7 activities in Kangerisuaq, Greenland
7 activities in Kangerisuaq, Greenland
Our selection of the best activities in Kangeraufuaq will help you to optimally use your time in this remote angle of the world
At first glance, the lonely Kangeraufuaq settlement in Greenland does not seem much more than a necessary springboard for travelers on the way to Ilulissat, Greenland's most popular tourist destination.
Kangerlussuaq's modesty, however, covers something behind it. This small town with 500 souls is actually a gateway to some of the most spectacular landscapes that can be found in the extremes of the planet.
get ready, because this sloppy city hides some fantastic mini and not so mini adventures.
activities in Kangeraufuaq
No matter whether you are in transit to hike the Arctic Circle Trail, or are on the way to Ilulissat, our selection of the best activities in Kangeraufuaq will help you to make the best of your time.
1. The ice cream ceiling at point 660
seasons: all year round
The most popular activity in Kangeraufuaq is a visit to the ice cap. The Greenland ice cream ceiling is generally thicker than 2 km (3 km at the thickest point), covers about 80 % of the land surface of Greenland and is the second largest ice mass in the world. Only the Antarctic ice shield is larger.
alt = “Activities in the Greenland ice cream of Kangeraufuaq”> Atlas & Boots The Greenland ice cream is the second largest ice mass in the world
I took part in an Albatros Arctic Circle Bustour to the ice cream ceiling and there are smaller 4WD options. I agreed with the driver to break away near the Russell glacier on the way back. I camped near the glacier for the night and then hiked to Kangerlussuaq the next morning
Further information can be found in my post about visiting the Greenland ice cream and the Russell glacier.
2. Russell glacier
seasons: all year round (except for Dec-jan)
alt = “Watch the wall while visiting the Greenland ice cream and the Russell glacier”> Atlas & Boots An ice wall on the Russell glacier
west of the ice cream, the Russell glacier extends, which is also referred to as a "reindeer glacier". This active glacier moves around 25 m every year and is surrounded by the fresh meltwater drainage of the adjacent ice cream.
Most tours to the inland ice stop at some viewpoints. In order to make the best of experience, I strongly recommend that you take an excursion with an overnight stay and spend a night on one of the most beautiful campsites in the world.
Further information can be found in my post about visiting the Greenland ice cream and the Russell glacier.
alt = “one of the best campsites in the world when visiting the Greenland ice cream and the Russell glacier”> Atlas & Boots one of the most beautiful campsites in the world
3. Climb the sugar hat
Seasons: Spring to autumn
alt = “The view from the sugar hat beyond Kangeraufuaq”> Vojtech Jirka/Shutterstock The view from the sugar hat
It may not quite offer the same iconic panoramas as its namesake in Rio de Janeiro, but Greenland's sugar hat is ideal for a half -day hike from the city. The striking, steep sloping hill watches over the route between Kangerlussuaq and the ice cream and offers an excellent viewpoint.
At the summit, you have a look at the ice cap or beyond Kangerlussuaq onto the Fjord and even to the distance maniitsoq ice cap.
The path to the summit of the 353 m high summit begins about 8 km from the city. Hikers can either run the unpaved road out of the city or arrange a taxi to discontinue and / or pick them up at the starting point.
4. Flight
Seasons: Spring to autumn
alt = “A sightseeing flight over the ice cream”> Wadim Nefedoff/Shutterstock A sightseeing flight offers incomparable aerial photographs
If you have little time, a sightseeing flight is a good option. Kangeraufuaq is located off the coast and enjoys more than 300 days of clear sky a year. It is known for its (relatively) good weather conditions.
Kangerlussuaq offers incomparable aerial photographs of the surrounding landscape and is a growing hub for sightseeing flights. The most popular and shortest flights to the inland ice and the Russell glacier start at 25 minutes from 1,250 DKK ($ 190) per person with Airzafari.
There are longer routes that include wild animals and sweeps of the blue lakes and the Paradise Valley nature reserve. There is also the possibility to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Eisfjord.
5. Dog sled trips
seasons: only in winter
alt = "Huskies and dog sled trips in Kangerlussuaq"> Atlas & Boots How can someone resist?
If you are a dog mentch, you will take the opportunity to meet Arctic sled dogs. I met Huskys in Tromso in Norway during an Aurora Husky hike, an experience that still makes me shine when I look at this silly video.
dog sled tours in Kangerisuaq are far more demanding than my evening in Norway, but also far more dramatic. Dog sled tours that use the frozen winter fan near the city can be everything, from a short two -hour excursion to a three -day expedition to Sisimiut.
6. Ice warehouse
Seasons: Spring until autumn (March-Oktobber)
Alt = “Eiscamping on the glacier activities in Kangeraufuaq”> Supported communication The best way to experience the ice cream is an ice cream camp with overnight stay
If you have time, it is best to experience the ice cream ceiling overnight with an ice camp and trekking. This mini expedition (even very short) comes into the footsteps of legendary explorers like Fridtjof Nansen.
After arrival on point 660, the camper hike a few kilometers above the ice cap, where they open their night camp. Mini discoverers have to tackle their hot drinks and dinner before enjoying one night under sailing on one of the most remote and remote campsites in the world.
7. Northern Lights
Seasons: autumn to spring
alt = "Seen northern lights from Kangeraufuaq"> Dan Bach Kristensen/Shutterstock The northern Lights seen from Kangerlussuaq
Kangeraufuaq is about 50 km north of the Arctic Circle and, as already mentioned, enjoys more than 300 days of clear sky a year. The reliable weather in combination with its position as a traffic junction in Greenland makes it one of the best places in the world to see the famous northern lights.
The best time to see the lights are the darker months of September to April when the days are shorter and the northern lights appear the most. Albatros Arctic Circle carries out a number of northern lights.
activities in Kangeraufuaq: The essentials
Was: Activities in Kangeraufuaq, Greenland.
Where: In Kangeraufuaq I stayed on my arrival in the simple but clean polar lodge (795 DKK / 120 USD) and then camped on my second visit to the nearby campsite for 60 DKK (9 US). Further options are the Kangerlussuaq Hotel at the airport and the Kangerlussuaq Youth Hostel.
During my night trip to the ice shield and the Russell glacier, I stored in a place called Israndsdalen near the Russell glacier. Nearby is a picnic area with a few eco toilets along a path that leads back to the main street.
When: The best time for trekking in Greenland is from June to August, when the weather is the warmest and the days are longest (sometimes endless). The temperatures drop in August and September and snow comes overnight. However, many tours take place all year round.
like: Most tours can simply be booked over the most popular tour operator in the area, Albatros Artic Circle. There are several smaller companies that offer more individual tours for smaller groups and with customizable travel routes.
GUIDE to Greenland and the Visit Greenland website are good places to find providers that cover the best activities in Kangerlussuaq.
I flew from London via Copenhagen in Denmark to Kangerisuaq. Air Greenland essentially has a monopoly on domestic flights to other destinations. Book via Skyscanner.
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If you are planning to hike in Kangeraufuaq, the Cicerone Guide to Trekking in Greenland is the ideal companion and covers many of the above activities in Kangeraufuaq.
Mission statement: Atlas & Boots
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