Deep Greenland Expedition: Glaciers, Fjords, and the Disko Bay Circuit

Expedition highlights

Follow the Viking routes across high-latitude coasts where glaciers, fjords, and shifting light set the pace, and wildlife watching is part of the day from deck and shore.

Eternety Fjord, Greenland

Ice Fjords

Listen to the symphony of nature as towering icebergs and colossal glaciers crack and calve.

Wildlife Watching

Look for seabirds, marine life, and coastal species from deck and shore, with the expedition team helping spot and identify what you are seeing.

Expert-led Talks

Learn more about this isolated polar region from our on board team of experts.

Citizen Science Workshops

During your trip, join Swan Hellenics Citizen Science programs and contribute to real-world environmental research.

Viking Heritage

Sail through the North Atlantic world where Norse seafarers left a lasting mark. Walk ports and coastal sites tied to Viking routes, with stories of settlement, trade, and exploration that still shape local identity.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

NOTE: This itinerary provides general information about each destination. Also, please be aware that some of the venues and highlights mentioned may not be open or accessible on the day we visit. For the most accurate tour program, we recommend contacting your Swan Hellenic agent or travel agent closer to your departure date.

Overview

Day 1. Kangerlussuaq

Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen

Day 2. Evigheds Glacier

The Evigheds Glacier, a majestic outflow from the Greenland Ice Sheet, carves through the dramatic Kangerlussuatsiaq Fjord, also known as Eternity Fjord. This 75-km-long waterway is a haven for wildlife, with white-tailed eagles and black-legged kittiwakes soaring above. Calving icebergs showcase Greenland's raw beauty, but sadly like many glaciers, it is slowly retreating due to global warming's impact on this fragile Arctic ecosystem

Day 3. Qeqertarsuaq

Qeqertarsuaq is the largest town on Disko Island, Greenland’s largest island, where colourful houses pop against dramatic red basalt mountains. Overlooked by striking Lyngemark Glacier, the area is shaped by its volcanic origin, unique terrain featuring dramatic basalt columns, rolling hills black sand beaches. Thanks to its relatively fertile landscape, it supports unique plant species, such as wild angelica, rarely found elsewhere in Greenland

Day 4. Uummannaq

The word Uummannaq means ‘heart-shaped’ in Greenlandic and refers to the twin-peaked granite mountain shaped like a heart, which covers narly the whole northern half of the island. Folklore has it that a piece of your heart remains on the island forever, calling you back. Sheltered by glaciated mountains, this charming fjord region is referred to as the sunniest spot in Greenland and has been a refuge for Inuit migrations for over 4,500 years

Day 5. Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

Day 6. Thule

Once home to one of the world's most strategically significant air bases, Thule sits at the edge of the habitable world — a place where Arctic wilderness and 20th-century history collide. Surrounded by vast frozen landscapes and dramatic coastal scenery, this remote corner of northwest Greenland offers a rare glimpse into a land shaped by ice, wind, and extraordinary human endurance. The area is rich in wildlife, with opportunities to spot seabirds, Arctic foxes and marine mammals against a backdrop of glaciers and open sea

Day 7. Siorapaluk

One of the northernmost permanently inhabited settlements on Earth, Siorapaluk is home to a small community of Polar Inuit who have called this remote Arctic outpost their home for centuries. Life here revolves around the rhythms of the sea and seasons — dog sledding, hunting and fishing remain central to daily existence. A visit to Siorapaluk offers a rare and humbling encounter with a culture that has thrived at the very edge of the world, maintaining traditions largely unchanged despite the passage of time

Day 7. Qaanaaq

The main hub of northwest Greenland, Qaanaaq is the heart of Polar Inuit culture — a small but vibrant community perched above a stunning fjord, surrounded by towering mountains and sea ice. Known as one of the most isolated towns on the planet, it offers an extraordinary window into Arctic life, where dog sleds remain a primary mode of transport and the hunting traditions of the Inuit have been preserved for generations. The landscape around Qaanaaq is breathtaking in scale and silence, with icebergs drifting through the fjord and the possibility of wildlife encounters in every direction

Day 8. Day at sea

Spend your day at sea enjoying the facilities available onboard. Head to the sauna, get in a workout in the state-of-the-art gym or relax in the hot tub while taking in incredible views along the way. If you prefer to learn a little more about your surroundings, listen to an informative talk or have a chat with one of our knowledgeable experts

Day 9. Upernavik

Colourful homes dot the hillside of this harbour town. Upernavik's history unfolds at the open-air Upernavik Museum with a church, grocers and original colonial buildings, alongside whale hunting, sea kayaking and Viking and Norse history with the Kingittorsuaq Runestone. To the north, the Upernavik Icefjord is dotted with icebergs. Nearby Apparsuit Island hosts the world's largest seabird cliffs, teeming with black-legged kittiwakes

Day 10. Eqip Sermia Glacier

Eqi Glacier, or Eqip Sermia in Greenlandic, is one of Greenland's largest and most active calving glaciers, spanning nearly 4 km wide and towering over 200 m. Visitors can almost always witness calving, where pieces of ice break off the glacier's face, creating deafening bangs and giant splashes that send waves across the bay. The contrast between thunderous calving and the ensuing silence provides a glimpse of Greenland's dynamic icy landscape

Day 11. Ilulissat, Disko Bay

Sailing through the iceberg capital of the world to Disko Bay, the Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the cruise highlights. Given UNESCO World Heritage Site status, the Ilulissat Icefjord is a popular tourist destination, and thanks to the productive Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, thousands of gargantuan icebergs calve from the Greenland ice cap into the sea. The city of Ilulissat is home to many sled-dogs

Day 12. Sisimiut

The second largest town in Greenland, just above the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut remains remarkably ice free in winter and is known as an adventure sports hub all year round. Inhabited for more than 4,500 years by the Dorset, Thule and eventually the Inuit people, dog sledding remains a vital form of transportation. The area is home to humpback whales and Arctic foxes in their summer coat

Day 13. Kangerlussuaq

Once a WWII airbase at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord, Kangerlussuaq's history is told at the airport’s museum, showcasing Inuit artefacts. This ice-filled glacial area and tundra is a haven for wildlife, including reindeer, arctic foxes, arctic hare, gyrfalcons and around 10,000 muskoxen