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GO2GREENLAND |
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Highlights of Diskobay, Greenland
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9 days with endless skies. Trekking along the most ice producing glacier of the Northern hemisphere, long light nights, giant icebergs, howling dogs, excursions in some of Greenland’s most breathtaking nature and an insight into the Greenlandic town life. Expererience the town of Ilulissat and get to the know more about the Greenlanders in the own country. Follow the tracks of the great French Arctic explorer, Paul Emile Victor, and indulge yourself in the baeutiful area of Ice Camp Eqi, where Paul Emile Victor set up his base for the various expeditions to the Ice Cap after the Second World War. Experience the exciting and biggest island in the Disko Bay, the Disko Island — a true pearl in this amazing country, where the horizon never meets the ocean
- 6 boat transfers between giant icebergs deriving from the 60 km long icepacked fiord of Kangia
- The town of Ilulissat, “the place of icebergs"
- One day trip to the Disko Island with a unique possibility of exploring the island of the dramatic geological past
- Icebergs the size of cathedrals
- Excellent opportunities to spot humpback whales or fin whales from the boat or just outside the hotel in Ilulissat
- Impressive hikes among some of Greenland’s most breathtaking Arctic nature — some of the areas classified as UNESCO World Heritage.
- Long light nights accompanied by howling dogs around feeding time
- Typical Greenlandic meals
- Shorter hikes around Ilulissat and Qasigiannguit
- Experience the midnight sun rising above the glacier of Eqip Sermia
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Appetizer — see zoom edition on maps.google.com
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Day 1. Copenhagen — Ilulissat
We leave Denmark and fly to Ilulissat via Kangerlussuaq, also known as Sdr. Strømfjord in Danish. On arrival at Ilulissat we check in at the hotel, which is beautifully situated right next to the shore of the Disko Bay. Besides the famous Kangia Icefiord, the town is also known for the Ilulisat museum, formerly the town’s teachers’ college and later on the birthplace of Knud Rasmussen. The Zion's Church and the art museum are also worth a visit. At the habour it is possible to see the fishermen return after a long day of longline fishing in the icefiord or seal hunting in the Disko Bay. Enter the local fishmarket known as “Brættet", centrally situated in town. Here the hunters sell their catch, and it is often possible to taste a bit of mattak (whale blubber). The town is full of life, and you will often experience playing greenlandic children, challenging gravity while they jump around waterpipes, fences or fishing boats on land. The evening will be spent in one of the restaurants in town, where we will indulge ourselves in our first meal made from fresh Greenlandic products -/-/-
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Day 2. Archaeological settlement and the first glimpse of the icefiord of Kangia
We will start the day at the quarry in the south-east end of town. From here we will take the path which will lead us through a stunning ravine with high rockwalls, and the snow bunting might show itself to us. Once arriving at the top we will see a small white stripe of the ice cap in the horizon. The hike continues downwards to a small lake from where we will get the first view of the Icefiord and the huge icebergs floating around in it. Passing by a small stream we fill up our water bottles and find a nice place to have a picnic. The remaining part of the hike will take place along the icefiord and we will get to experience the ice with all our senses. The creaking, crunching and rumbling sounds from the icebergs overwhelm our ears, and we can even smell the ice. As far as the eye can se there is ice and more ice. Along the icefiord we continue to Holm’s Hill, the place where the Greenlanders from Ilulissat meet every 13th of January to greet the sun after spending the winter in complete darkness. Towards the end of the day we will start exploring the largest of the old Greenlandic settlements, Sermermiut, which has been the home to both the paleo-eskimo and neo-eskimo societies. During the Thule-culture period around 250 people lived and died in this remarkable rugged area. Sporadic immigrations to the area count both the early Saqqaq-culture but also the subsequent Thule-culture settled in the area that surrounds Ilulissat. The afternoon is at your own disposal and there is plenty of time to go shopping for various handicrafts and sealskin items such as gloves and carvings "the tupilak" in the shops in town. You could also visit the museum or take a small hike to the satellite hill from where you have a splendid view of the bay. Later on in the evening you can choose to take a midnight boat trip towards the Kangia Icefiord. The massive icebergs glow in the sunset and the many colours in the ice create a view beyond comprehension. We will pass the same scenario when we leave for Qassigianguit by boat but seeing the icebergs under the midnight sun is a completely different experience. B/L/-
