Iceland and Greenland Kayaking Expedition

We start our journey by meeting at Ísafjörður harbor at 10am. We will move your gear onboard and have a safety briefing. We will depart Isafjordur harbor at around noon and sail to Seyðisfjörður Fjord, a journey of about 1-2 hours. Our evening anchorage will be either at Eyri or Folafótur.

We’ll enjoy an afternoon kayak trip or onshore walk with the opportunity to observe the many different species of birds found here such as puffins, black guillemot, whooper swan, eider, fulmar, oystercatcher, ringed plover, golden plover, common snipe, common redshank, glaucous gull, great black-backed gull, arctic tern, pied wagtail, redwing and many others. By the day’s end, we will return to our sailboat and enjoy our first night on board.

Meals: Dinner

On day 2, we will visit Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, a flora and fauna paradise. The last permanent residents moved away in 1952, with only summerhouses remaining. There are no roads in this area – it is only accessible by boat. The vegetation is surprisingly lush; over 2m/ 6,5 ft tall angelica grows down to the coast and the lowlands and the slopes are decorated by wildflower patches.

During the morning, we will paddle to the ruins of the old whaling station where Norwegians processed around 12,000 barrels of whale oil between 1894 and 1915. Before the Icelandic government passed a law to protect whales in Icelandic waters. Subsequently, Icelandic companies processed herring in the same plant until it was finally shut down around 1940.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

We will explore the northernmost tip of the reserve. This area feels incredibly wild, with towering cliffs filled with thousands of nesting sea birds. The plan is to go kayaking in the morning and hiking in the afternoon, and we expect to see Arctic foxes foraging for eggs and young chicks. Both outings provide a very different perspective of this spectacular area. In the evening, we’ll prepare to depart for Greenland, as soon as we get a good weather window.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

On day 4, we will be crossing the Denmark Strait on our way to Greenland. In the afternoon, we should get our first glimpse of the mountains of Greenland. We will keep a watchful eye for icebergs that are always present in this area. Dolphins and whales are likely to be riding our bow wake.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

We continue our journey to the great Kangerlugssuaq Fjord (‘big fjord’), where we will anchor in Suhaili Bugt. This is a very sheltered anchorage where Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe) and Sir Chris Bonnington (Britain’s best-known mountaineer and one of the most successful expedition leaders in history) anchored their vessel, the Suhaili, during their attempt to climb Cathedral Peak in 1991. This will be our base camp for the following few days.

In Kangerlugssuaq Fjord we have plenty of options for hikes, climbs, and kayak tours. We can paddle over to the abandoned Skærgård Inuit settlement and explore the Uttendal Sound towards the ice-filled Watkins Fjord. We can also hike in the hills of Kræmer Island where there are fantastic vistas of the surrounding fjords, mountains, and glaciers.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

We will leave Kangerlugssuaq Fjord and make our passage south.

This spectacular area was beautifully described in the British Admiralty Arctic Pilot: ‘The stretch of coast between Kap SM Jørgensen and Kap Deichmann, 90 miles NE, is considered one of the most difficult in Greenland; the mountains rise almost vertically from the sea to form a narrow bulwark, with rifts through which active glaciers discharge quantities of ice, while numerous off-lying islets and rocks make navigation hazardous’.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Sailing further south, we will explore new areas before entering Nigertuluk Fjord. Here are two spectacular calving glaciers, a sandy beach, and a tranquil mountain lake. All in all, this is a fantastic playground for hiking and kayaking.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

On day 8, we will sail across to Kangertigtivatsiaq Fjord. There are hanging glaciers precariously balanced on the steep hillsides and other glaciers coming right down to the sea. At the head of the fjord, away in the distance, we will see a superb pinnacled mountain, reminiscent of St. Paul ́s Cathedral; this was Ingolfsfjeld. We will anchor overnight in Storø.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Our journey continues as we sail further south into the remote and little-explored territory of Depot Sound. We will pass the Idrac Glacier, Fladøerne Island, and Smalsund, and will anchor overnight in Sermiligaq.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today, we will sail further into Sermiligaq Fjord and enter the stunning Ikasaq Sound, where we will make a short stop at the abandoned WWII military base of Bluie East 2. From there, we will continue our passage to Ammassalik Fjord and anchor next to Kulusuk village in the afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

We will go ashore and visit the village of Kulusuk. Here, our expedition concludes. You can catch a departing flight back to Iceland – or continue exploring Greenland on your own!

Meals: Breakfast (lunch will be provided if flights leave in the afternoon)