East Greenland with Secret Atlas: Seven Days Chasing the Northern Lights
The journey of a lifetime
I joined Secret Atlas's Scoresby Sund Northern Lights Photography Workshop: seven days at sea in the Arctic, sailing through the largest fjord system on Earth, on the largest island on Earth. Scoresby Sund is so vast it covers an area roughly half the size of Tasmania, and yet it's closer to Iceland than to Greenland's own west coast. There are no roads, almost no people, and only one village along its entire shoreline.
I went hoping for the Northern Lights. I came home with so much more: a polar bear on the very first day, icebergs the size of ships, a seal posing in front of a rising moon, a group of strangers who became friends, and a feeling I hadn't had in years. It made me feel overwhelmingly alive, full of anticipation, wonder, and so much thrill of the adventure.
This is the story of that week, what it's really like to sail East Greenland on a tiny expedition ship, and why I'm now putting together a small group to go back.
Getting there, and when to go
The adventure begins in Iceland. The group meets in Reykjavík for a private charter flight, about 1.5 hours in a small turboprop, across the Denmark Strait to Nerlerit Inaat, better known as Constable Point. It's little more than a gravel airstrip on the edge of the wilderness, and stepping off that plane into the cold, clear air is the moment the trip suddenly feels real.
From the airstrip, it's a short walk to the shore, where the zodiacs are waiting to carry you out to the ship. Within an hour of landing, you're on board, unpacking, and watching the first icebergs drift past the window. At the end of the week, the same charter flies you back to Reykjavík, with a hotel night included before your flight home.
From the UK: Reykjavík is around three hours from London, with flights from several UK airports. I'd arrive a day early to give yourself a buffer before the charter.
From the US: Nonstop flights reach Reykjavík from many US cities, so you can be in the Arctic within a day.
The Northern Lights departures run in late September, when the nights are finally dark enough for the aurora, the fjords are still open, and the tundra glows red and gold with autumn colour. Pack light: the charter has a strict baggage allowance, so check it before you go.
Why I love sailing with Secret Atlas
Secret Atlas calls this a micro cruise, and once you're on board, you understand why that matters. Our home for the week was the MV Vikingfjord, a 42-metre, ice-strengthened ship that spent its first 50 years supplying Norway's lighthouses before being lovingly refitted as an expedition vessel. It carries just 12 guests, two zodiacs, and a crew who quickly learn your name, your coffee order and which wildlife you're most desperate to see.
That small size changes everything. There's no fixed timetable. Instead, the itinerary flexes day to day around the weather, the sea ice and the wildlife. Every morning starts with a briefing from our fearless expedition guides: where we're heading, and why today is the day to go there. Some mornings, the plan changed because the ice had shifted overnight. Others, because someone on the bridge had spotted something worth chasing. The bridge stays open to guests, and I lost count of the hours I spent up there with a coffee, scanning the shoreline with the captain.
And you will not go hungry. Chef Rico kept us fuelled for every adventure, from warming lunches after cold mornings in the zodiacs to long communal dinners where the day's stories got bigger with every telling.
By midweek, twelve strangers had become something closer to family. There were endless laughs, dance breaks and karaoke nights in the lounge. After a sauna, I was lovingly crowned the hot tub queen, because why wouldn't you soak in a hot tub on deck, surrounded by icebergs, with the sky turning pink over the fjord?
Highlights of the voyage
The whole week is built around photographing Greenland's wildlife and landscapes, with professional photographers on board running workshops, scouting locations and helping everyone with settings and framing. Whether you're shooting on a phone or a professional camera, you'll come home with images you're proud of.
Day one: a polar bear
We'd barely unpacked when word came down from the bridge. A polar bear, swimming directly in front of the boat. Everyone crowded onto the deck in silence, binoculars up, hardly daring to breathe. Polar bears are rare in Scoresby Sund, and plenty of guests sail for a week without seeing one. We saw one before our first day and I still can't quite believe it.
Through the fjords
Photo courtesy of Virgil Reglioni Photography
Every day after that was different. Depending on the ice and the weather, the route can take in the soaring basalt columns of Viking Bay, which feel like sailing into an outdoor cathedral; the ancient Thule remains on Danmark Island; the narrow, glacier-carved walls of Hare Fjord and Øfjord; and the remote Bear Islands. Ashore, the autumn tundra is a carpet of red and gold, and the guides point out musk oxen grazing on the slopes and Arctic hares bounding across the rocks.
In the zodiacs, we wove between icebergs the size of ships, some sculpted into arches, others glowing an impossible blue. You hear them before you see them: the creaks and the cracks.
Moonrise over the fjord
One evening, anchored in a sheltered bay, the moon rose huge and golden over the mountains. Then, as if on cue, a bearded seal hauled itself onto the ice right in front of it and posed. It's one of my favourite photographs I've ever taken.
The polar plunge
If you're brave enough, the polar plunge is a must. There's a lot of shrieking, a lot of laughing, and a very quick dash back to the sauna. When else can you say you've jumped into Arctic waters?
The grand finale
And then, on our final night, the Northern Lights. It started as a faint green glow over the fjord, and within minutes the whole sky was dancing. We stood on deck for hours, some of us photographing, some of us just watching, a few of us in tears. It was the perfect ending to a week I'll never forget.
Who this trip is for
This expedition is for curious, adventurous travellers who want to feel something again: photographers of every level, solo travellers who'd love a ready-made group of friends, couples looking for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and anyone who has always dreamed of seeing a polar bear or the Northern Lights.
Good to know
Pack layers: A thermal base layer, warm mid-layers, a waterproof outer shell, a warm hat, gloves and a buff. Waterproof trousers make zodiac rides far more comfortable.
Bring spare batteries: Cold drains batteries fast, so keep spares in an inside pocket.
Expect flexibility: Plans change with the weather and the wildlife, and that's part of the adventure.
Seasickness: Bring remedies just in case, though the fjords are often calm.
Insurance: Choose a policy that covers expedition cruising and remote evacuation.
Entry requirements: Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but has its own entry rules, so check them for your passport.
Come to the Arctic with me
If you've been craving a trip that makes you feel something again, this is your sign. I'm putting together a small group to sail the Arctic with Secret Atlas, and I'd love for you to come with me. I'll take care of every detail, from flights to kit lists, so all you have to do is show up ready for the adventure. This trip is scheduled for 2028 - more details to come!
