offers unusual geology and colorful landscapes, with particularly lush vegetation. More than half of Greenland’s plant species are found here, tucked between columns of basalt rock and black sand beaches littered with ice fragments. In town, you don’t want to miss Qeqertarsuaq’s Vorherres Bleaekhus, which hosts musical performances by resident artists. Local guides will also lead walking tours to visit the church, Qeqertarsuaq’s shopping area and businesses, and the local museum. If time and weather permit, there’s the chance of an extended hike to the incredible basalt columns 10 km down the coast. This hike isn’t for the faint of heart. ILULISSAT Ilulissat (formerly Jakobshaven) lies approximately 350 km north of the Arctic Circle. With a population of over 4500, it is the third-largest city in Greenland, after Nuuk and Sisimiut. Founded by Danish trader Jacob Saverin as a trading post in 1741, Ilulissat today is a center for shrimp-fishing in the region. Directly translated, “Ilulissat” is the Kalaallisut word for “icebergs.” The town is
situated 2 km north of the legendary Ice Fjord, through which colossal icebergs travel out to sea. Ilulissat is also the birthplace of noted polar explorer and anthropologist Knud Rasmussen, Greenland’s revered native son. You’ll be able to enter the house where he was born in 1879 as it’s now a small museum dedicated to his achievements. From 1906 until the early 1930s, Kununnguaq, or “Little Knud,” devoted his life to Arctic studies. His greatest achievements included the Danish Ethnographical Expedition to Arctic North America, also known as the Fifth Thule Expedition, which enabled Rasmussen and his team to take archaeological, geographical and natural history data from Greenland right across the North American Arctic. SISIMIUT Sisimiut is located just above the Arctic Circle on the west coast of Greenland, approximately 320 km north of Nuuk. The second-largest city in Greenland, Sisimiut has been inhabited for thousands of years. It’s a city of contrasts: in a single day you can walk in the footsteps (and observe the
homes) of prehistoric peoples, and next you’ll visit one of Sisimiut’s fashionable craft stores where you can purchase art that combines traditional and modern techniques. Sisimiut means “the residents at the foxholes.” The site has been inhabited for the last 4500 years, first by peoples of the Saqqaq culture, then Dorset culture, and then the Thule people, whose Inuit descendants form the majority of the current population. ITILLEQ Surrounded by sea and mountains, Itilleq is situated about a mile (2 km) above the Arctic Circle, in a scenic hollow on a small island. It’s also known as a welcoming community, where you might experience kaffemik, a Greenlandic tradition of inviting visitors in for coffee, cakes and conversation. Stroll by the town’s charming wooden houses which are painted in a rainbow of colors, chat with the locals, and maybe challenge them to a game of football (soccer)—it won’t be long before you’re experiencing Itilleq’s famous friendly vibe.
EXPEDITION SPIRIT Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your Expedition Team must consider the sea, the ice and the weather to guide the route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed. By the same token, wildlife encounters as described are expected, but not guaranteed. Your Expedition Team will use their considerable experience to seek out wildlife in known habitats, but the presence of any particular species of bird or marine wildlife is not a guarantee.
Call your Travel Professional or a Quark Polar Travel Adviser at 1.888.892.0073 | Visit QuarkExpeditions.com for additional details
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