South Greenland: Qaqortoq, Norse Ruins and Ice Fjords

1. Day 1: Arrive in Qaqortoq

   Qaqortoq Airport (JJU) to a guesthouse or small hotel in Qaqortoq

   • Meals on your own
   • Stay in Qaqortoq
   Day 1 details

   Fly into Qaqortoq Airport, which has opened, according to a Visit Greenland trade release dated 16 April 2026, as the primary access point to South Greenland in place of Narsarsuaq. Air Greenland has published connections from Copenhagen through Nuuk, and the Visit Greenland release reports about two daily Nuuk to Qaqortoq flights; Visit Greenland also reports that Icelandair plans summer Keflavik flights, not confirmed; we confirm the actual 2027 timetable before any flight is booked. A transfer takes you into town and the rest of the afternoon is yours to settle in. In the evening your guide, once appointed, briefs the group on how the trip works: no roads join the settlements, so each leg is by boat or helicopter, weather can move any of them by hours or a day, and accommodation is simple. Bring layers, waterproofs and insect repellent.

   Included

   • Airport transfer
   • Group briefing

   Free time: Free until the evening briefing

   

2. Day 2: Qaqortoq and the Stone and Man project

   Qaqortoq old town, harbour and the Stone and Man sculptures

   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Qaqortoq
   Day 2 details

   Qaqortoq is reportedly the largest town in South Greenland, with coloured wooden houses climbing bare rock above a working harbour. We plan a guided walk through the old town and the Stone and Man project, which Visit Greenland describes as about 40 sculptures, many carved directly into rock faces, begun in the mid-1990s. The Qaqortoq Museum sits in the oldest building on the main square, and the old square has a fountain. Opening hours and fees are not yet checked, so the afternoon is left free for the museum, a harbour walk or the local craft shop. Footpaths are steep and wet after rain, so footwear with grip matters. Today is also a weather buffer for the days ahead.

   Included

   • Guided walk in Qaqortoq
   • Stone and Man sculpture trail

   Optional experiences

   • Museum entry (fee to confirm)

   Easier option: Stay on the harbour level and the main square

   More active option: Climb to the viewpoints above town

   Free time: Free afternoon

   Activity: Museum and shop opening hours and fees not checked.

   

3. Day 3: Hvalsey church by boat

   Qaqortoq to Hvalsey Fjord and back

   • By boat
   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Qaqortoq
   Day 3 details

   Today we plan a boat trip out of Qaqortoq to Hvalsey, where the walls of a Norse church stand beside a fjord. Visit Greenland lists day trips from Qaqortoq to Hvalsey Church and a farm site nearby, with 15 ruins in total, and names sailing as the main way to explore. We walk the site with a guide and talk about what is known, and what is still argued, about why the Norse settlements ended. The excursion depends on a local operator, on wind and on sea state, so it may swap with day 2 or be replaced by another outing near town. Bring a warm layer, since it is cooler on the water than in town.

   Included

   • Boat excursion to Hvalsey (operator to be quoted)
   • Guided visit to the church ruins

   Easier option: If the boat does not sail, a slower day in Qaqortoq

   Free time: Back in Qaqortoq mid-afternoon (timing depends on the boat)

   Activity: Boat operator, price and season not confirmed.

4. Day 4: Qaqortoq to Narsaq

   Qaqortoq to Narsaq by helicopter (or boat), then Narsaq on foot

   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Narsaq
   Day 4 details

   We move on to Narsaq. The published helicopter contract, which started on 16 April 2026 and runs for one year, describes a year-round Qaqortoq to Narsaq service with up to two daily return flights on weekdays; a public tender is planned for later years, so the 2027 service is to be confirmed. A boat alternative is to be checked, and weather can delay either. Narsaq is a small fishing and farming town on its fjord, and we walk the harbour and town with a local guide and learn how fish and lamb shape local life. The evening is free. Helicopter baggage allowances are small, so pack a soft bag and plan to leave any heavy case with the guesthouse. Ask us about luggage handling when you enquire.

   Included

   • Helicopter or boat transfer (operator to be quoted)
   • Guided walk in Narsaq

   More active option: A short hill walk above town

   Free time: Free evening

   Activity: Helicopter baggage limit and seat availability unconfirmed.

   

5. Day 5: Narsaq to Narsarsuaq and the Flower Valley

   Narsaq to Narsarsuaq, then a day walk in the Flower Valley

   • By boat
   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Narsarsuaq
   Day 5 details

   We cross to Narsarsuaq by boat, since a published 2026 boat price list shows a Narsaq to Narsarsuaq route, subject to the operator's calendar. Narsarsuaq reportedly began as an airbase settlement and has been replaced as the gateway by the new airport. In the afternoon we plan the marked glacier-viewpoint walk Visit Greenland calls the blue route, which passes through the hospital valley and the Flower Valley to a lookout over the glacier; the ice sheet itself lies roughly 6 km away. Exact time and surface are not confirmed, and stream crossings and mud need a guide's judgement. The walk ends at the viewpoint: nothing in this plan promises contact with glacier ice, and the Government of Canada advises that a special permit is needed to explore glaciers.

   Included

   • Boat transfer Narsaq to Narsarsuaq (operator to be quoted)
   • Guided glacier-viewpoint walk through the Flower Valley

   Optional experiences

   • Narsarsuaq museum (opening hours not checked)

   Easier option: Walk the first section of the valley only

   More active option: A longer section of the same walk, if the guide judges conditions suitable

   Free time: Quiet evening

   Activity: Walking time and distance to be confirmed with the local guide.

