Wilderness Paddling in East Greenland

Offering Borea experiences in Greenland since 2006

East Greenland is famous for its pristine and unforgiving landscape, with colossal jagged mountains stretching as far as the eyes can see. Gain first-hand experience in how the Inuit travelled between various hunting grounds only a few generations ago.

On this kayaking tour it is not uncommon to encounter curious seals, while listening to icebergs crumbling in the distance. While you paddle through the domain of the giant whales, you may feel their deep breaths from afar in this dreamlike corner of the world.

Tour overview

Description

During the hikes you will get up close with the forces of nature unlike any other and immerse yourself into a savage wilderness carrying a sweet scent of the fragile flora growing in impossible conditions in valleys and fjords carved by glaciers over thousands of years. The inhabitants of the area are just as vivid as any wild flower, so while you sail by the friendly fishermen you will understand why the Inuit is known as “the smiling folk”.

We will visit small Inuit settlements where time almost stands still for these tough people of the Arctic. The campsites offer panoramic view over the vast fjordscapes filled with ice and soaring peaks above us. Welcome to one of the last frontiers of the world.

Please drop us an email if you’re interested!

Highlights of the Tour

World class kayaking, where the sea calm almost all the time
Day hikes in the Arctic wilderness
A taste of the Inuit Culture
Camping in remote and secluded bays unreachable by foot.

Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging
Duration: 10 days
Accommodation: Tents (7 nights) and guesthouse (2)
Meeting point: The tour starts and ends at Kulusuk airport
Group size: Minimum 6 – Maximum 10
Language: English
Kayaking per day: 6 – 9 hours
Note: The tour is operated in English and the guide will meet the group in Kulusuk Airport.

Included
– Guide
– Food for 10 days (from dinner on day 1 to breakfast day 10)
– Boat transfer: Tasiilaq – Kulusuk
– Tents (7 nights, 2 person in each tent) and camping equipment
– Kayaks and kayaking equipment
– Transport of kayaks and equipment
– 2 nights in a guesthouse (shared rooms and bathrooms).

Not included
– Flights to/from Kulusuk
– Sleeping bag
– Sleeping mattress
– Travel insurance
– Any expenses derived from unexpected bad weather or delays in flights or boats
– Anything not stated on “what’s included”.

Total kayaking distance: 130 km.

Photos by Julien Hericher. https://thewildescape.com

Photos

Itinerary

Flight from Reykjavik Domestic Airport to Kulusuk, Greenland.
When arriving to Kulusuk we do the final preparations and packing of kayaks and start paddling around noon between beautiful icebergs towards Apusiaajik Island where we will see our first glacier – and then west towards our campsite. We aim to cross Ammassalik Fjord to a beautiful campsite in a small bay on east coast of Ammasalik Island. Accommodation: Tents. Kayaking: 4 hours, 15 km

Sangmileq Bay.
After a heart breakfast, we pack the baots and head deeper into the stunning fjords of the East coast. Our destination is at the end of Sammileq bay. Our campsite is situated next to a very powerful river surrounded by impressive high peaks and glaciers. It’s very nice to take a short walk up river after dinner. Accommodation: Tents. Kayaking: 5-6 hours, 16 km.

Ikâsartivaq Fjord.
We head towards Ikaasatsivaq Fjord, still among high peaks, glaciers and huge cliff faces. We pass an abandoned village and go between small islands if the ice allows us to do so. This is one of our longer days. We stay overnight next to a glacier halfway along the fjord. Accommodation: Tents. Kayaking: 7-8 hours, 26 km.

Ikâsartivaq Fjord – Tiniteqilaaq – Sermilik Fjord.
After half a day paddling in the fjord surrounded by mountains so tall that they make you feel tiny and humble, we stop in the small Inuit settlement of Tiniteqilaaq. After spending some time in the village, visiting the shop and greeting the locals we steer our kayaks into the magical ice filled Sermilik Fjord and navigate our way around icebergs towards north to a bay and a well-earned rest after a long day. Accommodation: Tents. Kayaking: 7-8 hours, 28 km.

Sermilik Fjord.
To really grasp the enormity and beauty of the area it’s good to leave the kayaks behind for a day and head up to the mountains for a better view. From our beautifully located campsite we hike uphill to the top of Innertvik (543 m). A wonderful spot to view the whole Sermilik Fjord and to get a good look at the Greenland Icecap. Accommodation: Tents. Hiking: 6-7 hours

Sermilik Fjord – Pupik.
We continue South in the Sermilik fjord finding our way through this world of icebergs. We will enjoy the mezmerising ice sculptures, listen to the thunder-like sound of icebergs breaking and turning while looking for curious seals surfacing between the ice. In the afternoon we will arrive to the area of Pupik where we spend the night. Accommodation: Tents. Kayaking: 7-8 hours, 27 km.

