West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights Naturetrek Tour Itinerary

Outline itinerary Day 1

Fly Copenhagen & overnight

Day 2

Fly Kangerlussuaq; embark S/V Rembrandt van Rijn and begin cruise

Day 3/8 West Greenland cruise Day 9

Disembark S/V Rembrandt van Rijn in Nuuk Bowhead Whale

and fly Copenhagen Day 10 Fly London

Departs September Focus Scenery, Northern Lights, wildlife and Greenland culture Grading Grade A (see Page 3 for additional information) Dates and Prices Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk (tour code GRL03) Highlights:  Look skyward after dark in search of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights  Join the 33-berth sailing schooner SV Rembrandt van Rijn  Spectacular Greenland scenery  Sail amongst huge icebergs of a myriad shapes and sizes  Humpback and Fin Whales possible  Look for Musk Oxen, Arctic Fox and Arctic Hare  Visit remote Greenland communities where huskies outnumber the people!  Birds including Snow Bunting, King Eider & Iceland Gull

Naturetrek

Mingledown Barn

T: +44 (0)1962 733051

Wolf’s Lane

Chawton

Images from top: Northern Lights over Nuuk, Musk Oxen & SV Rembrandt van Rjin

Alton

E: [email protected]

Hampshire

GU34 3HJ

W: www.naturetrek.co.uk

UK

West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights

© Naturetrek

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Tour Itinerary

West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights

Tour Itinerary

Introduction There are few superlatives in the English language to fully describe the breathtaking beauty of Greenland. This huge ice-covered island is edged with the highest mountains in the Arctic and deep valleys down which the largest glaciers in the northern hemisphere slowly flow. As they reach Greenland’s intricate coastline, towering cliffs of ice calve into giant icebergs which dot the numerous fjords and bays; the deep blues of centuries-old ice contrasting with the clean white snow on the mountains and the dark rocky tundra at their feet. This spectacular landscape is illuminated during the short summer season by 24 hours of daylight, but as winter draws near, the days rapidly shorten and the sun sinks below the horizon, the skies above Greenland are lit by an altogether different type of light, the ethereal flickering and dancing curtains of the Northern Lights. By mid-September the sun sets over Kangerlussuaq at around 1945 hours and rises again 11 hours or so later. This not only gives plenty of hours of darkness in which to look skyward for the aurora, but ample daylight hours too to explore the coastal fjords of West Greenland and enjoy the spectacular landscapes of this iceberg-dotted coastline.

Itinerary Please note that this itinerary should be treated as a guide only, not an exact program. Flexibility is the key to all Arctic voyages and our exact route and program will depend on ice and weather conditions, wildlife encounters, the experience of the expedition leader and the advice of the ship's captain and crew.

Day 1

Copenhagen

This afternoon we fly from London Heathrow to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. On arrival we transfer to a comfortable airport hotel for the night.

Day 2

Fly Kangerlussuaq & board SV Rembrandt van Rijn

This morning we must return to Copenhagen Airport to catch our Air Greenland flight to Kangerlussuaq, a former American air base with a population around 550 people. The exciting flight takes around 5 hours and assuming the weather is clear - we will be treated to some of the most spectacular views on the planet! Eastern Greenland is edged with jagged snowy mountains, deep blue fjords and huge glaciers. As we head further west, this breathtaking vista is soon overwhelmed by the island’s huge ice-cap, the second largest in the world after Antarctica. The view then turns featureless as we track over this vast sheet of ice before the high mountains and deep fjords of the western coast loom into view and we land at Kangerlussuaq, one of only two civilian airports on the island with a runway long enough to handle large airliners. Kangerlussuaq sits at the head of the 170 kilometre Kangerlussuaq Fjord and is the departure point for our 7-night cruise. We are due into Kangerlussuaq in the early afternoon where we will be met and transferred into town. We will then have several hours free to explore Kangerlussuaq and to enjoy our first arctic wildlife such as Snow Bunting and Iceland Gull, before we make our way down to the port to board the SV Rembrandt van Rijn, our home for the following 7 nights. Later in the afternoon we will head out into the narrow Kangerlussuaq Fjord, our gateway into the fabulous arctic landscapes of West Greenland.

