A remarkable 16 day exploration of the Northern Edge of Greenland. Amazing opportunities to see Narwhals, whales, sea birds and other Arctic wildlife. Lots of zodiac lands, walking and exploration to be enjoyed. You will have the chance to walk on top of the Greenland Ice Cap. Historic villages and landmarks dominate this trip as well.

S/V ‘Rembrandt Van Rijn’ was built as a herring lugger early last century. The vessel was rebuilt as a three-mast passenger sailing schooner in The Netherlands in 1994 and sailed in Spitsbergen (1994 – 1996) and in Galápagos (1998 - 2001). The vessel underwent a complete rebuilding and refurbishment program in 2011. The communication and navigation equipment has been completely revamped according to the latest SOLAS regulations.

The Rembrandt van Rijn measures 56 meters in length (168 ft.), 7 meters in width and has a draft of 2, 5 meters. The maximum engine speed is 9 knots. She has an experienced crew of 10 on board including two tour guides. The ship can accommodate a maximum of 34 passengers in 17 twin cabins (1 Twin Shared cabin with porthole (shared shower and toilet), 6 Twin Private Inside cabins (with shower and toilet, no porthole), 10 Twin Private cabins (with shower and toilet and porthole). A spacious restaurant on board the vessel allows all passengers to have their meals at the same time. The vessel furthermore consists of a separate bar including a reading table. The ship is well suited for expedition cruising among small islands and offers good open deck viewing areas, even when under sail. The two inflatable rubber crafts (zodiacs) enable landing and wildlife viewing opportunities in otherwise inaccessible areas.

Deckplan
Click here to view deck plan for the Rembrandt Van Rijn

Countries visited

• Greenland

Transportation

cruise on S/V ‘Rembrandt Van Rijn’

Included In Price

* Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
* All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
* All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
* Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
* Transfers and baggage handling between airport and ship in Greenland harbours on the chartered group flights.
* All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
* AECO fees and governmental taxes.
* Comprehensive pre-departure material.

Meals Included

This tour includes 44 meals; 15 breakfasts 14 lunches 15 dinners

Not Included In Price

Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; pre- and post land arrangements; transfers to / from the vessel outside Spitsbergen; passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is mandatory); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

Note:It is agreed that if world fuel prices will reach or exceed US Dollar 90 per Barrel Brent 90 days prior to departure Oceanwide Expeditions reserves the right to levy a fuel surcharge of US Dollar 25 per passenger per night, to be paid by the contracting party of Oceanwide Expeditions.

Day 1: Arrive in Upernavik

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We arrive in Upernavik from Reykjavik by chartered plane. Upernavik (1500 inhabitants) is the main town in North Greenland, where the people still live from hunting seals.

Accommodation

on board S/V ‘Rembrandt Van Rijn’

Meals Included

1 x Dinners

Day 2: Go ashore on Kipak and view huge colonies of Brünnich’s Guillemots.

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We will go ashore on Kipak, and Kap Shackleton on Agparsuit which still have huge colonies of Brünnich’s Guillemots.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 3: Land at Kuvdlorssuaq

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At the southern end of Melville Bugt we land at Kuvdlorssuaq the northernmost settlement of the Upernavik district.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 4: Walk on the Greenland ice-cap

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We land at Lille Renland, where Reindeer have been found. Here we can walk on the Greenland ice-cap. In this area we may encounter our first sea ice and, if so, there is a chance of spotting Polar Bears hunting seals at the ice edge. Later we land at Red Head. The coast here is dominated by the vast Greenland ice cap which reaches the sea as a series of enormous glacier fronts, the largest outside Antarctica.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 5: Continue on to Meteor Bugt

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Today we sail to the western side of Melville Bugt, calling at Cape Melville and then continuing into Meteor Bugt where the shoreline mountains teem with Little Auks.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 6: Land at Savigsivik

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On Meteor Island we land at Savigsivik, the southernmost Thule settlement. It was on this island that the famous York meteorite provided the Inuit with a source of iron - until Peary removed it and sold it to an American museum.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 7: Cruise below cliffs of the largest seabird colony in Greenland.

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At the west side of Saunders Island we will cruise below cliffs on which nest 150,000 Brünnich’s Guillemots, together with Kittiwakes and Fulmars, making it, perhaps, the largest seabird colony in Greenland.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 8: Visit Siorapaluk, the northernmost Greenlandic village where the people still depend on the hunting of Polar Bear

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We land at Cape Chalon, where we visit old houses of the Thule culture. Then we sail to Siorapaluk, the northernmost Greenlandic village where the people still depend on the hunting of Polar Bear, Narwhal, seals, seabirds and wildfowl. Later we sail into Inglefield Bredning where the icebergs are carved into fantastic shapes by the natural forces of wind and water.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 9: Visit Thule, the main settlement in the area

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Today we call at Thule (Quaanaaq) the main settlement of the area. In the 1950s the inhabitants of Old Thule (Dundas) were forced to move to Quaanaaq when NATO created an air base at their village. We continue to Hakluyt Island to view a large colony of Brünnich’s Guillemots. At this time of year the young are jumping from the ledges into the sea to start their southward migration.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 10: Enjoy walking in Booth Sound

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In Booth Sound we make a trip inland to visit an area of High Arctic tundra. There are many lakes here, with a breeding population of ducks and geese.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 11: Cruise below the spectacular, ice-capped Crimson Cliffs.

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Just east of Parker Snow Bugt we visit again some colonies with Brünnich’s Guillemots and cruise below the spectacular, ice-capped Crimson Cliffs to reach Cape York where, in 1818, the Inuit and White Men first met when Royal Navy ships under John Ross arrived. Today the small settlements on the eastern side of the Cape are deserted, though the mountains behind the shore are still home to thousands of Little Auks.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 12: Chances to see Narwals along the ice edge.

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We sail east through the immense Melville Bugt, admiring again the awesome Greenland ice cap to the east. As we sail close to the edge of a nature reserve we have some chances to see Narwals along the ice edge.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 13: Land on Cape Seddon

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We will sail as close to shore as we can and hope to land on Cape Seddon near the remains of a Thule culture village.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 14: Land on Kraulshavn

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Depending on our schedule we land in the area of Kraulshavn.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 15: Visit 14th Century Viking Ruins before returning to Upernavik

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At Kingigtorsuaq, where 14th Century Viking Ruins were found, we will try to find the place where the Vikings built a cairn with the inscriptions. From there we sail to Upernavik the main town in North Greenland.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts
1 x Lunches
1 x Dinners

Day 16: Return to Reykjavik

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Wake up to breakfast on board before flying to Reykjavik by chartered plane.

Meals Included

1 x Breakfasts