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Uummannaq Fjord

600 km North of the Arctic Circle among massive glaciers during the midnight sun

By World Wild Places

October 9^th, 2018

Perlerfiup Kangerlua Glaciers

From Ilillissat, we flew to Qaarsut, where the boat picked us up and dropped us off on one of the peninsulas in the end of Uummannaq fjord, 600 km north of the Arctic Circle. It took us 15 days to get to Ikerasak, waiting the weather out to cross fjords and hiking to some stunning viewpoints along the way.

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

The main highlight of this area are massive glaciers going down to the fjords and the peninsulas connected to the Ice Cap. To me they felt like islands with water been all around them, in form of sea on one side, and in form of ice on the other. It is amazing to be able to walk “into the Ice Cap” when ice is all around you, glaciers underneath and you are still standing on the solid ground.

Uummannaq Fjord

The second highlight would be the midnight sun, something I have never experience before and enjoyed a lot.

You don’t need a torch and have don’t have to do certain things in the specific time of the day. Also, the sunset-sunrise light last for hours, so there is way more time to prepare, enjoy and take a photographs.

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

The Ilulissat Icefjord is the most productive glacier in the Northern Hemisphere, produsing enormous about of icebergs that sail and melt for a few years at Disco bay. The ones that escape the bay, drift with the current south to the Labrador and Newfoundland coast.

Disco bay

Disco bay

Disco bay

Disco bay

Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat Icefjord

Ilulissat

Disko Bay

Ilulissat

Ilulissat

Uummannaq Fjord

Qaarsut

Qaarsut

Qaarsut

Qaarsut

Landing in the end of Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Perlerfiup Kangerlua

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Perlerfiup Kangerlua Glaciers

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

We called that cliff the "Nouse"

Uummannaq Fjord

Waiting the wind out at fishing cabins

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Icebergs trap beach

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

On the other side of the fjord by the "Nouse" cliff

Uummannaq Fjord

''Into the Ice Cap''

Uummannaq Fjord

Edge line with theIce Cap

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Crossing wild valleys

Drygalski Halvo

There have been quite a lot of animals in the area and it was great to spot the whale from the plain while landing to Qaarsut and the other one next day right in the bay where we have been dropped of. I have find out that white hares do not change fur color and stay white during the summer, only the young ones are grey. So, the strategy to run and freeze does not really work that well and it is easy to spot. The arctic foxes do become dark for the summer and are not shy at all, one was digging something all night despite only a few meters away from our tents. Still it kept an eye on us and do not approach our staff, we were just a weird, impudent guests at its place.

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

View to Ikerasak Island

Uummannaq Fjord

This day, during the midnight sun, I decided to climb the mountain. It took me much longer than I was expected. I left after dinner and came back to the camp at 5:30 am. While I did not get enough sleep, the view and the climbing experience made me very happy that I did it.

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Uummannaq Fjord

Ikerasak, like most of the other Inuit towns in Greenland, lives of fishing. There many sled dogs here, that are patiently waiting for the winter to do there job and little puppies ares running everywhere around.

There have been some really strong winds right before we have to continue moving south. Because of this, the water passages south of the town where blocked by icebergs and we had to go all the way around the island to get to the other side of Uummannaq fjord to Nuussuaq Peninsula.

Ikerasak

Ikerasak

Probably not everyone would agree with me, but greenlandic homes have a very cosy feel to me, despite not meeting the standards of the western world.

The only car that has been spotted in Ikerasak

Ikerasak

Ikerasak

Footnotes

part 1/3

FootNotes

part 1/3

© 2026 World Wild Places

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