8D7N South Greenland Grand Adventure

8D7N South Greenland Grand Adventure

8 Days / 7 nights

Availability : June - August

Keflavik / Copenhagen ➜ Narsarsuaq

Min Age : 12+

Max People : 12

Tour Code: SGR-1

Explore and learn about South Greenland's fantastic nature, its people and traditions

South Greenland Grand Adventure includes one week of travel, adventure, and exploration to let you experience both sides of Greenland. On the one hand, Greenland’s fantastic nature: massive glacier fronts, Zodiak navigation among icebergs and hiking on a glacier tongue that is millions of years old; and on the other hand, its people and traditions: Inuit towns like Narsaq and Qaqortoq and idyllic villages such as Igaliku and Qassiarsuk with its Viking ruins, part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 2017. Travel is mainly by zodiacs.

On departures from mid-August onwards, enjoy the awe-inspiring show of the Northern Lights in a place –southern Greenland– famous worldwide for the frequency in which these “spirits of the north” can be seen on summer nights.

Highlights & Experiences

• Glacier hike with crampons

• Greenland's Inland Icecap

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Inuit settlement & Viking ruins (Qassiarsuk and Igaliku)

• Cultural exchange with locals

• Zodiak cruises among icebergs

• 4x4 excursion to Tasiusaq farm

• Narsaq & Qaqortoq towns

• Qaleraliq: exclusive glacier front trip

• Several walks and hikes

• Arctic fauna: eagles, caribou, foxes and arctic hares, or whales and seals

• Northern Lights after mid-August

• Optional kayak excursions between floating icebergs

Itinerary

Day 1: Narsarsuaq & Glacier View

Flight from Keflavik international airport in Iceland or Copenhagen to Narsarsuaq, South Greenland. Reception at the airport and transfer to Hotel Narsarsuaq for check-in and information meeting. Hike to the Glacier View Point, around one hour from the hotel. Great views of the Tunulliarfik fjord, the plain of Narsarsuaq and the Kiattuut Glacier.

Accommodation: Hotel Narsarsuaq. Twin/double room with private facilities.
Meals included: None

Day 2: Hike to the Flower Valley and Qaqortoq, the capital of Southern Greenland

You reserve the morning for the most famous hike in South Greenland, the Flower Valley. A spectacular walk with sights of the Kiattut river and glacier. Enjoy the magnificent view of this valley formed due to the retreat and the consequent glacial sedimentation with plenty of flowers. Trekking back to Narsarsuaq.

Accommodation: Hotel Narsarsuaq. Twin/double room with private facilities.
Meals included: Breakfast & picnic lunch

Day 3: Narsaq Town

An incredible zodiac boat transfer will take you from Narsarsuaq to Narsaq. Enjoying the wonderful landscape with views of the sole farms and cascades.

With about 1500 inhabitants, Narsaq is the third most populated town in South Greenland.

City tour to discover the beauty of its colourful buildings. Visit the local market, fur shops & hunters harbour.

After this we will start an easy hike in the surroundings with a wonderul view of the valley, fjords and mountains with one of the few caw farms in Greenland and where it was a mine.

During the afternoon you will have free time to stroll around the city surrounded by awe-inspiring landscapes, visit the Greenlandic museum or enjoy a drink with the local people and discover the modern Inuit’s way of life.

Accommodation at Hotel Narsaq. Twin/double room with private facilities.
Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4: Qaleraliq Adventure Glacier Camp and Excursion on Ice

In the morning you set off for Qaleraliq camp towards the Inlandsis or Greenland’s ice cap. Arrive to a cosy, enchanting camp set on a sandy beach, which contrasts with a spectacular view of three glacier fronts from Qaleraliq’s glacier.

Glacier fronts and excursion on ice.
We will navigate along the glacier fronts on a RIB boat, admiring the beauty of their vertical ice walls and numerous icebergs as we approach them along their more than 10 kilometres descent to the sea. These glacier fronts extended in only one but the dramatic progress of climate change has divided it in three separated tongues.

From there you will start the ice excursion. An impressive trek using crampons (organised to be suitable for all travellers) on one of the oldest masses of ice on the planet. You will explore its crevasses, drains, seracs, and other ice formations, which give an incredible, labyrinthine quality to this glacier.

