Dogsledding & skiing the Ultimate Thule
Northwest Greenland - Land of the Polar Inuit
Explore a wild corner of the fascinating Thule district in northwestern Greenland on our dog sledding expeditions at Latitude 77° N. These trips expose outstanding wilderness scenery and are alive with the Arctic's last stronghold of truly traditional people, the Inughuit, or Polar Inuit. Inuit are a traditional hunting society living in a manner unheard of elsewhere in today's Arctic. They feed their families from the land, hunt Narwhal by kayak and harpoon, and in winter travel entirely by dog team, having banned the use of ski-doos due to noise and exhaust fumes. Our expeditions offer a window to a bygone era, a glimpse into a hunting culture a thousand years old.
"I can still close my eyes at my desk when I am most harried and recapture the isolated and stark beauty of this region as well as the quality of light at different times of a 24-hour day."
- Carol Gibson - Vancouver, B.C.
Ultimate Thule - Explore the World's Largest Polynya
Join us this spring on the Ultimate Thule trip that travels by dog sled or by skis with the Inughuit people in the Thule District. The ice edge is a dynamic phenomenon in the Arctic-a place of incredible biological productivity.
Our trip offers the ultimate experience: travelling with the Arctic's most traditional hunters to the edge of the world's largest polynya (an ocean area free of sea ice). Here, the warmer spring temperatures and the 24-hour sunlight of late April mark the arrival of hundreds of thousands of seabirds, including Thick-billed murres, Northern fulmars, Common eiders, and Little auks or Dovekies. We observe all of these species both at the ice edge and at breathtaking sea bird colonies along our passage. We may see Walrus, Muskox or Caribou, while Bearded and Harp seals also frequent the sea ice realm. Subsistence hunters set up their camps along the sea ice during this time of year, hunting seals and netting sea birds.
The scenery is outstanding-a dramatic landscape of icebergs frozen in place and back dropped by mountain cliffs that rim the massive bulk of the inland icecap. All of this, coupled with the fabulous learning experience as we see first hand a society that has changed very little over the last centuries, makes this adventure an unparalleled opportunity not to be missed.
Highlights
- The best of the High Arctic in scenery, culture and wildlife
- Camp on shore of the world's largest polynya
- View seabirds, seals, narwhal and walrus amid towering icebergs
- Spectacular hikes to cliff-nesting seabird colonies
- Travel by dogsled with the Inughuit, the Arctic's most traditional hunters
- Visit to world's northernmost settlements
Trip Details
- 15-day trip begins and finishes in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada
- Trip includes flight from Resolute to Qaanaaq, Greenland
- All hotels and meals
- 10 days camping and travelling by dogsled or with skis along the sea ice and polar icecap of NW Greenland
- Visit 4 Inuit villages
Itinerary-in-Brief
More information about this trip is available in our in-depth Trip Information Package. Please contact our office to receive these detailed materials.
Day 1: The group flies north from Ottawa on First Air. On Day 2 (weather permitting), we will board a chartered Twin Otter for the flight over to Qannaaq, Greenland.
Days 3-12: Ice conditions permitting, we will travel from our drop-off site towards Inglefield land. Our direction of travel each day will be governed by such factors as wind, ice and wildlife. We will spend time sitting on the ice edge watching marine mammals and sea birds out in the ice edge and at several seabird colonies, and we plan to spend time with the Polar Inuit hunters and their families, watching these remarkable people in action and sharing tea with some of them when we visit their camps. Weíll travel amongst a myriad of picturesque icebergs, and will have time to explore inland when we travel over parts of the Greenland icecap. Throughout the course of the trip your guides will provide informal commentary on the flora, geology, birdlife, and geographical features of the High Arctic.
Day 13: The dogsled trip will finish in Inglefield Land (Trip # 1) or Qaanaaq (Trip # 2).
Days 14-15: Day 14 we will fly to Grise Fiord on Ellesmere Island to overnight. On Day 15 we fly to Resolute Bay to connect with the First Air flight southbound to Ottawa.
Inclusive Services
- the services of two fully qualified expedition guides
- all group equipment including dog team and local guide; we provide all special group equipment
- air transportation between Ottawa and Iqaluit
- air charter transportation between Iqaluit and Greenland
- skies and ski poles which have been requested beforehand
- all hotel accomodation and meals listed in the itinerary from Day 1 to Breakfast Day 12
Non-Inclusive Services
- transportation between Ottawa and your home
- personal belongings and gear as per ‘Clothing and Equipment List’
- any extra expenses incurred because of delayed departures of chartered or scheduled aircraft, including accommodation and/or meals needed in Ottawa, Iqaluit and Qaanaaq, Greenland
- gratuities for locals and guides
