HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit
Sisimiut, Greenland's second city, the largest Arctic City in North
America, and a hub between the warmer South and the frozen North of the
country
- Visit
Ilulissat, known as the birthplace of icebergs, where nearly 20 million
tons of ice are produced each day
- Visit
Evighedsfjord, a large fjord northeast of Kangaamiut in southwest
Greenland, with a length of 75 kilometers and several branches with
numerous glaciers
- ExploreLindenow
Fjord, a relatively unexplored east coast of Greenland, which has some
of the most dramatic fjord scenery in the world
- Transit
through Prince Christian Sound, which is one of this voyage's highlights
- Traverse
Tassermiut Fjord, considered one of the Ten Wonders of the Arctic
- Visit
Narsarsuaq (Kujalleq), with average yearly temperatures of 5°C
and a population of just 150
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
Rates are listed per person
|
| Start Date | End Date | From EUR | From USD |
|---|
ITINERARY
Please Note: The July 14, 2023 sailing is a
return trip in
the reverse direction
Day 01: Kangerlussuaq,
Greenland
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.
Day 02: Sisimiut,
Greenland
Sisimiut ('The People of the Fox Holes') is Greenland's second city,
the largest Arctic City in North America, and a hub between the warmer
South and the frozen North of the country. With a young, dynamic
population, including students from all over the country, Sisimiut is
one of the fastest growing cities in Greenland. Inhabited for more than
four and a half thousand years, the Danish Colonial Era saw the rapid
development of the city into a trade centre, and the old buildings and
artefacts can be seen at Sisimiut Museum, a collection of beautifully
restored buildings displaying everything from ancient turf houses to
modern Inuit art. The local artisans are considered some of the best in
Greenland, and often sell their wares direct from their communal
workshop in the harbour, where they barter with hunters for raw
materials. Today, modern industry focussed on processing sea food and
shipping; KNI, the state-run chain of general stores operating in even
the most remote settlements is based in Sisimiut. Most residents still
live in the colourful wooden houses Greenland is so well known for.
Sisimiut's vast back country offers excellent opportunities for hiking
and fishing, and the locals often use sled dogs or snowmobiles to get
around their vast mountainous playground during the long winters. In
the summer, one can walk as far as Kangerlussuaq International Airport,
a trail also used for the gruelling Polar Circle Marathon, one of the
toughest endurance events in the world.
2 Included Shore
Excursions
Hiking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
1 Selected Shore Excursion
Flightseeing Sisimiut
Activity Level: Moderate
Day 03: Ilulissat,
Greenland
Known as the birthplace of icebergs, the Ilulissat Icefjord produces
nearly 20 million tons of ice each day. In fact, the word Ilulissat
means "icebergs" in the Kalaallisut language. The town of Ilulissat is
known for its long periods of calm and settled weather, but the climate
tends to be cold due to its proximity to the fjord. Approximately 4,500
people live in Ilulissat, the third-largest town in Greenland after
Nuuk and Sisimiut. Some people here estimate that there are nearly as
many sled dogs as human beings living in the town that also boasts a
local history museum located in the former home of Greenlandic folk
hero and famed polar explorer Knud Rasmussen.
4 Included Shore
Excursions
Ilulissat Iceberg Cruise
Activity Level: Moderate
Ilulissat Town Walk
Activity Level: Extensive
Hiking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
1 Selected Shore Excursion
Ilulissat, Greenland Helicopter Tour
Activity Level: Moderate
Day 04: Evighedsfjord,
Greenland
Evighedsfjord (Eternity Fjord) is a large fjord northeast of Kangaamiut
in southwest Greenland. The fjord has a length of 75 kilometers and
several branches with numerous glaciers coming down from the Maniitsoq
Ice Cap to the north can be seen. The Evighedsfjord has several bends
and whenever the ship reaches the supposed end the fjord continues in
another direction and seems to go on forever. Qingua Kujatdleq Glacier
is at its southeastern end. At the northwestern end a U-shaped valley
has seven glaciers coming down from the mountains but not reaching the
water. The glaciers had their maximum extent around the year 1870 and
have gone through several cycles of advance and retreat. The mountains
on either side of the fjord can reach in excess of 2,000 meters and the
fjord has a depth of up to 700 meters. Evighedsfjord's snowline is at
1,100 meters and the Evighedsfjord region is famous as one of
Greenland's best heli-skiing areas.
2 Included Shore
Excursions
Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Moderate
Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Day 04: Evigheds Glacier,
Greenland
The Evigheds Glacier flows from the Greenland Ice Sheet, the second
largest ice body in the world after the Antarctic ice sheet, to the
west. It is a slow-moving tidewater glacier, meaning this valley
glacier winds down through the coastal mountains to the ocean at a
snail's pace. As the glacial ice enters the water it begins to float
and the eventually breaks apart into icebergs that float away down the
fjord. The shades of blue and carved shapes of these ice floes are
infinite.
