From Sun Gate to Icefjord: A Personal Account
Today, we have a first-hand account of a transformational travel experience. Helga Bryndís was “dragged” (her words) by her parents on a trek in Greenland, a trek that she wasn’t particularly looking forward to. This trek saw her and her group transferred out of Kulusuk (East Greenland) by boat, along and up the Qinnertivaq fjord, to a plateau with a view of the Greenland Ice Cap, the world’s second largest ice sheet, and then back down the Sermilik fjord on the other side.
What started out originally as some strong FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) turned, by the end, into an incredible two-week, life-changing trip to Greenland. Here she is, in her own words.
In late July 2015, I was dragged on a journey to Greenland by my parents. I had always wanted to go and see what it’s like there but the thought of spending the last two weeks of my summer vacation away from my friends didn’t exactly excite me. Despite my efforts to convince my parents to shorten the trip to one week, we stayed in Greenland for two.
It had been so long since my last long stay in unspoiled nature that the pureness of it all quite struck me, to be honest.
My parents had told me the temperature in Greenland was usually higher than in Iceland in summer but when we landed in Kulusuk it was rather cold. We walked from the airport to the village and on our way we could see there was still snow on the side of the road. The snow showed us that this was no typical summer holiday destination, but then again the word “typical” doesn’t really apply to Greenland. The houses in Kulusuk were the most colorful I had seen. The howling sled dogs and the closeness to the sea made the atmosphere in the village really special. Unfortunately, we only stayed for a few hours but we would be back in a week.
This is where the adventure really began. A small boat took us through the ice-filled sea and into the remarkable, deep fjord systems of East Greenland. There we set up our camp and stayed for 4 days. In the following days we took short hikes, fished in the sea and enjoyed the long sun.
It was somewhat strange being so far away from my everyday life. It had been so long since my last long stay in unspoiled nature that the pureness of it all quite struck me, to be honest. But despite of the surroundings and the companions I had with me I still missed my home and friends and really felt like I was missing out on something big.
It wasn’t until we set off for our backpacking trip that this feeling started changing. We traveled by boat to our next location through beautiful sea and fjords filled with icebergs. At last, we arrived to Qinertivaq fjord and in blazing sun we started our trek. On this first day, we hiked along the fjord and onto the land at the inner-most corner of the fjord. There we set up our tents and started looking for a fresh spring to get our water from. That night we sat and ate our dinner, chatted and played some cards. Then we went early to bed so we could rise early.
Through all the trip our top priorities were to eat, sleep, hike, repeat. It was so re-nourishing. No phones or distractions. Just us and the nature. I never could’ve imagined how nice it actually felt.
In the next days we made our way through a valley with stunning mountain sceneries and beautiful nature. Then the valley opened up and gradually we started seeing more and more of the breathtaking icefjord ahead of us. At last, we came out of the valley and, it is difficult to put into words the view that lay before us, an immense perspective on the Sermilik Icefjord. In the sea lay thousands of icebergs and at the other side of the fjord we could see the Greenland ice cap. It really was amazing.
Then in the days after, our path went along the fjord and then through a small valley and when we got to the other end we could see the ending point of our hike. Through all the trip our top priorities were to eat, sleep, hike, repeat. It was so re-nourishing. No phones or distractions. Just us and the nature. I never could’ve imagined how nice it actually felt.
When the boat came to take us back to society, the feeling of not wanting to be there had disappeared and there was this sense of not wanting to leave that had planted itself in the center of my heart. I ended up in the exact opposite situation from where I started and I could never have imagined it would turn out that way. Now, I yearn to go back.
How long could you go without any contact to “civilisation”? Come and try it out for yourself in Greenland.
Helga Bryndís’ story touches on some important elements that, in many ways, show us some of the difficulties, and some of the potential solutions, to a hyper-connected world.
In a world of endless notifications, rings, buzzes, likes and follows, the only peace that we may really have is to leave it all behind. Greenland offers immense natural features and landscapes and immense amounts of “nope” to the trials and tribulations of modern life. Escape, escape to Greenland.
Greenland Adventures offers this journey as part of the Arctic Epic, which starts in Iceland and a 55km trek through the volcanic highlands. This is the ultimate adventure combo that you can’t miss out on!
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