Hike Along The Great Lake

Don your trail shoes and set out with your guide along paths hugging the shore of Qaqortoq’s placid “Great Lake.” The majestic scenery is sure to inspire you, and your well-informed guide will be ready to field any and all questions about this unique and surprisingly fertile sub-Arctic environment. Your ramble begins right from the pier as you take in a scene of colorful homes climbing up the hillsides above the harbor. This is South Greenland’s largest city, population a stratospheric 3,200 souls. Soon, you’ll leave this mini-metropolis behind as you trek outward toward Lake Tasersquaq, aka the Great Lake – its serene blue waters framed by rugged mountains and pure enough to be Qaqortoq’s source of drinking water. Making your way along the lake’s picturesque shoreline, you’ll soon appreciate how this region’s mild summers and generous rainfall make it something of a remote Eden. Look for plump sheep grazing lazily along grassy upland meadows, crowberries ripening on low bushes, and the magenta-petaled niviarsiaq, Greenland’s national flower. And be on the lookout skyward for white-tailed eagles, often seen soaring over the lake in search of fish to swoop down and pluck out of the water.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Led by a guide very familiar with the terrain, hike through Qaqortoq and out to its tranquil Great Lake.
• Learn about the local flora and fauna as you circle this unspoiled blue expanse of glacier-fed water.
• Discover how Southern Greenland’s sub-Arctic environment is actually quite fertile and lush.
• See sheep grazing and eagles swooping and many a flower, flowering.
• After about 3 miles of majestic trekking, return to Qaqortoq both invigorated and fully ready to relax.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing; include a light jacket or windbreaker.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellant as needed.