HX Expeditions' ship MS Fridtjof Nansen cruises at 15 knots along Greenland's west coast, where the world's largest island remains largely uninhabited. After 40 hours from Nuuk, the capital, mountains dominate the landscape, and near Ilulissat, icebergs from the Ilulissat Icefjord—which produces three per cent of the world's icebergs—fill the waters.
Tide to Table and Local Traditions
Aboard a Tide to Table excursion with award-winning local chef Inunnguaq Hegelund, passengers bought dinner from a fisherman hauling in his catch. They then visited an Ilulissat resident, Emily, who served dishes including dried fish, reindeer patties, and narwhal skin. Emily, among the last generation given Western names before Greenland restored its traditions, explained the "kaffemik" tradition, where people gather for special occasions. Later that day, she expected over 200 guests for a kaffemik celebrating her grandson's school graduation.
At the town's edge, a boardwalk behind the Icefjord Centre offers views of icebergs calving from the 65km-long Jakobshavn Glacier, fed by the 1.7 million sq km Greenland ice sheet. The only sounds are the trickle of ice and loud booms as pieces crack off.
Exceptional Dining and Scenic Wonders
Chef Inunnguaq prepared halibut tartare and breaded cod fillet from the day's catch, later showcasing scallop, snow crab, and beef from Greenland's only cattle farmer. In warmer months, Greenland bursts with blue sky, green moss, and wildflowers, while in winter's 24-hour darkness, colourful houses—once denoting function: red for churches and schools, blue for fishing, green for technology, yellow for hospitals—lift spirits.
Uummannaq, on an island beneath a twin-peaked mountain soaring 1,170 metres, offers snow-capped ranges and drifting icebergs. A hike to the mountain's base, accompanied by expedition team members—one carrying a firearm in case of polar bears—led to Santa's House, a wood building from the 1980s built by a Danish TV crew. The town also features turf houses occupied until 1989 and a museum on exploration and Inuit history.
Polar Plunge and Cultural Insights
At Salliaruseq Island, options included a viewpoint walk and a "polar plunge" in the 6C sea. Onboard, the ship offered a sauna with scenic windows and restaurants with wide-ranging menus. At Vaigat Sound, clouds created a gloomy atmosphere, and Zodiacs ferried passengers to shore, where a whale skeleton added to the ambience. Chef Inunnguaq pointed out herbs, flowers, and reindeer tracks.
Aleq Peary, an Inuit cultural ambassador, defended his people's right to hunt. "Without seals or seaweed we as a people would not exist," he said. "If we could be farmers we would farm, but up here we have to hunt." He explained hunters must be carpenters, vets, butchers, weathermen, and mechanics, noting it would have been easier to become a doctor than a hunter.
In Qeqertarsuaq, the town celebrated Greenland Day (June 21) with a seal hunt. During an 8km walk to basalt cliffs, hunters raced below on speedboats, returning with their catch. The winner later chatted and showed off his prize rifle.
A Final Arctic Wonderland
The cruise's last day featured sailing into a fjord where the Eqi Glacier spills between snowy mountains. Kayaking between iceberg chunks, passengers paddled close enough to see dark blue ancient ice, with kittiwakes and guillemots overhead. The journey ended with a sense that this fjord-riven place must be protected and respected by all.
Grand Greenland — The Icy Giants of Disko Bay, from £7,341 (excluding international flights, all-inclusive when on the ship); travelhx.com
