INUIT SPRING AT THE EDGE OF SCORESBY SOUND
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13 DAYS
A fine layer of mist seems to float above the enormous frozen expanse. A rosy glow points to the horizon, illuminating the immaculate surface. Welcome to the East coast of Greenland, a wild region that which is inaccessible to traditional ships during this precocious season. Here, the powerful yet fragile nature lays down the law. As is taught by Inuit wisdom, only the present moment matters. In the heart of this extreme and majestic universe, encounters with the landscapes and living things are experienced in the here and now.
Following the edge of the ice or in the heart of the ice floe, explore Blosseville Coast and then the region of Ittoqqortoormiit, at the entrance to Scoresby Sound, the world’s largest network of fjords. At the entrance to the fjord, the East coast of Greenland’s northernmost village enhances the snow-covered panorama with its colourful houses. The Inuit (men in Inuktitut) follow the rhythm of the changing seasons and the ice here, as they perpetuate their traditions, such as hunting on dog sled. An outing alongside the last hunters of the polar region will have you overwhelmed by various sensations aboard this ancient means of transport. Among the first outside visitors of the season, you will be warmly welcomed by the community. During privileged exchanges mixed with joyful and authentic moments, you will learn about the village customs on the ice floe. Inuit hospitality is no myth, it is given in the warmth of a look or an exchanged smile.
From the exterior decks, in a kayak or zodiac, or via a polar hike, you will have diverse opportunities to contemplate these hypnotic panoramas in their infinite variety: sumptuous glaciers, icebergs caught in the ice, hummocks, jagged peaks of dark strata. You will be struck by the grandeur and the splendour of the region. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to glimpse the magnificent silhouette of a humpback whale coming to the surface to breathe through its blowhole, or the impressive polar bear.
In the splendour of the ice before it breaks up, the East coast of Greenland will reveal itself to the patient explorer, one who is conscious of their privilege and remains humble before its immensity.
ITINERARY SUMMARY
| Day | Place | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Reykjavik, Iceland | Embark in the evening, settle in and relax onboard starting your voyage |
| Day 2 | Denmark Strait | Sailing through the Denmark Strait |
| Day 3 | Ammassalik Region | Be in awe of the Alphine Mountains merging from the sea, deep fjords, drifting icebergs |
| Day 4 | Blosseville Coast | Experience this wild and hard-to-reach place that few are lucky enough to explore |
| Days 5 - 8 | Ittoqqortoormiit Region | East Coast of Greenland, high alpine mountains, entrance to the longest system of fjords in the world, discover Inuit traditions from the Ittoqqortoormiit community |
| Days 9 - 11 | Blosseville Coast | Experience this wild and hard-to-reach place that few are lucky enough to explore |
| Day 12 | Denmark Strait | Sailing through the Denmark Strait, world’s largest waterfall, numerous cetacean species thriving in this rich ecosystem. |
| Day 13 | Reykjavik | Disembark early morning Reykjavik |
Ship Offering This Itinerary
Le Commandant Charcot
Hailing as the world’s first hybrid luxury polar exploration vessel, the Le Commandant Charcot combines the top tier of luxury with sustainable development at the heart of the design. Equipped with 135 luxury staterooms featuring elegant and warm stone, wood and leather detailing’s to reflect the natural environment that the ship will be sailing in, the Le Commandant Charcot is setting a new level for opulence in the polar regions. Guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to places to relax and unwind on-board with an abundance of social areas to choose from ranging from two pools (indoor and outdoor), a beauty corner, theater, three different lounges, multiple reception areas and different restaurants to choose from.
Day 1 Reykjavik, Iceland
Iceland’s capital stretches along the edge of a vast bay in the west of the country. A museum located on ’Oskjuhlið hill, offers views of lush, green landscapes. A little further on spot the signpost showing the way to the evangelical Hallgrímskirkja church, and to the historical centre where one can stroll along the Skólavördustígur and the Laugavegur, two lively streets with charming small shops.
Just outside of the city there’s opportunity to visit the Reykjanes peninsula and its famous thermal lagoons of the Blue Lagoon.
Embark in the evening, settle in and relax onboard starting your voyage.
