Greenland Cruises
Greenland assaults your senses by its sheer scale, untamed rawness, ravishing beauty and remoteness, while her people will charm you with their hospitality. From Scoresby Sund’s …
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Five things to know about Greenland
- Greenland is huge – at over two million square kilometres it’s by far the world’s largest island and it ranks as the 12th largest country
- 82% is covered by ice, yet Greenland’s close knit population of just 56,000 would fit on a single soccer field giving it the world’s lowest population density
- The Viking, Erik the Red, discovered the island in the 10th century, optimistically naming it ‘Greenland’ as an early PR stunt to encourage his fellow Norsemen to join him
- Geographically it's part of North America, however politically it's much more closely aligned to Europe
- With very few roads and no trains, all travel around Greenland is only by plane, boat, helicopter, snowmobile or dogsled
Swoop says
A small, proud nation on the roof of the world, a hidden secret amongst adventurers for many years – it's fascinating to see how the climate crisis and geopolitics has thrust Greenland into the spotlight. It feels like Greenland’s time has now truly arrived.
Alex Mudd Head of Swoop Arctic
Our most popular Greenland cruises
Special Offers:Swoop has access to the widest range of offers and can help you find the right trip, cabin, & price.
Introductions to the High Arctic don’t come much better. Traverse wildlife-rich Svalbard via East Greenland’s towering icebergs and autumnal tundra, then continue on to Iceland. Aurora sightings are possible at any point.…
- 15 Days
- $14,181
Beginning in Svalbard before sailing west across the Greenland Sea and exploring Greenland’s long eastern coastline to finish in Iceland, this is an audacious Arctic journey of startling diversity and contrast. Spectacular landscapes, towering glaciers and once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters all…
- 15 Days
- $23,595
Join a 12-guest micro cruise to explore Scoresbysund in autumn. Witness the Northern Lights illuminating the fjords and discover a wild, pristine landscape on hikes across the autumnal tundra. Spot iconic Arctic wildlife like musk oxen and Arctic hares, and…
- 9 Days
- $18,995
Spending time exploring Canada’s historic Northwest Passage and West Greenland, we like this voyage’s balance and variety as much as exploring little visited spots such as Thule, one of the northernmost towns in the world, and Smith Sound. Big ice,…
- 17 Days
- $23,790
Embark on this epic fly and cruise 11- or 12-day expedition into the wildest, least visited corner of Greenland, which combines the labyrinthine Scoresbysund fjord system with the vast Northeast Greenland National Park. By day, navigate spectacular fjords and pass…
- 11-12 Days
- $21,995
Traversing west to east this voyage takes you to iconic sites such as Cambridge Bay, Lancaster and Smith Sounds and Ellesmere Island, before exploring the fjords and towns of West Greenland. Bears, narwhal, musk ox, beluga and northern lights are…
- 17 Days
- $13,297
Beginning deep inside the High Arctic and finishing in subarctic Iceland, we like this voyage for its diversity, sense of journey and extended time exploring East Greenland. Zodiac cruising among towering icebergs, glimpsing the Northern Lights and tracking musk oxen…
- 20 Days
- $10,000
Sailing in August or September, explore the massive fjords of East Greenland and their legendary icebergs, spot musk oxen and visit ancient and modern Inuit settlements. Late summer provides a great chance of spotting the Northern Lights. A choice of…
- 10 Days
- $6,250
Exploring East Greenland doesn't get any easier. A short charter flight from Iceland saves you time and a potentially rough crossing of the Denmark Strait. On arrival, embark your small, expeditionary sailing ship and spend the next nine full days…
- 11 Days
- $6,150
Start off in Akureyri, then cross the Arctic Circle as you sail north across the Denmark Strait and along Greenland's immense eastern coastline. The final leg of the voyage is across the Greenland Sea to Longyearbyen. This is a truly…
- 14 Days
- $8,300
