Trekking in East Greenland - Ammassalik region

August 17th - 29th, 2009

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East Greenland travel map
| East Greenland travel tips
| East Greenland pictures
| Contacts and copyright
| Pagina in Italiano


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EAST GREENLAND MAP AND TRAVEL ITINERARY

Suggested travel itinerary in East Greenland

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TRIP TO EAST GREENLAND INFORMATION

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN EAST GREENLAND?

The tour discussed in this travelogue starts with an Airiceland flight from Reykjavik to east Greenland (Kulusuk) that brings the group to Angmagssalik region (called also Ammassalik) where we stay for the next ten days, camping in a tent inside a pristine nature and visiting remote Inuit villages.

The small town of Tasiilaq is our base from where a chartered boat takes care of carrying personal belongings and, sometimes, the group itself, navigating inside deep fjords where majestic glaciers coming from Greenland's icecap ends into, releasing into the Arctic ocean white and blue icebergs big like houses. Each time that a suitable place for camping is found, the tents are built and, from the camp, short treks are undertaken to nearby mountains and glaciers, under the supervision of a guide graduated as geologist. There is also an interesting and adventurous trek, climbing over the Greenland's inland ice, the icecap covering almost the entire island. Thanks to the support boats, during the hikes only a very small and lightweight backpack is carried by each participant, as the luggage is moved by the chartered boat. Of course, a tour of Tasiilaq, the most important town in East Greenland, is also included.

HOW TO ORGANIZE A TRIP TO EAST GREENLAND?

The tour described in this trip review was run by an Italian travel agency, through the on site support offered by The Red House in Tasiilaq. Some tour operators from Europe, USA and Canada offer package tours to East Greenland including flights and accommodation.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT EAST GREENLAND?

There is no best season to go to East Greenland, since each time of the year offers different opportunities ranging from expeditions with dog sleds to long treks in the wild. The weather in East Greenland during summer is usually not too bad, with more sunny days than north Atlantic's average and temperatures rarely going below freezing point. Indeed, on ten days, we had five days of bright sun, two days cloudy / broken (without rain) and three days overcast with prolonged rain (but never too heavy). However, the rain, the wind and the heavy sea during these three days was enough to suggest to cancel part of the itinerary (indicated in red on the above map), skipping a longer hike on the icecap and a visit to Isortoq village. During winter the temperature is usually below freezing point, with extremes below -20°C always possible and there may be lot of snow over the ground and over the frozen sea.

WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS?

From late summer to early spring, when the days are short enough, it may be possible to see the northern lights or "aurora borealis", and, on the second half of August, we did for at least three nights out of ten.

HOW TO GET TO EAST GREENLAND?

The main East Greenland gateway is Kulusk airport served weekly by Air Greenland from Kangerlussuaq and Nuuk (West Greenland) and several times per week by Airiceland from Reykjavik. Tasiilaq can be than reached by helicopter or by boat, depending on own preference and ice conditions.



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EAST GREENLAND PICTURES AND TRIP REVIEW

Tasiilaq Hike around Tasiilaq in East Greenland <<-- GO
Today we fly with an Airiceland Fokker-50 aircraft from Reykjavik to Kulusuk, the gateway to East Greenland, from where motorboats driven by Inuit hunters brings us to Tasiilaq, the home base from where all the excursions to East Greenland will leave the next days. In the afternoon we do a relaxing trek around the hills behind Tasiilaq.
Ammassalik Tasiilaq day tour in East Greenland <<-- GO
This is basically a free day visiting the community of Tasiilaq (Ammassalik), discovering the life of the Inuit people, while our guides prepare the equipment necessary for the next days out into the wild.
Tiniteqilaaq From Tasiilaq to Tiniteqilaaq by boat among fjords and icebergs <<-- GO
In about three hours by motorboat, we reach the small community of Tiniteqilaaq in East Greenland, populated by just 100 people. We set up our tented camp near the town, before doing an hike to meet local Inuit people and children.
East Greenland Trekking around Tiniteqilaaq discovering Greenland's geology <<-- GO
An 8 hours trekking on the hills behind the town of Tiniteqilaaq in East Greenland, Ammassalik region. The landscape is dominated by the continental bedrock, up to almost three billions years old, naked and exposed by the elements and the absence of vegetation. Beautiful panoramic views onto Sermilik fjord.
Campsite in Greenland Camping onto Greenland's icecap moraine <<-- GO
The trip, discovering the Ammassalik region in East Greenland, continues with a three hours boat transfer towards a bay filled of icebergs, where majestic glaciers coming from Greenland icecap ends into. Tents are build directly on the immense sandy moraine.
Greenland icecap Greenland icecap trekking <<-- GO
Today we do a long trek, about seven hours long, to a mountain top from where there is a beautiful view, and then onto Greenland icecap, walking on the immense moraine and then on the ice.
Whale Whale whatching excursion from Tasiilaq <<-- GO
The trip itinerary is altered because rain and heavy sea is coming. So, the planned trek on the icecap, ending into Isortoq village, is canceled for safety reason and the group is transported back to Tasiilaq. From Tasiilaq, shorter excursions are offered while waiting for better weather.
Glacier Trekking to Apusiajik glacier near Kulusuk <<-- GO
Luckily the weather gets much better, so we can continue out trip to East Greenland, exactly to the Apusiajik glacier, a beautiful tongue of ice not coming straight from Greenland icecap but originated on a small island. The place is near Kulusuk airport, the gateway to East Greenland.

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