3 Included Shore
Excursions
Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Moderate
Hiking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Day 05: Nuuk (Godthab),
Greenland
In the bustling capital city of Greenland, you could be forgiven for
forgetting you are in such a vast and isolated country. Nuuk is
Greenland's economic and social hub, home to more than a third of
Greenland's population, and although it feels like a world capital,
scratch the surface, and a uniquely Greenlandic character can be found
underneath. Nuuk Cathedral overlooks the gorgeous old Colonial Harbour
district and the Greenland National Museum, resting place of the
legendary Qilakitsoq mummies, the true highlight of the museum's
archaeological collection.
Above the Colonial Harbour sits downtown Nuuk, with lines of
Scandistyle apartments, a bustling shopping district, the Greenlandic
Parliament, Nuuk City Hall (which welcomes visitors to see its artwork)
and even outdoor cafes selling locally produced food and beer. These
nods to modernity compete for space with local artisan boutiques, the
meat market selling the catch from Nuuk's vast fjord-lands, and the
stunning Katuaq Cultural Centre, where blockbuster movies, as well as
local and foreign performers entertain the people of Nuuk. Although
Nuuk has long been a melting pot of Danish and Greenlandic ideas, this
is a city where Greenland displays its sophistication, with the
Country's only traffic lights, roundabouts and University. Most of all,
expect to find a multitude of friendly people who are proud of who they
are, and equally proud of the city they call home.
3 Included Shore
Excursions
Nuuk Cultural Historical Walk
Activity Level: Moderate
Hiking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Expedition activities with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Moderate
Day 06: Day at sea
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 blue sea days are the perfect balance
to busy days spent exploring shore side.
Day 07: Lindenow Fjord,
Greenland
The relatively unexplored east coast of Greenland has some of the most
dramatic fjord scenery in the world, and the stunning Lindenow Fjord is
one such example. Situated on the southeast coast and approximately 80
kilometres (50 miles) from the southern tip of the country, the
landscape lives up to the Greenlandic name for the fjord,
Kangerlussuatsiaq, which means "the rather big fjord". The fjord is
named after Godske Lindenow - who in the 17th century was a Danish navy
Admiral tasked with finding the lost Norse settlements in Greenland -
and runs some 64 kilometres (40 miles) in from the outer coast.
Towering peaks and steep mountainsides line the fjord and appear like
ramparts of an impenetrable fortress. The fortress walls do show
regular breaches however, with streams of ice cascading down from
above, albeit at an imperceptibly slow speed.
These small glaciers offer stark contrast to the dark rock, and seem
like cold and wintry fingers clinging onto what is otherwise a very
pleasant scene. Some are marbled with veins of charcoal coloured rock
powder, ground and shattered from the mountains and enveloped by ice,
while deeper cracks in the ice luminesce with a cold blue light. As you
cruise through the fjord on your ship all sense of reality is erased by
wave after wave of sublimity. The dark, still waters are studded with
small broken pieces of ice so that looking down as you glide along, it
seems as if you are travelling through space, channeled forward to
explore the very heart of Greenland.
Day 08: Cruise Prince
Christian Sound, Greenland
The transit through the Sound is one of this voyage's highlights.
Connecting the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Seat, Prince Christian
Sound or "Prins Christian Sund" in Danish is named after Prince (later
King) Christian VII (1749-1808). 100 km (60 miles ), long and at times
just 500 m (1500 ft) wide, this majestic and spectacular fiord throws
you back into a Viking era – flanked by soaring snow-topped
mountains, rock-strewn cliffs and rolling hills, it is as if time has
stood still and one easily forgets that this is the 21st century. As
you marvel at the sheer size of the mountains that surround you, with
the Arctic waters lapping deceptively at the hull, revel in the silence
enveloping you. Icebergs float serenely by, carrying with them the ages
of time. Be sure to wear warm clothing as this is one spectacle that
you do not want to miss.
Day 08: Aappilattoq
(Kujallec), Greenland
If you're looking for remote and remarkable then you have found it.
Cruise through Prince Christian Sound to the western end and you'll
find Aapilattoq, a (very) small Greenlandic village of just 100
inhabitants. The name of the village means "sea anemone" in the local
Greenlandic language, and the fact that the village has retained its
Inuit name is a good indication of what you can expect; traditional
village life much as it has been for the past 100 years. Hunting and
fishing are the main occupations here, and it is not unusual when
taking a stroll through Aappilattoq, past the small school (where 22
pupils from ages 3-16 are enrolled) and church, to come across a polar
bear skin drying in the wind behind a local dwelling. The village is
hidden behind a prominent red rock and towering mountains, which make
the village virtually inaccessible by land. Naturally, the Aapilattoq
and its surrounding area are phenomenally rich in Arctic wildlife:
Arctic fox and Arctic hare live in the countryside around the village
while marine mammals include ringed seal, harbour seal, hooded seal,
bearded seal, harp seal, humpback whale (typically in summer), minke
whale, fin whale, narwhal, and beluga.
3 Included Shore
Excursions
Aappilattoq Hike, Village Walk and Church Choir Performance
Activity Level: Moderate
Hiking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Day 09: Tassermiut Fjord,
Greenland
Considered one of the Ten Wonders of the Arctic, Tassermiut Fjord is a
70-kilometre (44 mile) incision into the pristine wilderness of
south-western Greenland. The fjord is entered near the settlement of
Nanortalik (population 1200) and winds its way through scenery that is
reminiscent of the dramatic mountain landscape of Patagonia.
