100km Expedition in Greenland

I read the itinerary weeks before we left. And didn’t it read it again to allow everything to be a surprise. And it did not disappoint. The boat rides, the kayaking. The camping. The hostel. The city. The bar. Even the weather. Beautiful days of sunshine and then a major storm and flooding of the tents. I loved every single second.

The group I was with was amazing. The guides fantastic.

We set alarms for the northern lights and got to see them twice in Greenland. As well as whales and seals and a fox.

The glacier and the ice breathtaking.

I went end of August and it was perfect for temperatures, volume of daylight and night, and the midgies weren’t too bad. We got told earlier in the year they swarm. Later in the year it’s a lot colder.

With considerable flight disruption at both ends of the holiday, the overall experience was significantly affected. The main body of the holiday was far shorter than we, as a group, expected, and certainly not 100km of kayaking as advertised. While what we did manage to experience was fantastic, there was a lot of waiting around and uncertainty with the flights and the accommodation provided by Icelandair. We later learnt this was quite normal, but expectations should have been better managed.

Being sent early to Narsaruaq for our return flight meant we also lost the chance to enjoy the town before leaving, and it felt rather rushed. This was only to be caught needing emergency accommodation once again with the flight out being cancelled too. I now need to claim back on insurance and lost an additional day of leave at work. It was ultimately disappointing that for so much time spent there, only a small portion of our trip happened.

We absolutely loved our time in Greenland however the week definitely didn’t go as hoped or expected. Our flight was cancelled two days in a row ( something that we have since learnt is a regular occurrence) on the way out. We stayed in the hostel the first night as expected (although 48hrs late) then onto the rib at 8 am to get to the start point to start kayaking only to be told that it was too windy to actually do what we were supposed to be doing. After unpacking and setting up camp we convinced our amazing guide (Daniella) to let us kayak just around the bay as we were all itching to get out onto the water. After an hour we came in for lunch then we were allowed another hour. The following day was a full day that was absolutely fantastic! We set up camp again that was going to be for two nights to avoid the packing and unpacking situation. The next morning we were told that the plan had changed and we had to move camp. This does take a lot of time and effort ( about 2 hrs and the beginning and end of each day). Off we went again and had a great full day, kayaked next to a whale, saw the glacier then camped opposite the glacier. The site was stunning. Again we were told we would be here for two nights. Once again in the morning we were told that the plan had changed. We had to pack up ready to board the rib as the wind was going to be getting up and we were going to have to head back to the hostel then the airport hotel a day early as the boat wouldn’t be able to go the following day as it should have. We had a great morning hiking on the glacier then the rib took us back to the hostel via the glacier for a closer view. We unpacked yet again then did another rib ride to the airport hotel that we we were being put up in. This really did feel like a disappointment. Our trip was essentially cut short by 3 full days. We then had 24 hours in the airport hotel to fund our lunch and dinner ( about £100) only to see that the flight was then cancelled. So yet another night in the airport hotel. In all 4 extra nights in airport hotels. So a real mix of emotions about this trip. Greenland was wonderful as was our guide. Also the group were fabulous and such fun. I understand that they have to cope with what the weather throws at them but I can’t help but be disappointed that our 6/7 day kayaking trip turned into 3. It didn’t feel like great value for money. I rated the difficulty level as harder than expected but this is because of the setting up camp and de camping /lifting boats rather than the actual adventure days. Again I gave the itinerary rating a 3 out of 5 but this is only because we got to do half of it. Had we had the full itinerary I’m sure it would have been a 5 out of 5. I gave 2 out of 5 for value as our trip was essentially curtailed but had we had the full trip I would have given it 4. I would definitely recommend going to Greenland but please be prepared for a lot of unplanned changes and airport hotels. We have tried to contact MBA twice about this and as yet no response.

Amazing trip, well planned out from our tour guides to make the most of the experience with the weather. The food was great, we were never hungry. The kayaking and hiking was easy for anyone with a good level of fitness. Amazing scenery and in the proper wilderness of Southern Greenland.

