DURATION
7 nights
LOCATION
Greenland
ANNUAL LEAVE
6 days off work
SEASON
Jul-Sep
GROUP SIZE
Up to 12 people
MEETING POINT
Keflavík International Airport
ACCOMMODATION
Classic
Hostel · Wild camping
DIFFICULTY
Challenging
This trip has been planned so that anyone with a reasonable level of fitness can participate
Paddle amongst the looming icebergs of the Greenlandic fjords – eyes peeled for seals, caribou and whales
Gaze upon Inlandis, the polar ice cap, and hike across the craggy tongues of the immense Qaleralig Glacier
Camp among unspoilt wilderness, enjoying views of some of the oldest ice masses on the planet from your tent
Deemed a ‘Life-Changing Adventure' by The Telegraph
Day 1
Welcome to Greenland!
Make your way to Reykjavik, where your adventure begins. You'll fly to Narsarsuaq, deep inside the Arctic Circle, to meet your guide and travel by RIB boat to the city of Narsaq. Here you'll head to the nearby supply store and get kitted out with clothing and navigation equipment, ready for the adventure ahead. Settle into your host's kayaking hostel, meet your fellow travellers and enjoy your first night of 24-hour daylight as you acclimatise to the Arctic summer.
Day 2
Navigate the Narsaq icebergs by kayak
Travel by RIB to Qingaarsup Island, where your kayaking expedition will begin. Jump into your stable double kayak and follow the spectacular coastline as you navigate along a fjord, dotted with icebergs from the nearby Eqalorutsit Glacier. The high density of ice will often slow you down and may make certain locations inaccessible, but this only adds to the drama. In the company of friendly ringed seals, cross to the Nuulussuaq Peninsula and get your first glimpse of Inlandis – the polar ice cap. Arrive at your campsite, and if there's time (and depending on the month) you can forage for mushrooms and cranberries. After a hot meal made from your ingredients, settle into your tent to get a good night’s sleep.
Day 3
Naajaat Sermiat Glacier
Break camp and set off in your kayak, passing a group of islands dotted with waterfalls and covered in leafy tundra. Paddle up the Maniitsup Tunua Fjord, surrounded by the peninsulas of Maniitsop and Nuulussuaq, and set up camp in front of the ice cap. You'll be able to enjoy the views of the Naajaat Sermiat Glacier, one of the oldest ice masses on the planet, right from your tent.
Day 4
Qaleraliq Glacier
Kayak around Akuliaruseq and then along Qaleralig Fjord, experiencing some of the most epic glacial scenery in the world, including glacier tongues that stretch nearly 10km wide. Set up camp on a sandy beach and if the weather allows, hike to the viewpoint at Tasersuatsiaq Lake to spot caribou feeding on salts from the fjord. At night, enjoy the thundering sound of glacial seracs plunging into sea, breaking the Arctic's magical silence.
Day 5
Glacier hiking
Paddle to the end of the fjord and trek over the glacier, avoiding deep crevasses and listening to the sounds of the ice creaking all around you. Return to your kayak and continue along the face of the glacier with vertical walls of ice towering above you. Back at camp, get cosy in your tent and listen for the thunderclap roar of the icefall from seracs.
Day 6
Ikerssuaq Fjord
Break camp, climb into your kayak and paddle around Maniitsoq Island and towards the vast Ikerssuaq Fjord – eyes peeled for whales. It's also a great place to spot Greenlandic seals bobbing in the water or resting on the icebergs that float past. Arrive at your campsite and enjoy another unforgettable night in the Arctic wilderness.
Day 7
Qingaarsup Nunaa and Narsaq City
Continue the way back towards Qingaarsuup Nunaa Island, kayaking through Ikerssuaq Fjord. This is an area where the chances of seeing whales are greatest, and where enormous ice blocks come from the Eqalorusit and Qorooq fjords. Your trip ends in Qingaarsuup Nunaa, then you'll head to the city of Narsaq. There is time to visit its interesting museum, go shopping in the Inuit market for local handicrafts or visit the hunter’s harbour. Check into the hostel for your final night and head out with your group for one last meal.