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Day 3. Boat trip in the Disko Bay to Qasigiannguit
We take the boat across the Disko Bay and enjoy the fresh air from the sea while the icebergs calmly drift by. We pass by one giant grounded iceberg after another all deriving from the Kangia icefiord. Floating around the sea amongst these fantastic formations of ice is normally an excursion in itself - to us it becomes an extra bonus on our way to Qassigianguit. We eat our lunch on the boat and arrive to Qasigiannguit, Greenland’s second oldest town, founded by the Danish merchant Jacob Severin in 1734. Qasigiannguit is a small pearl right next to Qarqassuak - "The big rock". The afternoon may be well spent doing a small tour around town, where the museum certainly is worth a visit. The museum has a very well conserved collection of items dating back to the Saqqaq culture, a culture that immigrated to Greenland 4,500 years ago. An entire settlement, Qeqertasussuk, was excavated in the south eastern part of the Disko Bay, south of Qasigiannguit, and objects from Qeqertasussuk are displayed at the museum. B/L/-
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Day 4. Qasigiannguit
After enjoying our breakfast we will leave for a hiking trip in the area. With its gentle, rolling hills, Qasigiannguit is an excellent area for hiking. We soon leave the city and enter open country as we walk towards Flyversøen, which serves as the town‘s water source in the winter. This is also the track favoured by the hunters when they take their sledges to the icefjord to fish and hunt. We follow the track to the left of Flyversøen, passing through the hilly country and enjoying the clean, clear Arctic air. The scent of the beautiful Arctic flora, the view and the wide open spaces give a feeling of being in a place completely untouched by civilization. We continue to Strømstedet, located by Laksefjorden, and enjoy the view of the mouth of the bay, which, in wintertime, serves as the way to Ilulissat. We leave the track and follow the mountian crest overlooking the Disko Bay back towards the city. Along the way we might spot some of the many whales seen in the area. B/L/-
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Day 5. Qasigiannguit and return boat trip to Ilulissat
Prior to leaving for Ilulissat, the morning may be well spent doing a small hiking trip along the coast line with the possibility of spotting whales from the coast. Often the whales seak the coast line of Qasigiannguit in their search for food thus there will be some good opportunities to see e.g. piked whales frisk around in the waters near the coast of the town. Next to the town’s fish factory you will find some of the oldest buildings and houses in Qasigiannguit. The yellow house dates back to 1734, being the oldest building made of wood in Greenland. The house is part of the museum, which is worth a visit — so if you did not get to see it yet, today is the day. Around mid day the boat heads north. Again we will be treated with a magnificent boat trip passing by the mouth of the Kangia icefiord and by that the giant and impressive formations and chunks of ice. The icebergs are beyond any comparison being the biggest in the entire Northern hemisphere. This is the “real" Greenland. Yet again you might see various types of whales — humpback whales and fin whales often pass by. Passing this spectacular area Ilulissat will soon show itself at the coast line. The colourful houses at the coast creates a fabulous contrast towards the sky and the green and grey hills and valleys. Upon arrival to Ilulissat we will be accomodated in a hotel. The afternoon is at your own disposal. In the evening we will gather in one of Ilulissat’s restaurants and enjoy a nice meal as we review the many impressions and adventures of the last couple of days. B/-/-
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Day 6. Boat trip to Ice Camp Eqi
