Experience the highlights of Greenland and Iceland’s amazing nature and culture on this combined 10 day discovery tour.

• Tour Description

  Highlights of the Tour

  • Spectacular Icebergs, Icefjords & Calving Glaciers
  • Geysirs, waterfalls and volcanoes.
  • Walks through stunning landscapes

   

  Experience the highlights of Greenland and Iceland’s amazing nature and culture on this combined 10 day discovery tour. The impressive vastness of Greenland, the dramatic mountain peaks, calm waters interrupted by huge icebergs, the occasional calving glaciers and maybe whales and seals in the icefjord. On land, enjoy Inuit culture and history, where the only hustle and bustle comes from eager sled dog puppies and playing children.

  Add to this the natural phenomenons of Iceland; the famous Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall, the Vatnajökull National Park, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and the famous Laki volcano. In each place you will take short or long walks through stunning volcanic sceneries with breathtaking panoramic views. Great tour of the most beautiful landscapes of Greenland and Iceland!

  D1: Reykjavik - Tasiilaq. D2: Day trip by boat to Knud Rasmussen fjord. D3: Day trip by boat to Sermilik Icefjord. D4: Town walk in Tasiilaq. D5: Tasiilaq - Reykjavik. D6: Gullfoss - Geysir. D7: Vatnajökull National Park - Skaftafell. D8: Volcano Laki. D9: Jökulsárlón - Slaga. D10: Vík - Hot springs of Reykjadalur.

  Included: Flights Iceland/Greenland, guides, vehicle and boat/helicopter transportation, breakfast (10), lunch (3), dinner (8). Day excursions. Accommodation: Guesthouse or hotel (GRL - 4 nights), country hotel (IS - 4), guesthouse in Reykjavik (1-2) - in double/twin rooms. See more details on our website.

  Departures 2018: July and August (2 departures). Both departures are in English.

  If you have more questions, please check our FAQs. If you do not find the answer please contact us: [email protected]

• Tour Itinerary

  Itinerary in Greenland

  Day 1 Kulusuk - Tasiilaq
  Shortly after arrival in Kulusuk you will either go by boat or by helicopter to Tasiilaq - the main town on the East coast of Greenland with about 2,000 inhabitants. 

  Either way, it will be a beautiful experience flying above or sailing in between spectacular icebergs to the neighboring island. You will be taken to your guesthouse where you will be staying the next 4 nights and later there in the day there will be an information meeting and dinner with the other participants. If the weather allows it, the chef will prepare a lovely barbeque on the terrace.

  Day 2 - Boat Excursion to the Knud Rasmussen Glacier (7-8 hours)
  The excursion starts at the harbor of Tasiilaq, heading towards northwest into the broad Ammassalik Fjord. After about an hour sailing we will turn into narrow and steep fjords with breathtaking mountain peaks.

  We will make a stop at Ikateq and look at some remnants of World War 2. It was here the Americans ran an airfield from 1942 – 47, in wartime code-names called “Bluie East Two”. It was built in order to facilitate transatlantic air traffic, navigation, search-and-rescue operations and weather forecast. You can still see the airfield, and rusted fuel drums, vehicles and ruins. 

  We will continue our journey and arrive in Sermiligaaq Fjord, which means “The Beautiful Glacier Fjord”. The name will not disappoint you. At some point you will be able to have the view of two calving glaciers simultaneously, Karale Glacier on your left side, and Knud Rasmussen Glacier right ahead of you. We will sail as close as the situation allows to Knud Rasmussen Glacier, go ashore and enjoy lunch here. After about 1-2 hours, we will head back to Tasiilaq.
  Note: Bring some warm clothes with you, but in case you are freezing, we will have a down cover for you. Lunch, warm drinks and refreshments are included.

  Day 3 - Boat Excursion to Tiniteqilaaq and Sermilik Icefjord (7-8 hours)
  We start in the harbor in Tasiilaq and sail toward north along the Ammassalik Island trough a breathtaking landscape, passing floating ice that looks like sculptures. After 1 – 2 hours, we will arrive in a small settlement called Tiniteqilaaq (which means in Greenlandic “the strait that runs dry at low tide”). The settlement has a spectacular view on the Sermilik Fjord (in Greenlandic “Icefjord”) with colossal icebergs and on the horizon the Greenland Ice Shield touches the sky. 113 people lived permanently in Tiniteqilaaq on January 2015.

  You will have the possibility for a stroll around the settlement by your own. After that we will continue to Sermilik Fjord and enjoy our lunch with a view on the gigantic icebergs. Then we head southwards in the Sermilik Fjord and sail around the Ammassalik Island passing more icebergs and return to Tasiilaq. 
  
  Note: Bring some warm clothes with you, but in case you are freezing, we will have a down cover for you. Lunch, warm drinks and refreshments are included.

  Day 4 - City Walk and Flower Valley (4-5 hours)
  The city walk will take us to a workshop where local artists make beautiful and renowned handicraft. Then towards the harbor and visit the museum, which is the old church built in 1903. The museum has many historical treasures, and you can learn about the life and history of East Greenland.

