UNESCO sites 6 days

In 2017 five core areas in South Greenland were inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. They represent a unique landscape and arctic farming history, dating from the Norse settlement to the present day Greenlandic sheep farmers. On this tour, you can visit Hvalsey, Igaliku and Qassiarsuk – 3 of the UNESCO sites – together with South Greenland’s colourful town Qaqortoq. In addition we will take you on an unforgettable boat ride into the Qooroq Ice Fjord.

Accommodation
Accommodation at hotel with private or shared facilities.

Meals
Breakfast included.
Dinner and lunch packets can be ordered at the hotels.

Difficulty
No special requirements on this trip. The hike between Itilleq and Igaliku is 4 km.

Self-guided
All our package tours are self-guided. This means that you are not a part of a bigger group with a tour leader to guide you around.
We will send you very detailed information about the tour before you arrive in Greenland.

Tour season
You can start this tour every day of the week and are free to choose your own pace and what to see and do each day. Just let us know which date/flight you will arrive with and we will book the tour for you as desired.

Day 1
Arrival in Narsarsuaq. Our staff will meet you at the airport. Here, you will receive your travel itinerary with all departure times for the boat transfers. If you have any further questions or wish to purchase hiking maps etc. please also visit Blue Ice Cafe. Located 50 meters next to the airport.
Upon arrival, we will bring you to your place of accommodation. Then, you have the rest of the day to get familiar with the small town Narsarsuaq.
Accommodation for 1 night in Narsarsuaq.

Day 2
In the morning we will pick you up at your place of accommodation. Then, you go by boat to Qassiarsuk. Qassiarsuk is also known as Brattahlid, the place where Eric the Red settled in 982. The Norse ruins are well preserved and the open-air museum (Brattahlid) can be visited on your own (admission fee is not included). The approx. 40 inhabitants earn their livelihoods from sheep farming, but the village also has a school, a shop and a church. After a couple of hours, you take the boat to the Qooroq Ice fiord – a trip among icebergs of all colours, sizes and shapes. When the glacier is in view, the boat engine is stopped, so you can enjoy the absolute silence and a drink chilled with glacier ice – more than 1000 years old! From the ice fiord the boat will continue to Itilleq. From here, you have a 4 km hike along a picturesque unpaved country road to Igaliku, one of the most beautiful villages in Greenland! The colourful houses are situated on lush grassland next to a milky-blue fjord. On the other side of the fjord the landmark Illerfissalik (Burfjeld) Mountain towers over a rough and desolate landscape.
Accommodation in Igaliku for 2 nights.

Day 3
Igaliku was the Episcopal seat (named Gardar) for a period of about 300 years (1100-1400) during the Norse era, and the ruins from that time are very impressive. In 1782 Anders Olsen and his Greenlandic wife Tuperna established themselves as farmers and that was the beginning of Igaliku’s more recent history. Today, Igaliku and its surroundings have some of the best hiking opportunities in South Greenland.

One optional day hike (17 km) goes to the plateau, which offers a superb view of the Qooroq ice fjord, the stranded icebergs on the underwater moraine at the entrance to the fjord and the enormous glacier at the head of the fjord. It is the perfect place for a picnic! On the way back, you may be lucky enough to find minerals and stones, like the shining “moon stone” (Labradorit). The “waterfall hike” (about 15 km) is another popular day trip. A set of beautiful waterfalls tumble like pearls on a string down towards Tunulliarfik Fjord. This hike can be combined with the summit of Nuuluk Mountain (823 m), which lies south of Igaliku (20-22 km).

Day 4
Boat transfer from Igaliku (Itilleq) to Qaqortoq (duration about 1½ hours). Time to get familiar with the town Qaqortoq.
Accommodation in Qaqortoq for 2 nights.

Day 5
Qaqortoq is the largest town in South Greenland with about 3,300 inhabitants. It is the main centre of education in South Greenland with an upper secondary school, a business school, a vocational school adults and a school for tourism management and guide training. Furthermore, the town has several fair-sized companies such as Great Greenland, with its tannery and sewing facilities for creating beautiful sealskin clothes. The town is well known for the project “Stone and Man”, which consists of more than 30 sculptures that are carved into the granite bedrock by various artists. This permanent exhibition makes a stroll around the city a very special experience.

Finally, Greenland’s oldest fountain is situated at the town square next to the harbour. Here you can sit and watch the hunters and fishermen selling the catch of the day at the nearby fish market. From Qaqortoq you have an included visit to the famous UNESCO site Hvalsey Church on a short excursion. 

Day 6
Boat transfer from Qaqortoq to Narsarsuaq. You can spend the rest of your stay enjoying a cup of coffee at the cosy Blue Ice Café and/or visiting the museum in Narsarsuaq.
Departure Narsarsuaq.

Please note! Due to limited capacity at some overnight accommodations, the order of the itinerary may change.

Private facilities
Double room: EUR 1.109 / DKK 8.040 per person
Single room: EUR 1.497 / DKK 10.855 per person

Shared facilities
Double room: EUR 865 / DKK 6.270 per person
Single room: EUR 1.148 / DKK 8.320 per person

25% discount for children 2-11 years

Price includes

• All accommodation incl. breakfast
• Transport of luggage (*)
• All boat transfers
• Boat trip to the Qooroq Ice Fjord
• Boat trip to Hvalsey Church
• Shuttle service in Narsarsuaq in connection with included boat transfers

Price excludes
Flights
Tour guide (this tour is self-guided)
Travel and cancellation insurance

(*) Hotel Qaqortoq do not offer luggage transport from the harbor

We can always add more days to this tour if you wish to extend your visit. Just let us know when you request the tour.

On the links below, you can find more information about travelling in South Greenland.

> How to get here
> The accommodation
> Food and Drink
> What to bring
> Destinations in South Greenland
> Day tours from Narsaq
> Hiking descriptions Narsarsuaq
> Hiking descriptions Qassiarsuk
> Hiking descriptions Igaliku