REYKJAVIK TO KANGERLUSSUAQ EXPEDITION (SILVER CLOUD) Greenland – that ultimate traveller’s destination – is a combination of natural beauty laid bare, zero commercialisation and opportunities for extreme wildlife watching on Greenland’s eastern shore. Follow the ice’s edge on this voyage that sees the world’s most sparsely populated country in all her glory! Expect a lot of Norse history, natural hot springs ripe for bathing, never setting sun, and smatterings of colourful painted cottages flanking the shores. ITINERARY Day 1: Reykjavik The capital of Iceland’s land of ice, fire and natural wonder, Reykjavik is a city like no other - blossoming among some of the world’s most vibrant and violent scenery. Home to two-thirds of Iceland’s population, Reykjavik is the island’s only real city, and a welcoming and walkable place - full of bicycles gliding along boulevards or battling the wind when it rears up. Fresh licks of paint brighten the streets, and an artistic and creative atmosphere embraces studios and galleries - as well as the kitchens where an exciting culinary scene is burgeoning. Plot your adventures in the city's hip bars and cosy cafes, or waste no time in venturing out to Iceland’s outdoor adventures. Reykjavik’s buildings stand together in a low huddle - below the whip of winter’s winds - but the magnificent Hallgrímskirkja church is a solid exception, with its bell tower rising resolutely over the city. Day 2: At sea Days at sea are the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind and catch up with what you’ve been meaning to do. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, whale watching, catching up on your reading or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to busy days spent exploring shore side. Day 3: Skoldungen Fjord 0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com Located on Greenland’s relatively rarely visited rugged east coast, Skoldungen The largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq has been inhabited since Fjord has enchanting scenery with towering mountains tipped with snow, prehistoric times. Upon arrival in this charming southern Greenland enclave, ice-scraped valley sides and sculptured icebergs in shades of white and blue. it's easy to see why. Qaqortoq rises quite steeply over the fjord system around At the top of the fjord one can easily see the retreating state of the Thrym the city, offering breath-taking panoramic vistas of the surrounding mountains, Glacier. The U-shaped fjord offers spectacular scenery and as an extra perk, it deep, blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs in the bay, and pastoral is not uncommon to see whales in the fjord. backcountry. Although the earliest signs of ancient civilization in Qaqortoq date back 4,300 years, Qaqortoq is known to have been inhabited by Norse Day 4: Prins Christian Sound & Aapilattoq and Inuit settlers in the 10th and 12th centuries, and the present-day town was founded in 1774. In the years since, Qaqortoq has evolved into a seaport Connecting the Denmark Strait with Davis Strait, Prins Christian Sund offers a and trading hub for fish and shrimp processing, tanning, fur production, and protected course from southeastern to southwestern Greenland, and is one of ship maintenance and repair. Northeast of Qaqortoq and at the end of a fjord, South Greenland’s most dramatic natural features. The water is generally Hvalsey is one of the best examples of South Greenland’s many scattered placid and the crisp scent of ice fills the air. On either side of the Sund, ruins from the Norse period. Today the area is used for sheep-grazing, but waterfalls stream down sharp, wrinkled mountainsides. Depending on weather until the 15th century the settlement at Hvalsey, and specifically Hvalsey’s conditions, icebergs that glitter in the sun may be constant companions during church, played an important part. Christianity had spread its influence the passage. Born of compacted ancient snows that formed glaciers and now throughout Europe and eventually had reached remote Greenland, where it calve into the sound at the glacier’s edge, each iceberg is different from the established itself in the country in 1000 AD. Hvalsey Church was built in the next. Aapilattoq is a small settlement near the western end of Prins Christian 14th century and is the best preserved of the churches in Greenland from that Sund in southwestern Greenland. In the local Greenlandic language the name period. Apart from the church walls, historical ruins from the time of the Norse means, "sea anemone". This small village of 130 inhabitants, hidden behind are just a few meters away. a prominent rock, offers a good insight into the life of Greenlandic Inuit. A stroll through the village will reveal a small school and a church, along with Day 7: Qassiarsuk & Itilleq the likely possibility of seeing a polar bear skin drying in the wind behind a local dwelling. People have lived off the land in the area around Aapilattoq Qassiarsuk is the newer, Greenlandic name for this small village. Brattahlid is since the 19th century. The tradition continues today as most people here the older, Norse name. Here we tour the foundation remains of the manor hunt and fish to make a living. house of Erik the Red, who found Greenland after being banished from Iceland and Norway for murder. We will also visit the site of the first Christian church Day 5: Nanortalik & Uunartoq Island ever built in North America (physiographically speaking), see a recently unearthed Norse graveyard that contains remains of 144 Norse colonists, and Nanortalik lies in a scenic area surrounded by steep mountainsides and is have a chance to admire Hans Lynge’s remarkable bronze sculpture of Erik the Greenland’s tenth-largest and most southerly town with less than 1500 Red. Itilleq is an idyllic little village located on a small island about a half a inhabitants. The town’s name means the “place of polar bears”, which refers mile off the west coast of Greenland, and only about a mile north of the Arctic to the polar bears that used to be seen floating offshore on summer’s ice Circle. It is one of the most picturesque villages in Greenland with its quaint floes. Nanortalik has an excellent open-air museum that gives a broad picture colorful houses surrounded by stunning rugged mountains and glaciers. of the region from Inuit times to today. Part of the exhibition is a summer Originally, the village of Itilleq was founded on another island in 1847, but hunting camp, where Inuit in traditional clothing describe aspects of their was later moved to its present location. The 100 people living here today ancestor’s customs and lifestyle. Uunartoq is a small island in South survive mainly on hunting and fishing, with a fish factory being the main Greenland a short distance east of what once was considered the largest employer. settlement in Greenland. The island has hot springs that were renowned as far back as the days of the Norse for their healing effects. Three naturally heated Day 8: At sea streams have been channeled to flow into a knee-deep and stone-lined pool. While one unwinds by soaking in the steaming waters, one can watch icebergs that either clog the fjord to the north or come floating by. Day 9: Nuuk Day 6: Qaqortoq & Hvalsey Nuuk, meaning “the cape”, was Greenland’s first town (1728). Started as a fort and later mission and trading post some 240 kilometers south of the 0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com Arctic Circle, it is the current capital. Almost 30% of Greenland’s population lives in the town. Not only does Nuuk have great natural beauty in its vicinity, but there are Inuit ruins, Hans Egede’s home, the parliament, and the Church of our Saviour as well. The Greenlandic National Museum has an outstanding collection of Greenlandic traditional dresses, as well as the famous Qilakitsoq mummies. The Katuaq Cultural Center’s building was inspired by the undulating Northern Lights and can house 10% of Nuuk’s inhabitants. Day 10: At sea Day 11: Kangerlussuaq Kangerlussuaq is a settlement in western Greenland in the Qeqqata municipality located at the head of the fjord of the same name (Danish: Søndre Strømfjord). It is Greenland's main air transport hub and the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport. The airport dates from American settlement during and after World War II, when the site was known as Bluie West-8 and Sondrestrom Air Base. The Kangerlussuaq area is also home to Greenland's most diverse terrestrial fauna, including muskoxen, caribou, and gyrfalcons. The settlement's economy and population of 512 is almost entirely reliant on the airport and tourist industry. Please Note: Itineraries are subject to change. 0800 945 3327 (within New Zealand) | +64 (0) 3 365 1355 | 1800 107 715 (within Australia) [email protected] | wildearth-travel.com YOUR SHIP: SILVER CLOUD YOUR SHIP: Silver Cloud VESSEL TYPE: Luxury Expedition LENGTH: 157 m PASSENGER CAPACITY: 200/260 BUILT/REFURBISHED: 1994 Refurbished & Rebranded After extensive refurbishment, _Silver Cloud_ will be the most Corner spacious and comfortable ice class vessel in expedition DECK 07 - La Terrazza, The Spa at Silversea, Beauty Salon, The cruising. Her large suites, her destination itineraries and her Library unparalleled service make her truly special. Her five dining DECK 06 - Lecture Theatre, The Fitness Centre, Reception/Guest options will tantalise your taste buds and as 80% of her suites Relations, Expedition Desk include a veranda, watching a breaching whale or a few DECK 05 - The Bar, Boutique, Casino cavorting penguins has never been so personal.