True adventurers wanted! Spend 11 whole days exploring the remote, virtually unvisited borderlands where Greenland and the Canadian Arctic meet. No other expedition ship travels this far north. Flying from Ottawa to Resolute, you’ll sail historic waterways, explore glacier-carved islands…
- 13 Days
- $11,336
We love this voyage for its breathtaking variety – landscape, wildlife, habitat and culture – as you journey south from the icy home of the Inuit, through the boreal forest belt, to finish in Newfoundland, with its Viking and Celtic…
- 14 Days
- $12,921
For an extraordinary Arctic introduction, join this unique full circumnavigation of Baffin Bay’s icy waters aboard a comfortable, state-of-the-art expedition ship. Travelling clockwise, you will navigate deep fjords, witness towering icebergs and explore remote sites. Venturing further north than almost…
- 19 Days
- $17,568
Embark on this epic, sweeping Arctic odyssey spanning Svalbard's rich wildlife, remote Jan Mayen, Greenland's rugged east coast, and Iceland's stunning western fjords. Explore isolated settlements, hike the tundra, kayak among glowing icebergs, and search for polar bears, walrus, fox,…
- 16 Days
- $33,000
Guide to Greenland
Geography
Eighty-two per cent of Greenland is covered by a massive ice sheet that in places is almost two miles (3.2km) thick and around the edges you can gaze up at ice cliffs that are 100,000 years old. The landscape features stunning fjords, glaciers and tundra, with many mountains rising to well over 10,000 feet.
The country’s relatively few inhabitants are scattered along the thin ribbon of coastline, with about 16,500 of them – around a quarter of the total – living in the capital, Nuuk. The whole northeast region Greenland is a national park – 100 times bigger than Yellowstone and about the same size as France and Spain combined. It’s by far the world’s largest.
The vast Greenland wilderness
People
With a population of 56,000 people, all living around the coast and mostly on the west coast, Greenland is the least densely populated territory on the planet. Outside the capital, most people live in tight knit communities of 50-500 people, often cut off from their nearest neighbours by distance and a lack of connecting roads. Local stores have supplies that are shipped or flown in, but hunting and fishing are an essential part of daily life and the culture.
Approximately 89% of the population are Greenlandic Inuit, descended from the Thule people who began colonising the island around 900AD and who introduced both the kayak and dog sled. Since the way of life was traditionally nomadic and there’s no shortage of land – the concept of land ownership simply doesn’t exist in Greenland.
Greenlandic Inuit community
Wildlife
Roaming Greenland’s tundra and ice are polar bears, musk ox, reindeer, arctic fox and mountain hares.
The shoreline and waters are visited by, or are home to, five different species of seals, 15 types of whale, plus walrus.
Birdlife include white-tailed eagles, ptarmigan, fulmars, auk, duck and geese – with 60 species breeding in the region.
Having said this, the chance of seeing much of this wildlife is slim. Hunting for food is a regular part of Greenlandic life, so wildlife tends to be shy.
Greenland tourism
For almost 5,000 years the Inuit have survived by hunting and fishing – the climate and short summers making effective farming virtually impossible. In the smaller towns and communities these two industries continue to be the major occupations.
Cod used to be the main catch, but now Greenland is the world’s largest supplier of cold-water shrimps, while Greenland Halibut is also a mainstay of a commercial fishing fleet.
In recent years, tourism has taken off as increasing numbers of adventurous travellers are drawn to Greenland.
What our customers think of Greenland
The landscapes were a revelation: instead of the barren wasteland we expected, there was a tapestry of late summer colour provided by Arctic willow and miniature birch, as well as bilberry and bear berry. The icebergs were truly magnificent, especially when the ship’s captain threaded the ship through them out of Scoresbysund. Read the full review
Travelled: August 2018
Charles & Lesley Cook - United Kingdom
The regions of Greenland
West Greenland
Discover Nuuk, a modern and cosmopolitan capital of just 18,000 gregarious and welcoming people, dwarfed by a natural wilderness of savage beauty and awesome scale.
