HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit the Skjoldungen Fjord, located on Greenland's relatively rarely visited rugged east coast
- Transit through Cruise Prince Christian Sound, which is one of this voyage's highlights
- Explore Nanortalik which means "place of polar bears"
- Visit Uunartoq Island, and find warm springs where the waters form a pool warm enough to bathe in
- Visit Qaqortoq (Julianehåb), the largest town in southern Greenland
- Explore Hvalsey, one of the five sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Arctic farming complex Kujataa
- Explore Nuuk (Godthab), the bustling capital city of Greenland
- Sail along Evighedsfjord (Eternity Fjord) which is a large fjord northeast of Kangaamiut in southwest Greenland
- Visit the Evigheds Glacier, which is the second largest ice body in the world after the Antarctic ice sheet
- Explore Kangaamiut (Qeqqata), backed by some of the country's most spectacular fjordlands
- Visit Sisimiut or 'The People of the Fox Holes', which is Greenland's second city, the largest Arctic City in North America
- Disembark in Kangerlussuaq which is Greenland's main air transport hub and the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport
DATES / RATES
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | Vista Suite | Veranda Suite | Deluxe Veranda Suite | Medallion Suite | Silver Suite | Royal Suite | Grand Suite | Owner's Suite |
|---|
Rates are listed per person in USD
|
| Start Date | End Date | (Starting from)
Vista Suite | (Mid-range)
Silver Suite | (High-end)
Owner's Suite |
|---|
Day
01: Reykjavik, Iceland
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. Iceland's largest church's design echoes the lava flows that
have shaped this remote land and boasts a clean and elegant interior.
The Harpa Concert Hall's sheer glass facade helps it to assimilate into
the landscape, mirroring back the city and harbour. Its LED lights
shimmer in honour of Iceland's greatest illuminated performance
– the northern lights. Walk in the crusts between continents,
feel the spray from bursts of geysers and witness the enduring power of
Iceland's massive waterfalls. Whether you want to sizzle away in the
earth-heated geothermal pools, or hike to your heart's content, you can
do it all from Reykjavik - the colourful capital of this astonishing
outdoor country.
Day
02: Day at sea (International Waters)
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
03: Skjoldungen, Greenland
Located
on Greenland's relatively rarely visited rugged east coast, Skoldungen
Fjord has enchanting scenery with towering mountains tipped with snow,
ice-scraped valley sides and sculptured icebergs in shades of white and
blue. At the top of the fjord one can easily see the retreating state
of the Thrym Glacier. The U-shaped fjord offers spectacular scenery and
as an extra perk, it is not uncommon to see whales in the fjord.
2
Included Shore Excursions
Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
04: Cruise Prince Christian Sound, Greenland
The
transit through the Sound is one of this voyage's highlights.
Connecting the Labrador Sea with the Irminger Seat, Prince Christian
Sound or "Prins Christian Sund" in Danish is named after Prince (later
King) Christian VII (1749-1808). 100 km (60 miles ), long and at times
just 500 m (1500 ft) wide, this majestic and spectacular fiord throws
you back into a Viking era – flanked by soaring snow-topped
mountains, rock-strewn cliffs and rolling hills, it is as if time has
stood still and one easily forgets that this is the 21st century. As
you marvel at the sheer size of the mountains that surround you, with
the Arctic waters lapping deceptively at the hull, revel in the silence
enveloping you. Icebergs float serenely by, carrying with them the ages
of time. Be sure to wear warm clothing as this is one spectacle that
you do not want to miss.
Day
04: Aappilattoq (Kujallec), Greenland
If
you're looking for remote and remarkable then you have found it. Cruise
through Prince Christian Sound to the western end and you'll find
Aapilattoq, a (very) small Greenlandic village of just 100 inhabitants.
