We sat down with our founder and lead guide, Einar, who has led countless tours in both Greenland and Iceland, to get his practical take on how to prepare for a trek. Here is what he had to say.
How far in advance should you start preparing?
If you are fit, you do not really need to prepare much – except for the equipment. I would start looking at that maybe two to three months before, so that I would be sure to have what I wanted if I needed to renew anything. And if you have not been moving regularly recently, even if you are a seasoned trekker, it is good to give your body at least a couple of months to get back to your former physical form.
What are the essentials to bring on a trek to Greenland?
A good sleeping bag. That is really essential – you do not want to be cold at night, you want a good night’s sleep. Good shoes, broken in. You don’t want your hiking shoes to be brand new, but most experienced hikers know that. And make sure your rain gear is good, so that it does not start leaking. You know, don’t bring a twenty-year-old Gore-Tex jacket with all the seam seals already flapping.
Is there something people could consider bringing just for fun?
Yeah of course, I would do that! You might want to have a good book or a pack of playing cards – something to have for fun in the late afternoons and evenings. For some people it is really nice to bring something from their homeland, like if you are from Scotland, a bottle of whisky. If you are into that, it is nice to have a convivial moment in the evening during the storytelling hours.
What about you personally — is there something you always bring?
I always bring a comfortable down jacket for the evening. Even in the mess tent when it is not necessarily so cold, when you are out admiring the sunset it is nice to have a warm down jacket. I usually bring a comfortable pillow when I am camping – it is nice for a good night’s sleep. And a pair of sandals or lightweight shoes to use around camp. That is always nice to have.
How do you handle phone and electricity?
I bring a couple of power banks, and sometimes a solar-powered charger. In summer in Greenland there is plenty of sunshine often. But most of the time on shorter treks I just use the power banks — a good 10,000 mAh pack will charge your phone at least three times. With the phone on flight mode it does not use so much battery, so you do not need to charge it every day. Every second day or so is enough.
Do people use their phones much, or do some choose to go offline?
They go offline, but you know how phones are. The main use of phones on a trek like that is just the camera.
What are the trails like in East Greenland?
There are actually not that many trails. There are a few, made by hikers that have been there before, but they are not everywhere. A lot of the time it is just hiking completely off trail. Sometimes we find a piece of trail for a little while and then we go off again. Do not expect a nicely prepared trail like you might find in the Grand Canyon or in the Alps – it is going to be much rougher terrain. It is not that hard, but it makes us go a little slower when we are moving around.
What are you most looking forward to about returning to Greenland this summer?
The calm. The still evenings. That is the best thing. And of course the beautiful light nights of July, the midnight sun. It just does not get dark.
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That was the last question, thank you Einar for letting us in on your trek preparation.
A few more things worth knowing:
Travel insurance — We ask all our clients to have travel insurance covering medical expenses and emergency transportation, and recommend it covers costs from potential flight delays as well.
How to dress — Here’s our guide to clothing and layering for Greenland treks .
Your full gear list — Once you have booked, we send you a complete packing and equipment list with everything you need to know, including weight and volume guidelines for gear transport.
