Arctic Wildlife: Tailormade Tours to West Greenland

The landscape of Greenland is staggering: ancient blue-ice glaciers calving ice into jagged fjords, dark tundra at the shores, and icebergs drifting out to sea. So too is Greenland’s wildlife. Tailormade tours to this formidable land follow its coastline by cruise, searching the ice for Bearded and Ringed Seals, spotting the many bird species that feed in the frigid waters, looking for Arctic Fox on the shore, then sailing to the south waters of Disko Island where the rare Bowhead Whale is drawn to the nutrient-rich sea. The stark coastlines of Greenland are a canvas for its striking wildlife. Tailormade tours here are truly unforgettable.

West Greenland coastline

To start a cruise along the coastline of west Greenland and see its wildlife, tailormade tours usually start in the harbour town of Ilulissat (which is the Kalaallisut word for "icebergs") before heading out to sea. Itineraries are kept flexible, as the conditions of the coastline are unpredictable and local experts will know the most recent sighting locations of wildlife. However, experiencing the varied aspects of the staggering scenery is assured. Cruising among towering icebergs of old, blue ice sculpted into stunning shapes by water and wind, seeing the ice wall of Equip Sermia Glacier, sailing between the broken "brash" ice of the Jakobshavn Icefjord — the shapes of Greenland’s west coastline will be impressed upon all visitors.

An even greater draw is the wildlife. Tailormade tours are led by expert naturalists with local knowledge, who are able to point out the Bearded and Ringed Seals resting on smaller ice floes, or the Arctic Tern, Glaucous Gull and Common Eider, currently resident in the region. With luck, a sighting of a passing white-phase Gyr Falcon is also possible.

Disko Island

The cruise will then enter the waters south of Disko Island (Qeqertarsuaq in the Greenlandic language), where the rare Bowhead Whale feeds on small prey in the nutrient-rich Arctic sea from late February to June. This whale is frequently sighted on such cruises. Remarkably, individuals may live for as long as 200 years. The Disko Island waters are also home to Humpback Whales and Fin Whales, as well as some Ringed and Harp Seals. The fortunate few will sight the more elusive Atlantic Walrus or legendary Narwhal, whose horns were once the source of "unicorn" horns in Europe.

To see even more, it is possible to land at Disko Island and some of its smaller offshore islands, such as Kronprinsen’s Ejland and Hunde Ejland. There, wildlife enthusiasts will find breeding grounds of bird species such as Greenland Wheatears, Snow Buntings, Long-tailed Skuas, Red-necked Phalaropes and Greenland White-fronted Geese. Walking on these islands, the rugged landscape and stark views of Baffin Bay and west Greenland are a constant presence. The landscape and its remarkable inhabitants will not be forgotten by any fortunate visitor.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re passionate about wildlife, tailormade tours with Naturetrek include expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to polar expeditions and tours to other spectacular regions on Earth.

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