Set your spirit of adventure free on this invigorating journey as you navigate Greenland's west coast, cross the Arctic Circle, and experience "the birthplace of icebergs" where whales gather to breed and ancient traditions inform contemporary life. Travel with Cornell Professor of Practice John Tobin-de la Puente of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, and a team of expert naturalist guides.

On this eight-night cruise aboard the eco-friendly Exploris One, you'll have the chance to learn about the impact of climate change on Greenland's epic glaciers as you view them up close from Zodiacs and small fishing boats. At the Eqi Glacier, witness the dramatic spectacle of “ice calving”—when pieces of a glacier break away and form icebergs. Revel in the sculpture-like icebergs created by the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord.

In a landscape dotted with vividly colorful, colonial-style houses and centuries-old Danish churches, meet local residents and experts to experience local Inuit traditions. Visit secluded settlements including Kitsissuarsuit and Qeqertaq.

Get swept up in Stone Age stories and more at the Greenland National Museum & Archives, featuring collections representing the island’s 4,500-year history. Take an optional tour of the Nuuk Art Museum's collection of early 20th-century paintings of Greenland and Greenlandic figurines. And experience the Sisimiut Museum's Bethelkirken--commonly known as the “Blue Church” for its color.

CAU study tours are opportunities to learn from Cornell faculty while immersing yourself in extraordinary travel. Alumni, family, and friends are welcome on this small ship excursion across the Arctic Circle. This is a shared departure that includes peer universities.

Equipped with a reinforced hull, Exploris One is the ideal ship for exploring glacial regions in a completely safe environment. Exploris One perfectly combines adventure and an exceptional level of comfort and a personalized service of excellence, including an onboard fitness area, wellness area, and two outdoor spas.

The uniqueness of Greenland's geography, including low and high Arctic climates, fosters diverse and uncommon flora and fauna. Enjoy a Zodiac cruise to Disko Island’s unique Kuannit coastline and admire the fields of angelica and the breathtaking sculptures formed along huge volcanic basalt cliffs.

The Exploris One is committed to protecting the fragile ecosystems it explores, including by contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting the use of plastics, and supporting projects that advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the preservation of biodiversity.

John Tobin-de la Puente is a Professor of Practice at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and Senior Faculty Fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. With a PhD in zoology and deep expertise in environmental change, including climate change, John will provide lectures throughout your journey related to how ecology, sustainability, and the economy intertwine and the impact of climate change for local communities in this incredible part of the world. A passionate aficionado of polar travel and a member of the storied Explorers Club, John is an amiable traveling companion and a great conversationalist, as dedicated to lifelong learning as you are.

This is a shared departure with peer universities also featuring faculty including Harvard, Columbia, and Dartmouth. Onboard lectures are open to all.

On Saturday, August 30th, depart for Reykjavík, Iceland, on an overnight flight.

After settling in, you may choose to spend the afternoon at leisure, or join a rejuvenating excursion to the Sky Lagoon, an oceanside thermal pool that offers views of a 700,000-year-old glacier. As a third option, participate in an island tour, including a visit to the National Museum of Iceland. This evening, join your fellow travelers for a private cocktail reception, followed by dinner at your leisure.

(Meals included: lunch, reception)

Fly from Iceland to Greenland, arriving in Kangerlussuaq, a tiny municipality at the end of a 110-mile-long fjord. It is here that you'll board Exploris One and settle into your cabin before setting sail along the fjord and out to sea for the rest of the evening, heading south along Greenland's western coastline to the capital of Nuuk.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Accessible only by sea or air, Nuuk is Greenland’s largest city, situated at the mouth of one of the world’s largest fjord systems known for its waterfalls, humpback whales, and icebergs. Notably, Paleo-Eskimo people settled here around 2200 B.C. Walk past waterfront homes with the nearly 4,000-foot-tall Sermitsiaq mountain as a dramatic backdrop. Visit the Greenland National Museum & Archives, whose collections chart 4,500 years of Greenland's history. An optional additional visit to the Nuuk Art Museum rounds out your day, before enjoying the captain’s welcome aboard reception and dinner, where you will meet the Exploris One crew.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Cross the Arctic Circle this morning as you head toward Sisimiut, Greenland's second-largest town and a settlement for more than 4,000 years. Offering solitude and fjordside natural beauty, this tranquil town is home to the Sisimiut Museum, devoted to local Inuit history. Return to Exploris One for dinner and set forth for Kitsissuarsuit.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

This morning, arrive off the coast of Kitsissuarsuit and transfer by Zodiac into town. First settled in 1830 by Dutch whalers, this small Inuit settlement of just 50 inhabitants remains self-sufficient thanks to its marine resources, and its tiny population has kept its age-old traditions alive. Explore the island on foot, enjoy some local entertainment, and sample some local delicacies. Return to Exploris One by Zodiac before setting sail toward the Eqi Glacier, one of nature’s great spectacles.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Today, you'll board Zodiacs alongside naturalist guides and embark on an up-close cruise to the Eqi Glacier, which stands more than 30 stories tall and more than three miles wide. This glacier, originating from the Greenland Ice Sheet, produces loud cracks that pierce through the silent air as huge chunks of ice "calve," or break off, into the bay, forming icebergs. Learn about how climatologists are monitoring Eqi and similar glaciers as Earth's temperature rises. At lunch, sail to Qeqertaq, a small settlement of 140 people known for halibut fishing and processing.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

From the deck this morning, view the Ilulissat Icefjord, known as “the birthplace of icebergs.” Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, Ilulissat Icefjord produces nearly 20 million tons of ice each day, all floating into Disko Bay. Step ashore in Ilulissat, Greenland's third-largest settlement, with a population of 4,900, for a guided walking tour, a visit to the Ilulissat City Museum, and free time to explore. At the Icefjord Centre, for example, learn even more about the climactic and cultural changes that have impacted Greenland's vast ice sheets.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Cruise along Disko Bay in Zodiacs this morning to view the Kuannit Coast, where huge volcanic cliffs and basalt rock columns offer refuge for numerous sea birds among inlets and coves. Disko Island's unique location between the low and high arctic climates fosters diverse flora uncommon for its latitude. In the afternoon, head to Qeqertarsuaq. With a backdrop of gleaming red basalt mountains and black-sand beaches, step ashore for a guided walk and meet a local expert to learn about Qeqertarsuaq’s history as well as some secrets of modern Arctic life.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

From Disko Island, head south once more to arrive at Evighed Fjord, which is aptly named “the fjord of Eternity,” as it stretches over 60 miles, seemingly endless in its beauty. The landscape transitions from glaciers to tundra, with rich flora and jagged, bird-filled cliffs. Step off a Zodiac cruise, then take a gentle hike amid the stunning glacial scenery and watch as birds such as white-tailed eagles and black-legged kittiwakes soar above. Later, return to Exploris One and gather for the captain’s festive farewell dinner this evening.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

After disembarking this morning, transfer to the Kangerlussuaq airport for the charter flight back to Iceland to connect to homebound flights.

(Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner)

August 30 – September 9, 2025

To reserve your space, contact our travel partner, Arrangements Abroad.
Phone: 800-221-1944  |  Email: trips@arrangementsabroad.com

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