I first fell in love with this coast a decade ago via the most authentic experience imaginable. Not paddling in a native sealskin kayak, but a 659-nautical mile voyage from Ilulissat down to Narsaq in Southern Greenland onboard the Sarfaq Ittuk coastal ferry. It was early May and freezing conditions at sea. I booked a cabin for the five-day journey and joined mostly Inuit passengers travelling between pretty coastal settlements of prefabricated houses painted green, yellow, blue, and red, set on raised coastal plains in the lee of snow-striped mountains. During the voyage we passed former Viking settlements and archaeological sites of the Thule people, who inhabited this coast between the 11th and 15th centuries. Near Maniitsoq I saw a herd of muskox near the shoreline, and further south a polar bear on an ice-floe. I lost count of the times humpback whales surfaced close to the ferry. 

Nowadays, the permutations for West Greenland cruising are myriad both in time and routings. All cruises will visit the most popular town along the coast, Ilulissat, which besides preserving a quaint old historic quarter by the sea, is the stepping off point to explore one of the great natural wonders of the world. The UNESCO-listed Ice-Fjord disgorges millions of tonnes of glacial ice in the form of colossal icebergs into Disko Bay. The source of this inland is the Jakobshavn Glacier, which is draining the ice sheet. It’s the highlight of Western Greenland and is often combined with the heavily glaciated Disko Island, or Qeqertarsuaq, as it’s known in Inuktitut. Some cruises arrive from Arctic Canada and Baffin Island while others sail all the way down to Greenland’s southernly Cape Farewell and then swing back to Iceland. A popular entry point is the deep water and majestic inland Kangerslussuaq fjord, which has a small eponymous airport (built by the US military) with flights back to Toronto and Copenhagen. The muskox and arctic hares along this fjord are joyful parting gifts as the voyage comes to an end. 

White-tailed eagle: I had a rewarding surprise once when sailing in southwest Greenland when I saw the broad wingspan of this huge fish-eating eagle along a shoreline. They are called nattoralik in the local Inuktitut language and are Greenland’s largest breeding bird. They’re partial to Atlantic char. 

Other wildlife

Wildlife sightings are hard won in Greenland, but cumulatively add up during a voyage. Arctic foxes and hares look wonderful in their snowy furs, and among many different seal species are harp, walrus, ringed, and hooded. Reindeer live on the tundra but tend to keep their heads down during summertime’s hunting season. 

Birdlife

Birding opportunities along the western coast are excellent as over 230 species have been recorded across Greenland. Along with white-tailed eagles another bird-of-prey to look out for is the peregrine falcon. There are many species of gulls, seabirds, wading birds, and songbirds. Look out for snow bunting, eider, thick-billed murre and in boggier tundra, red-necked phalarope. My favourite bird experience is when an Arctic tern hovers overhead like shimmering angels.

Whale watching

Many whale species swim the western coast’s cold waters, although most are transient. The most visible cetacean spectacle are humpbacks around Ilulissat and Disko Bay. I’ve never failed to see them there during multiple visits. Belugas are easy enough to spot but don’t rule out passing minke, fin whales, orca, or even bowhead whales. Dolphin sightings can be excellent with the Atlantic white-sided species freewheeling through the surrounding sea.

Footwear:

Expedition vessels typically provided muck-boots. These keep your feet warm in wet conditions, but you’ll need extra footwear.

• Hiking boots for longer walks, preferably Gore-Tex as the ground in summer can be very wet. They are also useful to wear on deck in slippery conditions.
• Smarter evening footwear and maybe trainers as many ships have gyms onboard.