It’s called falling in love” because that’s just what happens to everyone who goes there. It’s impossible not to. Look at the photos. There’s nothing like the fjords of Uummannaq. The climate here is high arctic desert. In summer Uummannaq has 2000 hours of sun. The temps budge past 70° F at times and can occasionally dip to freezing. Annual rainfall is 2 inches per year. Some days are so calm the ocean is like a pond and the reflection of the mountains on the water makes you wonder which way is up. The 24 hour sun will tan your skin and live in your blood forever. We travel self-contained in a tight group, paddling through the fingers of water that border the second largest ice cap in the world. Ice is floating everywhere, in batches of bergie bits to coliseum-like behemoths. The play of light on the ice and its constant booming in the fjord is pure magic. We’ll camp by pure fresh water streams and hike to mountain lakes at the edge of the ice cap. Whales blowing, icebergs rolling and shattering, fox sneaking through camp, the sun circling but not setting — these are just a few of the impressions you’ll bring home from Greenland. It’s a dream vacation for all who cherish nature and the glide of their kayak in clear waters.

Since there really is no night, you can explore and take pictures twenty four hours a day. Just living in twenty four hours of sunshine is a never-forgotten experience. We begin in Baltimore and stop at Kangerlussuaq on our way to the quaint Danish and Inuit village on the island of Uummannaq off the west coast of Greenland. We’ll stay in the European Hotel Uummannaq, enjoying their splendid fare before heading off for the start of our trip.

We’ll spend our paddling days amidst the smaller fjords within sight of the Greenlandic ice cap. The sights from our kayaks are expansive and breathtaking: 1500 foot gneissic rock walls rise beside us, distant glaciers gleam in warm sun, icebergs the size of convention centers drift with winds and currents, and the whales are on the roam.

We’ll also paddle on a freshwater lake and fish for landlocked arctic char in its cold depths. On several day hikes we’ll see waterfalls, wildlife, the ice cap and fjords. Nights are spent camping at sites near freshwater streams where we’ll take photos of arctic wildflowers, icebergs, whales blowing offshore and the dramatic play of light on massive rock faces.

Day 1

Day one is a travel day. We depart Baltimore for Kangerlussuaq. Overnight in Kangerlussuaq. Tour tundra and view Muskox and Caribou. Play golf on sand greens at midnight if you like.

Day 2

Fly to Illulisat with short lay over and fly to Qaarsut and helicopter to Uummannaq. Overnight in Uummannaq in a guest stay with a local family.

Day 3

Explore town, hike to Santa’s home… Overnight in a guest stay with a local family.

Day 4-13

After a hearty breakfast we’re off to the docks, the hotel launch will leave about noon with us and all our gear aboard. Our first campsite will be about 32 miles east of Uummannaq Island. Once there, we’ll set up our kayaks and campsite. We will have a safety talk and itinerary briefing before we explore the area for signs of Inuit hunters and arctic wildlife. We’ll paddle the waters of Greenland as we travel through the upper reaches of the Uummannaq Fiord region. Our days will be a mixture of exploring by kayak and layover days filled with day hikes and leisure time. We’ll camp by calving glaciers and freshwater streams. Our backdrop will be the inate beauty of 2000 ft tall cliffs and the spectacular vista of ice fiords.

Night 13

Travel back to Hotel Uummannaq where we’ll overnight.

Day 14

Fly to Kangerlussuaq and overnight there.

Day 15

Fly to Baltimore and home.