2025 West to East Expedition: Commences on 21 April 2025 and ends 21 May 2025.
Start Point: Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland.
End Point: Isortoq, East Greenland.
Distance: 575km. Full west - east crossing.
Duration: 28 skiing days in total.
Cost: GBP 45,000 per person. Minimum team size: 1 plus guide. Maximum team size: 2 plus guide.
Expedition guaranteed on joining. Entry closes 25 January 2025.
Guide: David Paabo (7 crossings).
2025 DETAILED ITINERARY:
Pre-Expedition Day 1:
Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland
Monday 21 April 2025
We fly to our starting point, Kangerlussuaq in Greenland on Monday 21 April 2025, on Air Greenland flight GL 783 from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, departing at 16.30 and arriving 18.20.
Accomodation and dinner in a Kangerlussuaq hotel.
Pre-Expedition Days 2-3:
Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland
Tuesday 22 April 2025 - Wednesday 23 April 2025
Finalise equipment sorting/sled packing.
Explore Kangerlussuaq, which is scenically located by a large fjord, with snow-capped hills and mountains all around.
Accomodation in a Kangerlussuaq hotel. Greenlandic dinner at a lakeside restaurant.
Expedition Days 1-28:
Skiing for 28 days across the Greenland ice sheet from west to east
Thursday 24 April 2025 - Wednesday 21 May 2025
On Thursday 24 April we head off to ski for 28 days completely across the Greenland ice sheet, from Point 660 to the small village of Isortoq, a distance of 575km.
Midway through our journey, the only structure we will encounter is the eerie and abandoned US radar station known as DYE 2. We will spend time exploring this odd and mysterious relic of the cold war.
On reaching the east coast of Greenland, we will see the remarkable site of civilisation in the distance, being the tiny village of Isortoq, spectacularly situated on an island just off the edge of the ice sheet. If the sea ice conditions are favourable, we will ski into this quaint village, and be greeted by its population of around 40 people and a hundred or so husky dogs. If the sea ice is unfavourable, we will complete this short last section by boat.
It is possible for fast moving expeditions in favourable conditions to complete the expedition in 24-27 days.
Post Expedition Days 1-3:
Inuit villages of Isortoq, Tasiilaq and Kulusuk (East Greenland), flight to Reykjavik (Iceland)
Thursday 22 May 2025 - Saturday 24 May 2025
These 3 days provide time for travel out of Greenland to Iceland.
From Isortoq, we take a 30 minute helicopter from Isortoq to Tasiilaq, the largest village in East Greenland. We stay a night or two in this interesting Greenland village, the largest in East Greenland. From there, we take a short helicopter to Kulusuk, where there is a runway for international flights. From Kulusuk, we fly with Icelandair to Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport, Iceland (the gateway to East Greenland).
The international exit flight from Kulusuk to Reykjavik is on Saturday 24 May departing Kulusuk at 12.20pm and arriving in Reykjavik at 3.10pm. It may be possible for a fast moving expedition that crosses in 24 to 27 days to make an earlier flight scheduled for Wednesday 21 May departing Kulusuk at 2.20pm arriving Reykjavik at 5.10pm.
What to expect on the ice?
One of the beautiful things about skiing across the Greenland ice sheet is that a simple, effective and enjoyable daily routine develops as we move across the ice.
A typical day on the ice sheet will involve waking up at 6.00am, having breakfast, packing up our equipment, and setting off skiing at 8.00am. Usually we have 5-10 minute breaks each hour, with a longer break of 25 minutes at lunch. At 6.00pm we typically end skiing, then quickly set up camp, and relax as we prepare a hearty and much deserved dinner, melt snow for the following day's water, and enjoy a rest before falling asleep around 8.30pm in a very comfortable tent and warm sleeping bag.
The distances we will cover each day will vary due to the conditions. In the initial section of the crossing, being the first 25km through a section with glacial terrain, your pulk/sled will be at its heaviest (around 75kg), therefore the distances we cover each day will be the shortest in the first few days. After a few days, we get beyond the glacial section to reach the flat expanse of the ice sheet, and our distances will quickly increase to around 25km a day, and will then steadily improve towards a comfortable 30km a day by the end of the expedition, particularly after we reach the summit of the ice sheet, at a height of around 2600 metres and situated in the centre of the ice sheet.
Who will lead the expedition?
Ice Horizons founder and senior guide David Paabo will lead the 2025 expeditions. Originally from Australia, David has over 30 years of expedition experience around the world, in all types of wilderness environments, and has made extensive expeditions in Greenland including seven ice sheet crossing expeditions. David is a highly skilled expert in polar ice sheet travel.
David has a particular love for the wilderness of Greenland and its people, and has explored numerous remote locations on trekking and skiing journeys there, as well as through lengthy kayaking trips.
