörður harbour at 10am. We will move your gear onboard and have a safety briefing. Departing Isafjordur harbour at around noon and sail to Seyðisfjörður Fjord, a journey of about one to two hours. Our evening anchorage will be either at Eyri or Folafótur.

We’ll enjoy an afternoon kayak or onshore walk with the opportunity to observe the many different species of birds found here such as puffin, black guillemot, whooper swan, eider, fulmar, oystercatcher, ringed plover, golden plover, common snipe, common redshank, glaucous gull, great black-backed gull, arctic tern, pied wagtail, redwing and many others. We return to our sailboat BYR and enjoy our first night on board.

At anchorage. Dinner included.

Day 2:

We’ll enter Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, where flora and fauna rule unchallenged and unspoiled. The last permanent residents moved away in 1952, with only summerhouses remaining. There are no roads in this area and the only access is by boat. The vegetation is surprisingly lush; over two metre high angelica grows down to the coast and the lowlands and slopes are decorated by spreading patches of wildflowers.

During the morning we paddle to the ruins of the old whaling station where Norwegians processed around 12,000 barrels of whale-oil between 1894 and 1915 before the Icelandic government passed a law on the protection of whales in Icelandic waters. Subsequently, Icelandic companies processed herring in the same plant until it was finally shut around 1940.

At anchorage. B • L • D

Day 3 :

We will sail to the most northern tip of the reserve. This area feels incredibly wild with towering cliffs filled with thousands of nesting sea birds. We plan to go kayaking in the morning and hiking in the afternoon, we expect to see Arctic fox foraging for eggs and young chicks. 
Both outings provide a very different perspective of this spectacular area. In the evening we’ll prepare to depart for Greenland, looking out for a good weather window.

At sea (weather dependent). Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 4:

Crossing the Denmark Strait. During the afternoon, we should start glimpsing the mountains of Greenland. We will keep a watchful eye for icebergs that are always present in this area. Dolphins and whales are likely to be riding our bow wake.

At sea. B • L • D

Day 5:

Kangerlugssuaq Fjord

We continue our journey to the great Kangerlugssuaq Fjord (‘big fjord’). Arktika will anchor in Suhaili Bugt. This is a very sheltered anchorage where Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe) and Sir Chris Bonnington (Britain’s best- known mountaineer and one of the most successful expedition leaders in history) anchored their vessel, the Suhaili, during their attempt to climb Cathedral Peak in 1991. This will be our base camp for the following few days.

In Kangerlugssuaq Fjord we have plenty of options for hikes, climbs, and kayak tours. We can paddle over to the abandoned Skærgård Inuit settlement and explore the Uttendal Sound towards the ice filled Watkins Fjord. We can also hike in the hills of Kræmer Island where there are fantastic vistas of the surrounding fjords, mountains and glaciers.

The Kangerlugssuaq Fjord is bar-none the wildest coastal landscape in Greenland. The Lemon Mountain Range–one of Greenland’s highest—lies just north of the fjord. The compact alpine peaks of this vast mountain range offers endless opportunities for mountaineering, with many unclimbed peaks towering to 2,600 meters. In addition, the Lindbergh Range sits just 50 to 80km north and east which exhibits a myriad of unclimbed peaks that rise to 3,200 meters and offering magnificent views over the immense Greenland Ice Cap. Further west are the Kangerlugssuaq Mountains, an expansive realm of alpine granite and gneiss peaks that exceed 2,600 meters. This range comprises of the single largest region of unclimbed summits in Greenland. To the northeast are the Watkins Mountains and GunnbjornsFjeld (3,693m), the highest peak in the Arctic. In all, this range consists of the 10 tallest mountains in the High Arctic—a stunning collection of peaks virtually unknown to the outside world.

At anchorage. B • L • D

Day 6:

We will leave Kangerlugssuaq Fjord and make our passage south. This area is thus described in the British Admiralty Arctic Pilot: ‘The stretch of coast between Kap SM Jørgensen and Kap Deichmann, 90 miles NE, is considered one of the most difficult in Greenland; the mountains rise almost vertically from the sea to form a narrow bulwark, with rifts through which active glaciers discharge quantities of ice, while numerous off-lying islets and rocks make navigation hazardous’.

At anchorage or at sea (ice dependent). B • L • D

Day 7:

Nigertuluk Fjord Day

On our route south, we will explore new areas before entering Nigertuluk Fjord. Here are two spectacular calving glaciers, a sandy beach, and a tranquil mountain lake. All in all, this is a fantastic playground for hiking and kayaking.

At anchorage. B • L • D

Day 8:

Kangertigtivatsiaq Fjord

Today we sail across to Kangertigtivatsiaq Fjord. There are hanging glaciers precariously balanced on the steep hillsides and other glaciers coming right down to the sea. At the head of the fjord, away in the distance, was a superb pinnacled mountain, reminiscent of St. Paul ́s Cathedral; this was Ingolfsfjeld.’
We will anchor overnight in Storø.

At anchorage. B • L • D

Day 9:

Storø to Smalsund – Sermiligaq

Our journey continues as we sail further south into the remote and little-explored territory of Depot Sound. We will pass the Idrac Glacier, Fladøerne Island and Smalsund, and will anchor overnight in Sermiligaq.

At anchorage. B • L • D

Day 10:

Sermiligaq to Kulusuk

We will sail further into Sermiligaq Fjord and enter the stunning Ikasaq Sound. We will make a short stop at the abandoned World War 2 military base of Bluie East 2. From here we will continue our passage to Ammassalik Fjord and anchor adjacent to Kulusuk village in the afternoon.

At anchorage. B • L • D

Day 11:

Kulusuk

We will go ashore and visit the village of Kulusuk. Here, our expedition concludes, with guests departing to catch their flights back to Iceland or continue onwards on their own further explorations of Greenland.

Breakfast at anchorage. (lunch will be Provided if flights leave in the afternoon)

B = Breakfast

L = Lunch

D = Dinner