Home / Multi-Day Tours / Greenland / South Greenland Hiking Paradise for 5 days
The south offers some of the most beautiful Greenland hiking trails in the Arctic region. With a direct flight from Iceland, the village of Narsarsuaq is only a 3-hour flight away from Reykjavík Domestic Airport. Hike the Flower valley and view the Kiattut glacier, walk the King’s trail, explore the charm of the Igaliku village and get up close and personal with the magnificent icebergs in the Qooroq Ice Fjord. If you love hiking in the quaint, unspoiled nature – this might be the perfect holiday for you!
We recommend booking a Greenland tour as early as possible as availability is limited and prices for flights normally raise during the year. Please note that the flights to/from Greenland are the most expensive part of this tour package. You can also add extra nights to make the most out of your Greenland holiday.
If you are interested in receiving more information about this tour, please click on the “Request a quote” widget on the left side of the page. A quick form will open up where you will provide us with more information about your travel expectations. You will then be connected with your specialized travel agent who will assist you throughout the planning a provide a fully detailed quote.
GT-03
Jun - Sept
By plane
5 Days / 4 Nights
South Greenland
Today your Greenland hiking adventure begins! In the afternoon you will board your flight to Greenland from Reykjavík Domestic Airport. The flight takes about 3 hours and when you approach Greenland you should take a look out the window for an other-worldly view of the Greenland ice sheet. Once you arrive in Narsarsuaq you will check into your accommodation and can enjoy a free evening in the area. If you are feeling full of energy after your flight, you can make good use of the long daylight hours and, for example, hike up to the Signal Hill viewpoint (approx. 1 hour) for beautiful views over the fjord. You will stay overnight in Narsarsuaq.
Highlights of the day: Flight to Greenland, Greenland Ice Sheet from above, Narsarsuaq, hike to Signal Hill
Today you will be exploring the picturesque Flower Valley. This hiking trail, which is approx. 16 km, starts in Hospital Valley. It is possible to buy transport to cover the first 3 km of the trail or you can rent a bike for the day. From Hospital Valley you will enter the Flower Valley. The first kilometers of the hike is quite easy and you might be lucky enough to spot some local inhabitants such as foxes, peregrine falcons, and foxes along the way. You will pass streams before climbing about 300 meters to a plateau which is the ideal picnic spot with magnificent views of the Narsarsuaq Glacier, also known locally as the Kiattut glacier. The 300-meter ascent/descent is not dangerous but can be challenging. From the plateau, you can follow a marked trail to a vantage point of the glacier.
From there you can continue down to the edge of the ice, and if you are careful you might even be able to touch it. After what has hopefully been a wonderful day immersed in nature, follow the same path back to Hospital Valley from where you’ll continue on to Narsarsuaq. You will stay overnight in the same accommodations as the night before.
Highlights of the day: Flower Valley hike, Kiattut Glacier, Unspoiled nature, glacier views
Another day, another Greenland hiking adventure! In the morning you will be transferred by boat to the village of Qassiarsuk. Here you will have some free time to explore your surroundings. This village, which is also known as Brattahlid, is the place where Eric the Red settled in 982. The Norse ruins are well preserved and you can for example visit the village’s open-air museum. You can also walk up to the statue of Eric the Red, which towers over the village.
After a couple of hours in Qassiarsuk, you will hop back on the boat and be transferred to Itilleq from where you will embark on a 4-km hike along the “King’s Road” to Igaliku. This trail is named after the Danish King’s Frederik 9th visit in 1952. As you approach the village of Igaliku, the village’s colorful houses and the stunning nature that surrounds it will undoubtedly charm you off your tired feet! You will stay overnight in Igaliku.
Highlights of the day: Qassiarsuk, open-air museum, Itilleq, King’s Road hike, Igaliku
Today you can enjoy a free day in the beautiful village of Igaliku. This village was the Episcopal seat (named Gardar) for a period of about 300 years during the Norse era. The ruins from that time are quite impressive, and history buffs can enjoy a relaxing day learning more about the history of the village. Another option is to go on a self-guided hike in the area. Igaliku and its surroundings offer some of the best hiking opportunities in South Greenland.
One option is a 17-km day hike to the plateau, which offers amazing views over the Qooroq Ice Fjords. Here you can view the stranded icebergs on the underwater moraine at the entrance to the fjord, and the enormous glacier at the head of the fjord. Also popular is the 15 km “waterfall hike” where you can admire some beautiful waterfalls tumble down towards the Tunulliarfik Fjord. This hike can be combined with the summit of Nuuluk Mountain (823 m), which lies south of Igaliku (20-22 km). You will stay overnight in the same accommodations as the night before.
Highlights of the day: Igaliku, Norse era ruins, hiking trails
Sadly, your Greenland hiking holiday is coming to an end. But before you say goodbye to this stunning area of Greenland, you have one more adventure ahead of you. In the morning you will hike back to Itilleq from where you will be transferred by boat to Narsarsuaq. From there you will go on a boat trip to the Qooroq Ice Fjord. Here you will sail between icebergs of all colors, sizes and shapes. Once the glacier is in sight, the boat engine will be stopped so you can enjoy the silence and a drink chilled with glacier ice – more than 1000 years old! Before departure you can spend some free time in Narsarsuaq before boarding your flight and departing from Greenland. You will arrive back at Reykjavík Domestic Airport in the late evening.
Highlights of the day: Qooroq Ice Fjord, icebergs, flight from Narsarsuaq to Iceland
Budget accommodations include shared facilities in guest houses, country hotels, farmhouses, etc. In some cases, the rooms might be equipped with a TV and a washbasin. The in-room amenities are limited and basic but they all adhere to a high standard of cleanliness.
Breakfast is included.
Comfort accommodations offer access to private facilities (shower and toilet). This type of lodges belongs to the 3-star hotel category. Most of these properties have an in-house restaurant. This section offers an upgrade in comfort and service compared to the budget category. Breakfast is included.
Flights to Narsarsuaq depart from Reykjavík airport. Flight time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Please check in for your flight at least 90 minutes earlier to your flight time to avoid queues and so that the airline can keep on schedule. Please have all required documentation at hand before checking in, your confirmation number and identification. For flights that belong to the Schengen Region, passengers can show their passport or drivers license. For flights outside Schengen only a passport is valid. Please note that Credit and Debit Cards are not a valid ID.
At the airport is a cafeteria which sells drinks, snacks and other refreshments. When traveling internationally from Reykjavík airport there is a duty free store.
Narsarsuaq is a twon in South Greenland, and has the second biggest airport in Greenland, therefore it is a good place to start to any South Greenland adventures. It is surrounded by large green plains and a fjörd, and only 6 kms from the Greenland Ice Cap. It is very close to Igaliku, Qassiarsuk and Hvalsey.