Balto Itinerary
Northeast Greenland - Scoresby Sound in Depth10 days / 9 nights
About Balto
- Sophisticated luxury onboard an intimate polar expedition ship
- Voyages to remote and unspoiled regions with just 12 guests
- Six-person cedar-lined sauna and cold shower on board
- Cosy social spaces furnished with a card table and stove
Blending serious adventure with sophisticated luxury, Balto is truly one-of-a-kind when it comes to small polar expedition ships. This stylish, sturdy vessel boasts a high ice-class rating and is well-geared towards demanding projects including professional photography and videography operations. And, discerning travellers will be pleased to know that Balto’s capabilities don’t come at the detriment of standards of comfort. In fact, despite the remote nature of these voyages, guests aboard this vessel are treated to some truly first-class creature comforts – including elegant interior design, cosy stove-warmed communal areas, and an inviting cedar-lined sauna.
Itinerary details
Length of trip 10 days / 9 nights
Number of dives 0
Experience No experience required
Insurance Not Required
Highlights
- Circular trip around Greenland’s Scoresby Sound
- Scoresby Sound is the world’s largest fjord system
- Chance to encounter musk-ox and polar bears
- Visit the small village of Ittoqqortoormiit
- Enter the largest national park in the world
- Sail into the rarely visited Nordvestfjord
- Chance to see Greenland’s second largest island, Milne Land
Day 1: Reykjavik
We arrive individually to Reykjavik and check into our hotel (included in the flight and hotel package described below).
Day 2: Constable Point
Our group of passengers meet up for a transfer to the airport, from where we fly to one of the world's smallest airports, Constable Point, located at the end of a narrow fjord. We embark on the M/S Balto and make yourself at home. We are now in a part of the world where we are totally dependent on ice and weather conditions. Our exact itinerary depends on these factors and on the wildlife we encounter. Our ambition is to make landings every day with our rigid zodiac crafts.
Days 3-8: Exploration of Scoresby Sound
We are traveling in one of the largest wilderness areas in the Northern Hemisphere. It introduces its visitors to some of the most spectacular coastlines in the world, and the deep fjords are surrounded by majestic peaks and tundra-covered slopes. We will use our sturdy zodiacs to explore further afield, cruise amongst large stranded icebergs, and make shore landings.
Scoresby Sound is the world’s largest fjord system and could be explored for weeks. It offers some of the most spectacular scenery Greenland has to offer: jagged peaks as tall as 2000 metres coming straight out of the sea and rare glimpses of the Greenland ice cap, the largest ice cap in the northern hemisphere. Large glaciers pour into the sea, giving birth to an unexpected quantity of beautiful icebergs, some of them larger than high-rise buildings.
During our expedition, we have good chances to spot magnificent prehistoric-looking musk ox or the lovely white Arctic hare. We also keep an eye out for snow bunting, gyrfalcon, and ptarmigans. With a bit of luck, we actually might encounter polar bears.
We hope to circumnavigate Milne Land, the second largest island in Greenland, sailing through the narrow and spectacular Føhn Fjord, Røde Fjord, and Ø Fjord. During walks on the tundra, we may find remains from early Inuit cultures that settled here. The archaeological record in Northeast Greenland is long and involves a remarkable diversity of groups that discovered and explored the region at least seven times over thousands of years.
As we sail into the rarely visited Nordvestfjord, we also enter the largest national park in the world at almost 1 million square kilometers, more than twice the size of Sweden. This fjord is often filled with icebergs, making for challenging but spectacular navigation.
We also plan to visit Ittoqqortoormiit, home to some 450 Greenlanders and the only settlement in Northeast Greenland. It is located 500 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, and the nearest town is Tasiilaq, 800 kilometers to the south.
In a town where the sea ice blocks ships from visiting most of the year, hunting and fishing are the only ways of survival. During our visit, we get a unique opportunity to learn more about living and surviving in this remote part of the world.
Day 9: Disembarkation
In the morning we disembark at Constable Point and fly to Reykjavik and check in to our hotel (included in the flight and hotel package described below).
Day 10: Homeward bound
Today we bid our farewells and return home or onwards for new adventures.
Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics and local regulations.
Transfer details
Departure
12:00pm
Reykjavik
Reykjavik Airport: RKV
Return
10:00am
Reykjavik
Reykjavik Airport: RKV
Current availability and prices: https://www.zubludiving.com/itineraries/balto/itn-2311270440521-northeast-greenland-scoresby-sound-in-depth