In the Wake of the Vikings: A Journey Through Greenland's history, present and spectacular coastal scenery
- Adventure Coordinators
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
There’s something quietly powerful about tracing the path of explorers who came a thousand years before us. Standing on the wind-swept shores of southern Greenland or walking among the ruins of a Norse church, it becomes easier to imagine what Erik the Red saw when he first arrived. “In the Wake of the Vikings” is more than just a poetic name for this voyage from Reykjavík to Kangerlussuaq—it's a meaningful journey that connects past and present across one of the most historically rich and starkly beautiful regions in the North Atlantic. It's a journey through Greenland's history, present and spectacular coastal scenery.
Leaving Reykjavik
Join me on this cruise as our adventure begins in Iceland, a land shaped by fire and ice, where sagas were first written and where the Norse set sail into the unknown. As the ship departs Reykjavík, the city slips behind and the horizon opens ahead. The voyage takes its time, as it should, giving space to the rhythm of the ocean and the company of seabirds overhead. This is not a hurried itinerary but an exploration designed to immerse, not skim.
Crossing the Denmark Strait is a voyage of anticipation. It’s a rare feeling—days at sea, surrounded by nothing but water and sky, yet with the knowledge that a land of deep stories and startling landscapes waits on the other side.
Into Greenlandic waters
Greenland emerges not with grand fanfare but as a gradual presence: the sight of distant mountains, the shape of ice in the water, the subtle shift in the air. And then, suddenly, you're among the fjords.
In South Greenland, the past feels incredibly close. At Hvalsey, the best-preserved Norse ruins in the region stand in quiet solitude—roofless but still commanding. You might walk the stone outlines of a church built nearly a thousand years ago, surrounded by sheep pastures and rolling green hills that feel more like the Faroes or Scotland than the Arctic. This is part of Kujataa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Norse and Inuit farming traditions overlap, still visible in the patterns of the land.
Modern Greenland
Yet Greenland is not just a relic of history—it’s deeply alive. In towns like Qaqortoq, Narsaq, and Sisimiut, modern Greenlandic life reveals itself in colourfully painted homes, fish drying on racks, and the blend of Inuit tradition with contemporary expression. You may visit the Greenland National Museum, home to some of the country’s most remarkable cultural treasures—including the internationally renowned Qilakitsoq mummies, preserved in haunting detail.
Down by the old harbour in Nuuk, remnants of Danish colonial architecture stand alongside the rhythms of everyday life, while modern Nuuk offers a vibrant mix of galleries, boutiques, cosy cafés, and welcoming pubs.
Of fjords and icebergs
And of course everywhere there is Greenland's grandiose natural scenery, best revealed in Kangerlussuatsiaq . In Greenlandic, the name translates to “the rather big fjord,” while its Danish name, Evighedsfjorden—or “the fjord of eternity”—hints at its immense scale and timeless beauty.
We sail into this sweeping coastal passage and experience its grandeur firsthand. Towering mountains frame the waterway, where glaciers calve into the sea, seabirds nest on vertical cliffs, and meltwater streams tumble down rocky slopes.
Whether cruising aboard the ship or skimming across the surface by Zodiac, you'll find the fjord's landscapes unforgettable. Thanks to the influence of the West Greenland Current, these subarctic waters are surprisingly temperate, supporting a dynamic and dramatic ecosystem.
The Adventure Canada difference
What makes this journey truly distinct is the way Adventure Canada curates the experience. Their ships are not floating resorts—they are small, nimble expedition vessels that prioritize connection over luxury. Days are shaped not by rigid schedules but by conditions, opportunities, and curiosity. If whales are spotted off the bow, the ship slows. If weather allows, a Zodiac cruise might reveal icebergs carved into surreal shapes or seabird colonies clinging to the cliffs. The onboard team includes not only naturalists and historians, but also a storyteller / poet whose passions include myths, legends, and sagas, and an Inuk-Danish cultural educator—people who enrich the journey with insight, storytelling, and a palpable love for the places they share.
There’s also a sense of camaraderie among fellow travellers—those who choose this type of voyage are often thoughtful, well-travelled, and eager to engage with the environment and its people. The mood is casual, inquisitive, and deeply respectful of the Arctic and its cultures.
“In the Wake of the Vikings” is not a trip for those who simply want to tick boxes or collect passport stamps. It’s for those who want to feel a place—to walk where Norse settlers once built homes, to hear contemporary Greenlandic voices share their own narratives, to understand how the past echoes in the present. It’s a voyage of landscapes both dramatic and understated, of histories both ancient and evolving.
This journey doesn’t promise spectacle—it delivers something quieter and more enduring: perspective, connection, and the kind of memories that settle in slowly and stay with you long after the ship has docked.
Dates, rates and specials
The 2025 trip dates are July 12 to July 24 and Adventure Coordinators' Tom Gehrels will be hosting a small group of intrepid travellers on the journey. Regular pricing starts at US$5,395 per person in a Category 1 quad cabin, up to US$10,272 per person in a Category 10 forward-facing suite. In addition there is the cost of the charter flight from Kangelussuaq to Toronto, priced at US$1,450 per person.
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