Day 8
Goodbye Greenland
Hiking
6hrs · 14km · 400m up · 400m down
After a final breakfast in your hostel, return by RIB to Narsarsuaq and hop on a short transfer to Flower Valley. Hike through glacial landscapes, keeping an eye out for Arctic hares, foxes and sea eagles, before climbing to a vantage point overlooking the sea ice. After an al fresco picnic with panoramic views of the Kiattut Glacier and ice sheet you'll descend to the glacier itself. After that, return to Narsarsuaq and check in for your flight to Reykjavik, where your Arctic expedition will come to an end.
Included
Internal flights
Return flights from Reykjavik to Narsarsuaq
Guides
Experienced, English-speaking expedition guides
Accommodation
5 nights camping and 2 nights in a hostel
Meals
All meals, except dinner in Narsaq on Day 7
Transfers
To and from the airport and everything in-between
Equipment
All your kayaking and camping equipment
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Travel insurance
Personal expenses
Visas where required
Day 1
Hostel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 6
Wild camping · Twin tent
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 7
Hostel · Twin share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 8
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
For breakfast, there will be plenty of hot drinks, along with bread, jam, biscuits, muesli and cereals. Lunch is usually a packed lunch taken at a picturesque stop and will include bread, cheese, ham, chocolate, nuts, biscuits and hot soup and drinks. For dinner your guide will prepare a hot meal in the camp (with help from your group), usually consisting of rice, pasta, potatoes and sausages, or stew.
What is the accommodation like?
Narsaq
On your first and last nights you’ll stay at a local hostel, where you’ll meet your fellow explorers and get a chance to see some of this remote Arctic town. Rooms are simple, but clean and comfortable.
The wilderness
For the rest of the expedition, you’ll camp in picturesque locations across Southern Greenland. All camping equipment is provided, except for sleeping bags and sleeping mats which can be rented locally. Each night your guide will help you set up camp and cook you a hot meal to refuel after a day kayaking or hiking. The locations are all remote and give a real taste of the Arctic wilderness, as well as providing plenty of time to fish, forage, hike to viewpoints or just take in the incredible surroundings.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Keflavík International Airport
15:30 on Day 1
Ends
Keflavík International Airport
23:35 on Day 8
Transfers
International flights to Iceland all arrive in to Keflavík International Airport (KEF) which is 55km outside of Reykjavik, and your onward flight to Greenland also departs from Keflavík.
Your included flight to Narsarsuaq (UAK) in Greenland departs from Keflavík International Airport (KEF) at 17:30 on Day 1, so we recommend arriving in to Iceland no later than two hours before to allow a smooth transfer between flights. However, as this is the only flight to Greenland and cannot be missed, we strongly suggest allowing a generous amount of time between your flight connections in case of any disruption, even if that means arriving a day in advance of your trip starting.
The flight between Iceland and Greenland takes three hours and once you land in Narsarsuaq your host will meet you in the Arrivals area, ready for onward travel (by RIB boat) to your accommodation.
On Day 8 you will be dropped back at Narsarsuaq Airport (UAK) in time to catch your included flight back to Keflavík International Airport (KEF) which departs at 17:10 and lands at 23:35. Your host recommends spending the night in Reykjavik before continuing your journey home the following day.
Travel options
There are regular, direct flights to Iceland from airports across the UK, Europe and US.
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What can I rent?
- Sleeping bag, sleeping mat (see Optional Extras for prices)
What's included?
- Tents
- Camping and cooking equipment
- First-aid kit
- Mobile phone
- Iridium phone (global signal)
- Delorme Satellite Messenger or similar, with GPS
- Compass
- Maps
- Stable single and double kayaks
- Paddle and two replacement paddles
- Semi-dry raincoat
- Semi-dry trousers
- Spray skirts
- Life jacket
- Paddling mittens
- Rubber boots
- 2 dry bags (20 and 40-litre capacity)
- 1 bilge pump per kayak
What do I need to bring?
