Greenland Adventure: Explore by Sea, Land and Air

Embarkation Day

Your Arctic expedition begins in Reykjavik, Iceland. Meet us at the airport to take our private charter flight from the Icelandic capital to Narsarsuaq, Greenland, where you’ll embark your ship. A scenic village deep in the Tunulliarfik Fjord, Narsarsuaq is the gateway to South Greenland, surrounded by several Norse sites and hiking trails. Get ready for a great adventure ahead!

Exploring Southern Greenland

Nicknamed “Arctic Patagonia,” South Greenland is a region as rich in spectacular scenery as it is in history. Here, it’s easy to see why Erik the Red gave Greenland its name: Everywhere you look rewards with vistas of icy blue waters set against a breathtaking backdrop of dramatic fjords, winding coastline, crystal-clear waterfalls, and lush, verdant valleys and pastures bursting with blooms. Boasting the greatest variety of landscapes in the country, coupled with the most serene, sheltered waterways surrounded by soaring, snow-capped mountains, Greenland’s southern tip is an adventure seeker’s paradise, whether you’re a newbie kayaker or hardcore hiker.

Cruising in sublime comfort aboard the newest ship in our fleet, Ultramarine, we’ll base ourselves in and around the majestic fjords that dominate the south and southeastern coasts, sailing deeper and exploring farther than ever before. Designed to give polar adventurers unprecedented access to the hardest-to-reach places on the planet—and equipped with kayaks, mountain bikes and two onboard twin-engine helicopters for unparalleled access to areas only Quark Expeditions can bring you—this one-of-a-kind ship, in its inaugural year, will take you beyond the familiar in polar exploration for an ultra-immersive, ultra-adventurous Greenland experience.

A first in polar adventure travel, this expedition has been developed sustainably in collaboration with municipal, regional and national partners to offer you the most extensive array of adventure activities (many of which are included), allowing you to curate an authentic Greenland active adventure that best suits you! Imagine checking off immersive bucket-list activities like paddle excursions, shore landings and Zodiac cruising in such spectacular surroundings. And thanks to our onboard helicopters, you’ll also discover the ultimate polar expedition experience: As stunning as polar landscapes are from your ship, they’re even more striking from the air. Conditions permitting, you may have opportunities for a heli-landing on the Greenland ice sheet and heli-hiking (flying to places we could not otherwise access for hikes suitable for all skill levels), exciting included options that are unique to Ultramarine and give you an awe-inspiring polar experience like no other.

Since each expedition presents new opportunities and different weather and ice conditions, no two polar voyages are alike. This voyage in particular has no fixed itinerary, which will allow your Expedition Team and our local partners to craft a voyage that provides you with the best experiences that South Greenland can offer by closely monitoring the local weather and ice conditions. Each day, your Expedition Team will plan excursions deep in the southern fjord systems. With the expertise of local partners, we will be able to showcase lesser-visited areas and take advantage of all that this polar paradise has to offer. Your ship will continually be on the move as your Expedition Team searches for the most ideal places to venture ashore, dip our kayaks and Zodiacs in the water, or deploy our helicopters for more in-depth exploration. Every day will be a new adventure, exploring a new fjord.

Throughout your journey, you’ll head out in small, intimate groups with similar interests, multiple times a day, to some of the most remote, isolated areas of South Greenland. Here, you’ll truly unplug, recharge and experience the transformative power of travel, at your own pace. One day, you may hop in a helicopter to hike around the scenic alpine areas while quietly around the corner your shipmates are enjoying a peaceful paddle in a sheltered inlet. The next, you may be cruising along a glacier face deep in an icy fjord while others enjoy a challenging alpine hike. And the next, you may fly up to the epic Greenland ice sheet, discovering a new appreciation of the natural environment (it’s the largest ice cap in the northern hemisphere, and the second largest in the world, after Antarctica), while your shipmates leisurely stroll amid the beckoning green hills and valleys (as always, there are hiking options for all levels).

If you’re feeling extra-adventurous, our onboard helicopters will have you taking your activities up a notch, way up! They’ll drop off your small group at the start of the most scenic mountain biking trails in the world or at isolated glacial lakes high in the mountains, then pick you up wherever your explorations take you, so you’re always discovering new scenery while enjoying the tranquility of your surroundings—whether you’re exploring by kayak, or on two wheels. Be sure to book your Adventure Options (extra cost) in advance, as they fill up fast.

You may even opt to camp overnight in the picturesque Tasermiut Fjord for a truly immersive experience, hiking the tundra, chatting with your local hosts, even joining the camp chef to forage for dinner ingredients and, if you’re lucky, viewing the dazzling colors of the polar twilight in the evening (extra cost).

However you decide to explore—by sea, land or air—Ultramarine gives you unrivaled access to the unbelievably breathtaking beauty that is South Greenland.

Disembark in Narsarsuaq and Fly to Reykjavik, Iceland

Before you depart on your charter flight back to Reykjavik in the early evening, we hope to spend the day visiting the sites surrounding Narsarsuaq. Possible destinations include the villages of Igaliku, where you can wander the ruins of the Gardar cathedral, the largest church in Greenland in the Middle Ages. We may also stop at Brattahlíð to explore the remains of Erik the Red’s estate. Upon landing back at Reykjavik’s international airport, you will be transferred to a hotel in nearby Keflavik.

Depart Reykjavik

Today, you can make your way home at your leisure or spend time exploring this vibrant city.