The name of the village means "sea anemone" in the local Greenlandic
language, and the fact that the village has retained its Inuit name is
a good indication of what you can expect; traditional village life much
as it has been for the past 100 years. Hunting and fishing are the main
occupations here, and it is not unusual when taking a stroll through
Aappilattoq, past the small school (where 22 pupils from ages 3-16 are
enrolled) and church, to come across a polar bear skin drying in the
wind behind a local dwelling. The village is hidden behind a prominent
red rock and towering mountains, which make the village virtually
inaccessible by land. Naturally, the Aapilattoq and its surrounding
area are phenomenally rich in Arctic wildlife: Arctic fox and Arctic
hare live in the countryside around the village while marine mammals
include ringed seal, harbour seal, hooded seal, bearded seal, harp
seal, humpback whale (typically in summer), minke whale, fin whale,
narwhal, and beluga.
3
Included Shore Excursions
Aappilattoq
Hike, Village Walk and Church Choir Performance
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
05: Nanortalik (Kujallek), Greenland
There
is a wonderful legend that the Vikings named Greenland Green and
Iceland Ice in order to confuse potential attackers. Because it is
quite the opposite; if Iceland is full of emerald forest, then expect
ice in Greenland. Lots and lots of ice. Thus one shouldn't be too
surprised to learn that the name Nanortalik means "place of polar
bears". Although, as Nanortalik is Greenland's most southerly town,
don't be too disappointed if you don't see any. In truth, Greenland's
polar bears typically live much further north. What you will see
however is Mother Nature at her finest. Vertical cliff walls, sheets of
floating sea ice and a plethora of Arctic wildlife that amount to an
adventurer's wonderland. As Nanortalik itself is located on a small
island in the southern tip of Greenland, nature is never far away,
wherever you find yourself. The optimistically named city centre is
surrounded by the pristine waters of Tasermiut Fjord and dotted with
the colourful houses you would expect this far north. Traditionally,
artisans' houses were painted different colours to showcase what they
did, i.e. commercial houses were red; hospitals were yellow; police
stations were black; the telephone company was green and fish factories
were blue. Today it is more a case of anything goes! Nanortalik locals
are warm and welcoming, and are known to extent the art of Kaffe-Mik to
its visitors. This old tradition is where a family invites guests into
their home to drink coffee and taste their famous Greenlandic cake.
3
Included Shore Excursions
Explore
Nanortalik, Greenland
Activity
Level: Moderate
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Expedition
activities with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Day
05: Uunartoq Island, Greenland
In
the local Kalaallisut language, Uunartoq means 'hot', and there is no
mystery why. Several warm springs exist in Greenland, but Uunartoq
Island is the only site where the waters form a pool warm enough to
bathe in. Although not as well known as the famous springs of Iceland,
nowhere can challenge Uunartoq for scenery. The picturesque series of
steaming pools are backed by some of the best scenery Greenland has to
offer. Icebergs larger than city blocks drift through the labyrinth of
fjords which make up Southern Greenland, passing as they drift towards
the ocean. Mountains pierce the clouds, and the tundra blooms in the
long summer days; and there is no better way to appreciate the
spectacular wilderness of South Greenland than from the perfectly
warmed natural comfort of the Uunartoq hot spring. The ancient
crystalline rock of Southern Greenland is nearly two billion years old.
A fault in the rock allows water to sink down into the ground, where
Earth's internal heat warms it, causing it to rise again. Uunartoq
Island is the site where this water escapes, forming a sandy pool
heated constantly from below. Basic changing facilities and a grass
walkway to the stone-lined pool allow visitors comfort, while
reconnecting with nature. It is believed that the Norse settlers in
Greenland knew of and made use of the pool, but the island has never
been inhabited, excluding a few summerhouses belonging to local
residents.
1
Included Shore Excursion
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
06: Qaqortoq (Julianehåb), Greenland
The
largest town in southern Greenland, Qaqortoq has been inhabited since
prehistoric times. Upon arrival in this charming southern Greenland
enclave, it's easy to see why. Qaqortoq rises quite steeply over the
fjord system around the city, offering breath-taking panoramic vistas
of the surrounding mountains, deep, blue sea, Lake Tasersuag, icebergs
in the bay, and pastoral backcountry. Although the earliest signs of
ancient civilization in Qaqortoq date back 4,300 years, Qaqortoq is
known to have been inhabited by Norse 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 and trading hub
for fish and shrimp processing, tanning, fur production, and ship
maintenance and repair.
