Ice caps, tundra safaris and the Russel Glacier

Accommodation in Kangerlussuaq.

With accommodation at either Polar Lodge or Old Camp, you have quick access to the airport. From here it’s easy to explore the local wildlife, hike in the area or visit the nearby ice cap.

Sightseeing Kangerlussuaq, historical roots and close to the Greenlandic sled dog.

On a guided drive, you’ll experience Kangerlussuaq’s distinctive character, learn about the life of the locals and the region’s role in world history. You’ll hear about how the area was used during World War II and later during the Cold War.
You’ll pass viewpoints to the fjord, visit Kelly Ville – a research station, and see the old base area.
Last but not least, you’ll meet the Greenlandic sled dog, with a visit to the village dog farm.

Tundra safari – flora, rivers and wildlife.

Is anything moving? Instinctively watch out for musk oxen, snow hares, reindeer and foxes from the windows of the Arctic-adapted buses as you travel through the beautiful tundra landscape of the most extensive ice-free area in Greenland.
Kangerlussuaq is known for having one of the longest ice-free periods in Greenland, making it an important home for various animal species, which helps to provide a relatively rich flora compared to other regions in Greenland.
Out here there are rocky outcrops, valleys, rivers, and you want to reach out, touch, even that which is far away, yet seems so close because the clear air allows you to see further than your eyes are used to.

The guide will bring binoculars to spot animals along the way. On the tour there will be an opportunity to “stretch your legs”, enjoy the silence and the view.

Ice sheet point 660 – ice, ice, ice, as far as the eye can see.

Imagine a view of endless white. The horizon meets a panorama of ice and snow – this is the realm of silence, interrupted only by the sound of your own breathing and the crunch of snow underfoot.
Point 660 is known as a starting point for hiking on the ice sheet. The ice at point 660 is thousands of years old and the landscape is constantly changing with ice moving and creating new shapes in the terrain.
Kangerlussuaq is one of the only places in Greenland where you can drive to the ice sheet and it’s a beautiful drive through the magnificent landscape, with views of mountains, valleys and rivers.

A hiking route awaits you once the car is parked. Some parts of the route will be hilly. For some, this will require hiking poles and possibly adding studded soles/skid protection under their boots. Ask before your trip. Read more about The ice sheet.

The Russel Glacier – and icebergs being born.

The Russel Glacier is one of the most impressive natural sceneries you can experience in Greenland. Its ice walls rise majestically, in some places up to 60 meters in height.
It “feels wild” to stand in front of a gigantic wall of ice stretching up to the sky, listening to the jarring sound of moving ice, and maybe even witnessing one of the ice calving moments – a natural phenomenon where large blocks of ice break off and crash into the water with a bang.

The 1.5-hour drive in a four-wheel drive tundra bus to reach the glacier is an experience in itself, crossing the Arctic landscape with the chance to see wildlife such as musk oxen and reindeer.

The simplicity gave me a sense of slowing down. My family and I took in the impressions, stopped, and were just right here.
– Marianne, traveler with Travel by Heart Greenland.