A MOTHERBEAR EXPEDITION
GREENLAND
SCORESBY SOUND ON GREENLAND is one of the last untouched frontiers of our planet. It stands remote and pristine, cradled in solitude as an untamed wilderness, waiting for us to explore. Along the coast, rugged mountains and dramatic landscapes emerge, reaching out from beneath the grasp of Greenland's gigantic ice cap. For over eight months every year the fjords here are packed with ice.
In summer, as the midnight sun warms the region, massive icebergs are born, breaking free and drifting into the deep, serene waters of Scoresby Sound. Here, these giants glide through the fjords—silent witnesses to the fragile balance of a world in flux. When we visit in August-September, the often mirror-like waters are surrounded by land covered in spectacular autumn colors.
Join us on an exclusive expedition with a small group on the best ship in the Arctic. We travel through the fjord system and use our small zodiac boats as often as possible to get even closer to the nature around, and to go on land. We will hopefully encounter musk oxen, arctic foxes, seals and with a bit of luck also polar bears as well as whales. If the ice conditions allow it, we may also travel a bit north of Scoresby Sound, along the eastern coast of Greenland towards the North Pole pack ice.
This is a unique opportunity to visit one of the most difficult to reach and stunning areas on our planet.
The adventure of a lifetime.
Dates and
details
AUGUST 21-31, 2026
AUGUST 31-SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
This expedition begins and ends in Reykjavik in ICELAND. We meet up at the domestic airport in Reykjavik, and fly together to Akureyri in northern Iceland. There, our ship M/S Freya is waiting for us, and we sail over to Greenland. At the end of the expedition we sail back from Greenland to Iceland and the expedition ends in Reykjavik on the final day.
Start: At the Reykjavik Domestic Airport RKV at 9 am first day.
End: At the Reykjavik Domestic Airport RKV at 4 pm on the last day,
TRIP LENGTH: 11 days
GROUP SIZE: maximum 12 people
PRICE per person:
US$ 13,400/EUR 11,900
ACCOMMODATION:
Shared twin cabin. All cabins have separate, lower beds, private bathroom/shower and a window to the ocean. Single cabins are available on some trips.
Price includes:
- Guiding in English.
- Flight roundtrip Reykjavik-Akureyri
- All activities, transportation and fees/permissions in Iceland and Greenland.
- All meals on board M/S Freya (dietary requirements like vegetarian, vegan, lactose, allergies etc are not a problem - just let us know).
- Large format photo book with memories from our journey.
- 120% Climate compensated trip including your flight.
Not included in the price:
- Flight to/from Reykjavik in Iceland.
- Travel insurance
- Optional tip for the ship crew
Payment terms:
A deposit of 20% after making your reservation.
The rest is due two months before departure.
For booking requests and questions, please send us a message here
You can also send an e-mail to info@themotherbear.com
This expedition is produced in collaboration with the Swedish travel agency Expeditionsresor, one of the best adventure travel operators in the world. They handle all reservations. After making a booking request, they will get in contact with you by e-mail to finalize your reservation.
Our ship
M/S Freya
M/S Freya is arguably the best expedition ship in the Arctic. She was originally built for the Swedish Maritime Administration in 1981 and was later taken over by the Swedish Coast Guard. She has been used as an environmental protection vessel as well as for research and science expeditions. In 2015 she was converted to an Arctic expedition ship and came to Svalbard for the first time in the summer of 2016. In 2018 Freya was acquired by Edvin Vidarsson and the Skattegården farm in Sweden.
Freya is built to Lloyd’s class for unrestricted trade and has the highest ice class 1A. She has capacity for up to 26 passengers in seven newly built twin cabins and four triple cabins. On this expedition we only bring 12 passengers, to make it as spacious and comfortable for everyone as possible. We also have three zodiacs (small rubber boats) on the ship, which we use as often we can when conditions allow it for exploring the surroundings more closely.
M/S Freya has a spectacular deck with a 360-degree view, a large dining room, a nice lounge and a cozy sauna where you can warm yourself after the day’s adventures. Travelling with only 12 passengers makes it feel more like being on a private yacht rather than a bigger expedition ship. We have an experienced crew of eight people plus three guides on board, everyone ready to assist and make the most out of our expedition.
Itinerary
DAY TO DAY PROGRAM
DAY 1
ARRIVAL IN THE ARCTIC We meet at the domestic city airport in Reykjavik, RKV at 9 am. From here we fly to Akureyri on the northern coast of Iceland. Here, our ship M/S Freya is waiting for us, and in the afternoon we set sail for Scoresby Sound and Greenland. The trip over takes around 24 hours. On the way we hope to see some whales, like humpbacks and fin whales, and as we get closer to Greenland, our first ice bergs.
DAY 2 - 9
EXPLORING THE ARCTIC WILDERNESS Travelling through the deep fjords of Greenland, our exact route will be decided by ice and weather conditions. Our goal is to explore and experience as much as possible of what Scoresby Sound and these remote parts of Greenland have to offer and encounter the impressive wildlife, of course hopefully also the King of the Arctic: the polar bear. When conditions allow, we get into our zodiacs to cruise around to experience the massive ice bergs and perhaps go on land. We will also most likely visit the only settlement in this region, Ittoqqortoormiit.
DAY 10
SAILING SOUTH We set sail south and return to Akureyri and Iceland.
DAY 11
BYE BYE ARCTIC After a last breakfast together on the ship it is time to leave. We fly from Akureyri to Reykjavik together and there it’s time to say goodbye.
Please note: Our exact route and travel plans are depending on weather and ice conditions and where we expect the best opportunities at the time of our expedition. We will do everything possible to make the most out of our Arctic adventure. Flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
During our expeditions we typically encounter polar bears as well as other wildlife. And of course always the magical scenery of the Arctic. There are never any guarantees for anything up here though. But we do know one thing: it will be amazing. It always is, and every expedition is unique and unlike the others.
