Alpine East

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Kulusuk

Meeting of participants at Reykjavík Airport (Kulusuk airport for those that have bought their own flights). Flight to Kulusuk and landing at 10:30AM local time. Visit of Kulusuk and walk to a nearby viewpoint. Free time in the afternoon while the guide prepares the coming days. Night in a hut style accommodation in Kulusuk. Possibility to visit a small local museum in the afternoon.

Day 2: Kulusuk - Karale Fjord

Morning boat trip to Karale Fjord. Sailing north by the Aputsiak Island and several other islands before hitting the Ikatek Strait with its pointed summits and snow caped mountains. Ice is everywhere in the water. When arriving to Karale Fjord the spectacle is breathtaking - the front of the Knud Rasmussen Glacier and the high mountains are reflected in the still water of the fjord. We put up our camp for two nights. In the afternoon we stroll off for a nice walk to a good viewpoint. Sailing: 2 hours, Walking: 4 hours

Day 3: Hiking near Karale Glacier

Today we head towards the Karale glacier along the coast of the Karale fjord. To get there we might have to cross a small glacier tongue to avoid rivers of meltwater from the ice. The view to the other side of the fjord is breathtaking, huge glaciers and mountains like the Rytterknægten tower over the fjord. At a safe distance from the Karale glacier front we learn about climate change as we discover the changes in landscape that have been happening in the recent decades and are still going on. Late afternoon we return to the same camp where we spend the night. Walking: 6-7 hours

Day 4: Karale Glacier - Nunartivaq Mountain

We leave the camp and start walking east along the coast to the Nuuaartik point, where the Karale fjord opens to the outer fjord system. At this point we see the front of the Knud Rasmusen glacier floating in the ocean straight to the north, breaking off pieces of ice, every now and then. We turn to the south and start to climb up while new mountains start to come into view. We slowly descend to a valley called Nunartivaq. We arrive to the shore in an area full of boulders, where we put up the camp for the night.
Walking: 6-7 hours

Day 5: Nunartivaq - Ikateq

We follow the coastline as we enter the Ikatek strait. At times we have to avoid steep parts by walking higher on the slope, until we arrive to a tiny inlet with a creek. We then follow the coast, which at this time is less steep, until we arrive to a valley that opens up to the west. We follow the banks of a big river until we find an old bridge where we cross. We have arrived to Ikatek or Bluie East two, former WWII airport and small military base. We visit the base that was abandoned almost 75 years ago. What they left behind is still visible, including machines, cars, equipment and fuel drums. The authorities have plans to clean up the ruins, but it has not yet been done and until then these strange remains remind us of the role Greenland played in WWII. We camp for the night close to the old docs of Ikatek. Walking: 6-7 hours

Day 6: Ikateq to Tunup Kua valley

We walk the old 5000 feet runway to the southwest, until we come to the small peninsula of Suunigajik. From there we turn around the corner and head northeast, into Tunu (Dunu) a breathtaking fjord surrounded by mountains. Here on the shores it is not uncommon to meet the Common Ringed Plover that plays hide and seek with those who enter its territory. Arriving at the the fjord we have to cross a couple of rivers before putting up our camp. Here we might meet the Arctic fox and the Ptarmigan that nests in the tiny arctic willow bushes found around the campsite.
Walking: 6 hours

Day 7: Kuummiit

Visit to the hunters village Kuummiit, where we resupply in the local grocery store. Kuummiit is situated at the Ammassalik fjord where the water never freezes. Surrounded by high peaks in all directions it is the home to about 250 people who mostly depend on fishing in the fjords around. In the afternoon we return to the same camp.
Walking: 6 hours

Day 8: Tasiilaq Fjord

Today we cross from the Tunu fjord over to Tasilaq fjord through the narrow valley of Tunup Kuua. We follow the narrow valley with mountain peaks on both sides and a peak or two already showing them self at the other side of the pass. After passing a few lakes, we arrive to a glacier that crawls into the valley from the north. We cross the glacier eventually putting on our crampons depending on the ice conditions. At the highest point which is only at 300m altitude we see the valley on the other side descending to the fjord The view in Tasilak fjord is breathtaking. The fjord is very narrow and sheltered with up to 1500 m high granite peaks on each side and over 2000m above the bottom of the fjord. One cannot help thinking that this compares with Patagonia. We put up our camp at the sea on the north bank of the river we have been following since we crossed the glacier.
Walking: 7 hours

Day 9: Tasiilaq Fjord

The route follows the Tasilaq fjord coastline and we enjoy the incredible view to the bottom of the fjord and the valley behind. The most outstanding mountains are called the Triplets and are actually known to some big wall climbers. This day is shorter than yesterday, and we should be arriving to camp in the middle of the afternoon.
Walking: 5 hours

Day 10: Tasiilaq Mountain Hut

We walk for two to three hours before we arrive to a glacier tongue that descends all the way from a valley 700 m up. We climb the moraine on the north side of the glacier with a stunning view over the valley below, until we come to a steep section that leads us directly to Tasilaq Mountain Hut at about 800 m altitude. This place is heaven-like for nature lovers. A magnificent place to sit down and enjoy silence and the calmness of the mountains. Night in a hut.
Walking: 7-8 hours

Day 11: Tasiilaq Fjord - Kulusuk

We head back into the valley, down the moraine and past some beautiful boulders. This time the walk is faster and we arrive to the fjord in the middle of the afternoon, where our boat is waiting to bring us back to Kulusuk. Night in a house in Kulusuk.
Walking: 5-6 hours, Sailing: 2 hours

Day 12: End of trip

In the late morning you will be flying back to Reykjavík.