EAST GREENLAND AND SCORESBY SUND 

Ship Offering This Itinerary

Plancius

The Plancius accommodates up to 108 passengers in 53 passenger cabins all with private ammenities. Built in 1976 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy, she sailed for the Navy until 2004 when she was used as an expedition vessel. Offering a restaurant/lecture room on deck 3, a spacious observation lounge with large windows and a bar on deck 5 and a library on deck 5there is no shortage of places to relax. There are large open deck spaces on the Plancius, especially on Deck 4 with full walk-around possibilities for optimal wildlife spotting and enjoying the scenery. The Plancius carries 10 Mark V zodiacs, with 40 HP 4-stroke outboard engines and 2 gangways on the starboard side, guaranteeing a swift zodiac operation. Whilst the Plancius is comfortable and well equipped, the focus is on spending as much time on shore as possible.

Day 1 Akureyri, Iceland

Arrive into Akureyri. In the early evening, the ship departs from the port of Akureyri, sailing north toward the Denmark Strait.

Day 2 At Sea

While sailing north you’re likely to see fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets, and common guillemots. You then cross the Arctic Circle, possibly spotting whales. By evening, the first icebergs flash into sight with your approach to the east Greenland coast, near Brewster.

Day 3 Scoresby Sund

Today you reach Scoresby Sund, sailing along the glaciated Volquart Boons Kyst. You may also enjoy a Zodiac cruise past one of the glacier fronts, along with a visit to the basalt columns and ice formations of Vikingebugt.

In the afternoon, sail by the east coast of Milne Land among a multitude of giant icebergs. You may also land at Charcot Havn and make a walk to the Charcot Glacier. You will then continue by Bjørneør and sail into Øfjord.

Day 4 Sorte Ø, Røde Fjord and Harefjord

The goal is a Zodiac cruise near Sorte Ø, surrounded by icebergs. Their austere blue-white contrasts sharply with the sediment slopes nearby. The afternoon plan is to sail through the northern parts of Røde Fjord and into Harefjord, with the chance to see musk oxen and warm autumnal foliage.

Day 5 Sydkap to Nordøstbugt

In the morning, encounter colossal icebergs, some over 100 metres high and more than a kilometre long. Most of them are grounded, as the fjord is only about 400 metres deep. You then land near Sydkap, with fine views of Hall Bredning and a good shot of seeing Arctic hares.

Today’s long walk goes from Sydkap to Nordøstbugt (12 km to the northeast), where the river coming from Holger Danskes Briller flows into the sea. Walk south along the shore to Satakajik, seeing whale vertebrae and the remains of Thule summer houses.

Day 6 Hurry Inlet and Ittoqqortoormiit

Today, make a tundra landing on Liverpool Land, in Hurry Inlet. The afternoon stop is Ittoqqortoormiit, the largest settlement in Scoresby Sund at about five hundred inhabitants. At the post office you can buy stamps for your postcards, or just stroll around to see the sled dogs and drying skins of seals and musk oxen. In the afternoon you sail south, passing the picturesque landscapes of the Blosseville Coast.

Day 7 Stewart Ø Island

The island of Stewart Ø is an important hunting station for the people of Scoresby Sund and also a good area to spot polar bears, narwals, and the beautiful remains of Thule houses.

Day 8 Turner Sound and Rømer Fjord

Turner Sound and Rømer Fjord grant you the opportunity to sail far inland, as they have no glacier front at the head and are not clogged with ice. In this location, you may get the opportunity to spot narwhals.

Day 9 At Sea

A sea day grants you the opportunity to spot whales and seabirds.

Day 10 Akureyri

Every adventure, no matter how grand, must eventually come to an end. You disembark in Akureyri, where on request you can transfer by chartered bus to the bus stop Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre at Austurbakki, Reykjavík, taking home memories that will accompany you wherever your next adventure lies.