teatimeabroadEast Greenland Fjords Travel Diary: A Day-by-Day Arctic Adventure
Discovering Greenland as a Travel Destination
I came across a cruise deal for the East Greenland fjords completely at random. I was soon reading everything I could find about this mysterious place. Although the island is off the northeast of Canada, geopolitics considers it a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. East Greenland is home to the longest fjord system of any known place in the world, at a whopping 217 miles/350 km long.
Greenland Day 1: The Crossing
On August 11, 2024, we boarded our Hurtigruten expedition ship, the MS Fram. From the moment we stepped aboard, the crew made us feel at home. Our voyage began with a 36-hour crossing of the Denmark Strait. The small size of this ship, with a maximum capacity of 250 passengers, ensured a more intimate cruise experience as smaller passenger loads allowed for one-on-one conversations with the expedition team.
Hurtigruten Cruise Inclusions
Hurtigruten (HX) is a Norwegian-based company. Included in our booking: a water-and-wind-proof HX jacket, reusable metal water bottle, knee high loaner boots to wear for shore landings, all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, all shore landings. Sea-kayaking cost €179/$188 per person for each outing (as of August 2024) and was only possible on days where the weather permitted. Tipping the staff was an option at the reception.
First Impressions of the Hurtigruten Cruise Line
This Norwegian company is one of the most environmentally friendly cruise options on the market. They are also science-focused. The MS Fram ship has an onboard library, a laboratory, and a lecture room. The expedition team is an onboard team of biologists and scientists that conducts presentations in both the lab and lecture room.
Greenland Day 2: Open Sea
We slowly met our fellow passengers as we spent some time getting to know the ship. There was a diverse program of presentations slated throughout the day. Marine biologist Jena gave the first lecture on whales.
Halfway through the day, we received a treat! As if they knew we’d been speaking about them, a rare group of male sperm whales surrounded the ship. This was just the start of a whale-centric day. We spotted humpback, minke, and fin whales nearby. At one point, the number of whales was so prevalent that the captain anchored the ship for us to watch. Jena bounced from one end of the deck to the other with the scientists, excitedly shouting out the names and descriptions of the whales. All the while, her binoculars stayed on the water.
A full day at sea gave us plenty of time to get acquainted with our new routine. By midday, the waves had smoothed out to where we could barely feel the ship speeding through open waters. Endless shades of powder blue turned to purple, then fluorescent white, and golden yellow as the sun took its time dipping below the horizon. The sound of clanging waves against the ship rocked me to sleep.
Day 3: Arriving in Greenland
Part 1
Our first official day in the East Greenland Fjords started with the sighting of Hurry Inlet from the dining-room window. Within the fjord, icebergs from the nearby glacier loomed, casting geometric reflections in the lightly lapping water. After the expedition team examined a large radius around the landing site for polar bears, we could disembark. The zodiac boats deployed from the lower level of the ship, scooting us to shore. We walked up a steep hill for panoramic views.
Greenland was greener than I expected, despite its frigid summer temperatures. It wasn’t the conventional green of open fields or forests. It was a muted shade of iced over vegetation. Up close, the craggy earth revealed swaths of a sort of moss, patches of what appeared to be grass and small flowers. We liberally explored this strangely quiet landscape before heading back to shore.
Part 2
That’s when they gave us the opportunity to take part in a polar plunge… I doubted the sanity of such an endeavor with limbs already covered in goosebumps. Despite the water and air temperatures being just above freezing, and a wind chill cutting through our clothes, we stripped down as fast as possible.
I ran straight into the sea before I could think about what I was doing. The freezing water took my breath away, but I committed myself. I dove head-first beneath the surface. The electric cold sent me catapulting back to shore. I struggled to roll my top layers over my wet skin. Vaguely, I heard the applause of some of the crew and other passengers. Sharing a manic laugh with my husband and friends, we gathered up the rest of our clothes as fast as we could and jumped in a Zodiac boat. I couldn’t feel my body, or even the biting wind, for minutes after the plunge as we bounced over the water back to the ship. I took a very necessary hot shower upon our return. A follow-up dip in the back deck hot tub eventually warmed me to the core.
