New for 2023! Kayaking in the Diskobay - looking for whales and icebergs in Greenland, 8 days (4035)

In this tour we start in Ilulissat, the capital of Icebergs, and continue north. We visit the old whaling village Oqaatsut and the glacier at Eqi that calves icebergs into the sea. On our way we will look out for whales and drifting icebergs. Most common are mink whales and humpback whales but also the Greenlandic whale and fin whale are seen in the area.

Humpback whales are together with mink whales the most common whales in the area.

 
A humpback whale comes up and catch the fish he collected.

Travel dates (4035)   2023: July 20 - 27 Min / max participants: 8 / 10  Price per person: (Euro)   4200 € We can also extend your stay with different activities. EG Camp on the inland ice cap in Kangerlussuaq, Air Zafari and more.    Price includes   • Flights Köpenhamn - Kangerlussuaq - Ilulissat r/t incl taxes and fees • Use of kayaks • Use of paddle and skirt • Use of life jacket • Use of kokatat dry suits • All kayaks are equipped with:   Spare paddle, safety line for paddle, toll line, small repair kit, pump. • The group are equipped with:   1 satellite phone for emergency, 1 gun, 1 GPS • Full board during the kayak expedition • 2 nights at hotel in Ilulissat incl breakfast • 1 night in hostel in Oqaatsut • 2 dinners in Ilulissat • Guide during the kayak expedition  Price do not include   • Meals outside the expeditions except 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts. • Entré to museums and similar. • Travel insurance. Travel insurance is mandatory. We do not cover cost of missing flights caused by delayed expedition caused by weather or other circumstances outside our controll

To book the tour or to contact us for any queries, just send us an email at info@gronlandsresor.se
or give us a call at +46-8-55626970

Flight information:
We start from Copenhagen at 10 am and we will come back at 21.00 (9 pm).

You can check in maximum 20 kg but more than one package. Hand luggage is 8 kg max.

Program
NB!
This is a general plan and the program might change depending weather and other circomstances. Flexibility is a key to a successful expedition!

Day 1:
After the flight from Copenhagen through Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat, we arrive at Albatros' Hotel Hvide Falk. Here, the tour guide will introduce us to the kayaks and review the safety procedures and the route we will follow the day after. Then we go on a sightseeing tour in Ilulissat and the surrounding area. We take a closer look at the city and hike out to the Sermermiut plain. Sermermiut means "the people by the glacier", and the area has been inhabited since 1400 BC. and until 1737. The settlement appears today as a series of grassy, square "craters", which were foundations for the tuft houses inuit lived in. Thus a little wiser in the area we are in, we return to the hotel and a nice welcome dinner.

Day 2:
We get up early and have a good, hearty breakfast. Together with the tour guide, we review the last things and pack a packed lunch before heading out to sea. Today our destination is the village of Oqaatsut, approx. 8 nautical miles (15 km) north of Ilulissat.

Only accompanied by silence, the ultimate sense of freedom and perhaps by a curious seal or humpback whale every now and then, we row along the coast north and past the airport. We cross Bredebugt and can always see our goal in the clear, Greenlandic air. We have started out quietly with a relatively short route today and we will soon arrive in Oqaatsut and the village hostel. We park the kayaks for the night and go to the restaurant. One last luxury before we leave civilization!
We sleep in a couple of dormitories in extension to H8. The beds are simple but comfortable and we use sleeping bags.

Day 3:
We eat breakfast, pack lunch and hop in the kayaks and paddle further north. From today we are self-sufficient and everything we need for the rest of the expedition is packed into the kayaks. In front of us awaits the adventure and a captivating nature. Route of the day is about 15 km and leads us into the mouth of the Ataa Sound, surrounded by the island of Alluttoq (Kronprinsens Ejland) in the west and the mainland to the east.

Camping site
Picture: Avi Lavon who did the expedition in 2022

We will find a suitable place for tents on the south side of Paakitsoq Fjord. We all help each other to set up the tents, cook and prepare for tomorrow. After a well-deserved dinner on the edge between the coast and the Arctic Ocean, we can rest here in the middle of the real Greenlandic wilderness. After 6-8 hours of rowing, sleep will quickly fall over us and the light from the midnight sun will not be a problem!

The kayaks are up for the night.
Picture: Avi Lavon who did the expedition in 2022

Day 4 & 5:
These three days will take place in much the same way as the day before. We eat breakfast, take down the camp and hop in the kayaks. We cover about 15 km on the cool sea accompanied by icebergs, beautiful views of the West Greenland coastline and maybe a whale every now and then. In the afternoon we find a suitable tent site and take care of all the practicalities together. The landing site will vary, depending on how far we reach per day. The only sure thing is that every night we can go to rest in the middle of the bright, pristine polar night far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

A fin whale

Day 6:
Today we take the last leg in the kayaks up towards the Eqi glacier. We expect to arrive early in the afternoon, after which we set up the tents and move out and take a closer look at the area.

The Eqi glacier is one of the easiest glaciers to reach in Greenland, with its approximately 4 km wide and 150-200 meter high ice wall, Eqip Sermia is a sight that can make most people gasp. The silence is breathtaking and only interrupted by thunder-like sound from the glacier as it calves. It is therefore important that we move the kayaks up the mountain side on arrival as large calvings can  flush out a lot of equipment if we do not move them to a safe distance from the beach.

Eqi on the other side of the fjord.
Picture: Avi Lavon who did the expedition in 2022

As a favorite destination for tourists today, the area still bears traces of the polar scientists who used the Eqi area as an easy way up to the ice sheet.

In the evening we have dinner with a view of the calving glacier.

Ice bergs comes in different shapes and sizes

Large icebergs and two humpback whales.

If you look closely you also can notice the humpback whale diving in front of the iceberg.

A humpback whale swims by.

Day 7:
A boat will pick us up and sail back to Ilulissat. After taking care of the gear it is time for a hot shower. Time to visit Ilulissat before a farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 8:
Time to leave Greenland for this time. We fly back to Copenhagen via Kangerlussuaq.

Terms & conditions
Read the T&C here