Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
Arctic Express: Greenland’s Northern Lights (Cruise North, Fly South)
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- View expansive Greenland landscapes
- Explore the world’s largest fjord system
- Visit the world’s largest and most remote national park
- Possible musk ox and whale sightings
- Cruise in a Zodiac
- Hike the tundra
- Visit a local community
- Take advantage of optional kayak adventure opportunities
Short Description
Scoresbysund, the world’s largest fjord system, beckons you to explore Greenland. Enticing you with some of the world’s best displays of Northern Lights, the Inuit settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit and its inhabitants offer you a rare connection to the past with their tradition of living off the land just as their ancestors did hundreds of years ago.
Iceberg-choked fjords, tundra hikes and the arctic wildlife of Greenland National Park create picture-perfect scenes every day. This can be one of our most active expeditions, where you can climb atop mountains and watch herds of grazing musk ox on the horizon. This is pure wilderness at its finest: the untouched Arctic as it was thousands of years ago.
Itinerary
Day 1 — Reykjavik, Iceland
Your adventure begins with an overnight stay in thoroughly modern Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital city.
Day 2 — Embarkation Day in Akureyri
You’ll fly from Reykjavik to the northern Icelandic town of Akureyri to begin your expedition to Greenland. As you sail out to sea, your first wildlife sightings will be seabirds above and whales below. Get ready for a great adventure!
Days 3 and 4 — At Sea
Sail through the Denmark Strait en route for mysterious Greenland. Your on board Expedition Team will keep you informed and entertained with presentations about Greenland’s wildlife, history and geography.
Day 5 — Brogetdal and Waltershausen Glacier
Brogetdal means “multicolored valley,” and here you’ll view multi-hued mountains surrounding this lovely basin and unusual geology. You’ll also journey to the rarely visited Waltershausen Glacier, an imposing ice floe at the head of Nordfjord with a span of 6.8 miles (11 km). This stunning landmark was named after German explorer Baron Wolfgang Sartorius von Waltershausen, after his failed 1869 attempt to reach the North Pole via East Greenland.
Day 6 — Blomsterbugten and Renbugten
The valleys of Blomsterbugten and Renbugten are considered some of the most scenic in Greenland, and delight with unexpected icy blues, brazen golds, fiery reds and mossy greens. These scenic plains will charm you with their panoramic vistas and unusual rock formations. Be sure to be on the lookout for arctic hare and muskoxen.
Day 7 — Antarctic Sund and Ella Oya (Ella Island)
Renowned for its stunning landscapes, the oddly-named Antarctic Sund is a marine channel surrounded by ice-choked waters, azure icebergs, and craggy, colorful cliffs. At Ella Oya, a hiker’s paradise, you can challenge yourself with a climb to the top of the island, where you will be well rewarded for your efforts.
Day 8 — Apelfjord
You’ll cruise through spectacular Alpefjord, a wonderland of fjords and sounds, and through a multitude of dazzling icebergs in countless shapes and sizes.
Day 9 — Hall Bredning and Ittoqqortoormiit
Larger than football fields, the icebergs crossing Hall Bredning in the inner reaches of Scoresbysund are some of the most magnificent in the world. The geology and topography of the area will fascinate you.
At the start of the sound, Itoqqortoormiit is East Greenland’s most northerly community and boasts a blend of traditional and modern lifestyles. With clear skies, you’ll have a great opportunity to see the northern lights. You can also support local Inuit artisans by purchasing unique handicrafts. Your time here is spent bonding with the Inuit people and gaining an appreciation of their way of life.
Day 10 — Rypefjord and Rodefjord
Pushing onward, your expedition will come to Rypefjord. With binoculars in hand, birders should keep watch for wheatears, snow buntings and ravens. At Rodefjord, you’ll encounter a shallow area trapping hundreds of icebergs, known as the Iceberg Graveyard. You’ll drift leisurely by these icebergs, a photographer’s paradise.
Day 11 — Frederiksdal and Sydkapp
Sailing on deeper into Scoresbysund, you’ll encounter massive icebergs and an ancient Thule settlement as we approach Sydkap. The scenery here is something you can’t even imagine, with towering mountain sides and hundreds of apartment-sized icebergs playing tricks with your sense of perception.
Day 12 — Disembarkation at Constable Point
We arrive at Constable Point to board our charter flight to Reykjavik, the largest city in Iceland, and home to marvels of architecture and nature. Explore the area’s many must-see attractions, or discover its more hidden gems. Highlights of the region include a vibrant downtown and harbor, geothermal parks and beaches, and numerous natural wonders.
Tonight you’ll overnight in your comfortable and well-appointed Reykjavik hotel.
Day 13 — Depart Reykjavik
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home, or a bit more time exploring this fascinating city.
Important reminder: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish.
Availability
- Deposit Price: $ 1,000
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Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click
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78 Quark Expeditions Travel Reviews & Ratings
Arctic Express: Greenland’s Northern Lights (Cruise North, Fly South)
Company Reviews
Run! Scam! Worst cruise company ever!
Firstly, Quark Expeditions cancelled our cruise without any prior warning or communication. I understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, but the complete lack of transparency and consideration for their customers was unacceptable. We had already made travel arrangements, taken time off work, and were eagerly looking forward to our trip, only to have it snatched away without any explanation.
To make matters even worse, the communication from Quark Expeditions during this ordeal was abysmal. There was no attempt made to keep us informed of the cancellation, and we were left scrambling to find out what had happened ourselves. It was an infuriating and anxiety-inducing experience, as we were left in the dark with no information about alternative options or compensation.