Part 3
We spent the rest of the afternoon cruising past increasingly large icebergs as we sailed through the East Greenland Fjords. I stood on the front deck for as long as my body could tolerate the cold, soaking in the ice’s beauty in contrast with the sloping rocky mountains that served as guiding borders for our path.
George, the ornithologist, provided the afternoon lecture. A fish dissection followed this by marine biologist Ingvild, in the science lab. There were constant lessons to soak in from the team and the landscape. I was grateful for the afternoon coffee and cake in the Explorer Lounge, which gave me time to catch up on my journaling.
Greenland Day 4: The Bear Islands
We awoke near the Bear Islands. Exploring the northern part of the island occupied our morning. Temperatures were comfortably (for Greenlandic standards) in the 50s: the terrain on shore alternated between rocks and squishy moss.
The historian, Benjamin, pointed out the remains of a settlement formerly belonging to the Thule people, predecessors of the Inuit. They formerly lived in caves dug into the ground, complete with an antechamber at the entrance to keep the living quarters warm. We found animal bones, a musk ox skull, and even some antlers scattered around the old settlement. The Thule people survived off hunting polar bears, whales, seals and musk oxen.
We spent the afternoon exploring the southern part of the island. We basked in the surrounding landscape of mountains and glacier filled inlets. Despite the chill that we were becoming accustomed to, mosquitoes surprised us on our marshy walk. This was the only place where we encountered the mosquitoes our itinerary warned might be prevalent in the summer months.
Day 5: Rypefjord
On the Water
By this point in the trip, we were deep in Greenland’s East fjords. We began our day with some epic arctic sea kayaking. Wispy fog danced over the coastline. The glassy glacier waters were still enough to look frozen over. A massive glacier was visible in the distance, wedged into one arm of the fjord.
On the Land
Upon returning to the ship, we ran as fast as we could to change clothes and get the last Zodiac boat out onto land. Our landing in this bay was nothing short of extraordinary. Puffs of clouds floated over the mountaintops like a cartoonish dream. Understanding the icebergs to be multiple stories high was almost unfathomable. The surrounding peaks scraped the sky, dwarfing them a hundred times over.
We carefully picked our way through the shoreline of rocks and marsh, careful not to turn our ankles on the wild beach. Spongy vegetation provided a bouncy playground to explore. Tiny Arctic flowers embedded in splotches of green fascinated us. It seemed impossible that these little tropical-colored flowers could survive in such harsh climates.
Deeper on solid land, we climbed a path of rocks for an overview of the surrounding area. The winding turquoise waters seemed to be painted in swirling flourishes around the bases of the brown mountains. We could distantly see little dots of musk oxen wandering along the surrounding mountains. The contrast of ice and grazing animals looked as if someone had merged two oil paintings into one abstract thought. The unlikeliness of their pairing only made the scene more extraordinary.
Just as we were getting ready to return to the ship, a musk ox mama and baby revealed themselves in proximity. Their lumpy brown bodies lumbered from side to side as they grazed. The clumsy baby captured our hearts. We watched from a safe and respectful distance with some of the expedition team. I grinned from ear to ear as I watched them through binoculars.
On the Water: Zodiac Boat Iceberg Cruising
The afternoon took us deeper into the wild fjord. Icebergs like I had only seen in Antarctica surrounded us on all sides. The captain announced a surprise Zodiac cruise to explore these ice sculptures up close. We eagerly climbed into one of the tiny boats with our cameras to capture some of the most beautiful views thus far.
Parts of the ice glowed fluorescent blue at the core and base. Many looked as if someone had scribbled on them with a black Sharpie, showing they had scraped the ocean floors or valley walls and picked up sediment before flipping upside down.
