Sail and Explore East Greenland

This sailing adventure covers two amazing destinations, Iceland, Greenland and crossing of famous Denmark Strait. In the thousands of miles covering the coasts of Eastern Greenland there are only 7 settlements, these settlements are home to only 3500 residents and we will be visiting five of them. It is one of the last wild places in our hemisphere where people are still living a traditional way of life. We will see numerous whales and seals in their natural habitat, we may be even lucky to see a polar bear wandering the shore. We will pay a visit to an abandoned second world war army base. Eat fresh fish and wild berries harvested and caught by Inuits. Anchor surrounded by breath taking scenery, and experience first hand the land where the sun never fully goes down. We will experience the real taste of isolation but also lively atmosphere in native settlements. In our opinion this is the most amazing sailing experience of a lifetime and the pictures in your camera will be beyond expectations.

Your sailing adventure

Crossing the Denmark Strait

We start in Olafsvijk, a picturesque Icelandic fishing village with just over 1000 inhabitants, located on the western side of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Olafsvijk is known for whale watching and the Ólafsvíkurkirkja church, which is the memorial to drowned fishermen and the beautiful Bæjarfoss waterfall. From here we sail across the Denmark Strait to Tasiilaq, the most populous area on the east coast of Greenland. In Greenlandic, Tasiilaq means “the town with sea water that looks like a lake”. Tasiilaq is located on the island of Ammassalik, in one of the most remote and beautiful areas in the world, and is home to great outdoor adventures and traditional culture. The trackless wilderness, the waterways known only to the locals and the pristine, snow-capped mountains attract outdoor adventurers from all over the world to Tasiilaq every year. After two days at sea, we have time to explore the town, visit the local museum or have a drink in the only pub on the east coast of Greenland.

Petersen Bay and Sermilik Fjord

We sail west to Johan Petersen Fjord, named after the Danish Arctic explorer and also known as Petersen Bay, which lies on the western shore of Sermilik. We navigate the boat through unspoilt waters with majestic cliffs and huge glaciers stretching from the mountains to the sea. We approach a marine-terminating glacier and explore the glacier front from the dinghy. From here we continue to Sermilik Fjord, one of the largest fjords on the south-eastern coast of Greenland. Its Greenlandic name 'Sermilik' means 'place with glaciers’, surrounded by majestic mountain ranges, calving glaciers, icebergs of various shapes and pristine waters. Sermilik was initially explored in 1888 by Fridtjof Nansen, who considered it as a possible route to the ice cap, but decided to start his crossing in Umivik Bay.

Tiilerilaaq and Bluie East Two Base

We visit the settlements of Tiilerilaaq (formerly Tiniteqilaaq) and Kuummiut (Kalaallisut) in the municipality of Sermersooq. The old Inuit village of Tiilerilaaq is one of the most exciting and beautiful places in Greenland and is home to only about 70 inhabitants. Once we have anchored the boat in the bay, we have time ashore to explore the settlement with its colourful wooden houses overlooking the endless icebergs with their dramatic peaks. Just like in other Inuit villages, the atmosphere is filled with the sounds of howling dogs and cracking ice, and the sight of polar bear skins and drying fish in the open air. The next stop is the abandoned US Army Air Force base, known by the code name 'Bluie East Two' on Ikateq, which was in operation from 1942 to 1947. The base was abandoned in 1947 and everything was left behind, including rusted fuel drums, military vehicles and collapsed buildings.

Karale & Knud Rasmussen Glaciers and Kulusuk

We continue to sail along the Ikateq channel to enter the end of the Sermiligaaq Fjord to the stunning Karale and the Knud Rasmussen glaciers. At almost 25 kilometres, the Karala Glacier is one of the largest glaciers in the area north of Kuummiit. We will sail along the edge of the glacier to get a closer look at this breathtaking natural wonder and discover towering mountains and crystal clear icebergs in perfect harmony with the serenity of nature. This is actually the northernmost point at which we reach close to the Arctic Circle. Kuummiut, a beautiful fishing and hunting village, lies at the end of the Ammassalik Fjord. If we are lucky, we can watch whales here or see the spectacular Northern Lights dancing across the sky in all their splendour. We also visit Sermiligaaq, which name means "Beautiful Glacierfjord” in Greenlandic; a settlement hidden in the north-eastern part of the island of Ammassalik.