Day 2 Denmark Strait
Lying between Greenland and Iceland, the Denmark Strait was crossed for the first time by theVikings in the late 10th century, during Erik the Red’s expeditions. In the Second World War, its waters were the theatre of a battle between the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy, on 24 May 1941. In the wintertime, extremely dense pack ice forms along the Greenlandic coasts and, while the Transpolar Drift sweeps icebergs along throughout the year, the strait is generally clear of ice during the summer. In the depths of the strait lies the world’s largest waterfall, an undersea cataract formed by the difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Greenland Sea and the warmer waters of the Irminger Sea. Numerous cetacean species thrive in this rich ecosystem.
Day 3 Ammassalik Region
Still almost unknown just a century ago, the east coast of Greenland remains the most authentic and majestic region. Here, the alpine mountains merge intimately with the sea, while the fjords are adorned with high snow-capped peaks and drifting icebergs. Follow in the wake of Captain Jean-Baptiste Charcot’s famous ship, the Pourquoi Pas?, which set off with its crew to discover Ammassalik, a small island of primitive and wild beauty where the Inuit people chose to live. The name of this island is a reference to the capelin, a small flamboyant silver coloured fish, whose presence in the thousands announces to inhabitants the return of spring. A surprising discovery in a spectacular setting.
Day 4 Blosseville Coast
Aboard your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a French explorer and sailor. In 1833, he set off to discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland aboard La Lilloise, an adventure with a fatal outcome. The uninhabited territory that bears his name lies to the south of Scoresby Sound. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pack ice – thin or thick, flat or pronounced – as far as the eye can see, Blosseville Coast is a wild and distant place to which very few people have access. Exploring it means a slow immersion into the heart of a frozen, almost unreal desert, where the variations in light transform one’s perception of the landscape. In the kingdom of the polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot, a silent ship open to the exterior, will offer exceptional moments observing Arctic wildlife, through a series of encounters.
Days 5 – 8 Ittoqqortoormiit Region
On the East coast of Greenland, in the Ittoqqortoormiit region that is covered with snow and ice for nine months of the year, you will have the rare opportunity of immersing yourself in the heart of an isolated territory and exploring the beauty of its infinite polar whiteness. The high alpine mountains punctuate the sky and gradually reveal their dark rock edges beneath a coat of snow. Located at the entrance to the longest system of fjords in the world, sits the village of Ittoqqortoormiit, one of the northernmost inhabited places on the East coast. Its name means ‘great house’ in Greenlandic and it is home to the last hunters of the polar region, whose ancestral way of life you will encounter. As soon as the thickness of the ice floe allows it, the hunters set out on the trail of walruses, seals, narwhals, musk oxen and polar bears, travelling by traditional dog sleds. On these expanses of immaculate snow, the silence is broken only by the sounds of the dogs, the grating of a sled coming back from a run or of footsteps on the ice. You will discover Inuit traditions through privileged and festive moments on the ice floe and in the village.
Days 9 – 11 Blosseville Coast
Aboard your ship, follow in the footsteps of Jules Poret de Blosseville, a French explorer and sailor. In 1833, he set off to discover this isolated and unexplored part of eastern Greenland aboard La Lilloise, an adventure with a fatal outcome. The uninhabited territory that bears his name lies to the south of Scoresby Sound. Surrounded by ice, icebergs and pack ice – thin or thick, flat or pronounced – as far as the eye can see, Blosseville Coast is a wild and distant place to which very few people have access. Exploring it means a slow immersion into the heart of a frozen, almost unreal desert, where the variations in light transform one’s perception of the landscape. In the kingdom of the polar bears, Le Commandant Charcot, a silent ship open to the exterior, will offer exceptional moments observing Arctic wildlife, through a series of encounters.
Day 12 Denmark Strait
In the wintertime, extremely dense pack ice forms along the Greenlandic coasts and, while the Transpolar Drift sweeps icebergs along throughout the year, the strait is generally clear of ice during the summer. In the depths of the strait lies the world’s largest waterfall, an undersea cataract formed by the difference in temperature between the cold waters of the Greenland Sea and the warmer waters of the Irminger Sea. Numerous cetacean species thrive in this rich ecosystem.
During your day at sea, make the most of the services and activities on board. Relax in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board.
Day 13 Reykjavik
Disembark early morning in the beautiful vibrant city of Reykjavik. Farewell fellow passengers and crew.