South Greenland: Alpine Exploration by Helicopter 2027
A 15-day Arctic expedition aboard Ultramarine, exploring South Greenland by ship, Zodiac, helicopter and on foot, with Ice Sheet access, fjords, Inuit culture, UNESCO-listed Kujataa, Tasermiut Fjord, local partnerships and helicopter-supported alpine exploration.
A 15-day Arctic expedition aboard Ultramarine, exploring South Greenland by ship, Zodiac, helicopter and on foot, with Ice Sheet access, fjords, Inuit culture, UNESCO-listed Kujataa, Tasermiut Fjord, local partnerships and helicopter-supported alpine exploration.
South Greenland is one of the Arctic’s most dramatic contradictions: glacial, alpine, pastoral and deeply human.
Here, ice does not exist as scenery alone. It defines movement, memory, settlement, weather, silence and scale. Fjords cut through mountain walls, tidewater glaciers descend toward the sea, sheep farms occupy rare pockets of Arctic fertility, and Greenlandic communities preserve a living connection to land, sea, food, music and oral tradition.
South Greenland: Alpine Exploration by Helicopter is a 15-day expedition aboard Ultramarine, designed for travellers who want to experience Greenland from multiple perspectives: by ship, Zodiac, helicopter, shore landing, guided hike, local encounter and, conditions permitting, directly on the Greenland Ice Sheet.
The journey begins in Reykjavik, crosses the Denmark Strait, explores Greenland’s remote east coast, enters the fjord systems of South Greenland, visits local communities and concludes in Nuuk, with a charter flight back to Reykjavik.
Its defining distinction is access. The expedition combines helicopter-supported Ice Sheet exploration, fjord cruising, community partnerships, Inuit cultural experiences, alpine landscapes and South Greenland’s rare intersection of Norse and Inuit history.
Journey at a Glance
Expedition Name: South Greenland: Alpine Exploration by Helicopter
Region: South Greenland, East Greenland, West Greenland, Denmark Strait, Prins Christian Sund, Tasermiut Fjord, Greenland Ice Sheet, Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nuuk and Reykjavik
Duration: 15 days
Operational Start / End: Reykjavik, Iceland
Ship Embarkation
Reykjavik, Iceland
Ship Disembarkation
Nuuk, Greenland
Ship: Ultramarine
Ship Capacity: Up to 199 guests
Staff and Crew: 140 staff and crew
Ice Class: PC6
Departure Date
4 August to 18 August 2027
Core Experience: Greenland Ice Sheet helicopter experience, polar flightseeing, Zodiac cruising, shore landings, hiking, community visits, South Greenlandic culture, Tasermiut Fjord, Arctic Patagonia, Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site, Qassiarsuk, Aappilattoq, Tamassa cultural exchange and optional Greenland Camp or Tundra to Table experience.
Pricing
Available on request, according to suite category, cabin availability and any special offers valid at the time of proposal or reservation.
Why This Expedition
This itinerary is one of the most access-rich Greenland journeys in the Arctic portfolio.
Its value lies in the combination of vertical scale and cultural depth. Guests may fly above fjords and mountains, land on the Greenland Ice Sheet, cruise by Zodiac through remote waterways, visit South Greenlandic communities and explore landscapes where Norse farming history and Inuit culture intersect.
It is especially suited to travellers who want more than a scenic Arctic voyage. This is a journey of contact: with ice, with fjords, with local hosts, with Greenlandic food traditions, with archaeological memory and with the physical reality of one of the planet’s great ice masses.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Reykjavik, Iceland
The expedition begins in Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital of an independent sovereign state.
Guests arrive independently and make their way to the included hotel. Depending on arrival time, the day may allow for private exploration of Reykjavik’s modern architecture, Viking heritage, museums, restaurants and geothermal culture.
Day 2: Embarkation in Reykjavik
Guests board Ultramarine in Reykjavik and settle into the rhythm of expedition life.
As the ship prepares to cross the Denmark Strait, the Expedition Team begins the process of introducing the region: its history, geology, wildlife, glaciology, climate and the operational structure of the days ahead.
Days 3 and 4: At Sea Across the Denmark Strait
The voyage heads north across the Denmark Strait, with Greenland gradually coming into view.
