Ilulissat dogsledge tour to the ice cap in Greenland

14-16 April 2007 

About 50km from Ilulissat there is a dead glacier that can be climbed by dogsledge, offering the possibility to have a walk over the ancient Greenland inland ice. The trip is three days (two nights) long, with overnights in an heated hut (small refuge).

Dog sledge tour map
The planned itinerary for this ice cap dogsledge tour out of Ilulissat.
Dogsledge tour, Ilulissat, Greenland Dogsledge tour, Ilulissat, Greenland
We leave early in the afternoon of first day. Before departure, the sledge is prepared and the dogs are tied. Eleven dogs pull two people (me and my guide), the food provisions, baggage and emergency equipment.
Dog sledge tour, Ilulissat, Greenland
Dogsledge pictures. We leave Ilulissat, crossing the dogteams' s starting point.



More dog sledge pictures. The dogs can pull the sledge even on climbs (if the climb is too huge, normally the guide descend and follow the sledge from behind, in order to keep it lighter).
Dog team
Other dog teams coming from the opposite direction.
Kangia (Icefjord near Ilulissat)
After some hours, I get a beautiful view over the Icefjord.
Descending towards the final destination of today.
Greenland winter scenery Greenland winter scenery
This is the scenery where I will travel for the next days, a breathtaking panorama of snow, ice and glaciers.
Greenland refuge
After about 4 hours, we reach this cabin where we will sleep for two nights.
Snow Pack ice
Pack ice Pack ice
Pack ice Dog sledge expedition, Ilulissat
Soon, I take a short hike on the sea ice, following a trail in the snow. The fjord has many icebergs frozen solid inside. I meet also another dogsled team coming from the opposite direction.
Halo effect
The white arc around the sun is called halo effect and is built by the ice crystals suspended into the athmosphere (today is about -15 entigrades).
Snow dogs Snow dogs
In the meanwhile, some dog has a rest, while some other gets angry.
Dog team in Greenland Frozen fjord



The following morning the temperature holds at about -18 centigrades. We cross the frozen fjord bound for a dead glacier.
Dead glacier
The dead glacier that we are about to climb, in order to get access to the ancient inland ice (icecap).
Inland ice Inland ice
Greenland Inland ice Greenland Inland ice
Icecap Icecap
Icecap, Greenland Icecap, Greenland
Ice cap Ice cap, Greenland
Dog sledge tour, Ilulissat, Greenland Dog sledge tour, Ilulissat, Greenland
Dog sledgetour, Ilulissat, Greenland Dog sledgetour, Ilulissat, Greenland
We are now on the Greenland icecap, the huge sheet of ice covering entire Greenland. In some places, the snow is blown away by the winds, causing blue inland ice to come out. The scenery is really breathtaking and I take a short hike, while the dogs have a rest.
Dog sledge, Greenland Dogsledge, Greenland
We descend from the Greenland ice cap, crossing the fjord again, in order to have a better look into a glacier flowing inside the fjord itself.
Glacier in Greenland Glacier in Greenland
Glacier Glacier
The nice white and blue wall of the glacier ending into the frozen fjord.
The dogs resting on the snow.
Snow and ice

It is late afternoon when we start our drive back to the refuge.
Glacier
A last panoramic view onto this glacier coming from Greenland icecap and ending into a frozen fiord.
The next day it starts to snow, before we head back to Ilulissat.

° ° °

° ° °

Back to: OTHER TRIPS

Back to Greenland travel guide

Contact | About us | Privacy and use of cookies


This site is copyright protected, please contact the author before using any part.

Please wait...