The Arctic Circle Trail crosses 165 km of West Greenland between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut, the best rated long-distance overland hiking route in the country. Tundra, lake chains, treeless valleys, no roads, almost no infrastructure for a week's walk.
We arrange the trip in either direction: inland-to-coast feels like a release into salt air, coast-to-inland feels like an approach toward the ice sheet.
Most walks shape into seven to ten days. Tell us which direction you'd like to start from and we'll plan the rest.
Photo by Line Hedegaard - Visit Greenland
Photo by Lisa Germany - Visit Greenland
Photo by Peter Lindstrom & Photo by Lisa Germany - Visit Greenland
Most travellers don't realise the trail can be walked either way, and the experience changes character with the choice. Starting at Kangerlussuaq means walking out toward the sea, ending in a working harbour town. Starting at Sisimiut means walking inland, drier and browner with every kilometre, finishing within sight of the ice sheet. Same trail, two different stories.
Photo by Lisa Germany - Visit Greenland
The country between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut is sometimes called "a land of one hundred lakes." The trail follows lake chains, climbs low coastal passes, drops through dwarf-birch valleys, and crosses long stretches of bog where the path itself is often no wider than 30 cm. Amitsorsuaq, a long narrow lake, is the spine of the middle section.
Photo by Line Hedegaard - Visit Greenland
The Arctic Circle Trail sees around 1,500 hikers in a typical year, a fraction of a single day on better-known long trails. No villages, no signal, often no other hikers for a full day. The pitch isn't summits or "challenge". It's the absence of things.
Mid-July through early September is the practical hiking window. Earlier, snow still holds the higher passes; later, autumn frosts arrive. Midsummer brings midnight sun and mosquitoes; late summer brings cooler nights, autumn tundra colour, and the first aurora as the dark returns.
Photo by Lisa Germany - Visit Greenland
Every Arctic Circle Trail trip is unique, shaped by the direction you walk it, your pace, and how supported you want the route to be. We can build the trip around what kind of experience you're after: a classic full traverse over seven to ten days, a shorter section walked as a four- or five-day taste, or a fully supported version with resupply along the way.
Some trips lean into solitude, minimum support, hut nights, long days on the trail. Others lean into comfort, a guided walk with prepared meals, lighter packs, and contingency plans for weather. The direction matters too: inland-to-coast feels like a release; coast-to-inland feels like an approach.
Tell us what you have in mind and we'll arrange the timing, the resupply, the transfers, and the contingencies.
Share your travel plans and preferred dates — our team will review availability and get back to you with the best options.
.avif)