Our last port of call is Kulusuk, a settlement that is home to the only international airport in the Ammassalik region and serves as the gateway to East Greenland. Kulusuk is also a joining and starting point for the route from Greenland to Iceland (which explores the same places in reverse order).

The adventures are led by either our Chief or Senior Instructors Danny or Ales with combined experience in area of over 20 expeditions. The passages will be a combination of day and overnight passages to make the most of your time exploring this extreme place. It is an involved passage the crew will be part of the boat preparation and part of the watch system that make it happen. Our skippers are Yachtmaster Instructors so whether you are an experienced sailor or novice they will be able to pass on some tips along the way.

2024 dates

We are starting this adventure from either Iceland or Greenland. Please see the sailing dates, starting and end destinations, and prices below;

• 14th July 2024 – Greenlandic Adventure, Olafsvik, Iceland to Kulusuk, Greenland – 10 days, £3945
• 25th July 2024 – Greenlandic Adventure, Kulusuk, Greenland to Olafsvik, Iceland – 10 days, £2945
• 5th August 2024 – Greenlandic Adventure, Olafsvik, Iceland to Kulusuk, Greenland – 10 days, £2945
• 16th August 2024 – Greenlandic Adventure, Kulusuk, Greenland to Olafsvik Iceland – 10 days, £3945

See our Greenland's Cruising log from Yachting Monthly

Preparing your journey

We will let you know everything you need to know to get to and from either Reykjavik, Olafsvik or Kulusuk based on our previous experiences. Iceland's major airport is Reykjavik (KEF) which is 45 minutes by bus to the centre of Reykjavik the service runs every 30 minutes at peak times. Kulusuk (KUS) is a smaller airport in Greenland but you can fly to 3 destinations with 2 airlines in scheduled passenger traffic which includes regular flights to Reykjavik.

Our Global Surveyor sailings are suitable for people with no sailing experience, up to those who are experienced sailors. If you have little-to-no experience, please speak to Victoria so we can chat through sea life with you. We can also advise you on what you should pack and bring on board and hire waterproof garments typically worn by sailors.

Expedition yacht Global Surveyor

We were delighted to welcome to the fleet Global Surveyor to Go West Sailing in 2020; she’s aptly described as the ultimate machine. Global Surveyor was designed and built by Gunter Marine and the original owner Graham Lascelles for round the world sailing. The original build was in 1998 and she has been extensively refitted in 2020. She was intentionally over-specced with 7 watertight compartments and crash bulkheads, extra thick hull, over-sized cutter rig, 150kg main anchor, and diesel tank which holds 2000 litres with many other extras that are not an everyday occurrence on a sailing yacht. She has extensive safety kit including 2 ocean class 12 person life raft and satellite communication.

• Seven watertight sections and crash bulkheads;
• Designed to withstand collisions with ice, containers and groundings;
• Overbuilt cutter rig;
• Fully insulated with 3 independent diesel heaters;
• 2000 litres of water in 2 tanks;
• 2000 litres of diesel in 2 tanks;
• 5 cabins and 2 heads including shower area;
• Very large saloon with mahogany wooden trim;
• Deck house to protect from elements;
• Extensive safety kit including 2 ocean class 12 person life rafts;
• Satellite communication;
• 150 kg main and 63 kg kedge anchor.

Internally, she has been designed with comfort and safety in mind. There is a very large saloon complete with mahogany trim and a dining table to seat 16 comfortably. Each cabin has been fitted with overhead reading lights and USB port to allow for device charging. The yacht has been designed to carry 16 passengers, however we keep this to a maximum of 10 plus 2 crew between 5 spacious cabins. This also ensures a really hands-on experience. You can watch Global Surveyor videos on our YouTube.

Included in the price

As with all our trips, all on-board expenses are included in the price - no hidden costs or surprises.

• 10 nights accommodation on 70ft steel yacht;
• All onboard meals and snacks;
• Fuel, gas and fees;
• Bedding;
• Skipper/guide;
• First mate/engineer.

The cost of the flight from or to Iceland or Greenland is not included in the price, although we can help with arrangements. Optional (not included in the price) are: oil skins hire £3.50 per item per day, final cleaning service at £12.50 per person, eating in restaurant ashore, visitors fees to museum or attractions, and flights and transfers to starting and end destination. We strongly recommend travel insurance.