Introduction
Join a small group of 12 travellers for an exciting Greenland cruise to explore Disko Bay and rarely visited areas on a luxury expedition vessel. Disko Bay is an area of outstanding natural beauty and we will encounter towering icebergs, explore astonishing landscapes, tranquil fjords and witness impressive glaciers faces. The area is home to humpback, minke and pilot whales.
An essence of this voyage is the shore landings. Travelling with an expedition leader and guide we plan to visit several small colourful settlements to learn more about the local cultures. Throughout the expedition, there will be opportunities to enjoy hikes in the pristine landscapes. It is a perfect trip for nature lovers, photographers and those looking to explore a pristine part of the world in a small, intimate group. We also offer a longer 10-day voyage that goes further north to Uummannaq Island.
Disko Bay Cruise Highlights
- Witness the gigantic icebergs Disko Bay is famous for.
- Explore Disko Bay’s fantastic nature and landscapes.
- Witness calving glaciers that meet the sea at Disko Bay.
- Encounter fascinating local culture.
- A great chance of seeing whales.
- Encounter the magical midnight sun.
- Knowledgable expedition leader and guide.
- Comfortable, and intimate ice-strengthened expedition vessel.
- Onboard sauna to warm up in.
The Voyage
Day 1 Ilulissat, Greenland
Day 2 Embarkation – Set Sail
Day 3 Exploring Disko Bay
Day 4 Exploring Disko Bay
Day 5 Exploring Disko Bay
Day 6 Exploring Disko Bay
Day 7 Exploring Disko Bay
Day 8 Ilulissat
Day by Day
Day 1
Ilulissat
Welcome to the town of Ilulissat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that is home to some of the largest icebergs on earth. The day is free to explore as you like. There are some great hikes to the nearby Icefjord. Overnight accommodation is in a hotel.
Days 2
Welcome Onboard
In the afternoon we board MV Balto. After arriving our cabins we will have a full safety briefing before sailing in the late afternoon to begin our expedition. We will encounter some of the largest icebergs on earth as we sail across Disko Bay and head for Disko Island during the evening.
Days 3 – 7
Expedition Cruising in Disko Bay
The style of the cruise is an expedition which means we will be launching the Zodiac landing craft to visit the shore on a daily basis. Our plan is to explore the settlement of Qeqertarsuaq on the south side of Disko Island where we will get a glimpse of life in a remote Greenlandic settlement. We will then head north encountering calving glaciers, remote communities, fantastic scenery and lots of icebergs.
Day 8
Ilulissat
Safely back in Ilulissat after our voyage, we will enjoy a final breakfast together. We say our goodbyes and disembark in the morning after making new friends and sharing an incredible expedition micro cruise together.
Our exact route will depend on ice, weather conditions and wildlife. The places mentioned are just examples of some of the many sites this region of Greenland has to offer. We always strive to maximize your experience. Please remember that flexibility is the key to a successful expedition.
Inside This trip
Our trips are aimed at anyone with a passion for exploring the Arctic with a small group of like minded individuals on a comfortable small ship cruise and include :
Expedition Vessel With 12 Guests
With the average expedition cruise ship now taking over 300 passengers, we believe smaller is better. When visiting small Greenlandic communities, you will get a far more authentic experience in a small group than a large group.
Expedition Leader and Guide
On this tour, we will be accompanied by an expedition leader and a guide who will share their passion and knowledge of Greenland throughout the trip. We offer the best guide to guest ratio available.
Zodiac landing craft for shore landings
Shore landings are the essence of every expedition and your guides will take you exploring to photograph ashore. The vessel is equipped with 2 landing craft and there is room for all guests so no waiting to go ashore. It offers the perfect opportunity to get close to iceburgs, wildlife and glaciers.
Climate Compensated
Included in the cost of this trip is carbon offsetting. At Secret Atlas, we do everything we can to minimise the impact of our trips both on the environment and local cultures.
Your Vessel
Expedition Motor Yacht Balto
Step aboard M/V Balto a luxury expedition vessel.
Balto is the roomiest and most elegant small polar expedition yacht in service. She started life as a Finnish government ice breaker and has been refitted in 2020 to the highest of standards as a prime high latitude expedition yacht.
She offers relaxed luxury accommodations for 12 guests in staterooms with full private facilities. The richly appointed salon and the dining messroom feature crotch-mahogany panelling, an ambient diesel burning stove, library, bar, card table, crew mess, coffee and tea stations, mudroom, and lounge aft of the bridge. She is fitted with a large restaurant-style open galley, where you can check on the marvels of our chefs and sample freshly baked bread. There are many open and semi-enclosed deck spaces which are perfect for watching the polar scenery go by. Guests can make good use of the sauna to warm up in – a luxury after a day in the cold.
