We invite you to join our unique expedition on “Aurora” yacht to Greenland. We plan to sail through the southern fjords of Greenland in autumn and to sail through the legendary Tasermiut fjord and Prince Christian Sound.
The number of people is strictly limited – only 8 persons for this beautiful expedition.
The classical tour to Greenland differs a lot from our style. You’ll be offered to sail on “zodiacs” only during some hours but we can always sail and hunt the light and best perspectives during the whole night and to stay mobile at the same time. The previous experience has shown that a good team and a maneuverable yacht give an incredibly beautiful result. Our timetable is more or less free. Ideally we want to go to the entrance of Prince Christian Fjord and Tasermiut fjords, but that’s not the main goal. The main goal is to shoot beautiful icebergs, fjords and high granite peaks of the region. That’s why we’ll work out our everyday timetable taking into account ice situation and the weather.
The advantages of traveling by arctic class yacht are obvious: big cruises are enormously expensive (about $10,000 usually), the yacht is more mobile and we can listen to every participant’s opinion what is difficult in a team of 30-50 people on board. Big ships can scare away the animals and can’t be as mobile as we are. The yacht has both rigs and a motor. Moreover, we have a quick and maneuver “Zodiac” which can be launched at any moment to get closer to the animals or to go ashore. Safety measures’ questions are paid special attention: satellite phone, navigational system and ice maps.
So what is the Prince Christian Sound? That is rugged terrain, lots of high amazing peaks. I call this place “Arctic Patagonia” because of numerous granite walls.
You can take a glance on the area we intend to explore by eyes of hikers:
1) 25-day hiking and packrafting expedition through extreme Southern Greenland. Pictures and Video. Trip report part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4 and part 5.
2) Greenland hiking, 2009
3) Greenland Big Wall Kayak Trip – The Map
4) Stunning Tasermiut fjord photos
But instead of kayaks and hiking with all the gear and wear we have a yacht! So no need to hiking in wild conditions and rafting for weeks. We’ll see everything in comfort at best suitable times for photography. But this trip involves plenty of easy hiking. Some of hikes are radial one-day from the yacht. No need of camping! You will be always in comfort, and you can always charge your batteries 24 hours per day, and enjoy meals made by our chef on board with local meats, fish and vegetables.
There will be radial-hiking trips on the tour! But always there is a possibility to stay at the shore, near the waterfall etc. There’s always alternative to stay near the shore if you feel not fit for hikes: there are beautiful lakes, rivers and waterfalls close to the shore at almost every location.
We’ve chosen September as it is the best time for visit Big Walls: there is a major chance of solar activity and thus northern lights at dark nights! But do not expect to see many icebergs on this tour. It is mainly about mountain landscape, northern lights and incredible autumn colors.
Air tickets: we will buy air tickets in the beginning of 2018 (February-March), when the air Greenland/Iceland schedule will be out. Notice that flight to Greenland are expensive (expect the price around 1000 usd for return ticket – air fare is not included in the price).
Yacht Aurora
Specially built vessel for Arctic adventures, steel hull. Cabins with bunk beds – 2 separate beds per cabin (lower bed could be used as double for couples). We’ve remastered this yacht in 2017, so it still shines with new paint. Among facilities:
- Comfortable kitchen with living room
- Fresh water from desalinator
- Washing machine
- Full day electricity 220 V supply to charge your batteries
- 2 bathrooms with shower
- services of cook on board
- sauna!
- modern safety/navigation systems
“Aurora” yacht is an arctic class yacht with a steel hull equipped with modern navigation system. You can use the kitchen with sitting area, two separate WC, shower. The yacht’s team is 4 or 5 professional sailors + 8 photographers on board. There is one zodiac (a motor boat) on the yacht. There are 220 V constantly operating sockets, freshwater supplies (700 + 200 liters) and distiller. We organize Greenland photo tours with “Peter-1” since 2015 and tested “Aurora” this year at Svalbard and Greenland. Several years ago the team set a world record and went on the Arctic circumnavigation in one season.