4
Included Shore Excursions
Qaqortoq
Town Walk
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Expedition
activities with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Day
06: Hvalsey, Greenland
18
kilometers northeast of Qaqortoq, Hvalsey is part of Qaqortukulooq, one
of the five sites of the UNESCO World Heritage Arctic farming complex
Kujataa. Between Eriksfjord to the north and Einarsfjord to the south,
the Hvalseyfjord branches off from Einarsfjord. Although Hvalsey is
better known for the well-preserved ruins of one of the sixteen
churches in the Norse’s Eastern Settlement, the church was in
a farmstead known as Thjodhild’s Stead. This farmstead at the
northeastern end of the fjord included a large building with living
quarters, a hall and livestock pens, as well as other livestock pens, a
storage building and a warehouse –the ruins of which can
still be seen. The Norse farming laid the foundation for the Inuit
farming in later centuries, leading to the UNESCO World Heritage status
in 2017. In the 14th century account “Descriptions of
Greenland” the abundant fish, a reindeer farm on Reindeer
Island and Hvalsey’s name “Whale Island”
clearly indicate that the Norse had ample food sources at that time.
The church was built in the Anglo-Norwegian style of the 13th century,
but is known to have been built over an older graveyard. The farmstead
is mentioned in the Icelandic “Book of Settlements”
as property of the Kings of Norway, and the last documented event of
the Norse in Greenland is a wedding which took place in the church in
September 1408. After almost 600 years of abandonment, conservation
work had to be done to prevent the seaward wall from collapsing.
1
Included Shore Excursion
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
07: Day at sea
Day
08: Nuuk (Godthab), Greenland
In
the bustling capital city of Greenland, you could be forgiven for
forgetting you are in such a vast and isolated country. Nuuk is
Greenland's economic and social hub, home to more than a third of
Greenland's population, and although it feels like a world capital,
scratch the surface, and a uniquely Greenlandic character can be found
underneath. Nuuk Cathedral overlooks the gorgeous old Colonial Harbour
district and the Greenland National Museum, resting place of the
legendary Qilakitsoq mummies, the true highlight of the museum's
archaeological collection. Above the Colonial Harbour sits downtown
Nuuk, with lines of Scandistyle apartments, a bustling shopping
district, the Greenlandic Parliament, Nuuk City Hall (which welcomes
visitors to see its artwork) and even outdoor cafes selling locally
produced food and beer. These nods to modernity compete for space with
local artisan boutiques, the meat market selling the catch from Nuuk's
vast fjord-lands, and the stunning Katuaq Cultural Centre, where
blockbuster movies, as well as local and foreign performers entertain
the people of Nuuk. Although Nuuk has long been a melting pot of Danish
and Greenlandic ideas, this is a city where Greenland displays its
sophistication, with the Country's only traffic lights, roundabouts and
University. Most of all, expect to find a multitude of friendly people
who are proud of who they are, and equally proud of the city they call
home.
3
Included Shore Excursions
Nuuk
Cultural Historical Walk
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Expedition
activities with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Day
09: Evighedsfjord, Greenland
Evighedsfjord
(Eternity Fjord) is a large fjord northeast of Kangaamiut in southwest
Greenland. The fjord has a length of 75 kilometers and several branches
with numerous glaciers coming down from the Maniitsoq Ice Cap to the
north can be seen. The Evighedsfjord has several bends and whenever the
ship reaches the supposed end the fjord continues in another direction
and seems to go on forever. Qingua Kujatdleq Glacier is at its
southeastern end. At the northwestern end a U-shaped valley has seven
glaciers coming down from the mountains but not reaching the water. The
glaciers had their maximum extent around the year 1870 and have gone
through several cycles of advance and retreat. The mountains on either
side of the fjord can reach in excess of 2,000 meters and the fjord has
a depth of up to 700 meters. Evighedsfjord's snowline is at 1,100
meters and the Evighedsfjord region is famous as one of Greenland's
best heli-skiing areas.
