Dog-Sledging | Skiing | Walking & Kayaking

ARCTIC WALKING: Greenland | Arctic Russia

GREENLAND 2010

Greenland is familiar to many of today's travellers who see its mountains and glaciers far below as they fly in comfort to destinations in North America. The mountainous coastline is broken up by long fjords dotted with icebergs that have calved from the ice-cap. From this height it is not obvious that there is an ice-free fringe that can be surprisingly lush during the short ten-week summer. This period, with its 24-hour daylight and spells of settled weather, is ideal for walking and camping. As the snow melts, the tundra blossoms and migrant birds fly in to nest. On the shores of the fjords, lying below magnificent alpine peaks, the tundra provides an ideal habitat for the specialist wildlife of the far north.

Northeast Greenland at latitude 72º North is a remote and scenically dramatic part of the High Arctic, which has earned the name of "The Arctic Riviera" because of its fine settled weather. We continue to focus on this region since it is an unspoilt wilderness.

Fjords of Scoresby Sund, Northeast Greenland

Sud Kap base camp kayaking

Hiking and dog-packing adventure in Jameson Land

Fjords of Scoresby Sund, Northeast Greenland

The longest fjord system in the world, Scoresby Sund extends 350km inland and offers a perfect setting for exploring the region. Its enclosed waters are calm and navigable during the brief summer, which is remarkably warm with long periods of fine weather. This eight-day hiking trip, escorted by local Greenlanders, makes use of a local boat to cover a wide area and takes us around the island of Milne Land which dominates inner Scoresby Sund. We will sail close to 1,000m high basalt cliffs interspersed with glaciers and visit the site of the winter quarters of Ryder's 1891-2 Danish Scientific Expedition on Danmark Island. By visiting Eskimo sites, some of which date back 4,500 years, we will be able to envisage a life dominated by the need to survive by hunting. The boat covers distance rapidly, allowing us plenty of time to explore and hike on land, with longer hikes for the energetic. With 24-hour daylight we can choose to hike, boat or admire the view as we wish. Nights will be spent ashore in very comfortable campsites with a large mess tent for dining.

This guided trip follows the coastline in Hurry Fjord at 70 degrees North. We sail with the boat and kayaks from Constable Point to Sud Kap where we stay for the next six days, exploring the area by foot and day trips with kayaks. We visit Eskimo ruins and search for archaeological sites. At Sud Kap we will most probably find different kinds of seals, if lucky we might even spot narwhale. Musk-oxen live in this area as well.

Arctic char are common and the area is richly populated by snow hares and arctic foxes. Rich fauna, blue and blackberries and arctic mushrooms can be found in late August. Sud Kap is also the hunting ground for the ocals (musk-oxen, narwhale and seals).

During your six days of kayaking and hiking you will experience fantastic East Greenlandic nature, arctic wildlife and places of great historical interest including several of the sites named by the whaler William Scoresby back in 1822. This is an easy kayak expedition with day tours led by an experienced guide.

Jameson land is a peninsular in eastern Greenland bounded to the Southwest by Scoresby Sund, the world's biggest fjord system. The nearest town is Ittoqqortoormiit, located in the south of the peninsular, the remotest inhabited community in the western hemisphere. The 44 mile (70kms) Jameson Land hike follows the traditional winter musk-ox hunting route taken by hunters and their dog teams. Jameson Land contains some of the richest fossil plant deposits of the Triassic-Jurassic age in the world - potentially holding the key to solving the mysteries of tumultuous events of 200 million years ago when lava flooded large areas of the Earth's surface. Your local guide will bring a Greenland Dog which acts as a vital deterrent against predatory polar bears while you sleep. Expect to see musk-oxen grazing on moist summer vegetation together with lemmings, Arctic Hare and Arctic Fox. A likely treat is to see a ptarmigan with her chicks. River crossings at this time of year are nothing more than negotiating strong streams. Hiking conditions vary from easy to moderately difficult terrain over 7 miles (12 kms) per day.