RVR16 West Greenland - South Greenland 2012

Trip Details

RVR16 West Greenland - South Greenland 21.09.-03.10.12

Day by day itinerary

Day 1 - We arrive at Ilulissat from Reykjavik by chartered plane.
Ilulissat (5000 inhabitants) is an important West Greenland town, with museums, institutes, bookstores, etc.   

Day 2 - Today we find ourselves just south of the large Jakobshavn Glacier with its enormous ice- bergs. We climb the hill at Avangnardlit from where we have fantastic view across the Jakobshavn Isfjord, which is a World Heritage site.

Day 3 - The island groups of Hunde Ejland and Kronprinsens Ejland in the mouth of the Disko Bay, are surrounded by rich waters which attract both seabirds and whales. We intend to call at the small settlement on Hunde Eijland where old dwellings of Greenland’s Thule culture (dating from the 11th century) and graves from 18th century Dutch whalers can be seen.

Day 4 - We arrive at Sydbay (Ukivik), where the 18th Century whalers traded with the Eskimo’s at the occasion of the yearly Assivik , when people from a large area come together, on a beautiful sandy beach. We land also at nearby Isortoq with remains of houses of the Thule culture. In this area we may see Reindeer.

Day 5 - Kangaamiut at the mouth of Evighedsfjord is a friendly Greenlandic village where people still indulge in handcraft.

Day 6 - Nuuk (Godthåb), the capital of Greenland has a population of about 14,000. An excursion should include a visit to the museum which has a remarkable collection of Inuit mummies, dating from the 15th Century, which were found near Uummannaq, further to the north. The Cultural Centre of Nuuk, which each year has an exhibition of the work of a Greenlandic artist, is also worth visiting. The waters to the west of the town are a good place to see Humpback Whales and Blue Whales.
In the evening we land at the southern tip of Akilia, where the oldest exposed rocks of our planet (3.8 million years) can be found.

Day 7 - We call at Fiskenaes (formerly called Brielse Haven) and Lichtenfels a Hernhuters mission post from the 18th century.

Day 8 - We sail past Flade Isblink and keep a lookout for Humpback Whales and Minke Whales

Day 9 - In Ivittuut we walk along the remains of a Cryolite mine and around a small cemetery connected with it. Later we sail into Ikat Fjord famous for the curious underwater structures formed by mineral precipitation. In this area we see Musk Oxen, which were introduced into the area in the last century.

Day 10 - We will try to get to Uunartoq, where we take a bath in a hot spring surrounded by ice bergs. Later we sail along a great series of stranded ice-bergs to Lichtenau a lovely but nearly deserted Greenlandic village, where the Hernhuters (Moravian brothers) had a mission in the 18th Century.

Day 11 - In the morning we sail to the beautiful glacier fronts of Qaleralik Sermia, where we will have some zodiac excursions and make some landings near the glacier. Deeper into Bredefjord at Qoornooq we land in an area with beautiful remains of houses from the Thule culture.

Day 12 - In Eriksfjord we visit the Viking sites of Gardar (a walk of 3 km from the landing site) and Brattahlíð, where Erik Red lived about a thousand years ago. In the evening we arrive at the airport of Narsarsuaq.

Day 13 - From Narsarsuaq we fly by regular plane to Reykjavik or Copenhagen.

RVR16 West Greenland - South Greenland 21.09.-03.10.12

Vessel s/v Rembrandt van Rijn

S/V ‘Rembrandt Van Rijn’  was  built as a herring lugger early last century. The vessel was rebuilt as a three-mast passenger sailing schooner in he Netherlands in 1994 and sailed in Spitsbergen (1994 – 1996) and in Galápagos (1998 - 2001). The vessel underwent a complete rebuilding and refurbishment program until 2011. The communication and navigation equipment has been completely renewed according to the latest SOLAS regulations.

The Rembrandt van Rijn measures 56 meters in length (168 ft.), 7 meters in width and has a draft of 2,5 meters. The maximum speed on engines is 9 knots. It has an experienced crew of  7 persons on board including 2 tour guides.