An expert mountain guide will be in charge to make sure we are provided with the appropriate equipment and to ensure the safety of the group during the trip, while he shares with us his knowledge about the special characteristics of the glaciers in the South of Greenland. A unique experience, exciting and original, surprising both first-time comers and those used to the peculiarities of the glacier world. One of the most impressive sights and one of the best excursions in all Greenland.
Picnic lunch on the ice or at the camp depending on conditions.

In the afternoon, transfer by zodiac boat to Narsaq. You will be surprised by enormous icebergs falling off from the Eqaloruutsit Glacier and floating throw all the Sermilik Fjord. Sometimes, they are blocking the access to Narsaq ports.

Accommodation: Hotel Narsaq. Twin/double room with private facilities.
Meals included: Breakfast & picnic lunch

Day 5: Excursion to Hvalsey Church and Qaqortoq City, capital of South Greenland

An exciting tour in a high-powered zodiac will take you from Narsaq to Hvalsoy.
It takes approximately an hour and a half, traveling between icebergs and gorges, with views of small islands that adorn a magical landscape. Hvalsoy Church was built in the 14th century and is considered the best preserved church from that period. People came to this Church from far away to participate in the different Christian events held throughout the year. This area has recently been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

After this beautiful experience, disembark in the beautiful city of Qaqortoq, where you  take a guided tour of the city.

Qaqortoq, the capital of southern Greenland, was founded in 1775 and is considered the most charming and attractive city in all of Greenland. With more than 3,000 inhabitants and its colorful houses built on a mountain at the foot of the sea, Qaqortoq is a truly striking and pleasant city. The center, to the large fishing port, it is made up of several houses from the beginning of the last century, some converted into restaurants, and it houses what is the only fountain in all of Greenland. From there a path leaves that makes a tour of the city, always with the landscape of mountains and fjord at our feet, in which you will see a collection of thirty large stones carved by local artisans with motifs from the Inuit culture. Equally interesting is its wooden church next to the river, the craft shops, the fish market or the traditional kayak club.

In the afternoon, transfer by zodiac boat to Narsaq city.

Accommodation: Hotel Narsaq. Twin/double room with private facilities.
Meals included: Breakfast

Day 6: Excursion in Igaliku & boat excursion to Qooroq Ice Fjord

In the morning, we can enjoy the spectacular views of Einarsfjord, a surprising fjords which is one of the fewest in Greenland that can’t impress visitors with big icebergs. However, green hills provide guests a warm relax in a quiet environment. Hike back to Itilleq and boat excursion to Qooroq fjord. This is probably the most active and spectacular glacier in South Greenland. We will navigate among blocks of ice until the density of ice is such that we can no longer continue. Wonderful sight of chaotic ice floating around us. We will continue the navigation on our zodiac boat to Narsarsuaq. Car transfer to Hotel Narsarsuaq

Accommodation: Hotel Narsarsuaq, Twin/double rooms with private facilities.
Meals included: Breakfast

Day 7: Tasiusaq, “the Icebergs Bay” and Qassiarsuk, the Viking Greenland

In the morning, 4×4 jeep trip to the beautiful Tasiusaq farm, where seven people live in notable isolation next to Sermilik fjord, which is almost always blocked by the ice fromicebergs coming from Eqaloruutsit glacier.

Picnic at Tasiusaq farm.

Later on, transfer in RIB boat through Tunulliarfik Fjord to Qassiarsuk.

Visit of the church ruins and the settlement of Eric the Red comprising the old Brattahlid, capital of Viking Greenland, and where Erik the Red settled in 985. Walk through the village of about 50 inhabitants, mostly farmers. This Norse and Greenlandic core farming area were in 2017 inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List under the title: Kujataa Greenland: A Norse and Inuit farming landscape on the Edge of the Ice Cap. Qassiarsuk area represents the most comprehensive and rich example of both Norse and Greenlandic farming histories and contains ruins of large cattle-based Norse farms and their numerous satellite sites including, not least, Erik the Red’s Brattahlid. It was also here that Otto Frederiksen in 1924 established the first sheep farm after Igaliku, founding today’s settlement of Qassiarsuk.

Optional Excursion: Kayak Excursion in the “iceberg bay”, a 2-hour sea kayaking trip for beginners among icebergs and ice in one of Greenland’s safest and most delightful places.

