15-Day Voyage to the Inuit North

 

Enjoy this 15-day Thule tour

Get ready for a comprehensive expedition program to Greenland's Disko Bay and northernmost inhabited reaches aboard the MS Fram. During this 15-day Thule and Disko Bay tour, you'll enjoy expert guides, lectures, and PolarCirkel boat landings. Set sail in the wake of Inuit people and Arctic explorers such as Fridtjof Nansen and Knud Rasmussen. Travel coastal waters in search of Arctic flora and fauna, icebergs and glaciers, and traces of indigenous and European historical settlements. Your Thule and Disko Bay tour will include cruising adventures from Kangerlussuaq, past Disko Bay and Qannaaq, to the 80° North parallel - top sights at the top of the world.

 

Itinerary

Day 1: Kangerlussuaq

Kangerlussuaq, a settlement of the Sisimiut community, is the main gateway to Greenland. Just under 600 people live and work in Kangerlussuaq (which means "long fjord"). The town's airport was built by U.S. forces during World War II. Operative as an American base until 1992, today Kangerlussuaq is a commercial airport. Hurtigruten's Expedition Team will be at your disposal at the airport to take you to the docks.There is no harbor in Kangerlussuaq that can accommodate the MS Fram; therefore, embarking the ship requires the use of the ship's shuttle (PolarCirkel) boats. It is advisable to pack rainproof jackets, trousers, and mosquito repellent in your hand luggage for the transfer to the MS Fram.

Day 2: Sisimiut

Sisimiut, with a population of about 5,200, is the second-largest town in Greenland. The main industry is fishing, and the town boasts a large fleet of trawlers, a shipyard, and a fish factory. Sisimiut is the southernmost of the towns on the western coast of Greenland where sleigh dogs can be found. It is set in rolling countryside and the town center lies at the foot of a steep hill. Participation in excursions from Sisimiut, apart from the boat trip, requires reasonably good physical condition. The settlement visit will focus largely on the old part of the town by the harbor, which is the local center of activity. Our Expedition Team will be at your disposal at different locations of the settlement. The MS Fram normally docks quayside in Sisimiut.

Day 3: Qeqertarsuaq

Qeqertarsuaq is the only large town located on the old volcanic island of Disko. The metropolitan population is around 1,100, about 60 of whom live in the neighboring settlement of Kangerluk. Qeqertarsuaq means "Big Island," and the most important industry in town is fishing and seal-hunting, although whaling once played a vital role. The town, set in wonderful surroundings at the foot of impressive Basalt Mountains, is home to Copenhagen University's Arctic Station, dedicated to the study of Greenland's flora and fauna. There will be PolarCirkel boat transfer from the ship to Qeqertarsuaq and our Expedition Team will be at your disposal at different locations of the walk. A small local café will be open for you during the stay.

Day 4: Uummannaq

The town of Uummannaq lies in scenic surroundings at the foot of a 3,800-foot-high, heart-shaped mountain. The municipal borough of Uummannaq has a population of about 2,650, of whom 1,400 lives in town and the remainder in seven nearby settlements. Hunting and fishing are the main trades and the town's halibut-processing factory is its major source of employment. You may tour Uummannaq, with its magnificent church and an old turf house that was lived in until 1989. There will be PolarCirkel boat transfer from the ship to Uummannaq.

Day 5: At sea, alternative landing

When you sail along the Davis Straits along the northwestern Lauge Koch Coast, from 71° North to 76° North, you will cross the threshold marking Greenland's northernmost human habitations. In these harsh and remote areas, settlements and nature constantly fight for existence. A series of lectures will be held onboard related to this area of your Thule, Disko Bay tour during the day.

Day 6: Dundas ("Old Thule")

Greenlanders have lived in Dundas, or Old Thule, for the last 900 years although Danish explorer Rasmussen founded the now-abandoned trade post here only in 1910. Local Inuit inhabitants were forced to move from Dundas to Qaanaaq (or "New Thule") on the Red Cliff Peninsula in 1953 after the U.S. Air Force built a base nearby. The original Dundas village is now protected by Denmark and specifically excluded from areas under U.S. military control. Rasmussen's old trading post, at the base of Dundas mountain, closed in 1985; today, no one lives in the settlement. In Dundas, you can go ashore and tour the village, trading post, and - on the other side of the peninsula - remains of old turf huts.