   

6. Day 6: Qassiarsuk and Brattahlid by boat

   Narsarsuaq to Qassiarsuk by boat; Brattahlid walk

   • By boat
   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Qassiarsuk
   Day 6 details

   A short boat crosses Tunulliarfik fjord to Qassiarsuk, the former Brattahlid, which Visit Greenland describes as the home of Erik the Red and part of the UNESCO Kujataa landscape. Norse ruins remain in the pasture, including a church, stables and a hall, and the village also has a reconstructed Norse longhouse and a reconstruction of Tjodhilde's Church. We walk the site with a guide and hear the saga account beside the archaeological record. The modern village dates from 1924. We stay the night here. Visit Greenland recommends June to September for sailing and hiking, and wind or ice can delay crossings. Accommodation is expected to be simple and meals may be limited. Bring snacks if you have special dietary needs.

   Included

   • Boat Narsarsuaq to Qassiarsuk (operator to be quoted)
   • Guided Brattahlid visit

   Optional experiences

   • A walk along the dirt road from the village (distance and time to be confirmed)

   Easier option: Stay at the farm site

   More active option: Walk the dirt road from the village

   Free time: Evening on the farm

   Activity: Qassiarsuk guesthouse capacity for a group of 7 to 12 not confirmed.

   

7. Day 7: Qassiarsuk to Igaliku

   Qassiarsuk to Igaliku by boat and a short walk on the King's Road

   • By boat
   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Igaliku
   Day 7 details

   Today we travel to Igaliku, the Norse bishops' seat of Gardar. Visit Greenland describes the usual route as a boat transfer to Itilleq followed by a 4 km walk on a gravel track called the King's Road, and says a direct boat to Igaliku harbour is sometimes possible, so the leg is conditional on the operator, tides and weather. Igaliku is a sheep-farming village at the far end of its fjord, beside the Gardar remains, which include the Norse cathedral, the bishop's residence and a farm with stables for about 100 cows. We drop bags at the guesthouse and walk the ruins and pastures. Walkers carry day packs; baggage may travel separately. Pack a light rain layer in your day bag.

   Included

   • Boat transfer to Itilleq or Igaliku (operator to be quoted)
   • Guided walk on the King's Road
   • Gardar ruins visit

   Easier option: Take the vehicle or boat option if available for bags and walk only the last section

   More active option: Walk the full King's Road

   Free time: Evening at the farm

   Activity: Route and operator for this leg not confirmed.

8. Day 8: A day around Igaliku

   Igaliku: Gardar, the pastures and a choice of walks

   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Igaliku
   Day 8 details

   A full day with no transfer to catch. Visit Greenland lists marked trails from the edge of the village: a red route to a lookout over icebergs in Tunulliarfik fjord and the Qooroq glacier, a yellow route past waterfalls, and a green route to the summit of Nuuluk. The guide picks one to suit weather and energy, and whether icebergs are present depends on the day. We spend time at Gardar, where Norse bishops had their seat from around 1100, and a Kujataa information guide is reported to work in the village church in summer. Paths can be boggy and steep, and visitors are asked to keep off the farmers' grass fields. This day also works as a weather buffer if an earlier transfer ran late.

   Included

   • Guided Gardar ruins visit
   • A guided half-day walk

   Optional experiences

   • Nuuluk summit or the Qooroq lookout walk (guide's decision; not guaranteed; permit position to be checked)

   Easier option: Village and ruins only

   More active option: Nuuluk summit hike (permit position to be checked)

   Free time: Free time at the farm

   Activity: Walks vary by weather; none is guaranteed.

   

9. Day 9: Return to Qaqortoq

   Igaliku to Qaqortoq by boat or helicopter

   • By boat
   • Breakfast
   • Stay in Qaqortoq
   Day 9 details

   We return to Qaqortoq and sleep close to the airport on purpose. A 2026 boat price list shows a Qaqortoq to Igaliku route, so the leg is to be confirmed, because the current operator is withdrawing and no timetable is published; a late or cancelled leg would eat into this day, which is why nothing else is planned and the final night sits in town with the flights. If the transfer is on time you have the afternoon for local crafts and wool, the museum if you missed it, or the harbour. A farewell dinner can be arranged at extra cost. Weather is the main reason for the buffer: delays are normal, and we build the route around them.

   Included

   • Transfer to Qaqortoq (to be confirmed)

   Optional experiences

   • Farewell dinner (not included)

   Free time: Afternoon free

   Activity: If the transfer slips, the free afternoon is lost first.

10. Day 10: Departure from Qaqortoq

    Qaqortoq to Qaqortoq Airport (JJU)

    • Breakfast
    Day 10 details

    Breakfast is planned at your guesthouse, followed by a transfer to Qaqortoq Airport for your onward flight to Nuuk and Copenhagen or, if the seasonal service is running, to Keflavik. The flight schedule decides the time, so do not book onward international flights until the airport arrival window is agreed. If you connect through Nuuk or Keflavik to a transatlantic flight, leave a generous margin, because a delayed or cancelled domestic flight in Greenland is not unusual and an airline may not rebook you the same day. Extra nights in Qaqortoq are not included and would need a separate quote. Please carry medicines, passports and valuables in hand luggage. If you would like a few extra days in Greenland or Iceland before heading home, tell us in your enquiry and we will quote them separately.

    Included

    • Airport transfer

Wildlife and weather: June to September daytime temperatures are typically in the single digits to low teens Celsius, with wind, fog and rain possible on any day. Midges are worst in calm, warm weather. Icebergs, whales and clear weather cannot be guaranteed, and nothing in this plan promises contact with glacier ice.

• Qaqortoq3 nights
• Narsaq1 night
• Narsarsuaq1 night
• Qassiarsuk1 night
• Igaliku2 nights
• Qaqortoq1 night