The mountainous Liverpool Land peninsula extends from Uunartoq in the south to Kap Gladstone in the north. The outer coastline of Liverpool Land is usually free of ice during summer. However ocean waves and swell must always be considered if the pack ice off the coast is thin and does not form a natural shelter. During spring and summer the bird life along this coast is varied and abundant. In the fjords the waters are calm with alternating indented coastlines, vertical glaciers and alpine cliffs. In winter and spring the conditions for dog sledging along the outer coast and in the fjords are generally good. The dog sledge route from the village meanders through valleys and over glaciers, across land and down into Lille Fjord all the way to the outer coast. Along Liverpool Land’s outer coast there are a few simple hunters’ huts, which we are allowed to use during our dog sledge journeys. The route back is most often through Hurry Fjord which offers a complete change of scenery and good views of Jameson Land. In April and May seals can frequently be spotted as they are relaxing on the ice and it is not unusual to see a polar bear. With the arrival of migrating birds the local people rejoice that spring is in the air. Old and young celebrate the long daylight and sun by going camping and hunting to the ice edge, or engaging in other outdoor activities, which give one strength and health.
Day 1.
Arrival at Constable Point airport (CNP). Shortly after, the helicopter will leave from CNP to Ittoqqortoormiit. A representative of the guesthouse will meet you at the helipad and escort you to the guesthouse. After settling in, all participants are going to meet at the conference hall. There you will be equipped with suits for the sledge journey, boots, sleeping bags as well as sleeping mattresses. We will go over the route on the map and talk about the routines on the journey. You will also have the opportunity to buy last-minute gear, like chemical hand warmers, knifes, head lamps etc.
Day 2.
You will be picked up at the guesthouse in the morning and escorted to the sledges where the guides await us. (Any luggage you do not want to bring on the trip can be stored at our office.) The sledges will be prepared, and the dogs will be put in front of the sledges, anxious to get started. Every day the trip will start a bit dramatically, since the dogs are very impatient in the mornings – especially on this first day of the journey. We will start out on the fjord ice and head for Kap Hope which is one of the two deserted villages in the area. At Kap Hope we will make a short stopover, which gives you time to take a look at the village. Afterwards, we continue on the ice and turn into the mouth of Hurry Fjord. From here it is a nice, flat stretch to our first destination of the day. We will stop for lunch at Dom Brava. There is a small cabin that can give us shelter if it is windy. We will travel close to land, hoping to see ptarmigan and arctic hare. In May, chances are good to spot seals on the ice. We will camp in the hut “Gåsereden” (“The goose nest”) and prepare a meal, made of Greenlandic supplies.
Day 3.
Today we will experience one of the most beautiful parts of Liverpool Land. The stretch from “The goose nest” to the outer coast, via “Kalkdalen”, goes through a scenic landscape. In the valley we will pass two lakes and a hanging glacier. The valley gets narrower towards the outer coast, and the mountains are surrounding us higher. The sledging has some interesting moments, where the musher must control the dogs and our guest must hang on – don’t worry, it is good fun! We will be able to observe how the shape of the mountains is changing – from the plateau inland mountains to the pointed alpine mountains at the outer coast. On the sea ice in Horsens Fjord we will stop at a hole in the ice, created by warm streams under the sea surface. This place attracts birds and other wildlife, and it is a good place for a brake. We will camp in tents outside a hut at Kap Greg and spend the night in this extraordinary area.
Day 4.
Our destination today are the two huts at Kap Høegh. Our first stop will be the huge glacier front at “Emanuel Glacier”. As we move on, we will pass by high bird cliffs, inhabited from mid May. In this area we have the chance for observing seals on the ice and, maybe, if we are lucky, polar bears.
Day 5.
From Kap Høegh it is 35 km to town. We will follow the coast line southwards until we reach Lillefjord. At Lillefjord we stop at a small cabin and eat lunch before we continue. As the dogs takes us up along the glacier to the land leading us home, we leave the sea ice behind us for the last time on this journey. From top we will have a great view over the area, before the sledges go fast down towards Ittoqqortoormiit and enter the town via the frozen river delta. Now, a hot shower is within reach!
Day 6.
An employee of the guesthouse will take your luggage to check in. Shortly after, the helicopter leaves for Constable Point. Departure with the scheduled flight from CNP to Reykjavik Iceland.
