The rock-like columns of Hallgrímskirkja Church loom over the city of Reykjavik, a hip Scandinavian capital which needs little introduction. With new Nordic cuisine, excellent shopping, fantastic excursions and an easy relaxed vibe, Reykjavik is one of Scandinavia's most welcoming and exciting cities. Explore the city's world class (and often very quirky) museums, shop for snuggly local sweaters, or simply watch this bustling city in action on a cozy cafe terrace. 

Ocean Albatros awaits embarkation in the city's bustling harbour, with comfortable staterooms ready to welcome you. After the mandatory safety briefings and lifeboat drill, Ocean Albatros will sail out of Reykjavík and chart a course for the wild east coast of Greenland. 

The Denmark Strait is the narrow section of the North Atlantic Ocean separating Iceland from Greenland. This body of water is among the most productive in the world, where the cold polar East Greenland Current collides with the warm northbound Gulf Stream. These nutrient-rich waters support vast stocks of fish, and in turn the humans, seals, whales and seabirds which rely on them.  

As Ocean Albatros sails across the Denmark Strait, the eclipse experts onboard will take careful note of weather and ice conditions at the eclipse location and instruct you on procedures to safely view and photograph the eclipse. As you approach Greenland, the onboard team will also provide information on the ecology, geology and wildlife of the area, as well as ensuring you are informed on important topics such as Zodiac operations and polar bear safety. In other words, getting prepared for the adventure to come! 

For this important day, Albatros Expeditions have carefully researched the best possible viewing location – a location as close to eclipse centre line as possible, with easy Zodiac access, views unobstructed by mountains to the southwest and likely to have clear skies. Ocean Albatros will drop anchor close to the shore around noon. Their expedition staff will scout the area for wildlife, and after lunch all guests will get ashore by Zodiac in good time to set up their equipment and view this natural wonder.

The shadow of the moon moves toward us from north Greenland at a speed of 4,000 kilometre per hour. The partial eclipse begins at 16:37 local time (the same as UTC and Reykjavík time), and the totality begins at 17:37. The sun at maximum eclipse will be in the southwestern sky, unobstructed by any mountains at the mouth of our little fjord. At 17:40 the first rays slip past the lunar disk to create the legendary “Diamond Ring” – and then the totality is over. The spectacle ends around 18:33 when the last fringe of the moon leaves the solar disk, and the shadow continues south toward the northern coast of Spain. We will pack up our equipment, tripods, and other belongings and return to the ship, where a gala dinner has been prepared for this very special day!

Captain and his officers will steer Ocean Albatros south along Blosseville, the most dramatic coast outside of Antarctica. The tall and dark rock walls have their origin in the opening of the Atlantic Ocean, when Norway and Greenland separated, and thousands of cubic kilometres of lava flowed up through Earth’s crust. The dramatic layers of black rock bear testament to countless volcanic eruptions in the region approximately 50 million years ago. A magnet for geologists from around the world, this fascinating region was first surveyed by legendary Danish explorer Ejnar Mikkelsen.

If ice and weather conditions allow, the Expedition Leader and Captain will try to arrange for a shore landing at the mouth of Kangerlussuaq, a typically descriptive Greenlandic name meaning “Big Fjord”. Despite the forbidding landscape and the brutal weather of the region, ancestors of today’s Inuit have lived in the region for thousands of years. A few abandoned Inuit settlements and expedition huts are scattered in this otherwise untouched and otherworldly landscape.

Proceeding along the coast, we soon arrive at Tasiilaq, the largest settlement in East Greenland. Tasiilaq sits in a perfect natural harbour on Ammassalik Island (meaning 'the Place of Many Capelin'). It offers excellent opportunities to explore, with excellent hiking routes such as the Flower Valley easily accessible from town. 

For those wishing to delve into Tunumiit culture, visit the museum, located in the city's old church, hear the city's exquisite choir perform in the modern church, or watch a drum dancer in traditional East Greenlandic costume perform a millennia-old spiritual tradition. For those wishing to indulge in some retail therapy, visit the Stunk Artist's Workshop, where skilled craftsmen create beautiful pieces from natural local materials.

Today's adventure begins as we sail into magnificent Skjoldungen, a staggeringly beautiful fjord on the southeastern coast of Greenland. The fjord is named for Skjold, an ancient Danish King of Norse legend, while the Greenlandic name, Saqqisikuik, references the sunny climate of the area. Various archaeological finds on the island which sits in the middle of the fjord suggests nomadic Inuit groups visited and stayed in the area in years gone by; more recently, settlers were brought from Tasiilaq to settle the island in the 1930s, but returned there thirty years later; some houses can still be seen on the southern side of the fjord. A small weather station was also operated on the island by the Allies during WWII. 

