ARCTIC CIRCLE TRAIL

Ultimate hiking in Greenland


Length

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From the Inland Ice

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Ascent

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Decent

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  • indland ice

    INLAND ICE TO KANGERLUSSUAQ

    From Inland ice37 km.
    From Russel25 km.
    TypeGravel Road

  • Hundesø

    KANGERLUSSUAQ TO HUNDESØ

    Length25 km.
    Ascent425 m.
    Descent328 m.

  • Qarlissuit

    HUNDESØ TO KATIFFIK

    Length20 Km.
    Ascent238 m.
    Descent310 m.

  • Amitsorsuaq

    KATIFFIK TO CANOE CENTER

    Length20 Km.
    Ascent350 m.
    Descent350 m.

  • Tasersuaq

    CANOE CENTER TO IKKATTOOQ

    Length22 Km.
    Ascent454 m.
    Decent224 m.

  • Oles lakse elv

    IKKATTOOQ TO EQALUGAARNIARFIK

    Length11 Km.
    Ascent208 m.
    Decent383 m.

  • Eqalugaarniarfik

    EQALUGAARNIARFIK TO INNAJUATTOQ

    Length19 Km.
    Ascent437 m.
    Decent303 m.

  • Nerumaq

    INNAJUATTOQ TO NERUMAQ

    Length16 Km.
    Ascent329 m.
    Decent440 m.

  • Nerumaq

    NERUMAQ TO KANGERLUARSUK

    Length17 Km.
    Ascent226 m.
    Decent262 m.

  • Sisimiut

    KANGERLUARSUK TULLEQ TO SISIMIUT

    Length20 Km.
    Ascent589 m.
    Decent702 m.

Useful Information

Calendar

Winter - The route is only available for snowmobiles or ski tourists. Short days, very cold, but the northern lights are visible.
Hiking Season - The midnight sun means long walking days, but temperatures can fluctuate and flies and mosquitoes can be a problem during the day.
Shoulder month - A good time to avoid the majority of hikers and the biting insects. But it can be cold at night.


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  • Health and security

    In summer (hiking season) the weather can change quickly, so bring both sunscreen and insect repellent.
    Polar bears are not usually seen as far to the south, but be very careful when crossing rivers. Loosen the hip belt on your backpack and remove one shoulder in case you need to drop it quickly. Use walking rods to cross; Wearing a pair of Crocs or water shoes can help.

  • Get there

    To fly to Greenland you must either via Denmark or Iceland. Be warned that flights in and out of Sisimiut can be canceled and delayed if the weather is bad. Flights to and from Kangerlussuaq are more reliable.

  • Get around

    There are no roads from Sisimiut or Kangerlussuaq, so there is no point in renting a car. Supermarkets and museums within walking reach.
    For the ice cap in Kangerlussuaq, it is recommended to take an arranged tour as it is on a gravel road and special vehicles are required.

  • Hiking on the trail

    The Arctic Circle Trail takes eight to ten days to hike. It is beautiful, but wild and remote. There are red semicircle markers on guards to help guide you, but you need to bring along cards as confusion is possible in some places, especially in bad weather.
    Be sure to tell a manager when you expect to arrive in Sisimiut or Kangerlussuaq so they can alert you if you don't show up - you may want to consider renting a satellite phone as an additional security or emergency locator. It is also recommended that you write in the guestbooks in the cabins so that there is a dated record of your whereabouts.
    Be prepared that if the weather changes, it may be a good idea to wait for better weather in one of the cabins, so always bring more food than you need and include a few extra rest days in your plan.

  • Accommodation

    In Kangerlussuaq, Hotel Kangerlussuaq, located on the first floor of the terminal, is an easy choice. There are also Polar Logde, Old Camp and Hostel. Camping is also a cheap option.
    All cabins (not privately owned) on the route are free to use, but you must be self-sufficient and take a tent if there is no space. Some have toilets; others do not, so you will have to dig a hole and follow the "Leave No Trace" rules.
    In Sisimiut near the harbor there is the Sømanshjemmet (Sailor's Home), which also has an on-site cafeteria for dinner and breakfast. In addition to it, you have Hotel Sisimiut and Hostel.

  • Food and drink

    Limited - and expensive - supplies can be purchased in Kangerlussuaq, so bring your own camping meals and snacks. For camping stove fuel, don’t assume you can find what you want. All food has flown in, so expect frozen meals reheated, hot dogs and some fish.

  • May and June

    The month of May will certainly have snow on part of the route. June may have snow on the route close to Sisimiut. Therefore, it can be a wet pleasure to go hiking during these months.

  • Midnight Sun

    There is midnight sun in summer (from early June to mid-July), and in winter it gets dark almost around the clock. However, not decidedly dark time, where the sun does not reach above the horizon, as further north in Greenland.

  • Communication

    There is no mobile coverage during the trip. Therefore, we would not advise anyone to go on the trip without a satellite phone or at least an emergency transmitter of some kind.

  • Charging mobile, gps and more

    It is possible to charge your mobile phones, satellite phone, or GPS in the canoe center hut. It is ordinary socket (Schuko socket), and not usb.

Population: 56,562 (1.1.2022)
Population density: 0.026/km2

Natural landscape from another world

Get up close to a strange kingdom of ice and snow

The Greenlanders call their country "The Land of the People"

ATV Track

ATV Track

Red route is the normal ACT route. Blue route is the southern route. Green route is the ATV track.

The ATV track runs north of the ACT most of the route. If you want to hike most of the route around the ATV track, you can take the southern route from the Eqalugaarniarfik hut.