Nature is the boss. And that is what makes this a true adventure.
Observe to protect
The far north is an ecosystem in perfect balance when it has the cold and the ice it needs, but every single degree of warming has huge consequences, and this makes it extremely vulnerable. The high Arctic offers some of Earth’s most extreme conditions and it inhibits some of the strongest, most powerful wildlife. At the same time it is the most fragile place you can imagine.
All human activity leaves footprints, also this trip. On our expeditions everything happens on the terms of the environment and wildlife around us. If anything we do comes at a cost for these, we do all we humanly can to avoid it. We never disturb wildlife knowingly. If an animal seems affected by our presence we always back off and retreat. When an animal changes its behaviour because of us, we have failed. Being quiet and avoiding disturbance is a much easier task on our small ship with only 12 guests than the big ones, with dozens or hundreds of passengers.
By visiting the Arctic we leave footprints. And by flying to the Arctic and then travel with a ship, we can not avoid emitting greenhouse gases. We and the owners of M/S Freya are completely committed to minimizing our emissions. We look at all aspects of these operations, big and small. All from what fuel is used to the products used on board and what food is served. We are constantly looking at ways to improve our operations.
M/S Freya is owned by Edvin Vidarsson and his family who also are running Skattegården, a beautiful farm in Sweden. They have an amazing focus on environmentally friendly production and work hard for a sustainable future. The ship and the farm is part of the same universe. For example, the goal is to have as much as possible of the food served on board produced by the farm. Locally produced and served in the north! This way of working and forward way of thinking make us very proud to work with M/S Freya, Edvin and Skattegården.
We also calculate all carbon emissions created during this trip, not only from the ship, but from our guests’ flights as well. And we carbon offset (climate compensate) everything connected with this expedition. Our goal is to over-compensate up to at least 120% - to give more than we take to our planet. This is not a perfect system, but it does help.
We follow all national and international laws and regulations as well as the guidelines set up by The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO). But we also have our own guidelines to follow in situations when they are more strict.
The number one priority for this expedition is to safeguard the place and life we are here to observe. The goal is to learn about the Arctic, its environment and wildlife by experiencing it close at firsthand.
We only do five-six expeditions each year. We at The Motherbear want to feel everything that our guests feel when we see that beautiful polar bear or magical sunset. We want to feel the same excitement and happiness. Our expeditions will never become routine for us. The Arctic and its fragile environment is far too precious to be treated in any other way.
Our guides
Fredrik Granath
Expedition leader and producer Fredrik Granath works together with his partner, photographer Melissa Schäfer, and their Motherbear Productions, documenting the nature and wildlife of the Arctic. The focus is on the life of the polar bear and its role in a changing climate.
Fredrik is a leading expert on field work and production in the polar regions. He has assembled a unique expertise of working under the most extreme conditions and is specialised in polar bears. Since 2001 Fredrik has been working around the Arctic on his own projects, and also as a producer for other film- and photographic projects, including work for film studios and the National Geographic. He has been published in the New York Times, Vanity Fair and many others, and co-authored the book “Polar Tales” with Melissa Schäfer.
Together with their Motherbear Productions, Fredrik and Melissa organise expeditions in the Arctic with the ship M/S Freya since 2016.
Melissa Schäfer
From her early childhood days in Hamburg, Germany, Melissa has viewed the world through her camera lens. With a background in creative and portrait photography she has always had a unique eye for the surroundings. A deep love for the Arctic and polar bears as well as a strong commitment to nature and the environment is a foundation for all her work.
In 2020 Melissa and Fredrik published their award winning, best selling book “Polar Tales” worldwide in English. It has also been published in German as “Das Königreich der Eisbären”, Swedish as “Bortom isbjörnens rike” and Chinese. Melissa is the founder and editor in chief of the “Mother” magazine, which launched in 2023 and since then has been distributed in 55 countries.. She has been published by The New York Times, National Geographic, GEO and many others.
Melissa and Fredrik live outside Stockholm, Sweden with their two dogs, Nanuk and Pingo, who is an adopted sled dog from Svalbard.
Lianna Nixon
Lianna is an award-winning conservation storyteller, environmental science educator, and experienced expedition leader and guide.
Her work explores how storytelling impacts learning about climate science and intersectional environmentalism. Today she works for Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) to help scientists communicate their work to the public. Lianna's work has been published in magazines such as GEO, CBS, ABC, Stern, Nature, PM, and many academic journals. Lianna also worked at the MOSAiC expedition, drifting through the North Pole pack-ice for months, studying the changing sea ice.
She is specialised in the Arctic region and has vast experience of working around Alaska and Svalbard. She has worked as expedition leader and guide on many expeditions around the Arctic, in Alaska, Greenland and on Svalbard since 2017.
Lianna and her husband Casey live in Vancouver, Washington, U.S.A. with their dogs Maya and Ace.
Photos by Melissa Schäfer from our expedition in Greenland with M/S Freya in August-September 2024.
Bringing new friends to the Arctic and experiencing this world of wonders together on M/S Freya has proved to be one of the most amazing things we could ever have hoped for. Many of our guests become friends for life, and share moments we will carry together forever. We let you see the Arctic nature and wildlife through our eyes, and we are so grateful to also see it through yours - with new fascination and excitement.
Every expedition is unique.
Fredrik, Melissa & Lianna
For booking requests and questions, please send us a message here
You can also send an e-mail to info@themotherbear.com
This expedition is produced in collaboration with the Swedish travel agency Expeditionsresor, one of the best adventure travel operators in the world. They handle all reservations. After making a booking request, they will get in contact with you by e-mail to finalize your reservation.
