Overview
Experience some of the wildest landscapes on the planet with our Trip Leader and "northern ambassador" Rob Noonan. We’ll explore remote corners of Northwestern Iceland and Eastern Greenland with adventurous full-day hikes that provide jaw-dropping views of sheer granite mountains and dramatic fjords carved by ancient glaciers. In Iceland, we discover the gloriously untouched Westfjords region, with its massive seabird colonies, stepped waterfalls, and dramatic mountains sheltering tiny fishing harbors and villages where Icelandic culture thrives. And on Greenland’s extremely isolated eastern coast, we’ll meet the native Greenlandic people, hike rugged and spectacular trails used for generations by Inuit hunters, and cruise through channels filled with icebergs. In this realm of elemental beauty and wilderness, we’ll savor the rarity of pure silence and the spell-binding light of the Arctic summer.
A great trip, made even better by the wonderful leaders, a terrific group, fine weather, amazingly beautiful country, challenging but achievable hiking, and some lucky and some predictable wildlife sightings.
— Trina H., Tea Gardens, Australia
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-4, Jul 1- 4, 2024
Reykjavík, Iceland / Kulusuk, Greenland / Tasiilaq / Sermilik Fjord
Arrive in Reykjavík and fly to Kulusuk in eastern Greenland. A spectacular helicopter flight brings us to the village of Tasiilaq, set on stunning King Oscar’s Harbour. With charming Tasiilaq as our base, our hikes bring us to steep granite peaks rising above a flotilla of sculpted icebergs, to the ice of calving glaciers, and on ancient hunting trails used by Inuit hunters. One of our adventures is a fantastic cruise into mighty Sermilik Fjord, whose vast ice wall is part of the Greenland ice sheet, a relic of the last Ice Age, up to two miles thick in places.
Days 5-11, Jul 5-11, 2024
Reykjavík / Ísafjörður / Látrabjarg / Kaldbakur / Westfjords
A helicopter ride brings us back to Kulusuk, where we fly to Reykjavík and head north to Ísafjörður, a trading post since the 16th century. In the southern reaches of the Westfjords, we hike up Mýrafell for views of the expanse of Dýrafjörður, along the spectacular Látrabjarg Cliffs, famed for millions of nesting seabirds, including puffins, and on the trails of Önundafjörður, a magnificent fjord with a sweeping beach and dune system. A ferry ride brings us across magnificent Breidafjörður Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and we depart via Reykjavík on Day 11.
Hiking the Fjords of Greenland and Iceland
Highlights
Highlights
Details
5 hiking days on moderate to steep trails, 5-6 hours a day, altitudes below 3,300 feet, extreme winds and sudden changes in weather may affect the final itinerary. This is a strenuous hiking trip, read “What the Trip is Like” for more details.