These days at sea are used for polar briefings, lectures, wildlife observation and preparation for off-ship activities. Guests may watch for seabirds around the vessel and whales in the surrounding waters while the Expedition Team provides context for the landscapes and communities ahead.
Days 5 and 6: The Wild East
The first encounter with Greenland comes through the remote east coast: towering fjords, hanging glaciers and a landscape shaped by ice, isolation and deep time.
This uninhabited region offers opportunities for wildlife observation, including humpback whales and, rarely, polar bears drifting south on sea ice floes carried by the East Greenland Current.
Exploration may take place by sea, land and air. Conditions permitting, guests may experience Zodiac cruising, guided hikes, paddling, shore landings and heli-landings in a landscape of fjords, mountain walls and cascading glaciers.
Possible exploration includes Lindenow Fjord, also known as Kangerlussuatsiaq, a rarely visited fjord where waterfalls, steep rock faces, wildflowers, blueberry fields and ice-shaped scenery create one of the expedition’s first major Greenlandic impressions.
Days 7 to 9: Arctic Patagonia
The journey continues through Prins Christian Sund, or Ikerasassuaq, a 105-kilometre passage often described as one of the world’s most scenic fjord systems.
This section of South Greenland is known as Arctic Patagonia for its towering cliffs, glaciers, mountain silhouettes and remote fjord landscapes. Around Cape Farewell, Greenland’s southernmost tip, the geography becomes a maze of fjords, sounds, islets, inlets and skerries.
A planned visit to Aappilattoq introduces guests to one of Greenland’s smallest and most remote communities. Here, local partners and residents may share stories, music, traditional foods, hunting practices and daily life on the frontier of South Greenland.
The journey continues to Tasermiut Fjord, a 70-kilometre cliff-lined waterway dominated by peaks such as Nalumasortoq and Ulamertorsuaq. This is one of South Greenland’s most visually powerful landscapes and may provide a setting for hiking, Zodiac cruising, helicopter exploration or optional overnight camping.
Days 10 to 12: Westlands and the Greenland Ice Sheet
The expedition then enters South Greenland’s western fjords, a region where the land softens unexpectedly into pastures, valleys and farming landscapes.
This is the Greenland of Erik the Red and the Norse Eastern Settlement, where rare warm microclimates created the possibility of farming deep within the Arctic. Today, families still tend sheep farms and seasonal crops along the fjord shores.
The contrast with the next experience is profound: the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Covering approximately 80% of Greenland and reaching an average thickness of around 1,673 metres, the Ice Sheet is the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere and one of only two polar ice sheets on Earth. Guests experience sweeping aerial views from Ultramarine’s helicopters and, conditions permitting, land directly on the ice.
Standing on the Greenland Ice Sheet is one of the defining moments of the expedition. The scale is difficult to understand until it is physical: ancient ice underfoot, crevasses and melt channels in the surface, a horizon without visible edges and the awareness of standing on a living ice system.
On the same day as the Ice Sheet experience, guests may also take part in Tamassa, a cultural exchange led by South Greenlanders onboard Ultramarine. The word means “Come in, everyone” or “You are welcome,” and the experience brings local artists, craftspeople, musicians, chefs and storytellers into the ship’s shared spaces.
The itinerary also includes Kujataa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that preserves the legacy of Norse and Inuit farming traditions. A visit to Qassiarsuk offers insight into South Greenland hospitality and the remains and reconstructions of Brattahlíð, Erik the Red’s estate and the heart of the Norse Eastern Settlement.
Day 13: At Sea Along Greenland’s West Coast
The ship heads north along Greenland’s west coast toward Nuuk.
This day gives guests time to attend further polar presentations, review photographs, speak with Expedition Team members and absorb the scale of the journey before arrival in Greenland’s capital.
Day 14: Disembarkation in Nuuk and Flight to Reykjavik
The voyage concludes in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital.
After disembarkation, guests may have time to experience the city before transferring to the airport for the charter flight back to Reykjavik. On arrival in Iceland, an included hotel night provides a comfortable transition before departure.
Day 15: Depart Reykjavik
After breakfast, guests make their own way to Keflavik International Airport for onward flights or continue with private post-expedition arrangements in Iceland.
Ultramarine: Built for Ice, Fjords and Air
Ultramarine is central to the identity of this expedition.