Start Point: Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland.
End Point: Isortoq, East Greenland.
Distance: 575km. Full west - east crossing.
Duration: 28 skiing days in total.
Cost: GBP 45,000 per person. Minimum team size: 1 plus guide. Maximum team size: 2 plus guide.
Expedition guaranteed on joining. Entry closes 25 January 2025.
Guide: David Paabo (7 crossings).
2025 DETAILED ITINERARY:
Pre-Expedition Day 1:
Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland
Monday 21 April 2025
We fly to our starting point, Kangerlussuaq in Greenland on Monday 21 April 2025, on Air Greenland flight GL 783 from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, departing at 16.30 and arriving 18.20.
Accomodation and dinner in a Kangerlussuaq hotel.
Pre-Expedition Days 2-3:
Kangerlussuaq, West Greenland
Tuesday 22 April 2025 - Wednesday 23 April 2025
Finalise equipment sorting/sled packing.
Explore Kangerlussuaq, which is scenically located by a large fjord, with snow-capped hills and mountains all around.
Accomodation in a Kangerlussuaq hotel. Greenlandic dinner at a lakeside restaurant.
Expedition Days 1-28:
Skiing for 28 days across the Greenland ice sheet from west to east
Thursday 24 April 2025 - Wednesday 21 May 2025
On Thursday 24 April we head off to ski for 28 days completely across the Greenland ice sheet, from Point 660 to the small village of Isortoq, a distance of 575km.
Midway through our journey, the only structure we will encounter is the eerie and abandoned US radar station known as DYE 2. We will spend time exploring this odd and mysterious relic of the cold war.
On reaching the east coast of Greenland, we will see the remarkable site of civilisation in the distance, being the tiny village of Isortoq, spectacularly situated on an island just off the edge of the ice sheet. If the sea ice conditions are favourable, we will ski into this quaint village, and be greeted by its population of around 40 people and a hundred or so husky dogs. If the sea ice is unfavourable, we will complete this short last section by boat.
It is possible for fast moving expeditions in favourable conditions to complete the expedition in 24-27 days.
Post Expedition Days 1-3:
Inuit villages of Isortoq, Tasiilaq and Kulusuk (East Greenland), flight to Reykjavik (Iceland)
Thursday 22 May 2025 - Saturday 24 May 2025
These 3 days provide time for travel out of Greenland to Iceland.
From Isortoq, we take a 30 minute helicopter from Isortoq to Tasiilaq, the largest village in East Greenland. We stay a night or two in this interesting Greenland village, the largest in East Greenland. From there, we take a short helicopter to Kulusuk, where there is a runway for international flights. From Kulusuk, we fly with Icelandair to Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport, Iceland (the gateway to East Greenland).
The international exit flight from Kulusuk to Reykjavik is on Saturday 24 May departing Kulusuk at 12.20pm and arriving in Reykjavik at 3.10pm. It may be possible for a fast moving expedition that crosses in 24 to 27 days to make an earlier flight scheduled for Wednesday 21 May departing Kulusuk at 2.20pm arriving Reykjavik at 5.10pm.
What to expect on the ice?
One of the beautiful things about skiing across the Greenland ice sheet is that a simple, effective and enjoyable daily routine develops as we move across the ice.
A typical day on the ice sheet will involve waking up at 6.00am, having breakfast, packing up our equipment, and setting off skiing at 8.00am. Usually we have 5-10 minute breaks each hour, with a longer break of 25 minutes at lunch. At 6.00pm we typically end skiing, then quickly set up camp, and relax as we prepare a hearty and much deserved dinner, melt snow for the following day's water, and enjoy a rest before falling asleep around 8.30pm in a very comfortable tent and warm sleeping bag.
The distances we will cover each day will vary due to the conditions. In the initial section of the crossing, being the first 25km through a section with glacial terrain, your pulk/sled will be at its heaviest (around 75kg), therefore the distances we cover each day will be the shortest in the first few days. After a few days, we get beyond the glacial section to reach the flat expanse of the ice sheet, and our distances will quickly increase to around 25km a day, and will then steadily improve towards a comfortable 30km a day by the end of the expedition, particularly after we reach the summit of the ice sheet, at a height of around 2600 metres and situated in the centre of the ice sheet.
Who will lead the expedition?
Ice Horizons founder and senior guide David Paabo will lead the 2025 expeditions. Originally from Australia, David has over 30 years of expedition experience around the world, in all types of wilderness environments, and has made extensive expeditions in Greenland including seven ice sheet crossing expeditions. David is a highly skilled expert in polar ice sheet travel.
David has a particular love for the wilderness of Greenland and its people, and has explored numerous remote locations on trekking and skiing journeys there, as well as through lengthy kayaking trips.