What to bring

The following equipment is provided/included in the price:

Kayak. Paddle, spray deck and PFD. Dry suit. Neoprene shoes.

Clothing:

2* Long sleeve shirt + trousers (thermal underwear) – Wool or synthetic.
T-shirt (thermal underwear) – Wool or synthetic.
Light wool or fleece sweater (2nd layer).
Trousers – Strong and light material that dries quickly e.g. soft-shell.
Jacket or an Anorak with a good hood – windproof, waterproof and breathable.
Puffy jacket (e.g. primaloft or down).
Rain trousers – windproof, waterproof and breathable. Please note that full rain gear is mandatory on all our tours.
Gloves for paddling. Neoprene is great.
Gloves – Wool or synthetic for on land
Socks – Wool or synthetic
Warm hat – Wool or synthetic.
Spare change of clothing for campsites
Sturdy Hiking Boots for the hiking days– preferably waterproof with ankle support.

Other gear:

Backpack for the hiking days. 25 – 30 L (1500 – 2000 cu in).
Dry bags for your clothes and gear (All your gear has to be packed in smaller dry bags that can fit in the kayak 5 – 10 L, preferably in different colors).
Sleeping bag – We recommend a 3 season sleeping bag (preferably with comfort down to -5C-10C).
Sleeping mattress. A thin inflatable one is best as it easily fits inside the boat.
Towel – lightweight
Sunglasses & sun protection.
Sun hat or cap.
Protection against flies (mosquitoes); such at head nets, repellents, etc. Very important!
1 L Water container that you can reach easily from your seat in the kayak
Personal first aid kit
A box/container for your daily lunches
Prescription medication and other personal health items. Toiletries; toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc.

Optional gear:

Pen knife
Headlamp for reading and getting around the tent (although it does not really get dark)
Camera, spare batteries and a memory card or films
Aperitif or other heart-warming spirits
Power bank / solar phone chargers

The following equipment is provided/included in the price: Kayak, Paddle, spray deck, PFD, dry suit and neoprene shoes. Please feel free to bring your own gear that you know to fit you well but let us know if you plan to do so.

FAQ

The air temperature in the are we travel, ranges from 0°C to 10°C. So not very warm. But it’s usually very sunny in the summer and we’ve hardly experienced any rain during all our trips there through the years. The weather is also very calm which makes it pretty comfortable.

We use plastic sea kayaks that are proven for the task. We have both single and tandem kayaks available. We highly recommend using tandem kayaks for our multi-day trips as they are faster, more stable, hold more gear and are a lot more social than the singles! Tandem kayaks are not only for beginners, in fact, experienced kayakers use them all the time. However, if you are an experienced paddler, then of course the single kayaks are available.

We consider this trip to be suitable for experienced paddlers or those that are in good physical shape. We will be paddling in areas which can be exposed and in the wilderness. The camp to camp style as well as the long distance covered add an extra element to the trip. We’ve taken people with limited kayaking experience on this expedition but you need to be open minded and willing to learn new skills to enjoy the journey. Training for the adventure ahead is recommended. That could include swimming, weight lifting, cardio exercises and of course….kayaking…!

You don’t need to be able to roll your kayak Greenlandic style. It’s very rare that people capsize on multi-day trips as the boats are loaded with gear and very stable. We recommend that people take a weekend course to refresh their skills and learn simple self-rescue techniques. The more prepared you are, the more you will enjoy the trip.

Yes, we sleep in tents except for the two last nights. We supply the tents but you should bring your own sleeping bag and mattress. Fell free to bring your own tent if you prefer. Just let us know beforehand.

Of course, we realise that we’re not all made the same and have different needs and desires. We try our best to cater to your needs. Please let us know ahead of time if you have any requirements so that we can plan the food accordingly.

Yes, we have certain items available for rent. You can rent a sleeping bag, sleeping pad and a dry suit from us if you would like to. Select this option during the booking process.

Map

I want you to know how special this trip lead expertly by Sigrun was for us. It was just fantastic! We were deeply impressed by your coordination and the local guiding by Sigrun, and congratulate you both for delivering a perfect trip.It makes sitting at the desk quite hard, knowing that there is such an awesome and rapidly changing world out there to be explored again.

Nicole, fellow explorer on our 2022 Greenland trip.

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Ísafjörður

Hornbjargsviti

Wilderness Paddling in East Greenland

Offering Borea experiences in Greenland since 2006

Contents of this tour

Tour overview

Description

Photos

Itinerary

What to bring

FAQ

Map

Book

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