Day 7: Siorapaluk

Situated only 844 miles from the North Pole, Siorapaluk is the northernmost "natural" community in the world. Founded in 1933, the settlement is known for beautiful surroundings and geology. Siorapaluk means "Little Sands"; the town was named after the small local beach. This will be the northernmost landing on this trip. The church, museum, and shop are open for all to enter.

Day 8: At Sea, Cruising Along the Ice Edge

You will sail as far north as possible and reach 80° North. This will depend on ice and weather conditions, which are impossible to predict.

Day 9: Qaanaaq ("New Thule")

The Qaanaaq (or Thule) district was the first part of Greenland to be colonized by Inuits from farther west in North America. The district, one of the northernmost inhabited places on Earth, has a population of around 1,000. It is also the last bastion of U.S. military might in Greenland. Hunting for seal, whale, and Polar bear in the traditional manner is the only occupation in the town and surrounding small settlements. Here, you may visit the Ultima Thule souvenir shop, stocked with genuine, original artwork and crafts from the Qaanaaq district.

Day 10: At Sea

While you are at sea, a series of lectures will be held on board on topics related to history and wildlife in the area.

Day 11: Upernavik

Upernavik, founded in 1772, means "Place of Spring," because hunters would migrate here annually after spending the winter farther inland. The municipality lies situated nearly 500 miles north of the Arctic Circle. More than half of the municipality's 3,000 inhabitants live in 10 settlements spread along a coastal stretch of 280 miles. Here, the primary occupation is fishing for Greenland halibut, but hunting for Polar bears and other game still plays a decisive role.

Day 12: Eqip Sermia

The glacier Eqip Sermia has a front edge about three miles long that calves icebergs into the open ocean. Today, you have an outstanding opportunity to experience a glacier up close and sense the greatness of nature. You will use the ship's tender boats to go ashore in this beautiful area near the glacier. Passengers in relatively good physical condition will be able to hike in the area. All who want to go ashore are welcome to enjoy a BBQ dinner with a terrific view over the glacier.

Day 13: Ilulissat

Icebergs are called "ilulissat" in Greenlandic, and it comes as no surprise to anyone who has been here that this is the town's name. Ilulissat is the third-largest town in Greenland, with a population of about 5,000. It is set in marvelous surroundings on the Ilulissat Isfjord, which in 2004 was added to UNESCO's World Heritage Site list. Here, enormous icebergs run aground at the mouth of the fjord, just outside of town. They originate from the Jakobshavn Glacier, one of the most productive glaciers in the northern hemisphere. Ilulissat is the metropolitan center of the Disko Bay area and this aspect will be the theme of the settlement visit, together with the town's long history. The most important trades in Ilulissat are fishing and tourism. The conditions will determine whether the MS Fram will dock at quayside in Ilulissat or passengers will shuttle ashore via PolarCirkel boats.

Day 14: Itilleq

In the early afternoon, your Thule and Disko Bay tour takes you to the small settlement Itilleq. Itilleq means "the hollow." The town was founded in 1847 on another island, but was later moved just over a half-mile east to its present location. The village is located about 31 miles south of Sisimiut in the head of the Itilleq Fjord. Around 130 people live here, mainly engaged in hunting and fishing. The island has no fresh water; thus Itilleq boasts a seawater desalinization facility. The church here has an interesting history: It was built in Thule (Umanak, in North Greenland) in 1930 and moved to Itilleq in 1963. As its name suggests, Itilleq is situated in a hollow, majestically surrounded by high mountains and glaciers. It could, in truth, be called the Arctic Circle Village, as the Arctic Circle indeed lies just 655 feet to the south.

Day 15: Kangerlussuaq

You return to Kangerlussuaq, at the end of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord. The settlement/airport is located just north of the Arctic Circle and is one of the best places to observe native wildlife. In the early 1960s, Musk oxen were introduced to Kangerlussuaq from northeast Greenland; today, they number more than 5,000. You will leave the MS Fram in the morning to discover Kangerlussuaq and participate on a bus tour to the nearby ice cap where your Thule and Disko Bay tour ends.