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Arctic Circle Trail — Greenland's unique wilderness

destination arctic circle (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Arctic Circle Trail — Greenland's unique wilderness

Hiking Collection by komoot

9

days

4-9 h

/ day

106 mi

9,050 ft

9,125 ft

The Arctic Circle Trail is a breathtaking journey through Greenland's nature. Green, mossy landscapes, deep blue lakes, rugged rocks, colorful lichen, ice and snow, polar rabbits, arctic fox, reindeer, and muskox. Through this tremendous diversity, you'll find a small hiking trail that is hiked by only about 300 adventurers a year. This is the Arctic Circle Trail.

Leave civilization behind and follow the call of the wilderness for one or two weeks. The quiet and the solitude — just you and your heartbeat. Enjoy one of the only places on earth you can truly experience the sound of silence, and enjoy a wonderful and lonesome adventure that'll lead you into a land of a thousand lakes, green valleys and the everlasting ice — while still carrying the feeling of summer. Greenland's beauty is so much more eclectic than you could ever imagine.

Under normal circumstances, you will need nine to eleven days to complete the hike. And even though most people hike it from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut, hiking in the other direction is possible as well. In fact, that is the route we've planned here, and you'll understand why as soon as you get to Amiitsorsuaq lake.

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The Arctic Circle Trail — Hiking from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut

104 mi

8,175 ft

8,200 ft

Last updated: November 26, 2021

Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.

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Tours & Highlights

  • Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Stage 1: Kangerlussuaq – into the wilderness

    05:38
    12.8 mi
    2.3 mph
    1,300 ft
    725 ft
    Expert
    Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Greenland's only inland city, the research city of Kangerlussuaq, with its airport, marks the start of the Arctic Circle Trail - or the end, whichever direction you come from. If you are already in the city, it is worthwhile to make a trip to the impressive inland ice - these are 25 kilometers, so rather

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  • 05:06
    11.9 mi
    2.3 mph
    625 ft
    825 ft
    Expert
    Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Today we want to cover a good 20 kilometers to the hut Katifik. The wide landscape is breathtaking. Around the middle of the trail we come to small lakes, where we meet other hikers who still camp here and soon make their way to Katifik. The Arctic Circle Trail is about to hike at your own pace anyway

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  • 04:55
    12.2 mi
    2.5 mph
    25 ft
    50 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    We were really looking forward to today. You can actually go canoeing over Lake Amiitsorsuaq - BUT only if you are lucky. The canoes are led by the hikers from the west side to the east side. This means that if only hikers come from the direction of Kangerlussuaq, the chances are bad that kayaks will

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  • 07:11
    13.6 mi
    1.9 mph
    1,375 ft
    675 ft
    Expert
    Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    We slept well in the spacious canoe center and today we continue to the Ikkattooq hut. Again impressed the vastness of the country and the barren mountains. We have a long view of the huge Tasersuaq Lake as we hike over the mountains. In the distance we see a higher elevation - the Pingu Hill. It stands

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  • 04:22
    9.43 mi
    2.2 mph
    1,250 ft
    1,150 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Today it goes steeply downhill into the Intinneq river valley. We follow this almost at sea level until we see the Maligiaq Fjord in the distance. Then it goes first 350 meters up, where we immediately look for a campground for the night.

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  • 04:03
    9.51 mi
    2.3 mph
    375 ft
    700 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    In the middle of the magnificent lakes, one of which appears bluer than the other, it wanders happily down into deeper realms. On the 6th day you are already a bit tired but you get used to running and, above all, the backpack is getting lighter and lighter. ;-) The Innajuattup hut is again a larger

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  • 04:39
    10.5 mi
    2.3 mph
    775 ft
    1,150 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    On the way to Nerumag, we finally saw what we have been waiting for so long: reindeer. Lots. We watched them for a long time - just impressive.

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  • 04:12
    9.88 mi
    2.4 mph
    425 ft
    550 ft
    Intermediate
    Intermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    From the hut Nerumag it goes downhill and we walk almost always on the same height remaining to the large fjord Kangerluarsuk. On the way, we treat ourselves to leisurely breaks, since today's day is relatively short and allows time to dawdle.

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  • 09:43
    16.0 mi
    1.7 mph
    2,900 ft
    3,350 ft
    Expert
    Expert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    From the fjord Kangerluarsuk it goes back up into the mountains and through the long valley to Sisimiut. Hard to believe, it's the last day. A long day at the end of which we also want to climb the Nasaasaaq. The moment you see the place Sisimuit is a real joy. After 9 days on the trail you want nothing

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Collection Stats

  • Tours
    9
  • Distance
    106 mi
  • Duration
    49:50 h
  • Elevation
    9,050 ft9,125 ft

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