The ship accommodates up to 199 guests, supported by 140 staff and crew, and carries a PC6 ice classification. It is equipped with two twin-engine helicopters and 20 quick-launching Zodiacs, creating a powerful expedition platform for Greenland’s fjords, Ice Sheet access and remote shoreline exploration.
Key features include:
Two twin-engine helicopters
20 quick-launching Zodiacs
PC6 ice classification
Spacious suites
Exceptional wildlife-viewing areas
Science Hub
Polar presentation spaces
Fine dining and relaxed dining venues
Panorama Lounge and Bar
Tundra Spa with VOYA treatments
Morning stretch classes
Sauna
Fully equipped fitness centre
Health-conscious dining
Advanced sustainability systems
On this itinerary, the helicopters are not decorative. They are essential to the expedition design, allowing guests to experience the Greenland Ice Sheet and to see the fjords, mountains and glacier systems from above.
Included Activities
Activities are always subject to weather, sea, ice, safety and operational conditions, but may include:
One 10- to 15-minute helicopter flightseeing excursion
One helicopter-supported Greenland Ice Sheet Experience
Zodiac cruising
Shore landings
Guided hiking
Community visits
Photography guidance
Polar plunge, scheduled once per expedition if conditions permit
Science & Discovery programming
Wildlife observation from ship, shore, Zodiac and air
Helicopter Experiences
Polar Flightseeing
The included flightseeing excursion offers an aerial view of South Greenland’s fjords, mountains and ice systems. Guests typically fly in small groups for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, weather and logistics permitting.
From the helicopter, the region becomes more legible: cliff-lined fjords, glacier-fed waterways, settlement patterns, mountain walls and the immense physical scale of Greenland’s ice.
Greenland Ice Sheet Experience
The Ice Sheet Experience is one of the strongest reasons to choose this itinerary.
Guests travel by helicopter beyond coastal glaciers to access the world’s second-largest ice mass. With glaciologists and the Expedition Team providing interpretation, the experience allows guests to understand the Ice Sheet not as an abstraction, but as a vast, dynamic polar environment.
This activity is offered over a two-day period to maximise the possibility for every guest to take part, conditions permitting.
Science & Discovery
The onboard Science Hub supports guest learning and field-based engagement.
Guests may interact with scientists, researchers and Expedition Guides, explore digital learning displays and participate in citizen science activities. These may include seabird surveys, whale observations, water sampling and field discussions connected to Arctic ecosystems.
This scientific layer gives the journey additional depth, particularly in Greenland, where ice, ocean, wildlife, climate and human adaptation are inseparable.
Local Partnerships and Cultural Immersion
This expedition is designed in close collaboration with South Greenlandic local partners.
The journey includes opportunities to experience Greenlandic culture through community visits, local storytelling, music, food, workshops, farming heritage and shared spaces onboard. Key cultural encounters may include:
Aappilattoq
One of Greenland’s smallest communities, where storytelling, food, music and friendly local interaction may form part of the visit.
Tasermiut Camp
A locally hosted overnight experience in the landscapes of Tasermiut Fjord, available as an optional adventure activity.
Tamassa
An onboard cultural festival and exchange involving local artists, craftspeople, musicians and chefs.
Qassiarsuk
A sheep farming community connected to South Greenland’s agricultural economy and Norse history.
This cultural structure is one of the expedition’s strongest differentiators. Greenland is presented through Greenlanders, not only through landscape.
Optional Adventure Activities
Optional activities are subject to advance booking, availability, weather and local conditions.
Possible options include:
Greenland Camp Experience
An overnight land-based experience at Tasermiut Camp, guided by local hosts. Guests spend time walking through valleys, learning about local ingredients with a chef and, if conditions allow, experiencing polar twilight or the Northern Lights.
Tundra to Table
A culinary experience hosted by Inuit chefs, focused on Greenlandic and Arctic food traditions. Possible dishes may include muskox, South Greenlandic lamb, halibut and locally inspired preparations, accompanied by cultural storytelling.
Paddle Excursion
A one-time guided paddle on stable sit-on-top kayaks, designed for guests with minimal or no kayaking experience. Availability is limited and conditions dependent.