- Small group size of 12 guests ensures an intimate experience
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Spacious accommodation options featuring en-suite cabins – 1 x owners suite, 1 x double suite, 3 x doubles and 2 x single cabins.
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Sauna with changing room
- Equipped with 2 x zodiacs for shore landings
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Large deck space for photography
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Elegant, mahogany panelled interior with dining area, a bar, card table and library
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Icebreaker allowing travel to areas other ships can’t reach.
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Large, restaurant style open galley
Dates and Prices
Prices quoted are per person. Twin and double cabins are based on double occupancy
Date | Trip Name | Duration | Cabin A | Cabin B | Cabin C | Cabin D | |
10th - 17th June 2021 | 8 Days (6 Nights on Ship) | $9,190 | $8,190 | $7,590 | $8,090 | ||
16th - 23rd June 2021 | 8 Days (6 Nights on Ship) | $9,190 | $8,190 | $7,590 | $8,090 | ||
22nd - 29th June 2021 | 8 Days (6 Nights on Ship) | $9,190 | $8,190 | $7,590 | $8,090 | ||
29th June - 8th July 2021 | 10 Days | $12,890 | $11,490 | $10,590 | $11,190 | ||
8th July - 17th July 2021 | 10 Days | $12,890 | $11,490 | $10,590 | $11,190 | ||
11th - 18th August 2021 | 8 Days | $10,090 | $8,990 | $8,290 | $8,790 | ||
18th - 25th August 2021 | 8 Days | $10,090 | $8,990 | $8,290 | $8,790 | ||
2nd - 9th September 2021 | 8 Days | $10,090 | $8,990 | $8,290 | $8,790 | ||
9th - 16th September 2021 | 8 Days | $10,090 | $8,990 | $8,290 | $8,790 |
See Cabins
Cabin A – Owners Suite with Ensuite
The largest cabin on the vessel located on the main deck with 30m2 of space. There are 6 windows, a queen, sofa, writing desk and en-suite toilet and shower.
Cabin B – Superior Twin with Ensuite
A large comfortable cabin that sleeps 2 in 2 single beds with an en-suite toilet and shower situated on the lower deck.
Cabin C – Double with Ensuite
A well-appointed double cabin with a queen bed and a porthole with en-suite toilet and shower on the lower deck.
Cabin D – Single with Ensuite
A well-appointed single cabin with a porthole and en-suite toilet and shower on the lower deck.
Peace Of Mind Coronavirus Booking Guarantee
We understand that there is a lot of uncertainty with travel due to the coronavirus so we have added a peace of mind guarantee for all bookings made for 2021. If your trip is interrupted due to coronavirus travel restrictions you will be able to move your trip to a future booking free of charge. At this point, we believe that all our trips will be able to operate normally in 2021, and we have put this in place as an added reassurance so you can have full confidence when booking. You can read our full statement here.
Payment Options & Information
We offer payment via the following methods:
- Credit card
- Payment by bank transfer
- Monthly installments to spread the cost of payments
Please let us know at the time of booking your preferred method.
A 30% deposit is taken at the time of booking with the final 70% payable 90 days prior to departure.
We highly recommend you take out comprehensive travel insurance at the time of booking that also covers cancellation.
Single Travelers
Single travellers are welcome on all our voyages. We often host single travellers, particularly on our photo voyages so the chances are you won’t be the only single traveller. We offer the following accommodation options for single travellers:
- 2 x single cabins
- Option to share a twin cabin with another traveller of the same sex.
- Option to have your own cabin for an additional supplement. Please contact us for this option as the price varies depending on trip and availability.
Booking terms
This trip is operated by a trusted Secret Atlas partner to our partners’ terms and conditions of travel. You can read the full booking terms here.
Trip notes and what’s included / excluded
| Departure Location | Ilulissat, Greenland |
|---|---|
| Arrival Location | Ilulissat, Greenland |
| Trip Style | Exploration |
| Physical Rating | Easy |
| Maximum Group Size | 12 |
| Accommodation | 1 x Owners suite, 3 x Doubles with en-suite, 1 x Twin and 2 x Singles with shared bathroom |
| Duration | 8 Days (6 nights onboard) |
| Time of Year | June, July |
| Included |
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| Not Included |
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If you have any questions about this trip
please get in touch
What Our Customers Say
On each journey we welcome customers from all corner of the globe, with a variety of different ages and backgrounds all united in their passion to experience what the Arctic has to offer
Pan – Business Executive from Italy
‘This is the closest you can come to a real expedition. We saw glaciers seals, whales, walruses and polar bears’
From an early age Pan dreamed of visiting the Arctic. At the age of 42 he made that dream come true by joining Secret Atlas on an expedition micro cruise.
Annie – Interior Designer from the USA
‘The micro cruise experience felt like being on your own private boat. The crew were fantastic’
Annie had always wanted to go an expedition in Svalbard and joined us as a solo traveler.
