Summer in the Far North | Qaanaaq

Your flight from Ilulissat will take you over Melville Bay, with the inland ice on your east and countless icebergs below. You may be able to spot the heart shaped mountain of Uummannaq, the towering rock of Kullorsuaq, and the flat mountain-top beside Pituffik.

Upon arrival, we will pick you up at the airport. Settle in to your accommodation, and explore the small town. In front of the supermarket, which also serves as post office and bank, there are always people meeting, talking or just enjoying the sun. Walk along the beach, where there are kayaks, meat racks, and dogsleds parked for the summer. Hunters arrive and depart in their boats at high tide, and children are playing around.

We will have a short meeting with the hunter, who will take you out tomorrow.

Siorapaluk, the northernmost settlement in Greenland, is 60 km to the north. By boat, we sail past icebergs, and explore one of the fiords on the way. The first fiord to the north is summer fishing grounds for Arctic char. Locals set up their tents, take care of their nets, and enjoy the summer days with children and grandparents. The next fiord has several nesting grounds for little auks. The mountains are lush and green here, because the birds fertilize the land.

The settlement of Siorapaluk has about 40 residents. Siorapaluk means beautiful sand, and the beach in front is pure white sand. You will be a guest at the hunter’s house here.

Let’s enjoy the nature of the High Arctic. It can be a hike with views of glaciers and icebergs, a seal hunt, fishing for arctic char, photo tour, or anything else that interests you.

Today we will return to Qaanaaq. But before we go back, we can either spend good time around Siorapaluk, or make a visit to the former settlement of Qeqertarsuaq. The scenery here is majestic, and some houses are used as summer houses or stopovers on hunting trips. You can visit the church and school building, the small cemetery, and the Inuit ruins not far from the settlement. Or if you like to enjoy the view from the boat, explore the coastline of the two large islands of Kiatak and Qeqertarsauq, and enjoy the many icebergs floating by.

The last day in Qaanaaq is free time. It’s a nice walk either towards the east or west along the coast, or if you go up the hill behind the town, you will have a great view over the fiord, and reach the icecap in 2 or 3 hours. The ice cap here is a gentle slope of ice with streams of ice cold glacier melt running down here and there. Be careful not to slip, and take a walk on the huge field of ice.

Optional tour:

If you will explore inside the fiord, take an optional boat trip to Quinissut. We will sail past the cliffs of Inuusat (meaning “like people”), rugged and steep with waterfalls and fantastic rock shapes that gives the place its name. When we cross the broad mouth of the fiord east of Qaanaaq, watch out - this is one of the places where narwhal frequently pass. Shortly after, we arrive to the glacier front where you might see some seals. We will land just beside the glacier and take a walk. The land here is beautiful, there are ruins of old houses, and great views of the glacier and icebergs.

Depending on the flight schedule you may have half a day or almost a full day. Some carvers in Qaanaaq are extremely skilled, if you are looking for a souvenir. Contact us if you need advice on this.

Enjoy the view on your flight back south. Now you know how big the icebergs you see below are. We wish you good weather!

Let us know if you would like to make changes to this itinerary, or extend your stay in Qaanaaq. We will make a program for you. If you wish to make a stop at Ilulissat or Kangerlussuaq on your way home, we will be happy to make arrangements. Contact us at info@guidetogreenland.com.