EMERALD IN THE ICEQeqertarsuaq is an exceptional place in the truest sense of the word. Everything about it is the first, the largest, or the only. Qeqertarsuaq stands alone on the great Disko Island far off Greenland’s west coast, and the Lyngmark Glacier that towers above the town is the only place in Greenland to go dog sledding in summer. The natural environment around Qeqertarsuaq is so fertile with angelica and diverse species that it is literally like no other place in North Greenland.Greenlandic legend says that Qeqertarsuaq stands so verdantly in the Disko Bay otherwise packed with icebergs because it comes all the way from South Greenland. Two hunters in search of seals freed the island from its southern position and pulled it north with nothing but their kayaks and a single baby’s hair. As it entered Disko Bay, a witch in Ilulissat spied the lush green island heading north and cast a spell on it to run aground. So here stands Qeqertarsuaq today.
DOG SLEDDING IN SUMMERDog sledding in summer may sound like a misnomer, but thanks to the Lyngmark Glacier that rises many hundreds of meters above the coast, Qeqertarsuaq is the only town in Greenland where dog sledding is possible all year long. What a contrast to sit bundled on a dog sled feeling the midnight sun beat directly overhead while spotting humpbacks and other summer whales like tiny specks in Disko Bay below.Enjoying this wintertime favorite in summer is not without its dues. Without snowy mountainsides to allow for snowmobiling up to Lyngmark Glacier, one must first put in hard work to reap his great dog sledding adventure. Whether you lead yourself or opt for a hiking guide, you must rely on your own two feet and a string of blue-painted cairns to reach your starting point. Plan ahead to stay overnight up at the glacier hut and make the entire day’s experience well worth the walk.