- Fleece or wool hat and a waterproof hat
- Sunglasses
- Sun cream with a high SPF
- Lip balm with UV protection
- Mosquito head net (highly recommended if you are travelling before mid-August)
- Peaked cap (to use with the mosquito net)
- Polar buff
- Waterproof jacket
- A pair of light, waterproof trousers
- Fleece jacket
- 2 long sleeve thermal t-shirts
- 1 short sleeve thermal t-shirt
- 2 pairs of thermal leggings
- Comfortable hiking trousers
- Neoprene gloves and fleece gloves
- Waterproof Gore-Tex gloves
- Waterproof Gore-Tex trekking boots
- 4 pairs of socks
- Flip-flops, Crocs or similar
- Sleeping bag (if possible, synthetic and suitable for -10ºC).
- Sleeping mat
- Head torch
- Plate, cup and cutlery set
- Water bottle
- Personal toiletries (please bring biodegradable products)
- Backpack, suitcase or kit bag (you will leave this in Narsaq - your host will provide you with waterproof kit bags for the expedition)
- Small day bag
- Hiking poles (optional)
- Microfibre towel
- Personal first aid kit
Sleeping bag & mat rental
Payable Before Departure
Sleeping bag & mat rental
… Per Person
Solo Tent Occupancy
Payable Before Departure
Solo Tent Occupancy
… Per Person
The guides were great and the Greenland is amazing. I recommend everyone to go- but not in September :-)
Absolutely incredible trip! Would do it again in a heartbeat. The guides Reuben & Fran and the group really made this trip! The highlight was seeing the northern lights one night and lots of whales. We ended up getting stuck in Greenland an extra day due to a cancelled flight which turned out to be a welcome surprise and extra time together. I would highly recommend looking at the weather before you come because if it’s raining multiple days you will want more clothes than what is listed.
Phenomenal week. A tonne of unique experiences, including a glacier tsunami, a late night whale sighting and navigating a shifting ice field in the wind. Basically a life changing holiday that I'd recommend to anyone with the appetite for adventure.
Amazing scenery, can’t believe I’ve kayaked in the icebergs! What an adventure. Peace , totally off grid surrounded by beauty
This trip was incredible. There was so many highlights including kayaking around icebergs, hiking on the icecap, seeing a glacier up close, kayaking with a humpback whale, seeing reindeer, eagles, dolphins and seals and seeing the northern lights. Our local guide Daniella was very friendly and knowledgeable and nothing was to much trouble for her. She really made sure we had the trip of a lifetime.
This trip was incredible and far surpassed any expectations I could have had. Icebergs, a glacier walk, camping under the northern lights and kayaking alongside a humpback whale made this experience one that will be tough to beat going forward. A fantastic group of individuals and our friendly, knowledgeable guide Daniella really were the icing on the cake. Speaking of cake, worth noting you'll never go hungry on this trip! Highly recommended!!
Absolutely fantastic trip. The inspiring and hard working guide Daniella made the experience even more incredible. The highlights were seeing the Northern lights, glacier walking, and whale watching, but really every part of the trip was amazing. I would highly recommend this to anybody who is thinking about visiting Greenland.
The most amazing trip we’ve ever been on! We got lucky with the weather but even if you’re not as lucky it will be unforgettable. Seals, eagles, caribou and beautiful views around every corner with the northern lights on display during the nights. Never a dull moment with everything to see around you and our wonderful guides with so much knowledge just made everything even better. Our whole quite diverse group of people but at the same time very like minded was the cherry on top to make the trip quite possibly unbeatable. We might just have to go again… :)
What an amazing trip. Greenland was mind blowing. Daniela the guide was superb and also the group was a perfect match. But everybody should be aware of how cold, wet and exhausting it could get before booking.
