Interdependence in East Greenland - Day 1
After a quick 90-minute flight from Reykjavík, Iceland, our plane touches down on a dirt runway in Kulusuk, East Greenland. A dirt landing, definitely a first for me! But the weather gods are on our side: the sky is open, the air is crisp, and the view right outside the small airport is absolute magic.
Right in front of that jaw-dropping view, we couldn't miss the sign: Active Polar Bear Area. Equal parts awe-inspiring and just a little bit terrifying, but definitely keeps you grounded and fully in the moment.
We are off to a roaring start!
Our crew is a powerhouse team of six women: Bethany (the founder of Hinoki Travels, who pulled this whole adventure together), her aunt Lisa, Mel from Texas, two lifelong friends both named Lisa hailing from Minneapolis, and me.
Greeting us on the tarmac are our guides for the week: John, a mountain guide from Scotland, and Jukku, a local East Greenlandic hunter, fisherman, and dog sledder. Together, we’re embarking on a full week of backcountry hiking, wilderness camping, and pure, raw adventure. We’ve all been counting down the months and plotting this trip for what feels like forever and every single one of us is ready to jump right in.
Instead of catching a shuttle, we lace up our boots and hike from the airport to our lodge. A brisk, beautiful 40-minute walk while ATV quad bikes transport our gear. The late-afternoon light is unreal, casting a soft glow over tundra moss and wild arctic flowers as we stride along, trading stories and getting to know each other. Mid-hike, the plane that brought us here lifts off, buzzing low over the landscape as it heads back toward Iceland. Around us, the terrain opens up into a sweeping panorama of fjords, glacier, jagged mountains, and open prairies. John points out that the water is unusually clear: normally, the bay is dotted with floating icebergs, but climate change has been shifting the patterns here rapidly.
As we roll into the village of Kulusuk, we’re greeted by a chorus of howling sledge dogs letting the whole fjord know it’s dinner time. What a welcome! These dogs are tied with heavy-duty chains, spaced just out of reach of one another. Jukku explains that their pack instincts are so intense they’d fight to the death if given the chance.
At the lodge, we’re welcomed warmly by Matt and Helen, the owners of Pirhuk Greenland Mountain Guides. We all gather around a long communal table for a big, cozy family-style dinner of pasta bolognese followed by fresh coconut macaroons. Fueled up and still buzzing with energy, our group heads back out into the cool evening air to wander through the village and chase the shifting twilight.
This is the statue of Milka Miilikka Kûitse. She was a prominent local figure who famously resisted foreign missionaries and fought to preserve the sacred Inuit tradition of drum dancing after it was forbidden.
By 11:00 PM, I’m standing by the window in my room watching thick sea fog roll low over the water, shifting the evening hues from gold to soft blue. Because of the extreme northern latitude, it’s still remarkably bright outside. A surreal, mesmerizing mind trick. I literally have to force myself to pull the shades and close my eyes, otherwise, I’d sit there staring at the horizon all night long. What a day!
