Greenland Expedition: Sailing the Arctic Circle

Sailing into East Greenland’s Wild Heart

Constable Point → Ittoqqortoormiit → Scoresbysund → Bear Islands → Constable Point

This Greenland expedition actually begins in Reykjavik, where a private charter flight carries you north to Constable Point on the East Greenland coast. This is in addition to the voyage ticket price and will be organised by the boat once you have booked. Full details will be provided upon booking, and more information can be found in the Travel tab below. 

From Constable Point, you’ll board Linden and sail into Scoresbysund – the world’s largest fjord system, stretching some 350 kilometres inland through a landscape of granite walls, drifting icebergs, and Arctic tundra that has barely changed since the last Ice Age.

Over seven days, Linden moves deeper into this wilderness at the pace the Arctic sets. You might wake to icebergs basking in the golden morning sun, spend an afternoon landing ashore by Zodiac on a red sandstone beach, or watch musk ox graze against a backdrop of peaks rising straight from the sea. The route passes through Rødefjord, Øfjord, and the Bear Islands before returning to Constable Point for the flight back to Iceland.

The itinerary is intentional but never rigid. Captain Rasmus and expedition leader Joe read the ice, weather, and wildlife as they go, adjusting course to make the most of what the Arctic offers on any given day. That flexibility is part of what makes this voyage something more than a holiday.

A Week in Scoresbysund 

The expedition follows a natural rhythm shaped by the weather, but the itinerary below is to give you an idea of what you may be able to expect.

Day 1: Fly from Reykjavik to Constable Point. Board Linden, meet Captain Rasmus and the crew, and sail to Ittoqqortoormiit – one of the most isolated settlements in the world, sitting at the mouth of the fjord system where it meets the open sea.

Day 2: Sunrise at Sun Glacier. Sail west through a landscape of drifting icebergs, carried gently on Arctic currents.

Day 3: Go ashore on the red sandstone shores of Red Island. Continue north into Rødefjord, often filled with sea ice.

Day 4: A day in search of Arctic wildlife. Discover musk ox, snow hares, grouse, and the elusive gyrfalcon, known to nest in the region.

Day 5: Sail the length of Øfjord, where granite walls rise close to 2,000 metres directly from the water on either side.

Day 6: Hike ashore at Jyttes Havn on the Bear Islands and feel the full scale of where you are with your feet on the ground.

Day 7: A longer sail back through the archipelago to Constable Point, ready for the morning flight to Reykjavik.

Arctic Wilderness, Under Sail

Sailing in Greenland means travelling at a slower pace that suits the place, guided by the wind, the ice, and the light, which in late summer stretches into the small hours and turns the fjords a deep, burnt gold. The geology here is among the oldest on earth: ancient Precambrian rock worn into walls and peaks that rise straight from the water, scarred by glaciers and split by fjords that reach further inland than almost anywhere else on the planet.

The weather is part of the experience, too. Arctic summers bring long, bright days and shifting skies from calm one morning to dramatic the next. Linden moves with it all, reading the conditions and finding shelter or open water as the day demands. Ice drifts in from the Greenland Sea, icebergs calve from glaciers that have been retreating for centuries, and the scale of it – once you are sitting in a Zodiac alongside a berg the size of a house – is genuinely hard to put into words.

Linden’s two Zodiac tenders extend the expedition beyond where the ship alone can reach. Remote shorelines, iceberg fields, and wildlife sightings that reward patience rather than speed. Joe leads all hikes and Zodiac excursions ashore, bringing years of Arctic knowledge to everything the group encounters: the wildlife, the deep history written into the rock, and the story of exploration in these extraordinary waters.

Sailing Linden -a  50-Metre Wooden Tall Ship

Linden is one of the largest wooden sailing vessels still operating in European waters. Built in 1993 as a modern interpretation of a 1920 original, she was designed from the outset for high-latitude sailing – strong enough for Arctic conditions, spacious enough to live aboard comfortably for a week at a time. 

• Sleeping: Six twin bunk-style cabins, each with a private bathroom and full bedding provided
• Eating: All meals freshly prepared by the ship’s cook; dietary requirements accommodated throughout; served communally in the saloon
• The saloon: The social heart of Linden – warm, well-stocked with a bar and library, and the natural gathering point at the end of each day
• The sauna: An on-board sauna that earns its keep after long hours on deck in Arctic air
• Getting involved: Guests are genuinely encouraged to help sail Linden, from hoisting sails, taking the helm, and learning to read the wind, although there is no obligation to participate if you’d rather sit back and enjoy the views. 
• Expedition style: Hands-on, unhurried, and led by people who are as excited to be there as you are

Things to note

Sailing vs shore time

Night watches

Travel insurance notes

As this is an active adventure holiday, we advise everyone to have the appropriate personal accident travel insurance whilst onboard in addition to standard travel insurance which would cover you in the time between booking and departing for your adventure. These policies can sometimes be combined so please check with your travel insurance provider.

Please read more information on our Insurance guidelines page.

This voyage will be more than 12 miles offshore.