Exploratory hiking by the icefiord
A beautiful boat ride and an hour hike away from Nuuk, you’ll reach a truly special place – Kangersuneq / The ice fiord! Here the Greenland ice cap meets the bottom of Nuuk fiord and fills it with thousands of years old ice. Sit down and listen to the ice working its way out while enjoying a warm cup of coffee or tea made on the bonfire. Soothing and unforgettable! The area invites to unforgettable hikes and views that will be in your memory forever.
HIGHLIGHTS
- 2 hours of sailing through the second largest fiord system in the world
- Exploring the scenic views of huge mountain mastiffs
- Basecamp next to the spectacular ice fiord and waking up to the sound of crackling ice
- Fresh crisp air and total silence
- Going off the beaten track. No paths or tracks – only animal trails.
- Catch a glimpse of wildlife – Eagles, reindeer, snow hares, foxes, whales, different birds species
- Best camp coffee in the world spiced up with stories from the local guides. Local guides, local knowledge.
- Cultural peep at a typical Greenlandic settlement.
- A small group and two guides
ITINERARY
Departure dates
17 – 23 June 2024
15 – 21 July 2024
12 – 18 August 2024
DAY 1
Boat transfer from Nuuk to Kapisillit in a cabin boat. This is not just a boat ride, it’s a boat ride through the world’s second largest fiord system in the world. The scenery is spectacular with several mountains going straight up from the water line where they top off around 1000 moh. If we are lucky, we might see whales, seals and different kinds of seabirds. And there is a lot of history to be told going through the fiord towards Kapisillit.
We will dock in the inner bay of Kapisillit (Kangerlupiluk) from here we will hike towards our basecamp on pretty even terrain about 3 km’s to our camping spot, which will be on a peninsula by the beautiful ice fiord (Kangersuneq) . The rest of the day will be used to settle in and soak in the scenery.
Total distance: 3 km
Hours of walking: 1-2 hours
DAY 2
We start the day with a good solid breakfast, some coffee or tea, spiced up with a world class view – big mountains rising on each side of the ice fiord – while soaking in the first rays of the day. We will pack a day pack and go for a good day of hiking towards the mountain massif Niggu which rises almost 1000 asl. We will seek out a good lunch spot (also with jaw dropping views) a bit up the mountain, or if you are willing to push on a bit, we can try and reach the summit to get a bird eye look of the area we are going to be covering the following days. We might be lucky to see some wildlife such as reindeer, ptarmigans or snow hares, foxes and eagles. Back at the basecamp we suggest that we go fishing to try to catch the dinner and collect some local herbs, mushrooms and berries.
The evening will be used to prepare for the next two days – a hike inland with a sleepover at lake Qajartoriarsuaq.
Total distances that day will be around 5-10 km, all depending on how high we go.
Hours of walking: 5-7 hours.
DAY 3
This day will be a full day of exploratory hiking towards the inland lakes in pristine Greenlandic nature. The hike will be in varying terrain, with a good shear of time to soak in the views and surroundings.
Reaching our camp site, we will set up the camp. Fishing for arctic char will be a possibility in the evening or for the ones who do not fear cold waters, a dip in the lake is quite refreshing. Another option is to go on a stroll alongside the lake in the evening sun.
Total distances that day will be around 5-10 km.
Hours of walking: 5-6 hours
DAY 4
After packing up the camp, we will back track a bit before we turn toward the mountain massif and leave the lowlands behind us. Target of the day will be a hidden gem of a viewpoint, a cone shaped mountain top in the mountains. Surrounded by lakes and with a high chance of catching a glimpse of some wildlife, this will also be our lunch spot.
Then we will work our way back to basecamp and prepare a feast and if you have remembered the whiskey, it is a treat to get a glass with a chunk of millions of years old ice. Filled with amazing experiences and stories to pass on, we climb into our sleeping bags for a good night sleep.
Total distances that day will be around 10-15 km.
Hours of walking: 5-6 hours
DAY 5
The traces of vikings, also called the Norse, used to dominate the warmest fiords from South Greenland to mid-west Greenland 1000 years ago. And this is no exception in the area we will be staying in. In the fiord of Nuuk there are traces of them in most places.
This day will be a hike to a lake / natural pool where the Norse used to take their baths in the summer. The pool is hidden among bushes and rocks with a stunning view over the bay. Feel free to take a cold dip in the pool, just to let your mind wander a 1000 years back and imagine how life would have been back then.
Optional:
The most northernly sheep farmer is located nearby and this would be a good chance to go and say hi and hear a bit about life as a sheep farmer in this remote place.
Total distances that day will be around 7-10 km.
Hours of walking: 6-7 hours
DAY 6
We will follow some tracks and paths north-west used by the reindeer and locals for decades. They will lead us up on higher grounds onto a plateau with several options of going exploring into the unknown. Again with amazing views along the ice fiord and another good chance of seeing wildlife such as snow hares, ptarmigans and reindeer.
Total distances that day will be around 7-11 km
Hours of walking: 6-7 hours
DAY 7
When the last photos are taken of our unforgettably beautifully located camp site, we will take down the basecamp and follow the southside of the bay in Kapisillit until we reach the river close to the village of Kapisillit. This is the only river in Greenland where the salmon come to spawn. Here we will have a short stop to see if we might catch arctic char in an alternative way – by hand! A method commonly used by the local guide, so you’re in good hands…
After the fishing we hike the last couple of kilometers to Kapisillit and have a look around in this very traditional Greenlandic village. There will be time to chit chat with locals before our pick-up and boat ride back to Nuuk.
Total distance that day will be around 8-10 km
Hours of walking: 6-7 hours
Difficulty level
This is hiking in the wilderness, no paths or tracks to follow. Besides animal trails. This is mostly untouched landscape. You should be able to walk 10-12 kilometers in uneven terrain per day.
Price
DKK 17.500,- per person.
Price includes:
- Boat transfer back and forth (Nuuk – Kapisillit)
- 2 local mountain guides
- 6 x Breakfast, 7 x lunch, 6 x dinner. Hot drinks at all times.
- Rental of tents, camping/cooking gear.
*In shared 2-person tents. Single tent available at a fee.
Sleeping pad and sleeping bag can be rented.
Good to know
- For the short (one hour) hike to and from camp/boat transfer as well as for the trek with sleepover, camp equipment (tents) and food will be divided between the participants, so we recommend to bring a larger backpack than a daypack; a backpack that – besides personal equipment – fits a sleeping bag and sleeping pad and some camp equipment.