Prins Christian Sund is one of the most spectacular waterways anywhere on Earth. Kept free of ice year round by strong tidal currents, the strait is hemmed in on either side by mountains which rise straight out of the water some reaching over 2,000m in height. Large glaciers flow from the ice sheet into the sea on the northern side of the strait, while sapphire blue mountain glaciers loom over the water from the southern side, and vast icebergs stud the glassy waters. 

By mid-afternoon you will visit the small village of Aappilattoq, which sits hunkered beneath the towering mountains at the end of Prins Christians Sund. The village is a world away from busy towns of West Greenland; life here moves at a slower pace, following the rhythms of the wind, waves and tides. Aappilattoq (meaning 'Red' in Greenlandic, referring to the stark granite bluffs above) offers excellent hiking opportunities, and the local choir is renowned throughout Greenland.

Tasermiut, a hidden gem in Greenland, features a fjord with green valleys and sheer granite walls reaching 2000m. Known as Ketil's Fjord by Norse settlers, it was home to an Augustinian monastery. You will make a zodiac landing and a short easy hike to experience the fantastic landscape at the head of fjord - no climbing gear required!

Following the coast north, you reach the small island of Uunartoq, famous for its geothermal springs with year-round temperatures of 34-36 degrees centigrade. While the hot springs of Iceland are more famous, Uunartoq surely beats them all for sheer natural beauty; nowhere else in the world can you relax in perfectly hot water while icebergs float past in the sea nearby. 

During the early morning you will cruise below the majestic mountains of Tunulliarfik Fjord towards the small village of Qassiarsuk. The fjords here are lined with lush green meadows and dotted with small sheep-farming settlements, of which Qassiarsuk is perhaps the best known. Qassiarsuk, founded in 1924, has a rich history dating back to a thousand years ago when legendary Norse explorer Eric the Red settled in Brattahlíð. 

Across the fjord lies Itilleq, a small bay where a trail leads to the village of Igaliku. During the afternoon, we will trek through the lush green hills to see the remains of the Norse Bishop's palace at Garðar - once a place of great power and influence in this remote corner of the Norse world.

From South Greenland, you will follow the rugged coast of this vast island northwards. All settlements in Greenland (with the exception of Kangerlussuaq) are situated directly on the ocean coast of the country, and the vast majority of residents (some 50,000 or so) live on the narrow strip of coast on the west of the country, facing the Davis Strait.

Ocean currents bring warm water up from the Atlantic to the west coast, enriching these wildlife-filled waters. During your day at sea you can see whales, seals and a huge variety of seabirds. 

Nuuk has a bustling cosmopolitan vibe and hosts some of Greenland's best attractions. Swing by Kolonihavn district to visit the Greenlandic National Museum, a treasure trove of history stretching back to the first inhabitants of this icy island - including artefacts from the Paleo-Inuit and Norse periods, as well as the spellbinding Qilakistoq mummies. Explore Greenlandic culture at Katuaq, the city's cultural centre, and an architectural marvel. Shop for authentic Greenlandic artworks in the city's many boutique shops, or simply relax at a hip curbside café with a Greenlandic coffee and watch this vibrant city in action. Nuuk York (as proud locals call it) is unlike any other city in Greenland, or indeed the world.

On the last full day of our expedition, we will arrive at the small village of Kangaamiut, an incredibly picturesque settlement in Greenland’s central Qeqqata region. Surrounded by cold rich waters and a vast back country brimming with game, life in Kangaamiut moves at a slower pace, and locals still live a largely traditional lifestyle, surviving by hunting and fishing.

In the afternoon, you will sail inland into Evighedsfjorden/Kangerlussuatsiaq, one of the many deep fjords carved between the steep mountains of this region. Evighedsfjorden stretches around 100km into the glacier-clad mountains, bisecting the large ice cap which overlies much of the land between Nuuk and Sisimiut - Greenland's two largest cities. We will aim to explore on a Zodiac cruise in front of the Evigheds Glacier, which flows into the fjord from the Maniitsoq Ice Cap above. Watch for calvings from the glacier, and guillemots and kittiwakes on the nearby bird cliffs.

During the night, we will sail up the 160-kilometer/100 mile Kangerlussuaq Fjord. After breakfast aboard the ship, we will bid a fond farewell to the ship's crew, Expedition Team, and fellow travellers before shuttling ashore by Zodiac.

Due to Kangerlussuaq’s military history and present-day role as an important air travel hub, the town remains fairly isolated from Greenland’s rich cultural traditions in comparison to other regions. While you still find cultural experiences when visiting Kangerlussuaq, the most impressive attraction is the surrounding nature, which is just beckoning to be explored. Kangerlussuaq itself was largely constructed by the American military in the 1950s, and this small airport town has retained something of its Cold War atmosphere. Your Arctic adventure and time in Greenland concludes as we arrive at the sleek modern airport terminal – all of us with memories to last a lifetime. 

Secure your space today by calling one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 196 1000 or enquire here