Polar Cruising: Antarctica & The Arctic 2023

Narsarsuaq is a port town in Kujalleq (southern Greenland), with population under 200. Attractions include the airfield museum, gemstones, wildlife, boat tours, glacier hiking tours and the Arboretum Groenlandicum - a unique for the Arctic botanical garden with live bushes and trees. Established in 1988, the garden encompasses 15 hectares of land and has over 50,000 trees (110 different plants, trees and bushes). The hills with Norse ruins from the 10th-15th centuries are near the town. They tell the story of Brattahlid, the settlement of Erik the Red. The Ruins document the first Christian church in all of North America. Many cruises visit Narsarsuaq every year, because of the beautiful location of the town. Tourists disembark the ship to buy unique exciting Greenlandic souvenirs.

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Nuuk , Greenland’s colourful capital established in 1728, has a population of just 18,000, with an eye-catching mix of old and new buildings. As the largest and oldest town in Green- land, Nuuk is a busy place compared to the quieter towns of Greenland. Nuuk is full of experiences not found anywhere else in Greenland. Visit the mummies in the Greenland National Museum, try the local craft beer at Greenland’s largest microbrewery, learn about urban arctic living, see students preparing for their futures at Greenland University or expand your knowledge of Inuit culture at the Nuuk Art Museum.

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The Prince Christian Sound is a stunning waterway between the Labrador Sea and Irminger Sea. This 60-mile long fjord system is at times as narrow as 1,500 feet across. It flows through steep canyons of granite with slopes rising 1,200 feet above the water and offers breathtaking views of calving glaciers and steep mountains. Marvel at the icy landscape, where snow-capped moun- tain peaks loom in the distance and blue-white glaciers shine in the afternoon light. The only human habitation in this frozen landscape is the Inuit village of Aappilattoq, home to about 100 people.

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Qaanaaq is the largest and only real town this far north. The Thule District of Qaanaaq was the entrance to Greenland for the Inuit that came via Ellesmere Island, Canada.

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Even today it is still a strong cultural hunting stronghold for the original way of life, but naturally influenced by the advent of modern times’ technology. If you have the opportunity, you should not miss out on listening to the Qaanaaq choir and also remember to visit the church and the museum in the town.

Qassiarsuk is also known as Brattahlid – the place where Erik the Red set- tled with his wife Tjodhilde and from where Leif Erikson set out on an expedition towards the west and discovered America, or Vinland, more than 1,000 years ago. Modern farm machinery has replaced Viking technology, but the same river valleys and the same hillsides are still used today to graze animals. This mix of Norse and Greenlan- dic farming practices has resulted in Qassiarsuk being included in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed area – Kujataa Greenland: A Norse and Inuit farming landscape on the Edge of the Ice Cap. Relax in the slow-paced life of a small village, explore the remains of one of the first Viking settlements in Greenland, ride a horse descended from Icelandic stock, and enjoy the hospitality of modern sheep farmers – all with amazing views of the Tunulliarfik Fjord.

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