Greenland Northern Lights & Dog Sledding: Winter Arctic Adventure

Today you journey out across the snowy tundra towards the edge of the great Greenland Ice Sheet, now a frozen ocean of ancient ice stretching white to the horizon. You travel by rugged vehicle through a dazzling winter wilderness, standing before the wall of the Ice Sheet in the pale Arctic light, an awe-inspiring and humbling sight. Along the way you search the tundra for the hardy musk oxen that graze here year-round, shaggy survivors of the Ice Age, and for Arctic hares and foxes in their white winter coats. You take in the immense, silent beauty of the frozen land. This evening, back in Kangerlussuaq, you enjoy dinner and head out again for the Northern Lights on any clear night, watching the sky blaze above the snow. Rest well amid the deep Arctic silence.

This morning you fly the short hop north of the Arctic Circle to Sisimiut, the second-largest town in Greenland and one of its great dog-sledding centres, set among snowy mountains on the coast. You are met and settle into your hotel, then explore the colourful town, its harbour, its old timber church and its small museum, learning about the traditional hunting and sledding life that still thrives here. Sisimiut is home to more sled dogs than people, and their howling echoes across the snow. You meet local people whose warmth is immediate, and taste fresh Greenlandic food. This evening, over dinner, you prepare for tomorrow's great dog-sledding adventure, and head out once more for the Northern Lights on any clear night. Rest well in the beautiful winter town, ready to race across the frozen wilderness tomorrow.

Today you experience the thrilling heart of Greenlandic winter culture, a full day of dog sledding across the frozen wilderness. You meet an Inuit hunter and his team of powerful Greenland huskies, and, wrapped warmly against the cold, set off across snow-covered mountains, valleys and frozen sea ice, the only sound the panting of the dogs and the hiss of the runners on the snow. It is exhilarating, beautiful and utterly authentic, a way of travelling unchanged for a thousand years. You pause in the wilderness for a warming hot drink and to take in the dazzling silence, learning about the bond between the hunter and his dogs. The experience is unforgettable. This evening, back in Sisimiut, you savour a warming dinner and, on a clear night, the Northern Lights. Rest well after your great adventure.

This morning you fly north to Ilulissat, the beautiful town beside the famous Icefjord, over a dazzling winter landscape of snow, mountains and frozen sea. You are met and settle into your hotel, then set out to walk the trails above the Ilulissat Icefjord, where towering icebergs stand locked in the winter sea ice, a scene of extraordinary stillness and beauty in the pastel Arctic light. You explore the colourful town, its harbour and its sled dogs curled in the snow, feeling the warm glow of an Arctic community in winter. This evening, after dinner, you head out with your guide, away from the town lights, to watch the Northern Lights blaze and dance over the frozen fjord and its icebergs, one of the most beautiful sights on earth. Rest well amid the magic of the Arctic winter.

Today you explore the frozen wonders of Ilulissat. You may take a short dog-sledding trip along the coast, snowshoe the trails above the Icefjord to viewpoints over the icebergs locked in the winter ice, or visit the excellent local museum in the former home of the explorer Knud Rasmussen, learning about the great expeditions and the Inuit way of life. You wander the colourful town, meet dog-sledders and craftspeople, and taste fresh Greenlandic food, from halibut to reindeer. The beauty and warmth are magical. As darkness falls, you head out one last time to watch the Northern Lights dance over the frozen Icefjord, a fitting and unforgettable finale to your winter journey. This evening, savour a final dinner in beautiful Ilulissat, reflecting on the aurora, the huskies and the ice. Rest well beneath the Arctic stars.

After a final morning in the beautiful winter town of Ilulissat, perhaps a last walk along the frozen Icefjord or some souvenir shopping for Greenlandic craft, you are transferred to the airport for your flights home via Kangerlussuaq. You leave having experienced the true magic of the Arctic winter in Greenland, the Northern Lights blazing over the frozen icebergs of Ilulissat, the thrill of dog sledding across the wilderness of Sisimiut, the frozen edge of the great Ice Sheet and its musk oxen, and the warm, glowing winter life of the colourful Arctic towns. The images stay vivid long after you land, the aurora dancing over the ice, the huskies racing across the snow, and the painted houses glowing against the white. Greenland in winter offers thrilling adventure and profound beauty in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to the frozen north.