Beautiful place, we had such a good time. We did unfortunately have a shortened trip because of being unable to land in Greenland due to weather so there was a big snafu and we stayed in Iceland in various hotels for a few days. The only reason I give it a 4/5 is because it seems that happened frequently from Iceland to Greenland and I felt neither icelandair nor MBA had a plan for what to do if that happens. But Greenland and the guides and the group were great. Such good memories and good people.

If you’re looking for an off the grid adventure in the arctic, this is it! Our trip was cut short, due to the inability to land the plane in Greenland, which added to the “remoteness” of the journey. The guides, Herman and Krista were top notch and had our safety as a priority. I highly recommend the food at “Teepee Restaurant”. BYO adult beverages and pack a good book - although tempting, it was too windy to sit out in the elements all night. Listening to the cracking icebergs in the howling wind was amazing in the tent.

Greenland is incredibly beautiful and we had an amazing adventure week paddling in the fijords around the icebergs, with dolphins and seals. Paddling with the whales was definitely our highlight.

This was an incredible journey in an incredible country brought to life by excellent guides. A real wilderness adventure. It's quite difficult to describe without sounding over the top. We stood on the Greenland icesheet. We saw humpback whales from our campsite. We swam amongst icebergs. We were entirely self sufficient for six days as we paddled between breath taking locations around the fjords. It's a physically demanding trip, but the rewards are worth the effort. Well organised by Much Better Adventures, and the in-country guide company were superb. I would recommend this trip, and seeing this spectacular landscape before it's gone.

My daughter and I enjoyed a tremendous journey through Greenland’s epic landscape. Life is all about making great memories and this trip certainly achieved this!!!

We had an amazing time kayaking the Greenland fjords. It was tiring but very rewarding. Recommendation is to take some long-sleeve thin layers in addition to thermals - it can get quite hot in the dry suits on a sunny day!

Greenland is incredibly beautiful, and we had so many unforgettable experiences: kayaking between icebergs through the fjords, being cozy in our sleeping bags at night while hearing the glacier nearby breaking apart, and hiking through stunning scenery. Our guides Pablo and Iñigo were both very knowledgeable and fun to hang out with, and the other travelers on our trip were lovely!

A couple things to note: the Challenging rating of this trip is real. We kayaked up to 5-6hrs/day with minimal breaks, and it's definitely quite hard even if you're in good shape. Personally I was looking for a challenge, and was happy with this.

It would have also been nice to know that flights between Iceland and Greenland can often have serious delays/cancellations. Our flight there was delayed by 24hrs, and we fortunately didn't have delays getting home, but it's worth considering to save 1-2 days buffer at the end of your trip in case you get stuck in Greenland.

I only rate 4 instead of 5 because the pacing of the trip could use improvement -- the first couple days felt very rushed, while the last 24-36hrs had no official plans. Overall, highly recommend this trip!

A few things to comment on here, just to help anyone considering this holiday:

• the flight from Iceland is regularly delayed or cancelled, due to weather conditions in Greenland. On our way out it was delayed by 24 hours. We got back ok, but I notice the following week it was also cancelled for at least a day. Icelandair advised us that this is a fairly regular occurrence on this route. As a result, some of our group decided not to go on Day 2. So you need to be very flexible in your approach and be prepared to lose a day's holiday. Tasermiut said we ended up doing the same itinerary just in one day less. That meant the first day was pretty intense. Be prepared!
• you will most certainly be with people who booked via other tour companies (more than what MBA refer to as "from time to time", probably every time). MBA outsource the delivery of this trip to a local Greenland company called Tasermiut. They were very good, locally. You can book directly with them, as an alternative or with Greenland Tours.
• the hostel is not twin rooms, you can be in a room with up to 6 people. there is a lot of physical effort required for the holiday. My friend and I were much older than anyone else on the trip. The marketing material says Challenging, and imposes no upper age limit, but I think it needs to be more specific. You move your own luggage, and others, via multiple human chains during the trip, you are carrying extremely heavy kayaks up from the water, sometimes over very slippery ground. The glacier hike is treacherous in many places, especially if its a wet day.
• the kit list needs to be reviewed in some detail. We duly bought everything on the list, but some items were not needed, eg head torch, eg all the different types of gloves.
• Greenland is amazing, the views are amazing, it is a great experience, but you really need to go into it with your eyes wide open! Enjoy!!!!

