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5 days - Independent tour of South Greenland | Hiking | Qooroq Ice Fjord
Experience amazing South Greenland, known as the 'Garden of Greenland". South Greenland lives up to its name as it is truly a green land. Agriculture thrives here with many farms and luxuriant vegetables, in contrast to a barren ice world that covers much of Greenland. Spend your time exploring this region on wonderful day hikes, boat trips beneath South Greenland’s blue icebergs and learn about this region's fascinating history. This 5-day tour also gives you an opportunity to hike to the ice cap from Narsarsuaq (16 km return).
Highlights include
- Day hike to Narsarsuaq Glacier
- Visit the beautiful village of Igaliku
- Boat trips among icebergs
- Day 1
- Fly Reykjavik to Narsarsuaq, South East Greenland.
- Day 2
- Narsarsuaq Glacier
- Day 3
- Boat transfer Narsarsuaq – Qassiarsuk – Itilleq (Igaliku)
- Day 4
- A day in Igaliku
- Day 5
- Boat transfer Itilleq – Narsarsuaq. Departure Narsarsuaq
- Start/End Place
- Reykjavik, Iceland
- Countries Visited
- Iceland
- Greenland
- Duration
- 5 Days
- Type
- Touring
- Suitability
- Easy
- Code
- SGE001
Details
Transportation
- Flights from Keflavik (Reykjavik, Iceland) - Narsarsuaq - Keflavik.
- Boat transfers
- Boat trip to the Qooroq Ice Fjord
Included
- Return flights Keflavik (Reykjavik, Iceland) - Narsarsuaq - Keflavik. including taxes
- Accommodation in hotels and guesthouses - nothing fancy!
- Daily breakfast
- Arrival and departure transfer from airport/harbour
- Boat transfer Narsarsuaq -Qassiarsuk, Qassiarsuk - Igaliku, and Itilleq (Igaliku) - Narsarsuaq
- Boat trip to Qooroq Ice Fjord
- 24-hour emergency service
- Taxes and service fees
Not Included
Flight tickets to/from start and end points, any airport taxes, travel insurance, visas, gratitudes and any items of personal nature.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Fly Reykjavik to Narsarsuaq, South East Greenland.
Flight from Reykjavik to Narsarsuaq. Transfer to your accommodation. In the afternoon you can take a little hike to the Signal Hill viewpoint (about 1 hour). From the top you can admire an impressive view of the glacier. You will get a sheet with detailed walking descriptions.
Accommodation in Narsarsuaq.
Accommodation
Private facilitiesDay 2 - Narsarsuaq Glacier
Day hike to Narsarsuaq Glacier, which is a part of the ice cap and located only 8 km from Narsarsuaq. The hike takes you through the Flower Valley (there are no sheep grazing in this area so you can enjoy the flowers) before the trail winds up a 300 m ascent to a plateau that rewards you a magnificent view of the glacier. From here you walk for about half an hour downhill to the glacier, where you can touch the ice. The way back to Narsarsuaq follows the same route.
Meals
1 BreakfastDay 3 - Boat transfer Narsarsuaq – Qassiarsuk – Itilleq (Igaliku)
Boat transfer from Narsarsuaq to Qassiarsuk. Qassiarsuk is also known as Brattahlid, the place where Eric the Red settled in 982. The Norse ruins are well preserved and the open-air museum (Brattahlid) can be visited on your own (admission is not included). The approx. 40 inhabitants earn their livelihoods from sheep farming, but the village also has a school, a shop and a church.
After a couple of hours you take the boat to Itilleq, followed by a 4 km hike along the “King’s Road” (named after the Danish King Frederik 9th’s visit in 1952) to Igaliku. Igaliku is one of the most beautiful villages in Greenland! The colourful houses are situated on lush grassland next to a milky-blue fjord. On the other side of the fjord the landmark Illerfissalik (Burfjeld) Mountain towers over a rough and desolate landscape.
Accommodation in Igaliku for 2 nights.
Meals
1 BreakfastAccommodation
Local guesthouse with shared facilitiesDay 4 - A day in Igaliku
Igaliku was the Episcopal seat (named Gardar) for a period of about 300 years (1100-1400) during the Norse era, and the ruins from that time are very impressive. In 1782 Anders Olsen and his Greenlandic wife Tuperna established themselves as farmers and that was the beginning of Igaliku’s more recent history. There is a permanent exhibit in the church that tells this particular story.
Today, Igaliku and its surroundings have some of the best hiking opportunities in South Greenland. One optional day hike (17 km) goes to the plateau, which offers a superb view of the Qooroq Ice Fjord, the stranded icebergs on the underwater moraine at the entrance to the fjord and the enormous glacier at the head of the fjord. It is the perfect place for a picnic! On the way back, you may be lucky enough to find minerals and stones, like the shining “moonstone” (labradorite). The “waterfall hike” (about 15 km) is another popular day trip. A set of beautiful waterfalls tumble like pearls on a string down towards Tunulliarfik Fjord. This hike can be combined with the summit of Nuuluk Mountain (823 m), which lies south of Igaliku (20-22 km).
Meals
1 BreakfastDay 5 - Boat transfer Itilleq – Narsarsuaq. Departure Narsarsuaq
Boat transfer Itilleq – Narsarsuaq. Boat trip to the Qooroq Ice Fjord. A boat trip among icebergs of all colours, sizes and shapes. When the glacier is in view, the boat engine is stopped, so you can enjoy the absolute silence and a drink chilled with glacier ice – more than 1,000 years old!
Departure to Reykjavik (check-in one hour before your flight).
Meals
1 BreakfastAll prices listed are per person. Early indicative price for 2019.
23 Aug 2019
23 Aug 2019
Important Information
This independent itinerary departs every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Gallery
Interactive Tour Map
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Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours with 50 Degrees North. Please ensure that you have this organised as we will need to see proof of this upon issuing your tour documentation. Please contact us for a quote or visit http://www.suresave.net.au/
General Information for Greenland travel
Climate
Greenland is the world's largest island at 810,810 square miles, which is the same as France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Austria and Belgium put together. It boasts the Northern Hemisphere's largest ice sheet - 694,981 square miles, which cover 85 percent of its total area.
The Greenland climate is arctic to sub-arctic, but the distance between north and south means there are tremendous differences in temperature and climate. Thanks to a very dry air, cool summers feel surprisingly comfortable.
In general, summer temperatures are highest inland and coolest along the coasts. But you will be surprised to know that warm + 21° C days are not uncommon during the summer!
What to wear
It is best to be prepared by wearing 'layered' clothing. The outer layer should be wind and waterproof. Gloves and hats are recommended when sailing. It is a good idea to wear solid boots, waterproof shoes or rubber boots with a solid sole in the summer and winter. Clothing tends to be casual in Greenland and acceptable also in finer restaurants.