Venture to remote communities that still subsist by hunting and fishing. Satisfy your thirst for adventure with a host of Arctic activities, from dog sledding to trekking and kayaking.
Marvel at fjords littered with every shape and size of iceberg or camp on the gigantic icecap under the Northern Lights.
East Greenland
This is truly the edge of our world, a region whose harsh climate and almost impenetrable mountains make human existence so difficult that it’s virtually uninhabited.
Explore Scoresby Sund, the world’s largest fjord system, and visit tiny Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland’s most remote community.
North of here is the world’s largest national park, whose dramatic fjords are briefly accessible each year only by expedition ship.
South Greenland
More sparsely populated and less developed than the west of the country, Southern Greenland has a particularly notable history - the town known today as Narsarsuaq inspired the stories of the green covered fjord shared by Norsemen.
The region tells of how the Inuit people have learnt to live and adapt in the past and present.
Visit viking ruins included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, museums and fish markets, in between sighting caribou, trekking through the green pastures, bathing in thermal springs, and kayaking around the 'Perito Moreno of the Arctic'.
Cyclists just outside of Narsaq
Swoop says
We love Greenland for its sheer diversity - each region is totally distinct with its own character. Even the language between east and west Greenland is substantially different.
A Greenlandic settlement
Greenland - a land of big ice
A kayaker prepares to roll
Greenlandic settlement
Looking out over the Jakobshavn Glacier, Ilulissat
Musk Ox monument in Scoresbysund
Trekkers on Karrat island
Humpback in Disko Bay
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Musk Oxen in East Greenland
Graffiti in Nuuk
The church in Ilinanaq
Exploring an ice fjord
Sled dog ready for the off
Plan your trip to Greenland
Greenland Ship Guide
In the absence of hotels, exploring Greenland by ship provides unparalleled access to its remote coastlines and icy fjords. Greenland offers a wide choice of ships to choose from, …
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Getting to Greenland
Located roughly equidistant between Europe and North America, Greenland - the world’s largest island - is well connected and relatively easy to get to, whether you are arriving …
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Arctic Cruises FAQs
Our expert team are ready and waiting to answer your questions. Whether it's about a specific ship, the best time to travel, or even what clothing is best for the Arctic, we're …
Discover MoreGreenland: FAQs
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What language is spoken in Greenland?
Greenlandic is the official language, but almost all also speak Danish and English is also quite widely spoken.
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Will I need a visa?
Greenland’s visa regulations are the same as those that apply in Denmark. The good news is that no visa is required for EU, US, Canadian or Australian nationals.
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Where can I stay in Greenland?
While Greenland’s hotels aren’t a reason to visit, most towns of a reasonable size have a modest choice of 3* options. There are only two hotels in the whole country which can claim to be ‘luxury’, however there are far more can boast far better views than most 5* hotels anywhere in the world.
For accessing Greenland’s dramatic and largely inaccessible coastline, travelling by expedition ship is a very good option, with the boat acting as your floating hotel.
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Which region should I visit?
Each region of Greenland is distinct, but in brief:
East Coast: Very wild and unpopulated. Perfect for those in search of true wilderness. Better chances of seeing wildlife than in the west, but limited.
West Coast: A spectacular coastline dotted with pretty, colourfully-painted villages. Good chance of seeing whales. Highlights include the capital, Nuuk, and the mighty Ilulissat Icefjord.
South Coast: First settled on by the Vikings, making it perfect for history buffs, a warmer climate and farming gives the south a totally different feel to the rest of the island.
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Which is the best month to travel?
Cruises to Greenland operate during the summer months between June and early September when the opening up of the ice allows passage along the coastline.
However, East Greenland cruises and those combining with Canada's Northwest Passage only operate in late August and September.
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Will I see the Northern Lights?
It depends on the timing of your cruise. Due to the constant 24 hours of daylight in high summer (June to August), you won't get to see them.
The best chances for experiencing the extraordinary Aurora Borealis are on a September cruise when the rapidly drawing in nights of early autumn provide the ideal conditions.
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