Travel Articles: Greenland

A longtime dream came true with the chance to visit Greenland and the Canadian Arctic on a 12-day cruise with Adventure Canada. Our home was the Ocean Endeavour and an amazing vessel for the expedition in and out of the many fjords and ice flows. I was absolutely blown away by the beauty of the landscape and the people. I am already dreaming of …

Though the austere Arctic landscape is often imagined to be a cold white wasteland, the brief months of summer see the flora blossoming and the fauna emerging from their long winter dormancy. Find out the best time to visit the Arctic based on your interests and expectations.

I didn't know what I'd be getting into-- just my dad and me, on a ship together with 180 strangers for 15 days. The itinerary looked like a real adventure: hopping on a charter flight from Toronto to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and from there exploring majestic fjords, glaciers, and tundra along some of the most remote coastlines in the world. When …

The morning into Disko Bay is one of the most memorable days of our cruise. We entered these calm waters to be greeted by hundreds of icebergs in every shape/size you might imagine. Our excitement grew as the icebergs started getting packed together as this was the sign we were entering the mouth of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier in the Illulissat …

I'm talking with our Arctic cruise expedition leader at the bridge, curious about our progress across the Davis Strait from Greenland to Canada. Suddenly one of my fellow passengers shouts "whale, 1 o'clock". I push open the door and shout for the kids. A second whale breaches at 2 o'clock, followed by several others. Within …

This morning we stop in Sisimiut, a picturesque village of colorful homes scattered on the hillside over the town. We walk around the town and visit the sled dogs that are housed just outside the town. I stop by the post office and spend a small fortune ($15) for two postcards and stamps. This afternoon we visit a mostly abandoned fishing …

Today during our Arctic adventure, we explore a glacier in the Sondrestrom Fjord via zodiac. The glacier is an impressive wall of ice. Kittiwakes fly around the nearby bird cliffs and the ice reflects brilliant blues and crystal clear prisms. This afternoon we stop for an unscheduled hike to a lake. A waterfall cascades beside our path as the 3 …

Thanks to the last minute adjustments that had to be made to our itinerary to accommodate ice conditions, we end up with a free morning to head inland to the Greenland ice cap before boarding the plane home. This is the second largest ice sheet in the world and covers over 80% of the Greenland surface. More than 99% of the freshwater ice in the …