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Ab muscles concept of trekking the longest waymarked trail in Greenland must conjure up images of endless ice-fields, marauding polar bears, desperate struggles for survival and large expense. The truth is, the Arctic Circle Trail supplies a fairly simple trek, provided it is approached with careful thought and planning. Overlook the huge ice-cap and polar bears, which are there if you would like them, such as the feature for the trail. Instead, give full attention to among the largest ice-free aspects of Greenland, between the airport terminal at Kangerlussuaq as well as the western seaboard at Sisimiut.

The Arctic Circle Trail is genuinely north in the Arctic Circle because of its entire length, so that in midsummer there isn’t any nightfall, but for the brief summertime ordinary trekkers can enjoy the wild and desolate tundra by just following stone-built cairns. Bearing in mind that there are absolutely nowhere you can get provisions on the way, for over 100 miles (160km), hard part is usually to be ruthless when packing food and all the kit you should stay alive. Water is clean, fresh, plentiful and freely available. Should you bring your entire food to Greenland and limit your spending, the way might be completed on a tight budget. Detailed maps and guidebooks can be obtained.

Some trekkers burden themselves with huge and packs, which require great effort to handle, which experts claim means carrying lots of food to stoke up with extra calories. Think light and pack light. There are many basic wooden huts at intervals on the way, offering four walls, a roof covering, and bunks for between four and 24 trekkers. They’re not staffed, can not be pre-booked, and gives no facilities aside from shelter. In case you use a tent, you’ll be able to pitch it anywhere that suits you, subject only to the type with the terrain along with the prevailing weather.

Generally, the next thunderstorm arises from two directions – east and west. An easterly breeze, coming off of the ice-cap, is cool and also dry. A westerly breeze, coming over sea, will bring cloud as well as a way of measuring rain. It’s not going to snow inside the short summer time, mid-June to mid-September, as well as the remaining time, varying numbers of snow and ice will handle the way, as well as in the centre of winter it’ll be dark continuously and temperatures will plummet far, far below freezing for months at a stretch.

The airport terminal at Kangerlussuaq enjoys around 300 clear-sky days each year, and so the weather needs to be good, as well as the trail starts by using an easy tarmac and dirt road. Past the research station at Kellyville, the path is only a narrow path across empty tundra dotted with lakes. If you intend to steer from hut to hut, then a route will require maybe nine days, unless stages are doubled-up. Employing a tent offers greater flexibility, and some trekkers complete the path within a week. Huts are situated at Hundeso, Katiffik, The Canoe Centre, Ikkattook, Eqalugaarniarfik, Innajuattok, Nerumaq and Kangerluarsuk Tulleq. Youth hostels and hotels are placed on the terminal points of Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut.

You will find the substitute for work with a free kayak to paddle for hours on end down the large lake of Amitsorsuaq, rather than walk along its shore. There are only a handful of kayaks, and if all are moored with the ‘wrong’ end in the lake, then walking is the only option. The path is usually low-lying, below 500ft (150m), but climbs on occasions over 1300ft (400m), notably around Ikkattook, Iluliumanersuup Portornga and Qerrortusuk Majoriaa. There are a handful of river crossings whose difficulty depends on melt-water and rainfall. They are difficult early in the season, but much easier to ford later. The most important river, Ole’s Lakseelv, features a footbridge if neccessary.

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