2
Included Shore Excursions
Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
09: Evigheds Glacier, Greenland
The
Evigheds Glacier flows from the Greenland Ice Sheet, the second largest
ice body in the world after the Antarctic ice sheet, to the west. It is
a slow-moving tidewater glacier, meaning this valley glacier winds down
through the coastal mountains to the ocean at a snail's pace. As the
glacial ice enters the water it begins to float and the eventually
breaks apart into icebergs that float away down the fjord. The shades
of blue and carved shapes of these ice floes are infinite.
3
Included Shore Excursions
Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Day
09: Kangaamiut (Qeqqata), Greenland
Kangaamiut
(the People of the Fjords) is a settlement which clings to the
shoreline of Greenland's Arctic Circle region, backed by some of the
country's most spectacular fjordlands. The nearby pinnacle-shaped
mountains gave the Danish-Norwegian colonial settlement its original
name of Sukkertoppen (Sugarloaf) and the town recently celebrated its
250th anniversary. Here, one can experience small-town Greenlandic
culture at its most authentic. The town is scattered across a small
hill, displaying all the colourful buildings of the town at once; it is
impossible to take a bad photo here. A system of staircases and
boardwalks leads to the top of the hill, an area used to helicopter
transport which offers jaw-dropping vistas of the wilderness around the
settlement. The locals are proud of their Inuit history and culture,
and the people of Kangaamiut are friendly and welcoming to vistors.
Depending on the day, one could see local men selling fresh fish or
reindeer meat from the surrounding fjords or flensing their catch on
the rocks of the harbour, local women selling intricate homemade beaded
necklaces and carvings, or even be invited into a local home to share a
pot of coffee with some of the friendly residents, who are always happy
to have visitors. Although the scenery is world-class, as in many towns
in Greenland, wonderful memories of the welcoming residents are the
most treasured.
4
Included Shore Excursions
Kangaamiut
Open Settlement
Activity
Level: Moderate
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Expedition
Activities with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Moderate
Day
10: Sisimiut, Greenland
Sisimiut
('The People of the Fox Holes') is Greenland's second city, the largest
Arctic City in North America, and a hub between the warmer South and
the frozen North of the country. With a young, dynamic population,
including students from all over the country, Sisimiut is one of the
fastest growing cities in Greenland. Inhabited for more than four and a
half thousand years, the Danish Colonial Era saw the rapid development
of the city into a trade centre, and the old buildings and artefacts
can be seen at Sisimiut Museum, a collection of beautifully restored
buildings displaying everything from ancient turf houses to modern
Inuit art. The local artisans are considered some of the best in
Greenland, and often sell their wares direct from their communal
workshop in the harbour, where they barter with hunters for raw
materials. Today, modern industry focussed on processing sea food and
shipping; KNI, the state-run chain of general stores operating in even
the most remote settlements is based in Sisimiut. Most residents still
live in the colourful wooden houses Greenland is so well known for.
Sisimiut's vast back country offers excellent opportunities for hiking
and fishing, and the locals often use sled dogs or snowmobiles to get
around their vast mountainous playground during the long winters. In
the summer, one can walk as far as Kangerlussuaq International Airport,
a trail also used for the gruelling Polar Circle Marathon, one of the
toughest endurance events in the world.
2
Included Shore Excursions
Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
Activity
Level: Extensive
1
Selected Shore Excursion
Flightseeing
Sisimiut
Activity
Level: Moderate
Day
11: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
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.
(Click image to view Ship details)
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Butler
service in every suite
- Unlimited
Free Wifi
- Personalised
service – nearly one crew member for every guest
- Choice
of restaurants, diverse cuisine, open-seating dining
- Beverages
in-suite and throughout the ship, including champagne, select wines and
spirits
- In-suite
dining and room service
- Onboard
entertainment
- Onboard
gratuities
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
ADVENTURE
OPTIONS
- Zodiac
Cruise with Silversea Expedition team
- Kayaking
with Silversea Expedition team
- Aappilattoq
Hike, Village Walk and Church Choir Performance
- Hiking
with Silversea Expedition team
- Explore
Nanortalik, Greenland
- Expedition
activities with Silversea Expedition team
- Qaqortoq
Town Walk
- Nuuk
Cultural Historical Walk
- Kangaamiut
Open Settlement
- Flightseeing
Sisimiut