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Tour Itinerary

Days 3 - 8

West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights

West Greenland Cruise

We will keep the exact itinerary of our cruise flexible, in order to take into account the ice conditions, the weather and the advice of the captain and expedition crew. We begin, however, with a journey down the narrow mountain-flanked Kangerlussuaq Fjord which should be enlivened by sightings of shaggy Musk Oxen grazing on the fjord’s precipitous hillsides; the valleys of Safartoq and Angujafortik being favoured spots. In September, the tundra will be blushing red with the colours of the northern autumn further enhancing an already dramatic landscape! On Day 4 we will leave the mouth of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord and turn south to explore the intricate coastline of West Greenland over the coming days. We will cruise amongst towering deep blue icebergs sculpted into an inexhaustible variety of shapes and sizes by wind, water and ice. We will also visit the source of these 'bergs' as we cruise towards the vast ice walls of the Sermetsiaq and Taterat Sermiat Glaciers and explore the ice-dotted Sermilinguaq Fjord. Common and Ringed Seals are sometimes seen resting on the ice floes, whilst birds to look out for include Common and King Eiders, Black Guillemot, Iceland Gull and Kittiwake. There will also be plenty of opportunities for exploring the land, during which we should keep our eyes open for snowy-white Arctic Hares and Ptarmigan. Furthermore, Humpback, Minke and the occasional Fin Whales feed in the chilly waters offshore and are seen from time to time. South of Maniitsoq, between Alanngua and Atamik, we will make a landing at the site of a large impact crater formed by a meteorite hitting the Earth approximately 3 million years ago. The Maniitsoq Crater is the oldest known impact structure recorded on Earth and an interesting place to visit on our cruise. At first glance, mid-September may seem a little late in the year to operate a cruise in the high Arctic. However, the close of the polar summer is a wonderful time to visit. Not only is the landscape clothed in the reds and golds of autumn, but the rapidly shortening days offer those long hours of darkness needed to gaze skyward for the spectacular Northern Lights. Free from the light pollution that blights so much of the UK and elsewhere, the inky-black night skies above Greenland are breathtaking. Against this star-studded backdrop we hope the Northern Lights will perform their magic, although — with cloud cover and sunspot activity beyond our control — there are no guarantees! We will, however, be in the perfect spot for this most spectacular of natural light shows. Not only is 2014 near the peak of the sun's 11 year solar cycle, and the moon will be fading from quarter to new, but the route of our cruise follows a course directly beneath the Auroral Oval, a ‘doughnut-shaped’ expanse of atmosphere with the Earth’s north magnetic pole at its centre. This oval expands or contracts with the intensity of the solar wind, the stream of hot plasma ejected from the sun which reacts with gas molecules in the upper atmosphere creating the light display itself. When solar wind activity is high the aurora often take the form of dancing curtains which evolve and change continuously, each curtain consisting of many parallel rays lined up with the direction of the magnetic field. At other times it may take the form of a slowly pulsing green, blue or red glow in the sky. As a general rule there will be optional zodiac landings offered in the mornings and afternoons for tundra walks or visits to cultural and historic sites with a break onboard ship for lunch. At other times, however, when we are out amongst the icebergs away from land, the majority of landscape and wildlife viewing will be done from the deck of the ship.; safe in the knowledge that the warmth of the bar is only a flight of stairs away should we fancy a warming cup of coffee or a hot snack!

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West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights

Tour Itinerary

It is impossible to visit Greenland and ignore the island’s fascinating local culture so much of which is tied to the landscapes and wildlife we have come to see. As such, we will take a break from the natural world from time to time to visit local communities and the remains of past settlements - such as the ancient Norse settlement on the shores of Godthabsfjord - to learn of the unique way of life of these hardy people and the past history of human habitation of Greenland. NB - It should be noted that this is a pioneering, expedition-style, cruise and as such there are sure to be plenty of surprises! As mentioned above, we will keep the itinerary flexible to take account of the weather, ice conditions and the advice of the ship’s captain and crew. As such it should be remembered that we are subject at all times to the vagaries of the natural world and the challenges of operating a holiday in a remote polar environment where the safety of passengers and crew must always come first!

Day 9

Disembark SV Rembrandt van Rijn & fly Copenhagen

We are due to arrive into Nuuk early this morning where we disembark after breakfast. Nuuk (Godthåb in Danish) is the capital of Greenland and – with a population of only 15,000 people – the world’s smallest city! We should have a couple of hours to explore with perhaps a visit to the museum or the cultural centre of Nuuk, usually home to extensive Greenland art. Around lunchtime we will transfer to the airport for our flight back to Kangerlussuaq from where we take an Air Greenland flight back to Copenhagen. On arrival (at around 2100 hours) we transfer to a comfortable airport hotel for the night.