The ride was a cold one, but a memorable one. I was happy to have donned multiple layers. Even at a safe distance from the ice, the air felt a few degrees colder. The occasional cracking from calving ice (when a piece of ice breaks off of a glacier to form an iceberg) blended with the lapping of the water against our boat. These echoing sounds were a simple reminder of our remoteness.
Greenland Day 6: Sydcap and Charcot Havn
On August 16th, the anxiously hoped for day finally arrived. We stepped out onto the front deck just in time to spot a polar bear!!! The polar bear has always been my favorite animal—my greatest travel dream was to see one in the wild.
The bear was exactly where we intended to make our daily landing. Hunters had recently left behind the remains of a musk ox. The bear picked at the corpse. We watched in awe for an hour as the bear lumbered around. It eventually settled down to rest like an enormous dog. Its head sniffed up at the air in our direction, clearly aware of our scent. I stared through binoculars with a smile that wouldn’t fade.
Later that day, we watched another lecture given by Jena. Research on polar bears shows that scientists predict they will go extinct within 30 years because of the rapidly melting polar ice… To date, there has never been a success in breeding them in captivity for release into the wild. There is no current solution for this decline in numbers without solving global warming. Rapidly melting Arctic ice makes hunting harder for bears, leading to starvation and forced migrations into southern villages; there, people sometimes kill the bears for citizen safety. Starting in 2025, new laws are coming into place surrounding polar bears and tourism.
It was a bittersweet way to end the day, but an important education.
Greenland Day 7: Ittoqqortoormiit, “The place of big houses”
Established in 1925, the settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit is located approximately midway up Greenland’s eastern coast, within the Arctic Circle. The East Greenlandic people speak their own dialect in addition to the official Greenlandic language. The world’s largest national park is north of Ittoqqortoormiit, and the largest fjord system is south (where we spent most of our trip).
Tourism is brand new in this region. The season is extremely short because of the sea ice that makes arriving by ship inaccessible for most of the year. The people were kind and curious. Some children smiled and waved from the coast upon our arrival. Others shyly peeked out from windows and doorways. The expedition leaders warned us not to give anything to the children that might condition them to associate gifts with visiting cruise ships. Instead, we were told to direct donations or gifts to a town representative.
Life in Town
A quick tour of the town limits lasted about 30 minutes. Our guide cautioned us to never step out of town without a guide or a gun and to never approach the tied up sled dogs, who are partly wild. Then, he took us down the main street, pointing out the community buildings. My favorite anecdote was about how the local kids jump off the roofs into giant piles of snow for fun in the winter. Adorable puppies stole the show, wagging their tails hard enough that they could barely stand as they wedged themselves into the crowd.
Afterward, we had time to explore on our own, with the warning to stay within certain streets for safety. The week before our arrival, someone shot a polar bear because it had wandered too close to the playground. Its fur lined the entire length of one home’s balcony, a somber warning. I couldn’t imagine seeing such a massive animal like that up close. Ittoqqortoormiit’s polar bear protocol requires that all citizens of the town leave their doors unlocked. If you saw a bear, the proper response was to run into the nearest house, no questions asked.
Life in this town seemed tough, dangerous, isolated and ridiculously cold. The wind was blowing so strongly that I had to lean into it to move forward. I had no chance of keeping my hood on without holding it in place.
The big event of the day was the inaugural Hurtigruten vs. Ittoqqortoormiit soccer game. My husband took part in the Hurtigruten team and even scored one goal! The ship’s team was no match for the local teens, however. We lost 3-1, everyone in high spirits. The joy on the faces of the locals was unbeatable.
Arctic Town Logistics
Ittoqqortoormiit is as remote as it gets in the East Greenland Fjords. They only receive one main cargo delivery of food and goods per year. We visited during the week of the delivery. There were quite a few people stumbling around drunk, assumingly enjoying the alcohol shipment.
