Qaanaaq Area

Qaanaaq, Etah, Siorapaluk, and possibly Savissivik from 150.000 DKK


18 Days - August 2026


Cultural Expedition Summer 2026 Departing from Ilulissat, Greenland

This is the trip that changed me and made my decide to devote my time and talents to Greenland. I’ll be returning to Qaanaaq this summer with a small group. Two of the five spots are filled. Please email me or set up time with me to discuss

People have been asking what can I do? With all the news about Greenland and the pressure on this country, what you can do is visit. But visit in a meaningful way. The greatest thing you can do for Greenland is to have first hand experience there especially in the forgotten places that are so remote that they have no choice but to live the traditional way. That's why they're special. Nuuk won't change your life. But Qaanaaq, Savissivik, Ittoqqortoormiit will. Fundamentally.

There are two Greenlands. There's Greenland that has been somewhat touched by modernity and there are still a few outlying districts that have managed to live mostly traditionally but it's very hard to pull off and these places are threatened. Their languages are endangered, people have no choice but to leave to a larger town where jobs are especially when it's getting harder to hunt because of the sea ice changes due to warming of the planet.

Most people if they go to Greenland, only see places like Ilulissat and Nuuk or South Greenland. But the east and the far north are entirely different animals. It is stunning to witness and the life ways that have been maintained there will teach you far more about sustainability and harmony with the environment and the community. Sharing of the hunt is a given. Survival was the objective, not profit. Kids don’t throw pebbles in the sea because you don’t want to spook the narwhals which are very sensitive because of that elongated tooth. Hunters here are the only ones that still know how to harpoon a toothed whale from hand made qajaqs (kayaks) and use a custom buoy made of natural materials.

Life is very slow in this part of the world. Rather than stare at screens, you have your binoculars and radio to see what’s going on and read the weather or the ice conditions. Flights are once at week on paper. The supply ship comes once a year. It’s a big event when it arrives, which is something we might see.

These communities only recently got better internet in 2024. That's correct and you read that right. 2024. It's satellite and slow but a little YouTube is now supported and of course Facebook has been the primary mode of online communication for 15 years.

I'm tired of preaching to people that we have to do better as humanity. You have to see it for yourself. Once you visit a place like this and see it, you cannot shake it.

The hunters and the elders are walking encyclopedias of the wildlife, the minerals, the ice, the sea. Knowledge passed down and utilized with precision. You can't just hear or read about it. You have to see it.

Everything is expensive I would budget at least 1700 USD / 1500 EUR / 10,000.- DKK per day per person then that accounts for the exorbitant flights and allows us to pay the hunters and community members fairly. Fuel for the boats to Etah is limited so we have to be stewards of the limited resources and pay proper respect. Accommodation is basic.

This trip would be in honor of Ole Jørgen Hammeken who recently passed away and his wife, Galya Morrell who is alive and well and an inspiration to so many around the world. Also in honor of some of the living legends and other recently departed in Qaanaaq. There's a good chance we will run into some other people sailing in the area this summer like Lonnie Dupre and his crew. In addition, there will be some helicopter transfers that are stunning to experience and you'll be able to try the foods that have sustained these remarkable people for millennia. The likelihood of seeing a hunter go on qajaq and harpoon a narwhal is there and you'll see how the community comes together for the butchering.

You'll see a way of life that is so fundamentally different than a day to day in the industrialized world.

To get a sense of what we will see and do have a look at these resources. We live by the weather in Greenland. We live off what supplies we can get and it's limited so the local food is the only food usually. That means if you have allergies or limitations, you’ll need to bring your own or attempt to mail it in advance (good luck).

This is the vibe of the trip. It’s not to conquer anything. It’s to just go and be. Develop sila and reconnect with it.

Interested? Let's Talk