Day 10

Fly London

Our flight back home is due to depart Copenhagen Airport late morning arriving back at London Heathrow in the early afternoon

Tour grading Grade A – This is a straightforward holiday with optional morning and afternoon walks on shore and scenery/wildlife viewing from the deck of the ship. Entering and leaving the zodiac craft can present a few difficulties on occasion, but there are always plenty of crew to lend a hand if necessary. Longer walks will be offered for those who wish to stretch their legs. Please also be aware that there are no footpaths in this part of Greenland and the terrain can be steep and rough in places. Excursions will be mostly by zodiacs – rubber, inflatable landing craft – and a mix of wet landings (directly onto a beach) and the very occasional dry landings (where a dock or pier is available). It is also important that you are able to get up and down the steep gangway from the SV Rembrandt van Rjin to the water level to board the zodiac craft. Please also be aware of the need to climb up and down several short (but steep) stairways/steps when moving around the inside of the ship. Should you require additional information on the above please give the Naturetrek office a call on 01962 733051.

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Tour Itinerary

West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights

Finally, please remember that you are travelling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so we would ask you not to join the cruise if you have a life-threatening condition, need daily medical treatment or have difficulty walking.

Food & accommodation All food and accommodation is included in the cost of the holiday except for evening meals in Copenhagen and lunches on Day 2 and Day 9. For the nights in Copenhagen we use a comfortable airport hotel with private facilities. For this cruise we will join the 33-berth SV Rembrandt van Rijn, a 56 metre (168-foot) sailing schooner built in the early 1900s, converted to a passenger vessel in 1994 and then fully refurbished and refitted in 2011. She sailed in Spitsbergen between 1994 and 1996, the Galapagos from 1998 to 2001 and will be cruising Greenland for the next few summers. The communication and navigation equipment has been completely renewed according to the latest SOLAS regulations. The ship is well suited for expedition cruising and offers plenty of deck space, two inflatable rubber craft (zodiacs) and an experienced crew of seven, including two expedition leaders. Although, the SV Rembrandt van Rijn has no ice class, her bow was reinforced during the latest refit and she is therefore suitable, and licensed, to sail in the Greenlandic waters. The ship features a spacious dining room (where meals are served buffet style) and a separate bar. She can accommodate a maximum of 33 passengers in 15 small twin cabins (with limited storage space) as follows: 6 inside twin cabins with private toilet and shower but no porthole; 9 twin cabins with private toilet and shower and porthole and 1 triple cabin with porthole, private toilet and shower. Twin-bedded inside cabins with private facilities are included in the tour cost, outside twin cabins with portholes are available at an extra cost of £125 per person. Please call the Naturetrek office on 01962 733051 for further information.

Dining Room

ing Room Dining Room

Inside cabin (no porthole)

Toilet and shower

Bar

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Outside cabin (with porthole)

© Naturetrek

December 14

West Greenland - Icebergs, Glaciers & the Northern Lights

Tour Itinerary

Extra expenses Lunches and dinners in Copenhagen, Kangerlussuaq and Nuuk are not included in the tour cost along with drinks, laundry and all items of a personal nature. Although solely at your discretion, you might like to allow approximately £60-£70 per person for tips for local expedition staff and the ships crew. NB - Please note that Naturetrek reserves the right to impose a fuel surcharge on this cruise should fuel prices increase significantly and the boat operators request an additional payment.

Tour leaders This holiday will be escorted by local expedition staff who will meet the group on arrival into Kangerlussuaq. Groups of 10 or more will also be joined by a Naturetrek naturalist guide who will travel out from the UK.

Weather Average temperatures in September climb to around 8 degrees during the day and drop to below freezing at night. Although the winds are often light at this season, the weather can be changeable and if a storm does come through, or a wind suddenly blows up, then the principle of ‘wind chill’ kicks in and the temperature can drop by 10°C in minutes. Sea mists also roll in from time to time. A full suggested clothing list will be sent to you on booking.

How to book your place In order to book a place on this holiday, you will need to read our main Naturetrek brochure and complete and return a booking form together with a deposit of 20% of the holiday. If you do not have a copy of this brochure, please call us now on 01962 733051. Alternatively, you are very welcome to book securely online at www.naturetrek.co.uk, or telephone us and make a booking with a credit or debit card.

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