Exploring the Garden of Greenland (Westbound)

Embark in Reykjavík

Your expedition begins in Reykjavik, a city that rewards a longer look. Stroll Laugavegur for independent shops and coffee, take in the striking Hallgrímskirkja church, or lose an afternoon in the city's galleries and museums.   

If you have the time, we recommend booking pre-voyage option with us and discovering some of Iceland’s natural highlights before your cruise begins. 

From here, it’s time to board MS Fridtjof Nansen and get ready for departure. 

In the wake of Vikings

We leave Iceland behind and sail to Greenland across the Denmark Strait. These days at sea offer time to relax and settle into the ship. Perhaps keep watch for whales and seabirds from the deck, mingle with fellow travellers in the Explorer lounge, or enjoy the wellness facilities.  

The Expedition Team will give presentations about the protocols of respectfully visiting the fragile natural areas and indigenous Arctic communities. Now is the time to book excursions and maybe learn a few words of Greenlandic. 

Discover ice-carved landscapes, Norse heritage, and remote communities

Over the next four days we fully embrace expedition mode, navigating South Greenland's maze of channels and scenic fjords. Local weather and ice conditions will determine where and when we land, but the Captain and Expedition Team know these waters well and will seek out the best the region has to offer. 

Southern Greenland's rugged mountain ranges tower above scattered green meadows and fjords, a landscape sculpted by ice over billions of years. The Norsemen settled here over a thousand years ago, drawn by the same beauty, though harsh conditions eventually drove them away after just four centuries. Today this vast, mostly unpopulated wilderness offers a rare sense of tranquillity. We may visit Norse ruins at Brattahlíð, step ashore in colourful Qaqortoq with its beautiful lake, or simply gaze in wonder at the spectacular mountainous scenery unfolding around us. 

Fjords, glaciers, and ghostly mining towns

The stretch of coast between the fjord systems of southern Greenland and Nuuk is as wild as can be. Long distances separate the few scattered settlements. Although the climate is still mild by Arctic standards, the topography is rough, segmented by high mountain ranges half covered by ice and cut through by deep turquoise fjords. With very few inside passages, travelling here has been a challenge since ancient times. And it still is. Mother Nature is in charge here, meaning it's the perfect adventure playground for modern explorers. 

On our way north, and always adapted to the local conditions, we’ll get to know the landscapes of the so-called Mellembygden: the Middle Settlement of the Norse settlers. We'll also look for the ghostly mining town of Ivittuut, where cryolite, once vital to aluminium production, was mined for over a century. And we'll sail into great fjords carved out over millennia by massive glaciers cascading down from the ice cap. 

Return to Greenland’s capital

Today, as we arrive at Nuuk, you will say a fond farewell to MS Fridtjof Nansen, the crew, the Expedition Team and the new friends you will have made. The lively capital of Greenland is a metropolis compared to all other towns in the country you have visited over the last couple of weeks. If you have time before flying back home, it is a fascinating window onto modern Greenland.  

From here, you'll catch a flight back to London, taking with you a wealth of fantastic memories that will no doubt endure.