REYKJAVIK TO KANGERLUSSUAQ

 


11 DAYS

ITINERARY SUMMARY
DayPlaceHighlights
1ReykjavikExplore Reykjavik, Board Silver cloud
2At SeaRelax, unwind and catch up on what you've been meaning to do
3Skjoldungen, GreenlandVisit one of greenlands spectacular Fjords,whale watching
4Prince Christian Sund & Aappilattoq (Kujalleq)Waterfalls, Glaciers and visit small traditional village
5Nanortalik (Kujallek)& Uunartoq IslandSee Inuit ruins, swim in hot springs
6Qaqortoq (Julianehaab) & HvalseyStunning Panoramic landscape views,visit ruins from the Norse period
7Qassiarsuk (Brattahlid) & Itilleq (Qeqqata)Tour the manor house of Erik the Red,visit one of Greenland's most picturesque villages
8At SeaRelax, unwind and catch up on what you've been meaning to do
9Nuuk (Godthab)see Inuit ruins, Hans Egede’s home, view the famous Qilakitsoq mummies
10At SeaRelax, unwind and catch up on what you've been meaning to do
11KangerlussuaqDisembark Silver Cloud, explore Kangerlussuaq
Reyk-to-Kang silver cloud

Ship Offering This Itinerary

Silver Cloud
Silver Cloud Exterior

Spacious yet intimate, the yacht-like Silver Cloud carries 254 guests but only takes 240 guests on Arctic voyages. You will travel in incomparable comfort and style. Combining spacious ocean-view suites and private verandas with excellent dining and entertainment options. Silver Cloud epitomizes a vision of world-class cruise accommodations, cuisine, service and amenities.

Day 1 Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik Iceland

Sprawling Reykjavík, the nation’s nerve center and government seat, is home to half the island’s population. On a bay overlooked by proud Mt. Esja (pronounced eh-shyuh) Reykjavík presents a colourful sight-its concrete houses painted in light colours and topped by vibrant red, blue, and green roofs. In contrast to the almost treeless countryside, Reykjavík has many tall, native birches, rowans, and willows, as well as imported aspen, pines, and spruces. Reykjavík’s name comes from the Icelandic words for smoke, reykur, and bay, vík. Embark Silver Cloud

Day 2 At Sea

Silver Cloud Pool Deck

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is whale watching, writing home to your loved ones or simply relaxing by the pool, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Day 3 Skjoldungen, Greenland

Skjoldungen Greenland Fjords

Located on Greenland’s relatively rarely visited rugged east coast, Skoldungen Fjord has enchanting scenery with towering mountains tipped with snow, ice-scraped valley sides and sculptured icebergs in shades of white and blue. At the top of the fjord one can easily see the retreating state of the Thrym Glacier. The U-shaped fjord offers spectacular scenery and as an extra perk, it is not uncommon to see whales in the fjord.

Day 4 Prince Christian Sound & Aappilattoq (Kujalleq)

SILVER SEA Credit Richard Sidey Prince Christian Sound

Connecting the Denmark Strait with Davis Strait, Prins Christian Sund offers a protected course from southeastern to southwestern Greenland, and is one of South Greenland’s most dramatic natural features. The water is generally placid and the crisp scent of ice fills the air. On either side of the Sund, waterfalls stream down sharp, wrinkled mountainsides. Depending on weather conditions, icebergs that glitter in the sun may be constant companions during the passage.

 

Aapilattoq is a small settlement near the western end of Prins Christian Sund in southwestern Greenland. In the local Greenlandic language the name means, “sea anemone”. This small village of 130 inhabitants, hidden behind a prominent rock, offers a good insight into the life of Greenlandic Inuit. A stroll through the village will reveal a small school and a church, along with the likely possibility of seeing a polar bear skin drying in the wind behind a local dwelling. People have lived off the land in the area around Aapilattoq since the 19th century. The tradition continues today as most people here hunt and fish to make a living.

Day 5 Nanortalik (Kujallek) & Uunartoq Island

Nanortalik Greenland

Nanortalik lies in a scenic area surrounded by steep mountainsides and is Greenland’s tenth-largest and most southerly town with less than 1500 inhabitants. The town’s name means the “place of polar bears”, which refers to the polar bears that used to be seen floating offshore on summer’s ice floes. Nanortalik has an excellent open-air museum that gives a broad picture of the region from Inuit times to today. Part of the exhibition is a summer hunting camp, where Inuit in traditional clothing describe aspects of their ancestor’s customs and lifestyle.