To add insult to injury, Quark Expeditions then decided to hold us captive in an airport hotel for three days, with no clear reasoning or explanation. We were effectively trapped, unable to leave the hotel or explore the area while we waited for further instruction. This was not only a waste of our time and money, but it also left us feeling like prisoners in a foreign country.
Perhaps the most frustrating part of this entire situation is the fact that Quark Expeditions informed us that it would take a whopping 60 days to process our refund. Sixty days! This long wait is completely unreasonable and demonstrates a complete disregard for their customers' financial well-being. It's as if they have no understanding or respect for the fact that people have budgets, bills to pay, and other responsibilities to fulfill.
Overall, my experience with Quark Expeditions was truly disappointing. The cancelled cruise, lack of communication, being held captive in an airport hotel, and the exorbitant wait time for a refund have left me with a sour impression of this company. I would strongly advise others to think twice before booking a trip with Quark Expeditions, as their lack of professionalism and customer care is completely unacceptable.
Company is a scam
Terrible company.
So much excitement yet letdown after letdown
Everything was great until we actually went to go book. It started off by experiencing an abnormal 3 week delay in response to our request to book a tour. Then once we did and responded with specifics about what to book and where to send the deposit, another long delay. Eventually Quark made the decision to cancel all of its upcoming trips until March 2021. They presented options on how to reconcile any prepayments. We responded with how we would like to move forward. THREE MONTHS LATER, we get a response that they had a technical error preventing them from being able to provide refunds without having to send over specific bank details. Poor customer service in general. Maybe we will have forgotten by the time we go to book this again in the future, but other travelers should know.
TLDR: Great marketing, terrible service.
Warning
I booked a trip to the Arctic Circle 2021 on 08/28 and paid a deposit.
On 09/10 Quark canceled the trip and informed me today that the repayment will take up to 90 days due to the high workload!
I assume that Quark knew about the cancellation at the End of August and managed to collect my money in 2 days despite the workload.
I would like the money back that fast!
With the cancellation, Quark made a promise that it would be very easy to rebook in 2022, fo the same voyage, the same ship and the same price (or two options for money back).
Well, nothing was easy, because the promise could not be kept, since 2 trips in 2021 will only become one trip in 2022.
First they had a single cabin for me, then suddenly they didn't.
Instead of offering me another shared cabin at the price of the booking period - there was an early bird discount - they offered a single cabin for 34,000.00 and told me that the prices in 2022 were now higher.
Where was the promise?
And now they keep my money up to 90 days. This is really bad style Quark Expeditions!
Do NOT book with Quark
Details
Ship Name
Ocean Nova
Ship Stats
Staff and Crew: 38
Guests: 78
Lifeboats: 4
Length: 73m
Breadth: 11M
Draft: 3.7M
Propulsion: 2,000 horsepower
Ice Class: 1B (Casco 1A)
Cruising Speed: 12n
Registration: Nassau, Bahamas
Ship Description
Your expedition ship Ocean Nova: Designed to carry travelers in comfort to the most remote corners of the world, Ocean Nova is a modern and comfortable vessel carrying just 78 passengers on our Arctic Voyages. Quark is also pleased to offer certified CarbonNeutral® voyages on the Ocean Nova.
Built in Denmark in 1992 to sail the ice-choked waters of Greenland, she delivers clean, crisp Scandinavian styling, and with an ice-strengthened hull she is ideally suited for expedition travel in the Polar Regions. The Ocean Nova features comfortable outside cabins, all with private facilities, including dedicated twin and triple cabins. In addition to a glass-enclosed observation lounge and presentation room, there is a spacious dining room, a bar, a library and an infirmary. In the dining room you are treated to delicious meals, and in the panorama lounge you can enjoy a drink with a breathtaking view of the surrounding polar landscape. This is where our on-board specialists entertain and conduct lectures on flora, fauna and history.
Ocean Nova's triple cabins and some of the twin cabins on upper deck have upper and lower berths. All other cabins have two lower berths. In your cabin you also find a desk with a chair and ample storage space for clothes and equipment.
There is a friendly and informal atmosphere on board. Passengers are welcome on the bridge around the clock and there is always something to see or search for from the spacious observation decks. Traveling with this small expedition ship offers an entirely different experience and perspective than you can get on a larger and more conventional cruise ship. We welcome you on board.
Deck & Cabin Plans
Optional Activities
Adventure Options
-Add an Extra Rush of Adrenaline to Your Expedition (Kayaking)
- Kayaking (add $595 per person)
Kayaking in the Arctic is probably one of the most intimate and inspiring ways you can explore the rugged coastlines and calm bays of the regions we visit.
Kayaking in the Polar Regions is highly weather-dependent, however we guarantee at least one outing throughout your voyage, but your kayak guides will take you out as many times as possible throughout your voyage.
Offered on most Arctic voyages, spaces are limited and require some kayaking experience. All equipment, guides and instructions are provided by Quark. Please contact a Quark Polar Travel Adviser for more information.
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal transport included (including local flights)
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Cancellation policy
All requests for cancellation must be received in writing. Cancellations received 180 days or more prior to departure, are refunded less an administrative fee of minimum US$1250, AU$1000, £650, €800 per person. If cancellation is received between 179 days and 120 days, the deposit is forfeited. If cancellation occurs less than 120 days prior to departure, all payments are forfeited. If full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due immediately. To protect the traveler’s investment, we recommend that you obtain adequate trip cancellation insurance.
Cancellations cannot be made online.
Additional Information
Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish.
Trip ID#:
ArcExpQua
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