Arrive in Boston, MA. Check into your hotel in the late afternoon. In the evening, join fellow travelers for a group dinner at the hotel.

In the morning, transfer to the airport and fly from Boston to Kangerlussuaq on Greenland’s western coast. Embark the ship and enjoy scenic sailing through the dramatic gorge of the Kangerlussuaq Fjord, 120 miles in length, with its hanging glaciers and striking basalt ribbons.

Cruise the length of Kangerlussuaq Fjord en route to Sisimiut. Dozens of deep fjords carve into Greenland’s west coast, many with glaciers fed by the ice cap that covers 80 percent of the country. At Sisimiut, a former whaling port, enjoy your choice of guided walks through the sights and sounds of the village, including Dog Town or Sallinnguit, a small island with centuries of history from Inuit culture through colonization and current-day industry. In your free time, enjoy a local food tasting, visit the open-air museum, or explore the local artisan workshops. 

Sail into Qeqertarsuup Tunua, also known as Disko Bay, and be welcomed by floating icebergs calved off the world’s most active glacier, Sermeq Kujalleq. Enjoy an extraordinary cruise aboard local boats among towering icebergs of the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Ilulissat Icefjord. Visit the town of Ilulissat and hike into the Sermermiut Valley, once an Inuit settlement and now the home to a peaceful boardwalk overlooking the Icefjord. As you make your way north through Disko Bay, if ice conditions permit, follow the inside passage of Disko Island and trace the shores of the Nuussuaq Peninsula as you keep watch for a glimpse of the Greenlandic Ice Sheet. 

The village of Uummannaq sits on a tiny, yet dramatic island in the Uummannaq Fjord, dominated by a massive peak rising at its center. Visit the town’s excellent community museum to see traditional clothing and tools, along with scenes of everyday life on these islands, and enjoy a stroll through the streets of this northern outpost. In the afternoon, cross the fjord to the site of Qilakitsoq, an important archaeological site for Greenlanders, where eight mummies, dating back to 1475, were discovered in 1972. These eight individuals, all extraordinarily well-preserved women and children, were Thule people, the ancestors of the modern Inuit. Their discovery was featured on the cover of the February 1985 issue of National Geographic magazine. Adventurous hikers may make their own respectful journey up to the final resting place of these ancestors. 

Sail south to explore Greenland’s fjords and look for Arctic foxes, whales, and a plethora of bird life. Paddle a kayak along the steep sides of the fjord, or ride a Zodiac to see the glacially carved landscape up close, cross back over the Arctic Circle. 

Disembark in Kangerlussuaq and take a charter flight back to Boston.