Venture to places few others have visited as you glide along the stunning and sparsely populated east coast of Greenland. Aboard the Varuna, a comfortable expedition sailboat, you’ll explore the untamed waters and untouched landscapes of the Sermilik and Ammassalik fjords. The colorful village of Kulusuk, often surrounded by floating icebergs, is the gateway to East Greenland. As you sail in the blue Arctic among the colossal icebergs, keep an eye out for Greenland’s impressive array of wildlife. You’re bound to spot walrus and narwhals, beluga and humpback whales, polar bears, arctic foxes and numerous other species that inhabit the world’s largest national park.
Greenland is a winner in more categories than we can list: the largest island, the least densely populated area, the biggest fjord system, one of the most remote airports and areas on Earth. During the course of 10 days, get to know the Land of Superlatives by journeying through the Sermilik fjord and the Ammassalik fjord by a sturdy sailboat. Your crew will make stops onshore as often as possible, so make sure you’re all fueled up for the day—luckily, you’ll have a top chef, preparing gourmet meals and typical local dishes. All you have to worry about is spotting the mighty wildlife.
Fly into one of the smallest international airports in the world with only a gravel landing strip —Kulusuk International Airport. Kulusuk is a traditional Greenlandic village that still reflects much of its original Inuit culture. You may want to use your time before embarking to hike the 300-meter tall Isikajia hill and enjoy an excellent view of the Denmark Strait, the icebergs, the fjord system, Tasiilaq island and the coastline.
Once you meet your crew and fellow travelers, get settled in and review the boat facilities. Afterwards, you’ll have a safety briefing with your skipper and your guide. Finally set sail towards the initial anchorage and enjoy your first dinner onboard.
This adventure takes you through the region of the Sermilik Fjord and the Ammassalik Fjord, on the eastern coast of Greenland. Departing from Kulusuk, you’ll spend your time exploring a region far away from any infrastructure or inhabited area. The Sermilik Fjord, whose name ‘Sermilik’ means ‘place with glaciers’ is located at the southern end of King Christian IX Land, west of the Ammassalik fjord. It is one of the largest fjords in the south-eastern coast of Greenland and stretches inland in a roughly northern direction, splitting into two branches at its head. It culminates in multiple glaciers including the Helheim, Fenris and Midgard glaciers, which feed a constant flow of icebergs into the fjord. The far, western flank of the fjord is inundated by Greenland’s icecap, second only in size to Antarctica. Surrounded by a steep mountainous shoreline and filled with sculpted icebergs, it makes for a spectacular setting. Your guide knows everything about the area—ask them about weather patterns, tradition, or the culture, they’ll answer every question you might have. With icebergs towering over you and high walls and cliffs falling straight into the sea, keep an eye out for the wildlife. Narwhals, polar bears, arctic foxes, geese, seabirds, seals, beluga whales, walrus—these are just a few of the animals living in the Arctic Circle.
You’ll arrive at Kulusuk in the morning. Say goodbye to your crew, to your fellow adventurers, and to the boat that’s been your home for 10 days. Return to the airport—bon voyage back home!
Our sailing in Greenland aboard Boreal Adventure Sailing’s 25 meter sailboat Varuna was the best way to explore the arctic that I can imagine. Each day our captain navigated between huge icebergs while we looked for whales and seals. After anchoring in otherwise inaccessible bays, our guide Michael led us through wild glacial valleys and up untracked peaks to enjoy views of the huge Greenland ice cap and the glaciers and waterfalls that pour off it into the ice-filled fjords. After our on-land adventures, we relaxed in the casual luxury of the Varuna and enjoyed the extremely tasty and healthy gourmet meals prepared by our cook and first mate, Luse. If you want to explore the arctic wilderness on foot but sleep and eat in comfort, I cannot think of a better way to do it. All the folks at Boreal were friendly and easy to work with. Our captain, Lionel, has raced catamarans around the world and the whole crew seemed to enjoy our adventure as much as we did. Our only problem on this trip is that we experienced a little travel drama because we waited too long to book our flights to Greenland.