Cruising up the fjord by ship reveals a spectacular panorama of jagged
peaks perched atop steep-sided mountains, interspersed with u-shaped
side valleys and moraines - all clear indications of glacial action.
The lower slopes are green with lush vegetation but quickly rise to
barren walls of rock. These sheer walls make Tassermiut Fjord a Mecca
for rock climbers, who rate such climbs as Uiluit Qaaqa (Ketil),
Ulamertorsuaq (Uli) and The Baroness as being some of the best in the
world. For the less active among us, just processing and comprehending
the vista itself seems challenging enough.
The Tassermiut Fjord region has always attracted people. Inuit made
hunting camps around the fjord mouth to target the ringed, harp and
bearded seals that are abundant when the pack ice drifts in. The Norse
too, settled the area in the 10th century, drawn no doubt to the
valleys that promised fertile grazing for their precious livestock.
They were also perhaps drawn to the astounding natural beauty of the
region, as if it was blessed by divine hand, something that is readily
apparent to the eager traveller that makes it to this little-explored
corner of Greenland.
Day 09: Nanortalik
(Kujallek), Greenland
There is a wonderful legend that the Vikings named Greenland Green and
Iceland Ice in order to confuse potential attackers. Because it is
quite the opposite; if Iceland is full of emerald forest, then expect
ice in Greenland. Lots and lots of ice. Thus one shouldn't be too
surprised to learn that the name Nanortalik means "place of polar
bears". Although, as Nanortalik is Greenland's most southerly town,
don't be too disappointed if you don't see any. In truth, Greenland's
polar bears typically live much further north. What you will see
however is Mother Nature at her finest. Vertical cliff walls, sheets of
floating sea ice and a plethora of Arctic wildlife that amount to an
adventurer's wonderland. As Nanortalik itself is located on a small
island in the southern tip of Greenland, nature is never far away,
wherever you find yourself.
The optimistically named city centre is surrounded by the pristine
waters of Tasermiut Fjord and dotted with the colourful houses you
would expect this far north. Traditionally, artisans' houses were
painted different colours to showcase what they did, i.e. commercial
houses were red; hospitals were yellow; police stations were black; the
telephone company was green and fish factories were blue. Today it is
more a case of anything goes! Nanortalik locals are warm and welcoming,
and are known to extent the art of Kaffe-Mik to its visitors. This old
tradition is where a family invites guests into their home to drink
coffee and taste their famous Greenlandic cake.
3 Included Shore
Excursions
Explore Nanortalik, Greenland
Activity Level: Moderate
Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Extensive
Expedition activities with Silversea Expedition team
Activity Level: Moderate
Day 10: Narsarsuaq
(Kujalleq), Greenland
With average yearly temperatures of 5°C and a population of
just 150,
to say that Narsarsuaq is off the beaten track is no understatement.
Yet, what this little Greenlandic village might lack in size is more
than made up for in big, bold scenery, generous wildlife and a
surprisingly thriving tourism scene. Greenland's leitmotivs of
thrilling landscape and Viking history are majestically illustrated in
Narsarsuaq. Jagged mountains plunge into glacier-dotted fjords,
wildflower-sprinkled meadows stretch as far as the eye can see, while
golden light bathes it all. Take silent filled hikes or kayak
excursions to really explore what the little village's surroundings
have to offer, occasionally scanning the skies for the elusive
white-tailed eagle. The tangible quietness of Narsarsuaq is in great
contrast to its bold and riotous Viking history. Norse Vikings,
including the infamous Erik the Red, settled in the vicinity over a
thousand years ago (985 AD). Their long and bloody history is well
documented and ruins can be found in nearby Qassiarsuk, Igaliku, and
Hvalsey. Narsarsuaq's placement in the Atlantic Ocean between Canada
and mainland Europe made the little settlement a hub for U.S. activity
during WWII. In 1941, the U.S. built an air force base (name Blue West
One or Bluie) which served the Allies as a stepping stone to the
battlegrounds. A 600-bed hospital (which was later increased to 1,000
beds) was also built to accommodate casualties from the D-Day landings
and later, the Korean War.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Butler
service in every suite
- Unlimited
Free Wifi
- Personalised
service – nearly one crew member for every guest
- Choice
of restaurants, diverse cuisine, open-seating dining
- Beverages
in-suite and throughout the ship, including champagne, select wines and
spirits
- In-suite
dining and room service
- Onboard
entertainment
- Onboard
gratuities
ADVENTURE OPTIONS - Hiking with Silversea Expedition team
- Kayaking with Silversea Expedition team
- Flightseeing Sisimiut
- Ilulissat Iceberg Cruise
- Ilulissat Town Walk
- Ilulissat, Greenland Helicopter Tour
- Zodiac Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
- Nuuk Cultural Historical Walk
- Aappilattoq Hike, Village Walk and Church Choir Performance
- Explore Nanortalik, Greenland
