DAY TO DAY PROGRAM
Day 1: Reykjavik or Copenhagen – Narsarsuaq
Middag flight to Greenland. You will meet your local guides in the reception in the airport. Trasnsfer to pier for boattransfer to Narsaq by open RIB boat. Narsaq has about 1,500 inhabitants and is one of southern Greenland’s biggest towns. Today you will get an introduction to your equipment, and we will begin our preparation of the upcomming tour. Overnight in hostel, dinner included.
Day 2: Narsaq icebergs. Nuulussuaq peninsula
Breakfast at the hostel. Technical session introduced by the guide and then transport to Qingaarsuup Nunaa where we will start the kayak expedition. We will follow the coast of the island, along the ice covered fjord among big and small icebergs coming from Eqalorutsit glacier. We will travel through an area full of ringed seals. In this area, there is usually a greater density of ice, slowing down the kayak and sometimes even blocking access at certain locations. When we start the crossing to Nuulussuaq Peninsula through we get the first views of the ice cap. Once we arrive to Nuulussuaq, we will install our camp. Time for fishing arctic salmon, gathering mushrooms and cranberries. Overnight in tents, full board is included today.
Days 3: Naajaat Sermiat
After breakfast we will travel into a labyrinth system of islands and outcropping lands. We will have different views of the ice cap and several glaciers and will be impressed by unique and wild areas. We will paddle through a setting of low-slung islands, with waterfalls and alongside leafy tundra which contrasts with the blue and white of the icebergs. Several islands and peninsulas are separating indland ice from Ikersuaq fjord. This magical landscape attracted the Vikings to establish settlements in several coastal areas. And of course we will camp in one of these former Viking settlements.
Kayaking among blue icebergs provides us a special feeling of Arctic nature. We will sail in Maniitsup Tunua fjord, surrounded by the peninsulas of Maniitsop, Niaqornap Nunaa and Nuulussuaq. We are just in front of the ice cap, camping no so far away from Naajaat Sermiat Glacierfront. This is time to allow our senses to enjoy the unbelievable views of one of the oldest masses of ice in the planet. This is not the only area that will surprise you. The next step will be special when we get so close to Qaleraliq Glacier where we spend the night in tents. Full board is included today.
Days 4: Qaleraliq glacier. Hike to Tasersuatsiaq Lake
Today, after brakfast, we are sailing around Akuliaruseq Island (Caribou Island) which may allow us to admire this fauna approaching the coast or include the glacier front. Sailing along Qaleraliq fjord, we will arrive to Qaleraliq glacier with its three glacier tongues nearly 10 km wide, probably the most spectacular glacial scenery in south Greenland. We will camp on a sandy beach.
If weather conditions and time allow it, we will ascent to a view point if we are lucky we will observe the caribou feeding on salts from the fjord, and at night, will enjoy the thundering sound of the seracs breaking away in the area’s magical silence. Overnight in tents, full board included.
Day 5: Glacier-walk
After breakfast we will paddle direct to the ice. And right in the spot where the rare south-north expeditions crossing the ice cap use to start, we will hike over the glacier and discover a very small part of its immensity, among the rimes (crevasses), large cracks and drains. Enjoying a short trekking on one of the oldest masses of ice in the planet. A unique experience. Back on the kayaks we will continue the navigation along the glacier fronts, admiring the beauty of their vertical walls, ice walls and numerous icebergs as we approach them along their more than 10 kilometres descent to the sea. These glacier fronts extended in only one. But the dramatic progress of climate change divided it in three glacier fronts. We will install our camp in caribou island. During the night, we will be surprised by thunderclap roar of the icefall from seracs. Overnight in tents, full board included.
Day 6: Ikerssuaq fjord
After breakfast will start the way back towards Qingaarsuup Nunaa island, kayaking through Ikerssuaq fjord. This is an area where the chances of seeing whales are greatest. Big icebergs use to decorate Ikerssuaq Fjord. These are enormous ice blocks coming from Eqalorusit and Qorooq fjords. Sometimes you could be surprised by Greenlandic seals sailing in your way or staying over these icebergs. Overnights in tents, full board included.
Day 7: Qingaarsup. Narsaq City
Depending on conditions in the fjord we will go directly to Qingaarsuup, or will cross Ikerssuaq direction Stephensen Havn which is a protected bay among a sea full of icebergs. This was an ideal settlement where Inuit established during hundreds of years and it’s called Manitsuarsuk. Ruins of the settlement can be seen. Catching seals, hunting foxes, birds, sharks… were the principal activities of Greenlandic settlers in this emplacement, up to 18th century. Inhabitants were sometimes surprised by the arrival of polar bears “sailing” over the big icebergs coming from the eastern coast. Let be impressed by the Greenlandic history and discover one of the former Inuit settlements in South Greenland.
Our sailing will continue towards Narsaq or we might be ending in Qingaarsup and then be transferred to Narsaq. Free time to visit the city, inuit market, hunters’ harbour, church, local handicraft workshop, museum, etc. Evening at leisure, and dinner on your own. Breakfast and lunch is included in the tour. Night in hostel.
Day 8: Narsarsuaq
Transfer to Narsarsuaq. Time to walk around in the area and visit the local museum, Bluie West, that reflects the history of Narsarsuaq creation and especially its role as military base in the Second World War, or you can ascend to the “View Point”, an easy trekking of approximately one hour starting near the Hotel Narsarsuaq, from where you will have views of the fjord and the Kiattutglacier. During the afternoon we have flight from Narsarsuaq to either Reykjavík or Copenhagen.