Røde Ø

Røde Ø

Røde Ø, also known as Red Island, located in the interior of Scoresby Sund is a beautiful spot in Greenland that’s just perfect for admiring the white and blue beauty of passing ice bergs.

Exploring Røde Ø

Oddly enough, the landscapes that greet visitors to Røde Ø often remind them of the American Southwest, or even Mars. It is not surprising as the “Old Red” sandstone was formed by sediments in an area covering both the present day American Southwest and Northeast Greenland. The name “Red Island” is apt – the rocky slopes of the island’s hills are quite red, filled with sandstone bright with colours one would normally expect from a desert region.

The red stone makes for a beautiful contrast to the pristine blue and white of the passing icebergs, of which there are many. A Zodiac ride can take you closer to the giant ships of ice which are numerous enough to form a virtual maze of ice and snow.

With the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet and glaciers, more and more ice bergs are calving each year, brought to the waters around Røde Ø to rest before they melt away as small trickling waterfalls and split apart with surprisingly loud cracks and groans.

Røde Ø cruises

As of 2025, Rode Fjord and the area around Rode Ø is listed as a protected marine environment for the narwhal, an endangered marine mammal that breeds in Greenlandic waters. Due to this, expedition cruise vessels are not permitted to enter Rode Ø. While you will not be able to visit this spectacular part of Scoresby Sund directly, you will get stunning views of sections of Rode Ø during a visit to nearby Harefjord.