  The walk continues along the shore to the Hospital and up to the new church. Above the church, you will enjoy a beautiful view over the town. In this area, you will be able to see the oldest houses of the town where the first colony manager Johann Pedersen or the polar explorer Ejnar Mikkelsen lived.

  Before heading to the Flower Valley, you can visit the tourist office Skæven where it is possible to buy handicraft of all kinds, maps, etc. As the name of the valley indicates, you will be able to see many different flowers, such as arctic thyme, arctic bluebell, arctic dandelion, the national flower broad-leafed willow herb, and many more.

  We continue the small curved path along the river for a few kilometers, until we reach a small waterfall. Here we will spend some time to enjoy the beautiful landscape and peacefulness, before heading back to Tasiilaq. 

  Note: It is an easy walk through town, but we recommend sturdy shoes for the walk in the Flower Valley. We recommend you to bring some refreshments with you.

  Day 5 - Goodbye East Greenland
  Today is a traveling day. In the morning you will take the helicopter or the boat back to Kulusuk where your flight out will be waiting for you.

   Note: The itinerary can be subject to shift in order of the excursions. The content of the tour will remain the same.

  Itinerary in Iceland

  Day 1: Gullfoss – Geysir - Hotel Pickup from hotel or guesthouse in Reykjavik from 08:30 in the morning.
  First on our program for the day is a visit to the Great Geysir geothermal area. There we will take a look at the areas namesake and its neighbor, Strokkur a feisty geyser which spouts every 5-10 minutes. Close by we find Gullfoss, one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls; in two giant steps the water falls 32 meters into a deep gorge. We continue east through one of the largest agriculture areas. Passing by two very impressive glaciers, a huge sand desert and one of Iceland’s biggest lava fields we reach our hotel where we stay for the next 4 nights.
  Driving: 6 hrs total    Walking: 2-3 hrs total

  Day 2: Vatnajökull National Park-Skaftafell
  Vatnajökull National Park is Europe’s biggest National Park.The southeast part of this park is the area of Skaftafell which is composed of natural forest growing between glacial tongues, reaching down almost to sea level - a unique place to visit. We walk through a birch forest up to the Svartifoss waterfall, which is famous for its black basalt columns. On the way we will get fantastic views of Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajökull and Hvannadalshnúkur (2110m), its highest peak. In the afternoon a 2-3 hour inspiring walk on the glacier is optional. You will be provided with all the necessary gear (crampons and ice axes) to discover the amazing blue world of ice and explore its ridges and crevasses ! Return to the hotel.
  Driving: 2 hrs total    Walking: 4-5 hrs total

  Day 3: Volcano Laki
  Today we head for the craters of Laki. In 1783 a 25km long fissure opened and lava flew out of 130 craters, devastating huge pasture fields. Clouds of poisonous gases killed over 50% of the livestock on Iceland. This led to a great famine which soon killed about 20% of the population. This was the greatest eruption in Iceland since the original settlement and naturally had a deep impact on the Icelandic population. However, today these craters are mostly covered with green moss which makes a huge contrast to the black and red color of the underlying lava. In good weather we will climb to the top of the the Laki mountain. From there we have a splendid view over all the craters and the ice cap of Vatnajökull. Return to the same hotel.
  Driving: 4-5 hrs total    Walking: 3-4 hrs total

  Day 4: Jökulsárlón – Slaga
  Today we head east along the Öræfajökull glacier which covers one of the country’s greatest volcanoes and its highest summit. We then cross great flatlands in front of the huge Breiðamerkurjökull glacier before arriving to Jökulsárlón lagoon with its picturesque floating icebergs. This place has provided the backdrop for many Hollywood films - for example the James Bond movie “Die another Day”. We discover a great variety of icebergs of different forms and shapes and the wide range of blue and white colours in the ice. In the afternoon on our way back, we will take a walk at the foot of the Öræfajökull glacier, with fantastic views over the vast sand plains of the river Skeiðará. In 1996 the great glacier outflow from under the Vatnajökull icecap destroyed the longest bridge in Iceland. A huge mass of ice (3000 billion liters) melted and the water reached a flow rate of 55,000 cubic meters per second and covered these huge plains with water. Return to the same hotel.
  Driving: 3-4 hrs total    Walking: 4-5 hrs total

  Day 5: Vík – Hot springs of Ölkelduháls – Reykjavik
  On our return to Reykjavik we pass by the village of Vík (Vík í Mýrdal) where we can enjoy a walk on the black beach. The pinnacles of Reynisdrangar are to be seen just offshore. According to legend, the pinnacles were left standing there after two trolls tried to pull a three master ship past the headland, but were caught and petrified by the first rays of sunshine. North of the village Hveragerði, famous for its greenhouses, we enjoy our last walk over to the geothermal area of Reykjadalur where we can enjoy a relaxing bath in a warm stream before returning to the hectic life of Iceland’s capital.
  Driving: 4 hrs total    Walking: 3-4 hrs total