Return by jeep to Qassiarsuk and transfer by zodiac boat to Narsarsuaq.

Accommodation: Hotel Narsarsuaq. Twin/double room with private facilities
Meals included: Breakfast & picnic lunch

Day 8: Leisure time and flight home

Free time for some last photo shoots and short walks in Narsarsuaq. We recommend visiting on your own the Blue West Museum One, which reflects the town’s history and especially Narsarsuaq’s role in the Second World War.

Flight from Narsarsuaq to Keflavik International Airport in Iceland or to Copenhagen in Denmark.

Meals included: Breakfast

Price & Details for summer 2024

Price for summer 2025

From Keflavik, Iceland OR From Copenhagen, Denmark:

• Double/Twin Room Occupancy: $6,388 per person
• Single Room Occupancy: $6,968 per person

Please note that a flight supplement might apply depending on flight availability.

Inclusions / Exclusions

Price Includes

Price Excludes

Departure & Return Location

Keflavik International Airport (Iceland) or Copenhagen Airport (Denmark) 

Dates 2025

June

Departures from Copenhagen & Keflavík

July

Departures from Copenhagen & Keflavík

August

Departures from Copenhagen & Keflavík

September

Departures from Copenhagen & Keflavík
* Possibility of seeing the Northern Lights

Useful travel information

Currency and credit cards

Important to bring Danish Krona to Greenland. Foreign currency is not everywhere accepted. Credit cards are accepted only at a few locations. i.e. at the hotels and larger stores. Using credit and debit cards, a PIN code is required.

Guide-Coordinator

The trip will be coordinated by an English-speaking guide from our local partner in South Greenland. All excursions are guided. The guide’s job is to point the group in the right direction, ensure all travellers’ safety, and solve any possible problems that may arise along the itinerary, making changes or adjustments if necessary. Note that one or different guides can be in charge of the group during the adventure tour.

Physical Conditions

ACTIVITY LEVEL: Easy / The journey is designed to suit anyone who enjoys outdoor activities and goes hiking or trekking regularly, not needing a very particular physical condition to participate. The walk to Igaliku could be arranged in situ as a car transfer (additional cost of 75 DKK per person, one way). The excursion on ice with crampons will be guided by a mountain guide and will be suitable for anyone with an adventurous attitude. For the optional kayak excursion, previous experience in kayaking is not required. Recommended minimum age: 12 years

Rigid Inflatable boat (RIB) Navigation

All sea navigations will be done in a RIB-boat, a Rigid Inflatable Boat, The Adventure boat by definition or Zodiac type. The RIB boat is an open boat, fast, flexible and very safe. A special coat is provided for navigation. The RIB Boat allows the traveller to feel the elements and be one with them. RIB boats enable to reach areas that are difficult to access on any other type of boat. This type of boat allows us to be more dynamic and versatile and enjoy the adventure without compromising safety.

Weather

The weather in Greenland is very changeable. It is usually pleasant, but you must bring appropriate clothes for the rainy weather. Temperatures are often more than 15ºC in July and between 5ºC and 10ºC in August. Mid-August nights are sometimes cold. In September, temperatures are usually between 5ºC to 8ºC during the day and may reach minus 5ºC at night.

Important: This itinerary is a unique journey designed and organised by the company South Greenland Expeditions. It keeps the adventure and discovery ingredients present in all their journeys. The route can be done as explained above or in reverse order. The order of the activities may not be exactly as planned in this outline. Greenland is the wildest country in the northern hemisphere, infrastructures are almost non-existent, and logistics pose enormous challenges. That is the reason why we may not follow this daily itinerary precisely as planned. It is subject to change in order to adapt the journey to weather conditions, sea conditions, or technical and organisational difficulties and therefore requires flexibility from the traveller.

Excursions can be cancelled because of bad weather or ice conditions. The local tour company will try to offer an alternative excursion if available or move the planned excursion to another day to do the full program. In case it becomes impossible, no refund will be applicable.

Trips to Greenland are always subject to weather conditions. Delays and flight cancellations can happen. Therefore, we strongly recommend you buy travel insurance in the country of residence to cover any additional travel expenses should your flights be delayed or cancelled due to weather. We recommend not to book any international flight directly after a trip from Greenland. Ideally, stay a minimum of two nights in Copenhagen after the Greenland trip to avoid the risk of missing an international flight.