 

Uunartoq is a small island in South Greenland a short distance east of what once was considered the largest settlement in Greenland. The island has hot springs that were renowned as far back as the days of the Norse for their healing effects. Three naturally heated streams have been channeled to flow into a knee-deep and stone-lined pool. While you unwind by soaking in the steaming waters, you can watch icebergs that either clog the fjord to the north or come floating by.

Day 6 Qaqortoq (Julianehaab) & Hvalsey

Resized Richard Sidey Qaqortoq

The largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Upon arrival in this charming southern Greenland enclave, it’s easy to see why. Qaqortoq rises quite steeply over the fjord system around the city, offering breath-taking panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, deep, blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs in the bay, and pastoral backcountry. Although the earliest signs of ancient civilization in Qaqortoq date back 4,300 years, Qaqortoq is known to have been inhabited by Norse and Inuit settlers in the 10th and 12th centuries, and the present-day town was founded in 1774. In the years since, Qaqortoq has evolved into a seaport and trading hub for fish and shrimp processing, tanning, fur production, and ship maintenance and repair.

 

Northeast of Qaqortoq and at the end of a fjord, Hvalsey is one of the best examples of South Greenland’s many scattered ruins from the Norse period. Today the area is used for sheep-grazing, but until the 15th century the settlement at Hvalsey, and specifically Hvalsey’s church, played an important part. Christianity had spread its influence throughout Europe and eventually had reached remote Greenland, where it established itself in the country in 1000 AD. Hvalsey Church was built in the 14th century and is the best preserved of the churches in Greenland from that period. Apart from the church walls, historical ruins from the time of the Norse are just a few meters away.

Day 7 Qassiarsuk (Brattahlid) & Itilleq (Qeqqata)

Greenland

Qassiarsuk is the newer, Greenlandic name for this small village. Brattahlid is the older, Norse name. Here you will tour the foundation remains of the manor house of Erik the Red, who found Greenland after being banished from Iceland and Norway for murder. You will also visit the site of the first Christian church ever built in North America (physiographically speaking), see a recently unearthed Norse graveyard that contains remains of 144 Norse colonists, and have a chance to admire Hans Lynge’s remarkable bronze sculpture of Erik the Red.

 

Itilleq is an idyllic little village located on a small island about a half a mile off the west coast of Greenland, and only about a mile north of the Arctic Circle. It is one of the most picturesque villages in Greenland with its quaint colorful houses surrounded by stunning rugged mountains and glaciers. Originally, the village of Itilleq was founded on another island in 1847, but was later moved to its present location. The 100 people living here today survive mainly on hunting and fishing, with a fish factory being the main employer.

Day 8 At Sea

Gastronomy Silver Cloud

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Day 9 Nuuk (Godthab)

Nuuk Greenland Coast

Nuuk, meaning “the cape”, was Greenland’s first town (1728). Started as a fort and later mission and trading post some 240 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle, it is the current capital. Almost 30% of Greenland’s population lives in the town. Not only does Nuuk have great natural beauty in its vicinity, but there are Inuit ruins, Hans Egede’s home, the parliament, and the Church of our Saviour as well. The Greenlandic National Museum has an outstanding collection of Greenlandic traditional dresses, as well as the famous Qilakitsoq mummies. The Katuaq Cultural Center’s building was inspired by the undulating Northern Lights and can house 10% of Nuuk’s inhabitants.

Day 10 At Sea

Silver Cloud Fitness Centre

Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side.

Day 11 Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

kangerlussuaq resized

Kangerlussuaq is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality located at the head of the fjord of the same name (Danish: Søndre Strømfjord). It is Greenland’s main air transport hub and the site of Greenland’s largest commercial airport. The airport dates from American settlement during and after World War II, when the site was known as Bluie West-8 and Sondrestrom Air Base. The Kangerlussuaq area is also home to Greenland’s most diverse terrestrial fauna, including muskoxen, caribou, and gyrfalcons. The settlement’s economy and population of 512 is almost entirely reliant on the airport and tourist industry.

To book this cruise contact us on 1300 784 794 or email: contact@arctictravelcentre.com.au

We will tailor the perfect holiday to suit your needs.