Today we leave Ilulissat by boat northwards to follow the path of the great French Arctic explorer, Paul Emilie Victor. On our way we pass by Oqaatsut, a small settlement with about 50 inhabitants. We continue through the Atâ strait with the rough cliffs of the island Arveprinsen Ejland to the left and several big bird cliffs to the right. On the steep and rough cliffs several cormorants, fulmars and Arctic skuas flourish. We are closing in at the Eqip Sermia glacier after approx. 5 hours of sailing, and while we enjoy lunch on the boat, we watch as big chunks of heavy ice break off the glacier and trembles intensely into the sea. The sound is ear-splitting — big forces of nature is at display. The glacier calves off ice at least once every hour leaving us with a guerantee to observe this incredible phenomenon of ice falling into the sea from a glacier frontline rising 110 meters above the surface of the sea! This is a unique sight. The boat calls at Port Victor at Ice Camp Eqi with only a short distance to the glacier. The harbour is named after the French Arctic explorer who came here right after the Second World War to investigate the ice cap. At that time this was the only place with access to the ice cap using heavy expedition equipment. Late in the afternoon we return to Ilulissat. On this day trip to and from Eqi there are often very good possibilities of seeing the humpback whale or the fin whale gambol around in the waters of the Disko Bay. Keep a close eye to the sea and you might experience a sight you will not forget any time soon. B/L/D
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Day 7. Day trip to the Disko Island
After an early breakfast we leave for the harbour from where will sail to the Disko Island arriving at the only big town on the island named Qeqertarsuaq with 1,100 inhabitants. Despite of the relatively short distance to the mainland of Greenland, the Disko Island is very different. Steep basalt mountains indicate that the island has a much younger and dramatic past than the surrounding mainland, where the ice cap through thousands of years has eroded the bedrock and polished it into the shapes and contours seen today. The boat leaves the Disko Island in the evening and the day may be well spent with a visit to the town museum, a hike passing through the Arctic Station or a hiking trip inwards exploring the island and its different nature or maybe just take in the atmosphere of the town. Late in the evening we will return to Ilulissat satiated with impressions of a fabulous day at the Disko Island. B/L/-
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Day 8. Ilulissat — Kangerlussuaq
We leave for the airport and fly via Kangerlussuaq to Copenhagen in Denmark. If the weather is good we will have a splendid view — from one side you can see the ice fjord, from the other side it is the Disko Bay that lies beneath. If time allows it (depending on the current flight plan), it is possible to take a walk in the area around Kangerlussuaq. Even close to the populated area you can see musk oxes, which makes it interesting to take a hike or even better a cycling trip in the direction of the ice cap in order to get close to these magnificent animals. (Activities in Kangerlussuaq will be on your own). We change flights in Kangerlussuaq and continue the flight to Copenhagen with enough time to let all the great experiences settle in our minds. B/-/-
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Day 9. Arrival early morning in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Accommodation
All nights will be spent in hotels with private bath and toilet. It is possible to book a single room against a supplement to the package price. If you book the trip and travel by yourself you will be allocated a hotel room with another person of the same sex. At uneven number of participants according to sex, a supplement to the package price will be collected for those travelling with out a travel companion (last person booking the trip).
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International departure:
This trip is sold internationally, which makes it possible for non-Danes to book the tour. In that case the tour will be conducted in both Danish and English by a Danish tourleader.
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Ilulissat - the place of icebergs:
The third-largest town in Greenland also known as Jakobshavn in Danish. Only the capital of Nuuk and Sisimuit outsize Ilulissat. Ilulissat is home to an extensive fishing industry and houses one of the largest fishing enterprises, the Royal Greenland enterprise. The factory mainly processes halibut and shrimps. The city was founded by Jacob Severin, a Danish merchant, and the approximate 5,000 inhabitants are almost outnumbered by the 4,000 sledge dogs. The municipality of Ilulissat also counts 4 smaller settlements of Oqaatsut/Rodebay, Ilimanaq/Claushavn, Saqqaq and Qeqertaq respectively. Further, Ilulissat is situated next to the UNESCO world heritage sight, the Kangia/Ilulissat icefiord. More than 60 km long and a truly spectacular sight, Kangia is the birthplace of massive icebergs. It takes approx. one year for an iceberg to move from the glacier to the mouth of the fiord where most of the icebergs ground on the submerged moraine at approx. a depth of 300 meters. They do not move further until the high tide and the melting process allow them to move further north towards Upernavik in the northern part of the Disko Bay. At here the ocean streams turn towards south west and the icebergs continue their journey towards the Labrador strait in Canada. An "ice-safari" in this area is a remarkable experience.
