Along the West Coast of Greenland, 2024

The planned itinerary

Ice and wind determine the daily schedule of the expedition. The itineraries mentioned here are therefore exemplary.

Day 1: Arrival in Iceland
Your Greenland trip starts with your arrival in Iceland. You will fly from your home airport to Keflavik (the airport of Reykjavik) in Iceland, where you will spend one night.

Day 2: Narsarsuaq
Today you fly from Keflavik to Narsarsuaq. Reception at the airport and transfer to your hotel.

Day 3: Embarkation in Narsarsuaq
In the afternoon, embarkation begins on board „Cape Race“, which is safely moored in the deep Eriksfjord. On board, you will receive a warm welcome from the crew and the obligatory safety briefing. The fjord was named after Erik the Red, who settled Greenland here around 985. He founded the settlement of Brattahlio with the first church built on Greenland, the foundation walls of which can still be found today. We take the robust and manoeuvrable Zodiac boats to the old settlement and visit Tjodhilde’s church.

Day 3 – Day 13: Sailing north along the west coast of Greenland
As you sail north, the sea state and weather will determine each day which fjord you visit or which settlement is visited. Fortunately, the nature along this coast is so diverse that there are countless possibilities. For example, we try to go as deep as possible through the pack ice into the Nigerdlikasik Fjord to watch (and hear!) the calving of the glacier at its end from a safe distance. Or we visit such small and remote Inuit settlements as Qerqertarsuatsiaat or the 300-strong village of Kangaamiut, which is only accessible by boat that passes by once a week. Behind Kangaamiut, the legendary Eternity Fjord penetrates deep inland between high mountains. We glide past these until we reach the glacier, which we hike up to.
Again and again we can observe humpback whales, seals or sea eagles, or we glide past icebergs.

Day 14 – Day 15: The “Ice Giants” of Disko Bay
After lonely fjords where only the crunching of the moving glaciers can be heard, the legendary Disko Bay now opens up and you will experience the incomparable parade of icebergs in all shades of colour from light green to deep blue calving from the Jakobshavn Glacier. The mighty ice producer spews out more than 20 million tonnes of ice every day, providing a continuous and incredible natural spectacle. You will anchor by waterfalls that cascade over the glacier into the sea at Qewertarsuaq and also visit the colourful town. An unforgettable experience as you sail past giants of icebergs or break some ice from a small iceberg with the Zodiac for your midnight drink.

Day 16: Return flight from Ilulissat to Iceland
Disembarkation on „Cape Race“ and return flight to Iceland. Overnight in Keflavik at the airport.

Day 17: Return flight to your home town or extension in Iceland
Today you can take the return flight to your home airport. Alternatively, an individual programme extension in Iceland is possible – we will be happy to advise you.

EXPERIENCE SCIENCE
One of the special concerns of the owner and marine biologist Nikolaus Gelpke is to bring man and nature closer together in a sustainable and respectful way. Therefore, a scientific concept is always pursued during the journeys with the „Cape Race“ . Guided by an expert expedition leader, you look and listen, for example, into the ice depths of the Arctic with the help of a professional ROV camera and an underwater microphone, admire plankton samples under the microscope, determine relevant environmental factors such as salinity, temperature or nutrients or take depth samples with a water sampler. On these voyages, you will also gain knowledge about the fascinating polar ecosystem in just a few hours.

The current position of the „Cape Race“