Moment 01
Icebergs beyond scale
Drift among bergs calved from the great ice sheet, some of them taller than the ship itself.
Greenland.
The World's Largest Island
Greenland is a land of staggering scale: an ice sheet two miles deep, fjords choked with icebergs the size of buildings, and tiny, brightly painted settlements clinging to the edge of it all. It is one of the last places where the wilderness still sets the terms.
Expedition voyages trace the dramatic coastline, calling at Inuit communities where centuries-old traditions endure and nosing into fjords like Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord system on earth. Days mix Zodiac cruises among the icebergs, hikes across flower-strewn tundra, and visits ashore to meet the people who call this immense island home.
Many sailings pair Greenland with Iceland or the Canadian Arctic, and the autumn departures add the chance of the northern lights overhead. We help you choose the coast, the season and the ship, and arrange the flights and gateway stays that make a complex corner of the world feel effortless.
- The region
- Greenland · The Arctic
- Voyage length
- 8–14 nights
- The ship
- Ice-class expedition ship & Zodiacs
- Season
- Late Jun–early Oct
What you'll remember
Moments along the way.
Moment 02
Living Inuit culture
Step ashore in remote settlements and meet communities shaped by the ice for millennia.
Moment 03
Lights and tundra
Autumn voyages bring the aurora overhead and tundra ablaze with color underfoot.
Moment 04
Ilulissat icefjord
The UNESCO icefjord calving the most productive glacier outside Antarctica.
Moment 05
Colorful settlements
Boxy houses in red, blue and yellow clinging to the rock above the bergs.
Moment 06
The great ice sheet
A frozen world two miles deep, covering all but the rim of the island.
The route
A sample sailing.
6 stops · Qaqortoq to Uummannaq
Tap a stop to jump to that day · drag to explore
-
1 Day 1Kangerlussuaq
Fly in at the head of a long fjord and board for the great ice coast.
-
2 Day 2Sisimiut
Greenland's second town, where colorful houses meet a deep Arctic seafaring tradition.
-
3 Day 3Ilulissat & Disko Bay
The UNESCO icefjord, fed by the most productive glacier outside Antarctica, calving icebergs the size of buildings.
-
4 Day 4Uummannaq
A heart-shaped mountain above a village set among the bergs of the far north.
-
5 Days 5-6Fjords & settlements
Zodiac cruises among the ice and visits ashore to meet Inuit communities.
-
6 Days 7-8Nuuk
The small, spirited capital, with its modern museums and the wild fjord at its back.
Every sailing we book is tailored: this is a starting point, not a package.
When to go
The best time to sail.
Greenland's window is July through September, when the fjords clear of ice and the settlements are reachable. Midsummer brings long days, open water and tundra in bloom; September turns the land to autumn color and lights the first aurora over the bergs. The shoulders — late June and the very start of October — sail in a good year. Through the long winter the coast freezes and the ships are gone.
July–August
The warmest months, with long days, open fjords and tundra in bloom.
September
Autumn color, the first northern lights, and icebergs in low golden light.
Late June & early October
Shoulder sailings: sea ice breaking up early or the last light of the season, with fewer ships and a stark beauty.
November–May
No sailings: the fjords freeze and the coast closes for winter. The move now is to choose the coast and ship for the coming season.
Good to know
Greenland cruise questions.
How long is a Greenland voyage?+
Roughly 8 to 14 nights. Many sailings pair the coast with Iceland or the Canadian Arctic for a fuller Arctic journey.
When is the best time?+
June through September. Midsummer brings long days and open water; September adds fall color and the first aurora.
East or west coast?+
The west has Disko Bay and Ilulissat's famous icefjord and more communities; the remote east holds Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord system on earth. We help you choose.
Can we see the northern lights?+
Autumn departures offer a real chance of the aurora overhead, especially from late August into September.
From the journal
Reading on Greenland.
-
Cruises
5 Best Cruises to the Northern Lights
Five voyages into the Arctic night, where the aurora borealis dances above the deck and the cold is part of the romance.
Read more → -
Destinations
Vikings Great Lakes Explorer: What’s It Like?
Vikings Great Lakes Explorer is an 8-day expedition cruise that takes passengers from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Thunder Bay, Ontario, aboard the luxurious Viking Octantis. This…
Read more →
Let's begin
Ready for
Greenland?
We'll handle the ship, the itinerary, and every detail in between.
Plan Your Trip