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Qasigiannguit
The town is beautifully situated by the Disko Bay, encircled by mountains. The name of the town directly translated is "the small gaily coulored seals", in Danish: Christianshåb, named after King Christian the 6th. Qasigiannguit is a modern town with everything you need but it still has a lot of atmosphere and everything is to be found at a walking distance. The surrounding area is very well suited for easy hiking trips.
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Eqi
Approximately 100 km north of Ilulissat the calving glacier Eqip Sermia is situated in a scenic area. Eqip Sermia is one of the only places in Greenland at which location it is possible to sail close to the 5 km long glacier front that calves off ice several times per day. In the period after the Second World War the location served as a starting point for the French Arctic explorer, Paul Emile Victor’s expeditions to the Ice Cap and his hut from that period still stands as a memory of his many expeditions. Even the track to the Ice Cap, which Victor established can still be seen and followed all the way to the Ice Cap. Ice Camp Eqi is a true pearl situated with a stunning view of the calving glacier.
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Disko Island
Because of its recent history Disko Island is very different from the mainland. The island mostly consists of high and steep basalt mountains that were created by volcanic activity 25-65 million years ago. Qeqertarsuaq means "the great island" and is the Greenlandic name for both the island (Disko) and the town. The Danish name “Disko" is given to the island due to its configuration. Allthough the island is located approx. 100 km from the mainland it is still possible to get a glimpse of the island from all the towns and settlements in the Disko Bay. The town of Qeqertarsuaq is beautifully located right next the to bay and the steep basalt mountains rise masterfully behind the town.
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Climate
The average temperatures in Ilulissat and the surrounding area is around 5-8 degrees celcious in the months June to September. The temperatures are indicated as the average temperature of day and night. The nights may be colder, but when the sun gains power throughout daytime, temperatures may rise considerably above the indicated. Due to the sun and the dry air, the temperatures may feel higher than in the rest of Europe. Night temperatures sometimes come below 0°C in certain areas. Rain and showers may occur. At this time of year the weather is usually very clear, with good visibility.
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Electricity admission
During the stay in Ilulissat and Qasigiannguit its possible to charge camera batteries etc.
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Mobile phones
It is possible to use mobile phones in certain areas of the trip. In general we urge you not to use mobile phones when with the group in order to not interrupt the treks and excursions with conversations over the phone.
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Maps
Trekking map North Greenland, Ilulissat 1:100.000
Trekking map North Greenland, Qassianguit 1:100.000
Can be bought locally
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The tour includes
Flight: Copenhagen — Kangerlussuaq and return
Flight: Kangerlussuaq — Ilulissat and return
Boat transfer: Ilulissat — Qeqertarsuaq/Disko Island and return
Boat transfer: Ilulissat — Qasiannguit and return
Boat transfer: Ilulissat — Eqi and return
Transfer in Ilulissat between airport, habour and hotel respectively
Danish/ English-speaking tourleader
Entire accommodation throughout the trip in double rooms with private bath and toilet
Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Contribution to the Danish Travel Guarantee Fund
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Not included
Personal traveling expenses for souvenirs, maps, drinks and beverages etc.
Allow approx. 160 DKK per person per meal for not included meals
Entrance fees to museums and similar
Travel- and cancellation insurance, if desired
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Please note
The program is subject to alteration. A trip like this is very dependent on weather conditions; such as changes concerning wind, precipitation and ice. As a consequence of this some delays or cancellations of some parts of the program may occur, especially those that concern flight or boat transportation. No compensation will be offered within the first 24 hours of delay or change of program due to circumstances that can not be influenced by Topas. Your tourleader will aim to lessen the inconveniences and fill out the time with an alternative program.
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PICTURES |
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FILES
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Greenland Inspiration-video
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What to bring |
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