Possible Expedition Sites
The final route is determined by weather, sea, ice and local conditions. Possible areas of exploration may include:
Nuuk
Greenland’s capital, with Old Nuuk, colourful wooden houses, Hans Egede Church, the waterfront and, time permitting, the Greenland National Museum & Archives.
Brattahlíð
Erik the Red’s estate in the Norse Eastern Settlement, established in 985. Ruins and reconstructions of the chapel and longhouse connect the journey to Greenland’s Viking past.
Greenland Ice Sheet
The dominant feature of Greenland and the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere, covering approximately 80% of the country.
Kujataa
A UNESCO-listed sub-Arctic farming landscape and one of the earliest examples of agriculture in the Arctic, representing Norse and Greenlandic farmer-hunter traditions.
Kangerlussuatsiaq, Lindenow Fjord
A rarely visited fjord of rock faces, waterfalls, flowers, blueberry fields and possible Zodiac exploration.
Aappilattoq
A remote South Greenlandic settlement of around 100 people, located near Prins Christian Sund.
Ikerasassuaq, Prins Christian Sund
A dramatic fjord system of tidewater glaciers, steep cliffs and icebergs in many shapes and sizes.
Tasermiut Fjord
A 70-kilometre fjord considered one of Greenland’s most beautiful places, with paddling, Zodiac cruising and alpine views.
Inclusions
Rates generally include:
One 10- to 15-minute helicopter flightseeing excursion
One helicopter-supported Greenland Ice Sheet Experience
A 3-in-1 expedition parka to keep
Leadership throughout the voyage by an experienced Expedition Team
Zodiac transfers and cruising according to the daily programme
Shore landings according to the daily programme
Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping
All meals, snacks, soft drinks and juices on board
Complimentary select beer, wines and cocktails during bar service hours and dinner
Coffee, tea and cocoa available around the clock
Formal and informal presentations by the Expedition Team and guest speakers
Science & Discovery programming where scheduled
Photographic journal documenting the expedition
Loan of waterproof expedition boots for landings and Zodiac cruising
Hair dryer and bathrobes in every cabin
Basic Wi-Fi access on one device, where service permits
Service taxes and port charges throughout the programme
Luggage handling aboard the ship
Greenland cruise passenger tax
The Charter Flight and Hotel Package generally includes:
One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Reykjavik, with breakfast
Charter flights between Nuuk and Reykjavik
Group transfer from Reykjavik hotel to the ship on embarkation day
Group transfer from Reykjavik airport to hotel on disembarkation day
One night post-expedition hotel accommodation, with breakfast
Exclusions
Rates generally do not include:
International airfare
Arrival transfers in Reykjavik
Passport and visa expenses
Government arrival and departure taxes not specifically mentioned
Travel insurance, including baggage, cancellation, interruption and medical cover
Excess baggage fees on domestic and international flights
Mandatory waterproof pants for Zodiac cruising and helicopter operations
Laundry, bar, spa and other personal charges unless specified
Phone charges
Voluntary gratuities for shipboard staff and crew
Additional overnight accommodation
Optional adventure activities not listed as included
Extension Possibilities
Because the journey begins and ends through Reykjavik, a private Iceland extension can be arranged before or after the expedition.
Options may include:
Reykjavik design and culinary stay
Blue Lagoon or private geothermal bathing
Golden Circle
South Coast waterfalls
Reynisfjara black beach
Private Icelandic Highlands experience
Helicopter or super-jeep arrangements
Further Arctic or Nordic travel
Exclusive Elite Travel Perspective
For Exclusive Elite Travel clients, South Greenland: Alpine Exploration by Helicopter is one of the most multidimensional Arctic expeditions in the portfolio.
Its strength lies in the combination of access and meaning. The helicopters offer a rare aerial and physical encounter with the Greenland Ice Sheet; the ship and Zodiacs provide fjord-level immersion; the local partnerships bring Greenlandic voices, food, music and community into the journey.
This is especially suited to travellers who want Greenland as more than ice and landscape. It is for those seeking an expedition shaped by geology, culture, local partnership, alpine drama and the privilege of entering one of the Arctic’s least ordinary regions.
A request begins with suite category, physical comfort with Zodiac, hiking and helicopter operations, interest in optional camp or culinary experiences, and any desired private arrangements in Iceland before or after the voyage.