“Aurora” is a very solidly built ship. Literally it’s made of steel. The ship is fitted out for worldwide sailing and has all the safety certificates and permissions required under worldwide requirements for visiting Antarctica. 4-5 experienced, professional members of the crew will ensure the our safe operation. Our safety equipment include life jackets, life raft, fire extinguishing equipment, a stock of medicine, EPIRB and radar transponder. “Aurora” navigation and communication equipment includes radar, a compass, a satellite navigation system, an echo sounder, a sextant, SSB transmitter, Inmarsat-C terminals, an Iridium Satellite telephone, VHF transmitter.
“Aurora” has a zodiac with outboard fast engine. The drinking water capacity is 750 litres in permanent tanks + distliller. Food stores will be taken on board before our departure in Ushuaia. We will also take on board 1000 litres of diesel to fuel the heater, the generator and the main engine. The ship has a power supply of 220V AC (50 Hz). Plugs on board are European style, two pins.
Dates are stated +-2 days! We depend on Air Greenland schedule!
Please do not expect to see lots of icebergs on this trip. Instead we will see incredible granite peaks and autumn colors of valleys with chance of nortern lights + very cute and unique villages.
Mandatory trip cancellation insurance + health insurance
You must have full coverage of the trip + air tickets in case you miss flights (or in case of delayed flights). We recommend arrive 1 day before the trip and have long connections at airports (more than 3 hours). Please insure your health as well. Insurance could be bought 3 months before the trip and present to me via mail.
Day 1 – 7 September
The start is September, 7 from Narsarsuaq, Greenland.
To reach Narsarsuaq, I recommend the Air Greenland flight departing from Copenhagen on 7 September. There will be 2 transfers at Kangerlussuaq and Nuuk and then we arrive to Narsarsuaq. If you are flying from USA, you may take Air Iceland Connect flight (direct flight from Reykjavik), and even combine trip to Iceland with South Greenland photo tour. Please double check departure times of your flight one day before the actual flight with air company. The schedule might be released in Feb’18.
Upon the arrival of the airplane to Narsarsuaq we have a speed boat transfer to Nanortalik (6-7 hours). Once we are on the yacht at Nanortalik we will start sailing towards inner islands and fjords of South Greenland. We will be exposed to the open sea for 3-4 hours during this day, all other days will be in sheltered fjords with no waves (usually even with perfect reflections). It will take us around 16-20 hours to reach Nanortalik with short stop at Narsaq to buy provisions and fuel for upcoming expedition and walk around this big traditional village.
Day 2
Today we sail at the gate of amazing Prince Christian Sound. We encounter the highest and most dramatic peaks of the whole Greenland in these fjords. During the evening we may take the optional hike to one of the ridges at Stordalens or Kangerdluk fjords. We may even bring a tent with us to the small lakes up the top to meet sunrise or wait for northern lights if the weather permits. Prince Kristian has the most majestic mountains of Greenland. Usually during this day everyone is on the deck enjoying incredible views. Sunset landings, night landing for northern lights.
Day 3
Greenland ice shield is the second biggest in the world except Antarctic. Fjord system consists of many big glaciers from Greenland shield. These days we’ll sail into gorgeous mini-fjords. It’s here where you can see the most splendid icebergs. Many of them are pure blue pieces of ice which have just broken away from glacier’s terminal. We are at Prince Christian. Every day we will try to get to observation point above the fjord: mountains are very high here, so we need a higher point to achieve panoramic views.
Day 4
We sail by yacht through beautiful fjord system of Prince Christian and disembark at remarkable spots.
Day 5
The yacht continue to sail westwards towards the awesome Tasermiut fjord. We’ll see high mountains resembling Patagonia: granite peaks rise 200-300 meters above the mountain range and go high into the sky. We can sail close to the glacier fronts here. For the group of hikers, we continue our journey through the valley and meet with a group in the evening this day.