Absolutely loved it!! Trip off a lifetime and if you’re thinking about it!! DO IT!! You’ll not regret it

The trip was amazing from seeing the northern lights to getting into a kayak into one of the most remote places I’ve ever experienced the guides Ruben an Francisco where absolutely great and the group also full of great people the highlight for me was walking across a glacier, I don’t think anything could have been better it was a tough but very rewarding adventure.

Great off grid experience

The guides were great and the Greenland is amazing. I recommend everyone to go- but not in September :-)

Absolutely incredible trip! Would do it again in a heartbeat. The guides Reuben & Fran and the group really made this trip! The highlight was seeing the northern lights one night and lots of whales. We ended up getting stuck in Greenland an extra day due to a cancelled flight which turned out to be a welcome surprise and extra time together. I would highly recommend looking at the weather before you come because if it’s raining multiple days you will want more clothes than what is listed.

Phenomenal week. A tonne of unique experiences, including a glacier tsunami, a late night whale sighting and navigating a shifting ice field in the wind. Basically a life changing holiday that I'd recommend to anyone with the appetite for adventure.

Greenland is a magical place. Surreal experience kayaking amongst Icebergs. Highly recommended.

Absolutely fantastic trip. The inspiring and hard working guide Daniella made the experience even more incredible. The highlights were seeing the Northern lights, glacier walking, and whale watching, but really every part of the trip was amazing. I would highly recommend this to anybody who is thinking about visiting Greenland.

I’ve done quite a few group trips now, and this one was right up there with the best. The way it was organised, the people on the group and the surroundings were all first class. The trip delivered everything I wanted from it and a whole lot more.

The most amazing trip we’ve ever been on! We got lucky with the weather but even if you’re not as lucky it will be unforgettable. Seals, eagles, caribou and beautiful views around every corner with the northern lights on display during the nights. Never a dull moment with everything to see around you and our wonderful guides with so much knowledge just made everything even better. Our whole quite diverse group of people but at the same time very like minded was the cherry on top to make the trip quite possibly unbeatable. We might just have to go again… :)

This trip was incredible. There was so many highlights including kayaking around icebergs, hiking on the icecap, seeing a glacier up close, kayaking with a humpback whale, seeing reindeer, eagles, dolphins and seals and seeing the northern lights. Our local guide Daniella was very friendly and knowledgeable and nothing was to much trouble for her. She really made sure we had the trip of a lifetime.

I finally made it to Greenland 3 years and 4 cancellations after booking - all of which were made very easy by Much Better Adventures. I was expecting this to be a great trip but it turned out to be even better than I'd hoped for. All the expected things were there like paddling around icebergs through deep fjords and sleeping in amazing places but we were also blessed by two amazing displays of the Northern Lights and a hump backed whale that swam with us for over an hour. An astonishing trip. A good level of fitness is needed and as our wonderful guide Daniela said at the beginning, don't underestimate the effort you'll need when you're not in the kayak!

Kayaking next to a humpack whale for about an hour surrounded by icebergs - ticked off the bucket list! Once in a lifetime experience that is worth the risk. Highly recommend the trip!

The actual kayaking and area was amazing. The host unfortunately not very good and more interested in money

Amazing scenery, can’t believe I’ve kayaked in the icebergs! What an adventure. Peace , totally off grid surrounded by beauty

After the tour had been cancelled for two years due to Covid. I finally made it to Greenland in Aug 22. And it was worth the wait. The scenery was amazing. Very surreal kayaking past huge icebergs.

What an amazing trip. Greenland was mind blowing. Daniela the guide was superb and also the group was a perfect match. But everybody should be aware of how cold, wet and exhausting it could get before booking.