Northeast National Park aboard the Polarfront

Come and discover Northeast Greenland National Park aboard the Polarfront

WHY CHOOSE THE EAST COAST

The east coast of Greenland is one of the country’s wildest and most remote regions. Isolated for much of the year by Arctic currents and sea ice, it remains remarkably untouched and is among the least-visited areas of Greenland. Along nearly 3,000 kilometers of coastline, only around 5,000 people live in a handful of scattered settlements.

Here, the scenery is truly spectacular: sharply peaked mountains rise above deep fjords filled with towering drifting icebergs, while the Greenland Ice Sheet stretches its glaciers all the way to the sea.

Hiking offers an exceptional way to explore these untamed landscapes, whether through remote valleys, along high fjord ridges, or close to immense glaciers and their impressive ice fronts.

From August onwards, another natural wonder lights up the night sky: the first Northern Lights begin to appear, dancing across the stars in vibrant ribbons of color.

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Highlights

• Diverse Arctic wildlife
• Colossal icebergs
• Short nights
• Northern Lights

WHY TRAVEL ABOARD THE POLARFRONT?

The expedition program has been designed to offer an authentic polar experience, taking you deep into the world’s largest national park, among gigantic glaciers and icebergs, and in search of diverse Arctic wildlife. Guided activities led by our expedition team, specialists in the polar regions, provide the rhythm of each day.

After departing from Longyearbyen in Svalbard, you will follow the edge of the pack ice toward Greenland. Aboard the Polarfront, you will then sail down the entire east coast of Greenland, through the world’s largest national park.

This is a true expedition voyage, with no signs of civilization for nearly two weeks. As nautical charts can sometimes be unreliable in these remote and rarely visited regions, the Polarfront may occasionally proceed at reduced speed, following clearance from our sailors, who survey the water depth beneath the keel from a Zodiac operating a short distance ahead of the vessel.

Your adventure will conclude at Constable Point, a tiny airstrip consisting of a 2-kilometre gravel runway, located within the world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sund. From there, you will board a private flight to Iceland.

OUR EXPEDITION

Dates : 22 August to 1 September 2027 • 11 days / 10 nights

Navigation : Greenland
Embarkation : Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen / Disembarkation : Constable Point, Greenland
Average temperature: 0°C to 5°C
Difficulty level: Easy

Activities: Hiking / Wildlife Watching / Zodiac Excursions / Lectures / Water Activities (Fishing, Polar Pedal Boating)

ITINERARY

DAY 1 – LONGYEARBYEN

Embarkation begins at 5:00 p.m., where you will be welcomed aboard the Polarfront. Discover the vessel and settle into your living spaces while enjoying a welcome cocktail. Departure is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

DAYS 2 AND 3 – HEADING FOR GREENLAND

Enjoy the comfort of the Polarfront during these two days at sea as you make your way toward Greenland. Sailing along the drifting pack ice of northern Greenland, you will have the opportunity to search for walrus, seals, and, of course, the iconic polar bear. Our expert naturalist guides will also offer a series of lectures and presentations to help prepare you for your arrival in Greenland.

DAYS 4 TO 10 – ÎLE DE FRANCE

This isolated island off the coast of Northeast Greenland was once inhabited by Inuit communities. Today, it has been abandoned by its former residents and reclaimed by an abundance of Arctic wildlife. Seals, walrus, and polar bears are frequently spotted here, while whales can often be seen swimming in the waters surrounding the island.

DAYS 4 TO 10 – THE HOLM LANDS

Aboard the Polarfront, you will navigate among colossal icebergs in one of the most remote regions of the Arctic. As you cruise through these icy waters, keep watch for the king of the Arctic, the polar bear. Ice conditions permitting, you will go ashore for a hike across Holm Land, reaching the magnificent glaciers of Zachariæ Isstrøm and Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden, among the most impressive glacial landscapes in Northeast Greenland;

DAYS 4 TO 10 – DOVE BAY

Dove Bay is strewn with icebergs whose shimmering glacial hues contrast strikingly with the surrounding tundra. Its fjords are home to a rich variety of Arctic wildlife, including musk oxen, polar bears, and walrus. You will weave through the icebergs by Zodiac before going ashore for a hike across the wild tundra.

DAYS 4 TO 10 – THE PENDULUM ISLANDS

The Pendulum Islands archipelago consists of Little Pendulum Island, Sabine Island, and Walrus Islet. This remote and barren group of islands is renowned for the remains left behind by great Arctic explorers, including abandoned boats, huts, and other historic relics.

The archipelago also bears traces of the so-called Weather War of 1941-1944. During the Second World War, the Allies and Germany competed for access to reliable meteorological data from the North Atlantic and the Arctic. These weather observations were of strategic importance, as they directly influenced military planning as well as the routing of ships and convoys.

DAYS 4 TO 10 – EMPEROR FRANZ JOSEF FJORD

Explored during the Second German North Polar Expedition of 1869-1870, this fjord was named after Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, who helped finance this ambitious Arctic venture. You will travel deep into the heart of this wild mineral landscape, where every bend reveals a new and breathtaking panorama. The ship threads its way between towering rock faces, sculpted by ice over millennia and painted in subtle mineral hues, before emerging into vast, silent plains where majestic musk oxen can sometimes be seen roaming freely.

DAYS 4 TO 10 – ITTOQQORTOORMIIT

Ittoqqortoormiit means “settlers of the large houses” in Greenlandic. Located at the entrance to Scoresby Sund, it is the largest inhabited settlement in the region. The approximately 400 residents of this remote outpost rely on the richness of the Arctic for their livelihood and continue to practice traditional hunting and fishing.

It was precisely because of the abundance of marine life and resources in the waters flowing through the mouth of Scoresby Sund that the village was established here in 1925.

DAYS 4 TO 10 – SCORESBY SUND

Scoresby Sund is the largest fjord system in the world. It is renowned for its gigantic icebergs, among the largest in the Arctic, many of which are grounded on the fjord floor, where depths reach up to 400 metres. Some of these frozen giants rise more than 100 metres above the water and stretch for over a kilometre in length.

The dark blue depths of Scoresby Sund are home to the elusive and mythical-looking narwhal, while its diverse and rugged shorelines provide prime habitat for the mighty polar bear, the undisputed ruler of the Arctic.

DAY 11 – CONSTABLE POINT

It is here that this remarkable adventure comes to an end. Disembarkation time will be determined according to the departure schedule of your private flight to Reykjavik.

POLARFRONT, the Last Weather Ship in the World  

As a true expedition yacht, the Polarfront is able to access even the most secluded fjords, offering an expedition experience at the very heart of the Arctic wilderness.

Specifications: 12 passengers • Length: 55 metres • Beam: 10 metres • Hybrid propulsion • French flag and crew • 2 naturalist guides • French chef • Panoramic sauna • Nordic hot tub

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