My Ski & Sail trip to Svalbard with Boreal Adventure Sailing was unforgettable. The skiing locations were incredible, and the crew was friendly and attentive. The boat was comfortable and well-equipped. I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking for a unique adventure.
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It’s the best ever! You can expect a wonderful blend of adventure, camaraderie, and awe-inspiring beauty. Reaching these remote corners of the world usually takes serious planning—but not when you’re on this tour. With sturdy boats, expert guides, and a warm, professional crew, everything’s handled for you—safely and smoothly.
With 4 to 6 guests per trip, you’ll have more comfort and flexibility, maximizing your time spent onshore. Your first mate and chef will pamper you with a gourmet breakfast, après-ski snacks, and a delicious 3-course dinner, featuring local delicacies paired with exquisite wines!
Three boats are available, each perfectly suited for these waters and comfortably accommodating up to six guests.
In order to join the sail and explore tour of Greenland, you need to be reasonably fit. This is a beginner-friendly adventure, but keep in mind that you’ll spend some time hiking and walking onshore. Due to Greenland’s limited health system capacities, make sure that you’re in good health and able-bodied to travel in Greenland. It can be a costly and timely affair to transport you to hospital in Greenland if you become seriously ill.
During the Arctic summer, temperatures range from 4-9 °C / 39-48 F on average, but the generally dry air makes it milder than you may expect. Still, make sure you bring plenty of layers.
Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
Keep in mind that hard case luggage is not admitted on board.
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. Make sure to avoid cotton and bring fast-drying clothes instead.
Group sizes and prices:
Min. age requirements:
If your group has travelers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Your tour starts in Kulusuk, the gateway to East Greenland where you’ll board the boat.
To reach Kulusuk, Icelandair has a service all year round from Reykjavik (international connecting hub). If you are coming from Copenhagen, you must first fly to Nuuk and then catch another flight to Kulusuk, which backtracks across the entire country. There are only small transfer boats that operate between Tasiilaq (located on a separate island) and Kulusuk and the other settlements in the area, so arriving by ferry is not the best option.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both medical and travel protection. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!
Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.
Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!
In case you need to cancel the trip, the following cancellation costs would be incurred:
Please note that booking fees are non-refundable in all cases and will be deducted from the refund amount.
For any cancellation by the client, costs incurred by the traveler such as transportation to the departure point of the trip and return home, fees visa documents, travel documents and vaccination fees will not be subject to any reimbursement.
If cancellation occurs as a result of unpredictable or unavoidable events by the customer or by a third party (e.g. flight cancellations, loss or theft of luggage or personal belongings) other than Guide can not be held responsible nor can it be required to reimburse related costs, including cancellation fees.
You can request consent for a third party to take your place, up to 7 days before departure. The replacement customer must fulfil all the conditions associated with the contract, including medical health and fitness. The customer and the person replacing them shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of the amounts still owed for the travel. Guide may refuse at its sole discretion the replacement customer and cancellation fees would remain applicable.
The prices are definitive. Price changes after the date of the booking form may arise from subsequent material increases in fuel costs, changes in or new fees (e.g. embarkation & disembarkation fees) or introduction / increase of taxes and government fees.
Should events beyond guide’s control occur (such as wars, political unrest, strikes, riots, airspace congestion, bad weather, thefts of luggage or other personal belongings of travelers), Guide reserves the right to cancel the travel, change the dates, schedules or itineraries to ensure the safety of travelers, without possible recourse against Guide.
Early Bird booking
Want to be the first one to know when we publish new dates or secure your spot well in advance? Select a future month that suits you best and lock in your Early Bird spot in time with just a 10% deposit.
As soon as our guides publish new tour dates, you’ll be the first one to know. We’ll hold your spot for 2 weeks until you choose the date that suits you best.
More about how Early Bird bookings work below:
Super professional and nice crew, excellent food, all worked perfectly..