Fjords, Icebergs & Northern Lights in the Arctic

I had the immense privilege of sailing around Norway, East Greenland and Iceland on board the Greg Mortimer, following the itinerary of our 'Northern Lights & Wildlife Odyssey' trip. Our journey began in Kirkenes for an overnight stay before embarking. This small, unassuming town, is bursting with Second World War history, and has magnificent views of the fjord. We spent the morning exploring the town and visiting a bomb shelter before getting a brief glimpse of the Russian border.

We set sail just before sunset and enjoyed spectacular scenery with stunning colourful skies over jagged peaks. Being later in the season, our focus was on seeing the northern lights and our first night did not disappoint; appearing as wispy, dancing clouds, they painted vivid greens and pinks across the sky, offering just a hint of what was to come for the rest of the trip.

Over the next five days we explored North Cape, the Inner Passage and Lofoten Islands, touching on the history and culture of Norway. Sailing into Tromsø, we sighted our first minke whale and a variety of birdlife such as a white-tailed eagle, common eider, Brünnich’s guillemot and gannets.

After we docked, we visited the science centre’s auditorium for a spellbinding display of the northern lights, and presentation from the in-house astronomer. Our time in Norway ended at the majestic Lofoten Islands before navigating the open ocean towards East Greenland, accompanied by northern fulmars.

After two days at sea, our arrival into East Greenland at sunrise was spectacular. Enormous icebergs floated by, canvassed against the pink and orange sky. We switched to expedition mode, exploring the dramatic fjords by Zodiac and tundra on foot, dwarfed by gigantic icebergs and impressive peaks with distant views of musk ox, Arctic hare, great northern divers and a ringed seal. We sailed through Scoresby Sund, the oldest fjord system in the world, where we visited the remote village of Ittoqqortoormiit to learn about the Inuit’s way of life.

Leaving Greenland, we were escorted over the Denmark Strait by flocks of northern fulmars, black-legged kittiwakes, common guillemots and little auks, in addition to minke, fin and humpback whales. One of the minke whales passed alongside the ship, its white pectoral markings visible beneath the surface as it breeched.

In Iceland, we docked in various ports including Akureyri, Isafjordur, Thingeyri and Grundafjordur to explore famous waterfalls, dramatic volcanic craters and enthralling lava fields. The migratory bird species had departed, however we recorded plenty of whooper swans, common eiders, mallards, shags, oystercatchers, a white-tailed eagle, goldeneye ducks and pink-footed geese.

The highlight of the trip was seeing multiple pods of humpback whales as we approached Isafjordur. Our first sightings were distant blows on the horizon as we eagerly anticipated their approach. We stood at the bow, watching in awe as they swam by. Their roaring blows echoed as they surfaced, seemingly synchronised, eventually exposing their flukes as they dived and disappeared. We later identified some of the individuals for a citizen science programme, and it was fascinating to see their movements.

Our journey ended in the picturesque town of Reykjavík, where we disembarked with lifelong memories of each country’s fascinating geology, rich history, warm hospitality and spectacular scenery.

If you'd like to explore the wild wilderness of the Arctic, discover our Northern Lights & Wildlife Odyssey today or see our full range of Arctic holidays. Contact our expert team to discuss your polar adventure.