Day 1- Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq: Embarkation
Day 2- Sisimiut
Day 3- Qeqetarsuaq, Disko Island
Day 4- Uumannaq/Ukkusissat
Day 5- Eqip Sermia
Day 6- Ilulisat
Day 7- Itilleq
Day 8- Kangerlussuaq: Disembarkation and flight to Copenhagen
Day 9- Copenhagen

Join adventurers from around the world at the Copenhagen airport and board our group flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. The Polar Adventure Ship Akademik Shokalskiy, equipped with a fleet of Zodiacs and kayaks, lies at anchor in the harbor ready for embarkation. The compact vessel is your floating base camp for seven nights under the midnight sun.

As Akademik Shokalskiy sails south down Sondrestromfjord, linger on deck with a camera or binoculars and scan the sky for seabirds. The surrounding mountainous landscape with its lush valleys offers spectacular vistas. Musk ox might be visible as they graze on the colorful tundra.

Sisimiut harbor, ice free all-year round, may present the first opportunity for kayakers to put their paddles in the water. While they enjoy the pristine water, other adventurers may explore 5,000 years of human habitation on the world’s largest island. You may visit the archeological remains of the Saqqaq or may take photos of the Old Town of Sisimiut, with colonial buildings that date from the 18th and 19th centuries.

A range of activity levels are offered on every shore landing, so if you prefer a spirited hike to a leisurely stroll that is accommodated.

Disko Island has a volcanic past. Tall basalt walls enclose magnificent valleys full of colorful flowers. Our naturalist experts guide you ashore and introduce you to the unique flora and fauna of the region. There are excellent hiking opportunities, including the invigorating route to the magnificent “Valley of the Winds” Blaesadelen. Here visitors are rewarded with a scenic wonderland of basalt peaks, plunging waterfalls, and mountain heath.

Some of the coastal hiking routes offer fantastic views of the sea, where massive icebergs float by. Whales feed in the area so keep an eye out for a chance to see them.

Just outside the village of Qeqetarsuaq, the University of Copenhagen maintains the Arctic Research Station. Researchers have been investigating Arctic ecosystems there since 1906. When the Expedition Team botanist delivers a presentation about Greenland flora, much of what he or she says was uncovered by the researchers of Qeqetarsuaq.

Uumannaq is a picturesque island village that sits at the foot of a heart-shaped mountain, which is the meaning of the Greenlandic word “uumannaq”. The island lies at the centre of an area where immense icebergs float towards the Davis Strait. Hundreds of sledge dogs live in the village and during our visit you may see local hunters slice their just-catched harp seals.

If botany is your interest, you may find this area interesting, as Labrador Tea and Arnica grow in the area. It is also a fantastic place for kayaking among the bergy bits and grounded icebergs. The area appears to have been an ancient burial ground. The famous Greenland mummies were discovered in this area; you can walk up the hill and find the cave where they were found in 1972.

Between the hiking, kayaking, conviviality in the bar, and the fabulous meals served during this expedition, the Expedition Team delivers illustrated presentations about ice, wildlife and geology. By the time Shokalskiy reaches Ukkusissat, the work of Alfred Wegener and his “continental drift” theory will be familiar to all aboard. The scientist, who was denigrated during his lifetime, departed from the village of Ukkusissat to rescue some colleagues camped on the Greenland Ice Sheet. He lost his life during the rescue, and the world lost a truly fearless original thinker.

Shokalskiy will sail along the edge of Eqip Sermia glacier for 5 kilometers (3.1 miles). Eqip Sermia is one the fastest moving glaciers in the world, traveling approximately 30 meters per day.

You should be on deck to watch for the birth of icebergs, calved from the massive ice front. Zodiacs will be deployed for ocean-level cruising and the opportunity to take remarkable photographs.

UNESCO has designated this area a World Heritage Site, because the Jakobshavn Glacier calves more icebergs than any other in the Northern Hemisphere. As Akademik Shokalskiy steams up the fjord, the Captain will navigate expertly around young icebergs. Exploring the community of Ilulisat, travelers are introduced to 20th century explorer Knud Rasmussen, a national hero and a local son.

There are more sledge dogs living in Ilulissat than humans. Most local families keep a variety the different sledges near their houses, and you may find it interesting to examine the difference. The smallest sledges can be used for transporting just one person, while the largest are used for the hunter and his prey.

The southward journey is broken by a landing at the village of Itilleq situated on an island that has no natural source of water. A local villager welcomes us and provides an insider’s glimpse into the daily lives of Itilleq’s 130 inhabitants.

The southwestern coast of the island is mountainous and surrounded by skerries. Some of the small rocky islands and islets are barren, while others have green slopes covered with millions of flowers. The national flower of Greenland, the Dwarf Fireweed, known locally as “Niviarsiaq” can be found here.

Greenland is home to more than 500 plants, including five orchids. As we sail through Sondrestromfjord you may easily be able to see Evergreen, Roseroot, several species of Louseworth and other Arctic plants like Saxifrage and Arctic Poppies.

Disembarking in the early morning, we spend the day exploring the area before transferring to the airport for our group flight back to Copenhagen.

Arrival in Copenhagen

• Group transfers to embark the ship and upon disembarkation
• Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage.
• All shore landings per the daily program.
• Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities.
• All Zodiac transfers and cruising per the daily program.
• Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled.
• Photographic Album on DVD, documenting the voyage.
• A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings.
• A Expedition parka – yours to keep.
• Coffee, tea , cocoa available around the clock.
• Hair dryer and bathrobe in every cabin.
• Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Arctic Reader.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
• All luggage handling aboard ship.
• Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum benefit of $100,000 per person.

• Any airfare.
• Optional kayaking.
• Passport and visa expenses.
• Government arrival and departure taxes.
• Any meals ashore.
• Baggage, cancellation and medical travel insurance.
• Excess baggage charges.
• Laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges.
• Telecommunications charges.
• The customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for Hospitality Team members, ship’s crew and Expedition Team members.