Iceland Cruise from Reykjavík to Kangerlussuaq — 16 Days

Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavík is a capital with one foot in the wild. The Atlantic frames the city, volcanic mountains rise on the horizon, and geothermal water warms its pools. Start at Hallgrímskirkja, whose tower commands broad views, then walk down to the harbor and Harpa concert hall. Cafés, design shops, and museums make the compact center easy to explore on foot. Beyond town, geysers and waterfalls make a striking day trip; return for a soak in a neighborhood pool.

Heimaey Island Iceland (Scenic Stop)

At Sea (At Sea)

Seydisfjordur, Iceland

Seyðisfjörður sits at the end of a deep fjord, framed by steep mountains and waterfalls. Its colorful wooden houses and blue church give the small town a character unlike Iceland’s larger ports. Walk the rainbow-painted street, visit the Skaftfell arts centre, or follow trails toward nearby cascades. The road over Fjarðarheiði offers wide views, though weather can change quickly. Here, East Iceland feels close, quiet, and distinctly local.

Husavik, Iceland

Húsavík sits on Skjálfandi Bay, where whale-watching boats search for whales and other marine life. The compact center is easy to explore on foot, from the harbor to the 1907 Húsavíkurkirkja. At the Húsavík Whale Museum, exhibits trace the region’s close ties to the sea. For a different view, GeoSea’s seawater baths look out across the bay toward the Arctic horizon.

Akureyri, Iceland

Akureyri sits at the head of Eyjafjörður, Iceland’s longest fjord, with mountains rising beyond its compact harbour. Walk uphill to Akureyrarkirkja, then browse cafés and shops along Hafnarstræti. The town’s botanical garden grows thousands of plant varieties despite its northern latitude. From the waterfront, boats head out to watch whales. Road trips reach Goðafoss and the volcanic landscapes around Lake Mývatn. Akureyri rewards a day spent both in town and beyond.

• Grimsey Island Iceland (Scenic Stop)

Djupavik, Iceland

At Djúpavík, on Iceland’s remote Strandir coast, a vast herring factory commands the shore. Built in 1935, it was once central to a booming fishery that brought industry to this sparsely settled fjord. Production ended in 1954, yet the factory’s machinery and workers’ stories still give the place its force. Join a guided tour, then see the waterfall spilling beside the old walls. Beyond the buildings, steep mountains and dark water convey the scale and solitude of the Westfjords.

At Sea (At Sea)

Skjoldungen Island Greenland, Greenland

Skjoldungen Island rises from southeast Greenland’s remote coast, where steep mountains meet deep fjords. There is no road access or permanent settlement; visitors arrive by expedition vessel, weather permitting. On shore, look for traces of former Inuit life and watch the changing light on dark rock, ice and water. This is Greenland at its most elemental: a place to explore slowly, with expert guides and sturdy footwear.

Prince Christian Sound Greenland (Scenic Area)

Arsuk (Ask Travel Agent)

Nuuk, Greenland

Nuuk is Greenland’s capital, where Arctic scale meets the pace of a working town. Set beside the vast Nuuk Fjord, it pairs brightly painted houses with modern architecture and a lively harbor. Visit the Greenland National Museum to see the 500-year-old Qilakitsoq mummies and objects tracing Inuit life. Then look toward Sermitsiaq, the landmark mountain rising beyond the water. Nuuk rewards travelers seeking Greenlandic culture alongside its dramatic landscapes.

Fjord Cruising (Fjord Cruising)

Ilulissat, Greenland

Ilulissat stands beside Disko Bay, where icebergs drift from the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sermeq Kujalleq, one of the world’s fastest-flowing glaciers, sends vast blocks of ice into the fjord. Walk the paths above the water, visit the local museum, or join a boat trip among the icebergs. From shore, their scale can be difficult to grasp. Ilulissat pairs a working Greenlandic town with one of the Arctic’s most striking landscapes.

Qeqertarsuaq, Greenland

Qeqertarsuaq, once called Godhavn, occupies Disko Island on Greenland’s west coast, beyond the usual reach of road travel. Founded in 1773, it grew around a sheltered harbour and the whaling trade. Today, its small, colourful settlement contrasts sharply with dark basalt cliffs and broad Arctic skies. Walk the waterfront, visit the historic church, or take a guided outing toward waterfalls and the Lyngmark Glacier. In summer, watch for whales offshore.

Sisimiut, Greenland

Set just north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut is Greenland’s second-largest town and a working fishing port. Brightly painted homes rise above the harbor. Boats and fishing vessels keep the waterfront firmly connected to daily life. At Sisimiut Museum, historic buildings and collections reveal Inuit heritage and the town’s colonial past. From town, trails open onto Arctic landscapes of mountains, lakes and broad tundra.

Kangerlussuaq, Greenland

Kangerlussuaq is Greenland’s unlikely gateway: a small settlement set 190 kilometres inland at the head of a long fjord. Once a U.S. air base, it offers access to the ice sheet and guided excursions onto its immense white surface. Beyond town, tundra supports musk oxen and reindeer; nearby Russell Glacier reveals Greenland’s moving ice. Weather and distance shape every outing, so plan for conditions.