Over 80% of the world’s largest island is covered in permanent ice, but summer in South Greenland reveals a hiker’s paradise of verdant valleys, flower-speckled tundra and iceberg-filled fjords. On this invigorating 10-day escorted holiday, you’ll enjoy extraordinary day hikes, including the iconic Flower Valley trail and a glacier walk. The two-centre trip also includes a tour of the Viking ruins of Eric the Red’s farm at Brattahlid.
The Flower Valley
South Greenland offers keen walkers a great variety of trails and on this escorted holiday you’ll experience some of the best. From your first base, Narsarsuaq, the Flower Valley trail winds through a colourful mosaic of Arctic flora. As well as gentians, harebells and saxifrages, you might also glimpse wildlife such as Arctic hare and peregrine falcon. The trail climbs 400m to a viewpoint overlooking the Kiattut glacier and the Greenland ice sheet beyond.
Hiking on ice and cruising among icebergs
Narsaq, your second base, is the starting point for an unforgettable day exploring the glaciers of Bredefjord fjord system. You’ll travel by RIB among icebergs and along the front of three enormous glaciers, cliffs of blue ice rising sheer above you. On one of them – Qaleraliq – you will then be led by an expert guide into a frozen world of crevasses, ice caves and seracs, using crampons to tackle an amazing glacier hike.
Qooroq Icefjord
Take another boat trip to visit Qooroq Icefjord and another key Viking site – Brattahlid – where Eric the Red settled in the year 985. The church ruins and reconstructed longhouse vividly conjure life from the Viking days.
Itinerary
Fly to Iceland and transfer to your hotel (payable locally), a short distance from the airport and close to the world famous Blue Lagoon. If you have time perhaps visit the Blue Lagoon for a dip in its mineral rich waters (pre booking recommended).
Optional Experiences
Blue Lagoon
Transfer (payable locally) to Keflavik Airport and fly to Narsarsuaq in South Greenland. On arrival in Narsarsuaq you will be met and transferred to the hotel for check-in and an information meeting about the trip. Set off on a hike to the Glacier View Point (3 miles, approx 2 hours), for great views of the Tunulliarfik fjord icebergs and the Kiattuut Glacier.
We reserve the morning for the most famous hike in the area, the Flower Valley (7 miles, approx 5 hours). A spectacular hike with sights of the Kiattut river and glacier. You will enjoy the spectacular view of this valley formed due to the retreat of the glacier and the resulting glacial sedimentation.
Transfer by zodiac to Narsaq the third most populated town in South Greenland. On arrival enjoy a City tour, discover the beauty of its colourful buildings, visit the local, market, fur shops and hunters harbour. Take an easy hike in the surroundings with a wonderful view of the valley, fjords and mountains.
During the afternoon you will have free time to stroll around the city to visit the Greenlandic museum, or enjoy a snack with the local people and discover the modern Inuit’s way of life.
In the morning set off for Qaleraliq camp towards Greenland’s ice cap. Following our arrival at the camp with its spectacular views of three glacier fronts we will set off on an excursion on the glacier. We navigate along the glacier fronts on a RIB boat, admiring the beauty of their vertical ice walls and icebergs to the starting point for our ice trek (2 miles, approx 3-4 hours) with an expert mountain guide explore its crevasses, drains, seracs, and other ice formations, which give an incredible, labyrinthine quality to this glacier and learn about the special characteristics of the glaciers in the South of Greenland. Picnic lunch in the ice or at the camp depending on conditions. In the afternoon, transfer by zodiac boat to Narsaq. Watch for the enormous icebergs falling off from the Eqaloruutsit Glacier and floating through the Sermilik Fjord.
An exciting tour in a high-powered zodiac will take us from Narsaq to Hvalsoy. It is approximately an hour and a half, traveling between icebergs and gorges, with views of small islands that adorn a magical Landscape. Hvalsoy Church was built in the 14th century and is considered the best preserved church from that period. People came to this Church from far away to participate in the different Christian events held throughout the year. This area has recently been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. After this beautiful experience, we will disembark in the beautiful city of Qaqortoq, and take a guided tour of the city.
In the afternoon, transfer by zodiac boat back to Narsaq.
Visit Igaliku this morning then take a boat excursion to Qooroq fjord. We will navigate among blocks of ice until the density of ice is such that we can no longer continue. From Qooroq we will continue on to Narsarsuaq then transfer by car to the hotel.
In the morning, 4×4 jeep trip to the beautiful Tasiusaq farm, where seven people live in notable isolation next to Sermilik fjord, which is almost always blocked by the ice from icebergs coming from Eqaloruutsit glacier.
Later on, transfer in RIB boat through Tunulliarfik Fjord to Qassiarsuk. Visit of the church ruins and the settlement of Eric the Red comprising the old Brattahlid, capital of Viking Greenland, and where Erik the Red settled in 985. Walk through the village of about 50 inhabitants, mostly farmers. This Norse and Greenlandic core farming area were in 2017 inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List under the title: Kujataa Greenland: A Norse and Inuit farming landscape on the Edge of the Ice Cap. Qassiarsuk area represent the most comprehensive and rich example of both Norse and Greenlandic farming histories and contains ruins of large cattle-based Norse farms and their numerous satellite sites including, not least, Erik the Red’s Brattahlid. It was also here that Otto Frederiksen in 1924 established the first sheep farm after Igaliku, founding today’s settlement of Qassiarsuk.
Free time to walk around in the area and visit the local museum which tells the story of Blue West One, the creation of the village of Narsarsuaq and the role it played in the second world war. Check in at Narsarsuaq airport for your flight to Iceland. On arrival in Keflavik transfer to your hotel (payable locally).
Transfer to Keflavik (payable locally) for your return flight to the UK.
Prices
What's Included
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Return flights between Iceland and Greenland
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Transfers in Greenland
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9 nights accommodation in rooms with private facilities
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All breakfasts
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3 picnic lunches
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4x4 trip to Tasiusaq
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Boat transfers
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City tour in Qaqortoq
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Guided visit to Brattahlid
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24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
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No surcharge guarantee
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Full financial protection
From £4109 Excluding Flights
9 Nights
Jun-Sep
Group size
This tour requires a minimum of 4 participants in order to operate, and will have a maximum of 12.
Note: on occasion tours may operate with less than the minimum number of participants specified above (or exceed the maximum number indicated) – please refer to our booking conditions for more details
Flights
Prices above include flights between Iceland and Greenland only. Airfares to Iceland start from around £250 per person and are quoted separately to the holiday price. When enquiring, our Travel Specialists will provide the best fare possible from your preferred airline / airport.
Make this trip yours
Every trip you see here can be adapted to suit you using inside-out knowledge to create one-off experiences created just for you.
Bruno
27
Years visiting Iceland
5
Continents visted
Departure & price guide
From prices are per person in a room with private facilities.
We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch.
Experts with real experience
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Phoebe
Travel Specialist
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Dawn
Head of Customer Experience
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Jo
Travel Specialist
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Gary
Travel Specialist
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Freya
Travel Specialist
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Kieran
Travel Specialist
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Lauren
Travel Specialist
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Rosie
Travel Specialist
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Jenna
Travel Specialist
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Doug
Travel Specialist