Why would anyone choose to live in such harsh conditions? This was a question I couldn’t help but wonder about. Our guide explained that the Danish government provides some attractive jobs and benefits. Hunters also have plenty of hunting prospects that make the region enticing. But the main reason is probably the most obvious one: Ittoqqortoormiit is simply home for its inhabitants. It is an insanely gorgeous coastal town. Icebergs regularly float through the bay, endless open land surrounds the town on all fronts, and Greenland’s largest mountain appears in silhouette in the background.
Day 8: Antarctic Havn
Following our visit to town came a day of rest. Thanks to a distant, but nevertheless present, polar bear sighted by the expedition team, the team cancelled the planned visit to the Antarctic harbor. Our ship pulled back out to the open sea as we began the ascent towards the northern fjords and national park. Many of the guests were seasick from the rocking and remained in their rooms. After downing some seasickness medication, I made my way to the afternoon research lectures. I used the free time in between to catch up on my journal, much of which has been the backbone of this article.
Greenland Day 9
Part 1: Blomsterbugten, “Bay of flowers”
We spent the morning exploring a beautiful part of the east fjords. Surprising shocks of pink and red flowers splattered across the spongy vegetation. An old Norwegian trapper hut sat on a hill near the shore. I found the inside surprisingly cozy. Afterward, we explored the surrounding hills, with the water reflecting the surrounding mountains.
Part 2: Nordfjord Waltershausen Glacier
We spent the afternoon cruising around massive icebergs. The icing on the cake was the 10.5 km long Waltershausen Glacier at the mouth of the fjord. It was a mesmerizing experience to see up close. Our Zodiac boat driver cut the motor so we could listen to the sounds of nature. Aside from the gentle lapping of the waves on the boat, we could hear the popping of calving ice. Photos couldn’t capture the immensity of the icebergs that filled the surrounding waters. At one point, a giant piece of the ice broke off the glacier, crashing into the water multiple stories below. Even knowing that we remained at a safe distance, it was eerie to hear the echoes of cracking ice.
Day 10: Ella Ø
Our last day was upon us. I did my best to soak up every detail as we headed to shore for our last landing in the East Greenland Fjords. On shore were a few simple cabins. The first was an old trapper hut that was no longer in use. The other structures belonged to the Danish government.
We learned that this sight belonged to the Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. Headquarters has existed in the Northeast Greenland National Park since 1941. The members of this unit are members of the Danish Special Forces. The qualifications for becoming a member are strict. If selected, the training lasts for 8 months. The primary job requirements include monitoring and protecting Greenland’s border.
For more information about this unique dog-sled patrol, its history and the recruitment process, you can read more here.
Day 11 & 12: The return sailing
We weren’t ready to go home. We’d spent over 24 hours sailing back through the Denmark Strait to Iceland on (thankfully) flat seas. A few hours from the Icelandic coast, we sat around the lounge sipping cocktails with new friends and reminiscing over our favorite moments. That’s when nature gave us one last gift.
Nighttime had already fallen. I was mid-sentence when the door to the lounge flew open. Ornithologist George came crashing through, out of breath, screaming, “Volcano! A volcano is erupting!”
We raced to the front deck, our drinks forgotten. A dancing orange glow lit the distant sky. It seemed too perfect to be real. I stood on the deck in my evening dress without even realizing I was cold. The expedition team was euphoric, sharing group hugs and some even crying. It was more than special to witness such beauty on the final night at sea.
While I acknowledge that this ending sounds a little too cliche, but it’s one that I promise to be true. It is here that I will close out this piece. If Greenland wasn’t on your radar before, I hope it is now. If raw nature, isolation and adventure are what you seek, then a trip to the East Greenland Fjords is for you.
I hope you enjoyed reading my East Greenland fjords travel diary. For more stories of slow travel and the little moments between stops, check out my Substack, here: Steeped in Travel.