This trip is beyond anything you could imagine, from the moment we stepped off the plane in Greenland it was a true adventure. The people were fantastic, the scenery is jaw dropping, the guide was full of stories and knowledge and sea kayaking is such a great way to see Greenland. This is a true wilderness experience - where else can you swim next to icebergs and go to sleep at night heating the glaciers breaking - oh and some Northern Lights thrown in there too!
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 867kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2023 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
Sea currents bring huge amounts of ice in from the Arctic Ocean, which sometimes block Southern Greenland from May to mid-June. In July and August, the icefield typically poses no obstacle and the sea in the region is full of icebergs. Every season is different, however, and should sea ice persist, your expert guide will help you to navigate an amended route.
This trip has been planned so that anyone in reasonably good physical condition can participate. However, as you'll be kayaking for 3-5 hours (15-20 km) per day, it's a good idea to do some cardio and upper body exercise in the run-up to departure. The trip is not recommended for anyone with serious back problems, as you'll need to carry the kayaks into and out of the water. It's not necessary to have any previous kayaking experience, although it's a good idea to try it out beforehand to make sure that you enjoy it. The kayaks themselves are double kayaks – stable and easy to paddle and navigate. If you have extensive kayaking experience it's possible to undertake this trip in a single kayak – if this is the case, please contact your host in advance of the trip.
There are no polar bears in this part of Greenland during the summer period, when this trip takes place.
A RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat), sometimes known as a Zodiac, is an open boat that's fast, flexible and very safe. A special coat is provided to protect you from the elements whilst on board.
The kayaks themselves are very stable, double sea kayaks which are easy to paddle and navigate. If you have extensive kayaking experience it's possible to undertake this trip in a single kayak, but please contact your host in advance of the trip to request this and discuss your experience with the team.
If you weigh more than 95 kilos or are over 1m 95cm tall, please check with us before booking this trip as we'll need to ensure that the kayaks and equipment provided is suitable for your comfort and safety.
Southern Greenland is famous for offering some of the best places to view the Northern Light and if you're travelling from mid-August through to the end of September there's a good chance that you'll see this spectacular natural phenomenon. The Aurora Borealis occurs all year round, but cannot be seen during May, June and July in Greenland due to the presence of the midnight sun.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
This tour runs between July and September when the weather warms and the sea ice breaks up and allows passage. The weather in Greenland is very changeable and whilst it's usually pleasant, it's essential that you bring appropriate clothes for both cold and rainy weather. July is the typically warmest of these months, with temperatures often reaching over 15ºC and flowers coming into bloom. Whilst in August, temperatures drop to between 5ºC and 10ºC and the nights can be cold. In September, temperatures are usually between 5ºC to 8ºC during the day but may reach -5ºC at night.
Greenland is the wildest country in the northern hemisphere. Combined with the fact the infrastructure is almost non-existent, this means that daily itineraries may not always run exactly as planned. All activities are subject to change in order to adapt the journey to the weather conditions, sea conditions, or technical/logistical difficulties, so this trip requires a degree of flexibility from the traveller. Occasionally, some activities may be cancelled because of weather or ice conditions.
In the event the itinerary needs to be changed and different accommodation is required, this will be included (provided that it is within the trip dates).
Flights to Greenland operate with Air Iceland from Keflavik (Iceland). Whilst your local host facilitates booking the flights to/from Greenland, they have no responsibility for the flights themselves, and the flight is subject to the relevant airline's terms and conditions. Therefore, if your flight to Greenland is delayed due to poor weather, please liaise directly with the airline. Your local host will monitor the flights and collect you on arrival in Greenland, but can provide no further assistance regarding delays from Iceland. This only happens rarely, but it is possible.
For current advice about travelling in Greenland, have a read of the UK Foreign Office pages here.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
Pay In Installments
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