The ship is well suited for expedition cruising among small islands and offer good open deck viewing areas, also when under sail. The 2 inflatable rubber crafts (zodiacs) enable landing and wildlife viewing opportunities in otherwise inaccessible areas.

Ice class:
The s/v Rembrandt van Rijn has no ice class. During her refit, the bow of the vessel was enforced and is therefore suitable to sail in the Greenlandic waters.

Age range & Nationality onboard
Passengers on a typical voyage range between 30 - 55. Our expeditions attract independent-minded travellers from around the world. They are characterised by a strong interest in exploring remote regions. The camaraderie and spirit that develops aboard is an important part of the expedition experience. Many departures have several nationalities on board.

Catering
Three meals of international cuisine per day are served buffet style in the restaurant and is prepared by our cook.

Combating sea sickness
Anticipate some rough water on the voyage. Should you be prone to motion or sea sickness, please consult your personal physician which medication is appropriate and its side effects. On board s/v Rembrandt van Rijn there is no phycisian available. To avert motion sickness, avoid alcohol, tobacco, excess liquids, and confined spaces. Most people feel better sitting on deck looking at the horizon or prone with eyes shut. Oddly, you will feel better with some food, such as crackers or dry toast in your stomach. Many people eat to avoid feeling sick. Remember, once you start to experience motion sickness, medications are of little help.

Dress code
In keeping with our expeditions atmosphere, dress on board is informal. Bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities. Keep in mind that much of the spectacular scenery can be appreciated from deck, which can be slippery. Bring sturdy shoes with no-slip soles and make sure the parka is never far away in case of the call "Whales!" comes over the loudspeaker and you have to dash outside. Wear layers since it is comfortably warm aboard the ship - and often cold on deck.

Electric Current
The electrical supply aboard the ship is 220 volt 50hz. Electrical outlets are standard European with two thick round pins. U.S. passengers may need a 220v/110v converter.

Excursions & Landings
Every day there will be excursions on land, weather and ice permitting. The landings will take three to six hours per day over untracked area. According to circumstances (the weather, the ice-situation or the passengers´ wishes) the program can sometimes be adjusted. Ample time will be devoted to wildlife, vegetation, geography and history.

Gratuities
The customary gratuity to the ship's crew and expedition leader is made as a blanket contribution at the end of the voyage. You will receive detailed guidelines aboard. Tipping is a very personal matter and the amount you wish to give is at your discretion. We suggest to give cash in Euros, US Dollars or Danish kroner.

Non-smoking policy
On board our vessels we have a non-smoking policy. It is prohibited to smoke inside the ship. You can smoke on deck but do not throw your cigarette filter overboard ! Do not smoke on the aft deck in the proximity of zodiacs, engines and fuel. Please respect the wishes of non-smokers.

The crew
The crew of the ´Rembrandt van Rijn´ consists of 7 experienced crew and 2 tour guides and a cook. The sailors are in charge during sailing and will bring us ashore. Whilst sailing the assistance of the passengers is appreciated for handling the sails and taking the helm. This includes being on watch during nightly sailing.

Your physical condition
You must be in good general health and you should be able to walk several hours per day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding. Although we spend as much time as possible ashore, you are welcome to remain aboard the ship if you like. To join most excursions, you must be able to get up and down the steep gangway from the ship to the water level to board the Zodiacs. Staff will assist you in and out of the boats. This will become progressively easier with practice. Ashore it can be slippery and rocky. You are travelling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition, or need daily medical treatment.

Deck Plan

RVR16 West Greenland - South Greenland 21.09.-03.10.12

EUR Rates 2012 per person in 1/2 Twin Room:

Fares include:

• Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary.
• All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
• All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
• Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
• On Rembrandt voyages: Transfers and baggage handling between airport and ship in Greenland harbours on the chartered group flights.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
• AECO fees and governmental taxes.
• Comprehensive pre-departure material

Not included:
Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights; pre- and post land arrangements; passport and visa expenses; Government arrival and departure taxes; meals ashore; baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is mandatory); excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).

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Charter Flight Rates (non commissionable):

Reykjavik-Ilulissat 21.09.12 = EUR 296 p.p. incl airport tax