Camping on the World’s Largest Island of Ice: An Unforgettable Adventure
Spending a night on the Greenland Ice Sheet is an experience unlike any other. It’s a place where the sun never sets in summer, the ice never stops moving, and the scale of the landscape is almost beyond comprehension. While much of this vast, icy wilderness remains a mystery, a new kind of adventure tourism is allowing a few brave travellers to step onto the second-largest ice sheet on Earth.
Getting to the ice sheet is an adventure in itself. From the small town of Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland, you can access a dirt road built by Volkswagen to test their vehicles. However, due to the rapid retreat of the ice, you now have to hike about a kilometre from the end of the road to reach the edge of the ice sheet. The landscape quickly and dramatically changes from soft tundra to a world of ice shards and, finally, the sprawling ice sheet itself.
Navigating the Icy Expanse
Once on the ice, its sheer size is mind-boggling. Up to 3 kilometres thick and covering 1.7 million square kilometres, its immense weight has pushed parts of Greenland’s bedrock below sea level. Due to the harsh conditions and dangerous terrain, visitors can only explore with a qualified guide. My group of six, led by an expert named Carl, was roped together to safely navigate a maze of hidden crevasses.
Every aspect of the trip was a physical challenge. We hauled our own gear, food, and tents on sledges, which was far more difficult than it looked. Pulling the “pulk” up icy ridges was exhausting, but it was also a great way to stay warm in the bitter cold. The group was expected to help with everything, from setting up camp to preparing meals, making it a true team effort.
One of the most thrilling parts of the journey was rappelling into a moulin—a vertical shaft formed by meltwater. Looking down into the blue throat of the ice was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Another highlight was swimming in the shallow, turquoise meltwater lakes that dot the ice sheet, a refreshing but bone-chilling experience.
A Reminder of Fragility
Our camping trip took place between April and September when the ice is navigable. In June and early July, the sun never sets, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The constant daylight meant we could hike late into the night, with the ice taking on a shimmering golden glow at midnight. Time seemed to blur in this endless light.
While it’s easy to believe the ice is eternal, this adventure also served as a sobering reminder of its fragility. The Greenland Ice Sheet, formed millions of years ago, is now melting at an astonishing rate—losing 30 million tonnes of ice per hour due to human-caused climate change. This rapid retreat was clearly visible from our viewpoint, a powerful and poignant message about the state of our planet.
Camping on the World’s Largest Island of Ice: An Unforgettable Adventure
Spending a night on the Greenland Ice Sheet is an experience unlike any other. It’s a place where the sun never sets in summer, the ice never stops moving, and the scale of the landscape is almost beyond comprehension. While much of this vast, icy wilderness remains a mystery, a new kind of adventure tourism is allowing a few brave travellers to step onto the second-largest ice sheet on Earth.
Getting to the ice sheet is an adventure in itself. From the small town of Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland, you can access a dirt road built by Volkswagen to test their vehicles. However, due to the rapid retreat of the ice, you now have to hike about a kilometre from the end of the road to reach the edge of the ice sheet. The landscape quickly and dramatically changes from soft tundra to a world of ice shards and, finally, the sprawling ice sheet itself.
Navigating the Icy Expanse
Once on the ice, its sheer size is mind-boggling. Up to 3 kilometres thick and covering 1.7 million square kilometres, its immense weight has pushed parts of Greenland’s bedrock below sea level. Due to the harsh conditions and dangerous terrain, visitors can only explore with a qualified guide. My group of six, led by an expert named Carl, was roped together to safely navigate a maze of hidden crevasses.
Every aspect of the trip was a physical challenge. We hauled our own gear, food, and tents on sledges, which was far more difficult than it looked. Pulling the “pulk” up icy ridges was exhausting, but it was also a great way to stay warm in the bitter cold. The group was expected to help with everything, from setting up camp to preparing meals, making it a true team effort.
One of the most thrilling parts of the journey was rappelling into a moulin—a vertical shaft formed by meltwater. Looking down into the blue throat of the ice was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Another highlight was swimming in the shallow, turquoise meltwater lakes that dot the ice sheet, a refreshing but bone-chilling experience.
A Reminder of Fragility
Our camping trip took place between April and September when the ice is navigable. In June and early July, the sun never sets, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. The constant daylight meant we could hike late into the night, with the ice taking on a shimmering golden glow at midnight. Time seemed to blur in this endless light.
While it’s easy to believe the ice is eternal, this adventure also served as a sobering reminder of its fragility. The Greenland Ice Sheet, formed millions of years ago, is now melting at an astonishing rate—losing 30 million tonnes of ice per hour due to human-caused climate change. This rapid retreat was clearly visible from our viewpoint, a powerful and poignant message about the state of our planet.
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