Greenland: Dronning Marie Dal Valley & Polar Plunge

Dronning Marie Dal translates as Queen Marie Valley and is a scenic valley at the far inland end of the Skjoldungen Fjord. It’s super spectacular – flanked by rugged mountains, glacier, and Arctic tundra, making it super remote and pristine part of Greenland’s fjord landscape. A massive glacier above the valley ends in a whitewater river that flows into the fjord. This late is season, the tundra is all red with fall colors – a truly stunning panorama. The valley is named after Queen Marie of Denmark, consort of King Christian IX, reflecting Denmark’s historical ties to Greenland as a colonial territory. And no visit to the Arctic is complete without a polar plunge into the ice-field waters of the Greenland fjord. Water temperature – just around zero (32F).