- Overview
- Trip Outline
- Gallery
- Dates and Booking
- Trip Incl./Excl.
TRIP FACTS
- Tour type: Cross-Country skiing
- Duration: 8 days - 7 nights
- Skiing per day: 5 - 7 hours
- Group size: Min. 5 - Max. 12
- Accommodation: House in Kulusuk
- Language: English and French
- Departures/Meeting point: March and April/Reykjavik (Keflavik Airport)
HIGHLIGHTS OF TOUR
- The pristine nature of Kulusuk Island.
- Stranded car-sized icebergs.
- Skiing to Anaava Island.
- Dog sled tour with local hunters.
The small hunter’s village Kulusuk is situated on an island in East Greenland. In winter the local hunters still venture out on the sea ice to fish Halibut and hunt Ring Seal. The mean of transport is the dog sled. The modest wooden houses are half buried in snow as well as all roads and trails. Kulusuk Island makes a perfect terrain for cross-country skiing, with its mountains and hills and beautiful coastline. The ocean is frozen between Kulusuk and the island to the west and north so one can follow the dogsled trails to visit Apusiaajik Island and admire the giant icebergs stuck in the winter ice.
Kulusuk Island makes a perfect terrain for cross-country skiing, with its mountains and hills and beautiful coastline. The ocean is frozen between Kulusuk and the island to the west and north so one can follow the dogsled trails to visit Apusiaajik Island and admire the giant icebergs stuck in the winter ice.
Itineraries
Day 1
Kulusuk
Flight from Reykjavik (Keflavik Airport) to Kulusuk in the morning. The guide greets the group at the airport in Kulusuk and after putting the luggage on a dogsled or a snowmobile trailer, the group puts on their skis and ski into the village (3km). After lunch in our house in Kulusuk, we ski in the village and into the hills that surround it. Learn about the story of Kulusuk and its role in the Cold War and admire some of the pristine nature of Kulusuk Island. Visit to the tiny museum in the village and the local church. Night in a local house, dormitory style. 3 to 4 hours skiing.
Day 2
Isikajia and the old Radar station
In the early morning, we set off for one of the best viewpoints of the Island, Isikajia. This used to be the place of a Cold War radar station and it is an excellent point of view towards the drift ice along the coast. We admire the icebergs that are prisoners of the drift ice and take an alternative route back to our warm house in Kulusuk. 6 to 7 hours skiing. 400 meters up and down.
Day 3
Along the Kulusuk coast
We ski along the West coast by hills and across inlets that are full of Winter ice. Sometimes we might hear a crack in an iceberg breaking the silence or the sound of an occasional Ptarmigan mail. We come to a small bay where we might see hundreds of stranded icebergs, each of them the size of a car. Return by the same route, or an alternative route depending on the weather. 6-7 hours skiing.
Day 4
Apusiaajik Island
After our breakfast we ski onto the winter ice north of Kulusuk Island, The goal of the day is to go to an island to the north called Apusiaajik. This island is much larger than Kulusuk and we aim for a small bay, facing west. Glaciers and 900m high peaks create an alpine atmosphere and make skiing there a great adventure. 6-8 hours skiing.
Day 5
Anaava Island and Tunu
Ski to Anaava Island to the northwest and Tunu, the back side, where we find the ice edge of the open Ammassalik fjord. When the weather is good, the local hunters go to the edge of the ice to hunt Seal or to fish Halibut and Cod. We ski across the frozen ocean, and over 200m high hills on the island and try to spot some hunters. 6 hours skiing.
Day 6
The Inuit culture
This morning the guide will give you a little speech about the Inuit culture before we go on an optional tour on a dog sled with local hunters or walk around the village and observe the rhythm of life in the Arctic. In the afternoon a visit to the local museum will be organized and perhaps we will find a good local drum dancer to show us the skills. For those who want to relax, this might be the day to chill with a good book in hand.
Day 7
The mountain ridge and the lake
We start the day by climbing the slopes above Kusluk, up to a lake at the foot of Kulusuk Mountain. Climb to the top of a 367 m high viewpoint before skiing a different way back. Great views of the steep ridge of Kulusuk Mountain and its small glacier. In Kulusuk we will have a last festive dinner together in our house. 6 hours skiing.
Day 8
Kulusuk - Reykjavik
We pack our things and put the bags on the quad trailer before walking to the airport where we say farewell. Late morning flight to Reykjavik (Keflavik Airport), arrival mid-afternoon local time.
Included: Guiding, luggage transport to and from Kulusuk airport, all food from lunch in Kulusuk on day 1 to breakfast in Kulusuk on day 8, Accommodation in Kulusuk as described in the program, safety equipment (satellite phone, first aid kit, etc.).
Not included: Alcoholic beverages, flights to/from Greenland, other personal expenses, anything not mentioned in “included in price”.
Flights from Reykjavík can be added. Price for a flight from 1,180€