The Icefjord trek

  • Locations
    Greenland tours
  • Next Departure
    July 9, 2024
    July 9, 2024 July 23, 2024 August 10, 2024 August 27, 2024
  • Trip Type
    ,
  • Activities
    No Activities
  • Group Size
    12 pax
From 2,595 EUR

One of the fastest-moving glaciers in Greenland and in the world is the Helheim glacier. The Helheim glacier calves icebergs of all sizes, shapes, and forms into the Sermilik fjord, or the Icefjord, in East Greenland, at the speed of approximately 60 meters pr. day.
Do you want to go on this trip with your private group on your chosen date? Contact us at info@arctichiking.gl

Trip Enquiry
Trip Code :GRE02
  • Overview
  • Trip Outline
  • Map
  • Gallery
  • Dates and Booking
  • Trip Incl./Excl.
The mountain pyramids
The mountain pyramids
TRIP FACTS
  • Tour type: Trekking
  • Duration: 8 days - 7 nights
  • Walking per day: 5 - 7 hours
  • Group size: Min. 5 - Max. 14
  • Accommodation: Tent and hostel
  • Language: English and French
  • Departures/Meeting point: July and August/Kulusuk Airport
HIGHLIGHTS OF TOUR
  • The Peaks around the Sungate and the Qinertivaq fjord.
  • The “ice beaches” in Sermilik fjord.
  • The incredible Iceberg view from the Tiniteqilaaq ridge.
  • Johan Pedersen Fjord at the foot of the Icecap.
One of the fastest-moving glaciers in Greenland and the world is the Helheim glacier. The Helheim glacier calves icebergs of all sizes, shapes, and forms into the Sermilik fjord, or the Icefjord, in East Greenland, at the speed of approximately 60 meters pr. day. The Sermilik fjord is surrounded by steep and pointed, glacier-covered mountains. North of the Icefjord reigns the edge of the Greenland Ice Cap, which is impressive and enormous. At the trail end, we find a tiny hunter’s village where Inuits have survived by hunting seals among the Icebergs of the fjord. At the end of each day, one can enjoy the calm and serenity of the Arctic. This is without a doubt one of the most interesting trek one can do in Greenland!

A trek that takes you to an iceberg wonderland.

Itineraries

Day 1

Kulusuk

Flight from Keflavík airport to Kulusuk at 11.30. Arrival at 11.15 local time. The guide greets the group at the airport in Kulusuk and after putting the luggage on a quad trailer walks the group to the village. After lunch in our house in Kulusuk, we take a walk along the village and into the hills that surround it. You'll learn about the story of Cap Dan and its role in the Cold War and admire some of the pristine nature of Kulusuk Island. We visit the tiny museum in the village and the local church. Afternoon walk to the beautiful coast inlets east of Kulusuk. Night in a local house, dormitory style. 3 to 4 hours walk.

Day 2

Sun Gate, Trout Lake, and the Icefjord

In the early morning, we sail to Qinertivaq (1.5 to 2 hours), a narrow fjord surrounded by high granite mountains. We walk to the bottom of the fjord and from there to the Trout Lake at the foot of the pass called the Sun Gate. At Trout Lake, we turn southwest and cross a glacier river that runs into the lake. On the riverbanks, we can admire the national flower of Greenland, the Dwarf Fireweed, also called Arctic River Beauty. Our valley turns to the west, we pass a small lake and a small glacier and then we start to see the Icefjord and its infinitive number of icebergs. The moraines of the glacier give us an excellent opportunity to learn about climate change and its effect on Greenland. Camp at a small peninsula at the edge of the fjord. 6 to 7 hours walk

Day 3

Along the Sermilk (Icefjord) coast

We walk along the coast and sometimes up on the hills above the shore, on our way to the south. Sometimes we might hear a crack in an iceberg breaking the silence or the sound of an occasional Ringed Plover. We come to a small bay where we might see hundreds of stranded icebergs, each of them the size of a car. We continue to a larger bay where we must wade across a river, and again there is stranded ice of all sizes and forms. In the afternoon we arrive at a peninsula called Paarnakajiit and we put up our camp nearby. 6 hours walk.

Day 4

Sapulik to the Lake

After our breakfast, we load the baggage boat before heading along a small bay called Sapulik. At the bottom of the bay, a river falls into it. We follow the river to a lake where a river crossing awaits us. With the river behind us, we walk along the lake shore to the south in a narrow valley until we come to the narrowest fjord one could imagine, the Amitsivattiva. It’s only a couple of hundred meters across but over 4km long. We put our camp up at the bottom of this fjord. 6-7 hours walk.

Day 5

The mountain ridge and Tiniteqilaaq

We start the day by climbing the slopes above our camp until we reach a broad ridge with a magnificent view over the Sermilk fjord. We take our time admiring the view of the fjord and the surrounding mountains before hiking along the ridge and down to a tiny hunter’s village called Tiniteqilaaq or Tinit or Diilerilaar as the East Greenlanders say. The Village is actually at the edge of the Sermilik fjord so we spend a little time strolling around and maybe someone will try to get a picture of a giant iceberg or two.
In the late afternoon, we sail back to Johan Pedersen fjord where we put up a camp for two nights. 8 hours walk. 450m ascension and descent.

Day 6

The glaciers in Johan Pedersen fjord

A full day walk in Johan Pedersen fjord to admire the impressive landscape at the foot of the Innlandis (Ice Cap). We climb to a viewpoint to admire the glaciers that descend from the second-largest Ice Cap on planet Earth and calve into the ocean in the fjord. Back to the same camp. Walk 6 to 7 hours. 500m ascent and descent.

Day 7

Johan Pedersen to Kulusuk

Morning walk to along the coast to admire the icebergs and the magnificent landscape of Johan Pedersen.
In the afternoon we sail back to Kulusuk where the trip started and have a last festive dinner together in our house. 3 to 4 hours walk

Day 8

Kulusuk - Keflavik Airport

We pack our things and put the bags on the snowmobile trailer before walking to the airport where we say farewell. At noon, a flight to Keflavik, arrival at 15.45 local time.

The Icefjord Trek
The Icefjord Trek
Reykjavik Airport - Kulsuk
Qinertivaq
Sun Gate, Trout Lake and the Icefjord
Along the Sermilik (Icefjord) coast
Sapulik to the lake
The mountain pyramids
The mountain ridge and Tiniteqilaaq
Kulusuk - Reykjavik
GRE02_map
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Includes:  Guiding, Boat transfer from Kulusuk to the start of the trek, boat transfer from Tiniteqilaaq to Kulusuk at the end of the trek, all luggage transport from camp to camp, all food from lunch in Kulusuk on day 1 to breakfast in Kulusuk on day 8, Accommodation as described in program, tents, mess tent, all camping gear, safety equipment (satellite phone, first aid kit, etc.).

Excludes: Alcoholic beverages, flights to/from Greenland, other personal expenses, anything not mentioned in “Trip Includes”.  Flights from Keflavik to Kulusuk can be added.

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