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The routes at a glance
- West & Disko Bay
- 8–10 days — Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Disko Island
- Scoresby Sund & East
- 12–14 days — from Iceland to Ittoqqortoormiit and the great fjords
- South Greenland
- 8–11 days — Qaqortoq, Narsarsuaq, Tasermiut Fjord
- High Arctic & Northwest Passage
- 14–21 days — Kangerlussuaq to Thule, Baffin Bay and Arctic Canada
- Polar bears
- East and High Arctic routes offer far better odds than the settled west
What Are the Main Greenland Expedition Routes?
Four signature routes cover nearly every Greenland voyage: the classic West Greenland and Disko Bay itinerary of 8 to 10 days; Scoresby Sund and East Greenland at 12 to 14 days from Iceland; South Greenland's Viking fjords at 8 to 11 days; and High Arctic and Northwest Passage expeditions of 14 to 21 days.
| Itinerary | Duration | Route Focus | Key Experiences & Sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic West Greenland & Disko Bay | 8–10 days | Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Disko Island | Ice fjord navigation, UNESCO sites, coastal Inuit settlements and whale encounters |
| Scoresby Sund & East Greenland | 12–14 days | Akureyri or Reykjavík to Ittoqqortoormiit and Scoresby Sund | The world's largest fjord system, towering basalt mountains, remote wilderness and polar bear habitat |
| South Greenland Viking Fjords | 8–11 days | Qaqortoq, Narsarsuaq, Tasermiut Fjord | Lush alpine valleys, Norse ruins of Erik the Red, granite spires and the Uunartoq hot springs |
| High Arctic & Northwest Passage | 14–21 days | Kangerlussuaq to Thule, Baffin Bay and High Arctic Canada | Deep sea-ice navigation, historic polar exploration sites, high-density wildlife and remote Arctic outposts |
Each route is effectively a different country. The west is icebergs, UNESCO sites and living communities; the east is raw fjord wilderness and polar bears; the south is green valleys and Norse history; the High Arctic is ice navigation and the geography of polar exploration.
Most travellers should choose one zone and do it properly rather than chase a hybrid that dilutes all of them. The combined east-west voyages that do exist are the exception — long, and genuinely complete.
Who Is the West Greenland & Disko Bay Route For?
First-time visitors, above all. Eight to ten days linking Nuuk, Sisimiut, Ilulissat and Disko Island pairs massive iceberg scenery and UNESCO sites with accessible flights via Nuuk and vibrant coastal communities — the gentlest logistics and the broadest introduction to Greenlandic life.
The west is where you meet Greenland the society as well as Greenland the landscape: kaffemik hospitality, working harbours, museums and food, with the ice fjord as the centrepiece.
Our Ilulissat guide covers the ice fjord itself, including the honest note that our firsthand experience is the east coast rather than this one.
Who Is Scoresby Sund & East Greenland For?
Travellers who want wilderness above all. Twelve to fourteen days, typically sailing from Akureyri or Reykjavík to Ittoqqortoormiit and deep into the world's largest fjord system: towering basalt mountains, near-total solitude, and significantly higher polar bear encounter rates than the settled western coast.
This is the route we know firsthand. In July 2026 we sailed East Greenland aboard the National Geographic Resolution, roundtrip from Reykjavík — Scoresby Sund, Bernstorff Isfjord, Schested Fjord, Timmiarmiit Fjord, Skjoldungen, Tasiilaq and Kulusuk. Three polar bears, four sperm whales and a pod of thirty pilot whales, all logged in our journal.
Ice conditions decide everything on this coast, and itineraries are deliberately flexible. That is a feature: the expedition team reads the pack ice daily and the ship goes where the going is best.
What Is South Greenland Like?
South Greenland is the green Greenland: 8 to 11 day itineraries through Qaqortoq, Narsarsuaq and Tasermiut Fjord, combining lush alpine valleys, the Norse ruins of Erik the Red's settlements, sheer granite spires that draw climbers from around the world, and hot springs at Uunartoq.
This is the route for travellers who want history layered onto landscape — Viking farmsteads against granite walls, with sheep grazing where Erik the Red's settlers farmed a thousand years ago.
South Greenland also pairs naturally with Iceland on some departures, crossing the Denmark Strait in the footsteps — roughly — of the Norse themselves.
What Do High Arctic & Northwest Passage Voyages Involve?
Fourteen to twenty-one days of serious ice navigation from Kangerlussuaq toward Thule, across Baffin Bay and into High Arctic Canada: historic polar exploration sites, high-density wildlife, remote Arctic outposts and long stretches of genuine expedition where the ice, not the brochure, sets the plan.
These voyages are for experienced expedition travellers — or first-timers with the time and temperament for three weeks at sea in the ice. The rewards match the commitment.
Our Northwest Passage guide covers the Canadian side of these routes in detail.
Which Routes Have We Sailed Ourselves?
The East Greenland route — and only that one. We have not sailed the West Greenland, Disko Bay or South Greenland itineraries, and we say so rather than imply otherwise. What we offer on those routes is client experience and operator knowledge, clearly labelled as such.
We built this site on the principle that firsthand knowledge should be marked as firsthand, and everything else should be marked as something else. Our where we've been page keeps the full ledger.
When you call, ask which is which. If we have stood on the landing, we will tell you what it was like. If we have not, we will tell you whose judgement we trust instead.
Greenland itinerary questions
Which Greenland itinerary is best for first-timers?
The West Greenland and Disko Bay route: massive iceberg scenery, accessible flights via Nuuk and vibrant local communities in 8 to 10 days.
Which route offers the best chance to see polar bears?
East Greenland — including Scoresby Sund — and the High Arctic routes offer significantly higher polar bear encounter rates than the settled western coast.
Can I combine East and West Greenland on one voyage?
A small number of longer voyages do combine both coasts, and they are the most complete way to see the island. Most itineraries commit to one zone — for most travellers, one zone done properly beats two done thinly.
Where do Greenland expedition cruises depart from?
East Greenland voyages typically sail from Reykjavík or Akureyri in Iceland. West Greenland itineraries use Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, reached via Copenhagen or the seasonal Newark–Nuuk nonstop.
Dig deeper into the routes
Scoresby Sund expedition guide
The largest fjord system on Earth, which we sailed in July 2026.
Ilulissat & Disko Bay
The iceberg capital of the west coast route.
East versus West Greenland
The two coasts side by side, and how to choose.
Northwest Passage guide
The High Arctic routes that continue into Canada.
Our East Greenland journal
Ten days aboard the National Geographic Resolution, day by day.