Day 6
Today we start to explore granite walls of Tasermiut fjord. Usually our hiking routes are flexible and the difficulty depend on the strength of the group. Of course, we depend on the weather as well. We start our hikes towards the “Big Walls” of South Greenland. They remind me world-famous Fitz Roy or El Capitan. They are the Ulamertorsuaq (1830 m, the Arctic version of El Capitan), the Nalumasortoq (2050 m, it is shaped like an open book, 900 meters tall with plane walls) and the giant granite peak of the Ketil (2,010 m).
The treks are really easy, about two hours long. Along the shore we should see remains of Viking settlements. These are completely wild and remote places. The Tasermiut glacier is amazing itself, descending 1400 meters above the water and it’s a hanging glacier.
Day 7
A spare day to shoot amazing granite peaks of Tasirmiut fjord: Ketil and other “icons” of South Greenland. We usually disembark to visit awesome locations and then having a nice meal on the yacht, sleep in comfort and our crew monitor nortern lights.
Day 8
Day of amazing hikes in Big Walls area. We will reach the end of the fjord and see awesome Greenland ice field, and sharp peaks of mountains all way around us. There are many remarkable locations in the area: rivers, blue lakes and waterfalls. Sunrise, sunset and night landings are possible!
Day 9
We will sail in direction to the village of Saarloq, a village almost abandoned. We stop for a short hike. In the afternoon we will set off for Uunartoq through the complex system of fjords. In the evening we will have free time to enjoy a relaxing bath in warm springs of Uunartoq. It is the only thermal springs to which access is possible in Greenland, while icebergs float just outside of hot springs. We will have a hot bath close to the night, having possibility to enjoy nortern lights! Night near Uunartoq Island on the yacht.
Day 10
We have a speed boat transfer arranged from Nanortalik to Qaqortoq. That’s the biggest and one of the most beautiful towns of the South Greenland!
Day 11
Fly back home with incredible memories from Narsarsuaq on 17 September via Nuuk 🙂
Tour formally ends on 17 September, but we need to have overnight 17-18 September in Nuuk and leave Nuuk on 18 September to Copenhagen (options via Iceland might be available too). Air ticket recommendation will be given after you sign up for the tour.
Pricing:
Total price: 4900 EUR per person
Maximum Number of Participants: 8
Difficulty: moderate (some hikes can be hard with an option to stay on the shore).
Included in the price:
– Accomodation and transportation by yacht
– All meals (except alcohol and snacks)
– Instruction and master classes by professional guide
– Professional crew of arctic sailors
– Zodiac boat services
– Fuel
– Port taxes and fees
Not included in the price:
– Airfare to and from Greenland
– Visas (if applicable)
– Alcohol
Please check flights to Greenland at Airgreenland.com
We buy air tickets in the beginning of 2018.
What to bring
Gear:
– DSLR camera with tripod and remote shutter release
– A wide angle lens. For example, Nikkor 14-24 or Canon 17-40. Best lens for use in wide-angle scenes or architecture photography
– A middle-zoom lens such as a 24-70 mm
– A telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-200 mm. 300 mm with 1.5 TC or 500 mm, 600 mm are recommended for wildlife and bird photography. Be sure to have additional tripod mount to this lens.
Wear:
– Waterproof and windproof jacket (consider the average temperature +5 – +10 C at nights and +8 – +15 C during the daytime)
– Waterproof pants
– Warm jacket and thermal pants
– Wellingtons or fishing boots
The full list will be sent by mail to participants.
What is the difference between workshop, tour and expedition?
Workshop: we have a very light schedule, and in between sessions we spend lots of time on lessons, processing instruction. We have time to teach each other in-fields. Suitable for beginners.
Tour: We bring you at amazing locations at exact time! We help you to setup cameras and travel a lot. We are short in time to make so many tuition sessions as we can do during workshop. Suitable for beginners.
Expedition: we use all our time to work hard on our photography! We have almost no time for tuition, but we work shoulder to shoulder, sharing our secrets and tips. You may always consult with a leader. You should know your camera settings very well, it is not suitable for complete beginners.
By filling the contact form you agree to Terms&Conditions
