Difficulty and participation:  This is an expedition to a remote area that often experiences extreme weather and low temperatures, and thus the inherent risks of such an activity exist.  Whilst helicopters can cover medical emergencies, it should be understood that periods of bad weather may prevent successful extraction from the area for days at a time.  Many aspects of the expedition may involve strenuous walking/skiing pulling relatively heavy loads, and team members should be aware that this is for an extended period of time.  Team members should also be willing to help and participate with the day-to-day running of the expedition, including helping to pitch/strike camps, cooking, washing up and so on.

Fitness:  Good fitness with high levels of endurance.  An ability to complete many linked days of hard exertion.

Duration:   27 days (ex. reykjavik)

Dates:  27 days in July (exact dates confirmed to suit team)

Price:  £3829

Deposit:  15% on booking, the balance to be paid at least 10 weeks before departure.

Price Includes:         

• Return flights between Iceland and Greenland, including airport taxes
• Transfers in Iceland and Greenland 
• 2 night's accommodation in Iceland during transit
• 2 nights' accommodation in Greenland
• Expedition food in Greenland
• Boat boat drop-off and pick-up 
• Services of Greenland Expedition Specialists' Guides
• Hire of tents, sleds, communal gear, communications equipment (personal calls, when available, paid for individually), mapping, aerial photos, navigation equipment 

Not included:

• Flights between your home country and Keflavik, Iceland.
• Personal travel insurance  
• Meals in Iceland
• Any extra costs that are incurred if the expedition runs overtime or your flights are delayed or cancelled

Experience Required:          No previous experience of skiing or sled hauling is required.  A strong outdoor background is important and cold weather winter camping experience is advantageous.  Basic alpine mountaineering or Scottish winter skills.

Please note that this is an example itinerary, and is dependent upon team ability, local conditions and infrastructure.

Day 1  Arrive in Keflavik International Airport, Iceland  Having collected your baggage and made your way through customs, the airport shuttle bus is waiting to take you into Reykjavik, where you will be dropped off at your accommodation for the night.  Here you will meet the rest of the team for the expedition.  The Guide will go through the team's equipment.  Time for one last visit to the bar!  We will be staying in simple bunkhouse/sleeping bag accommodation whilst in Reykjavik.

Day 2  Fly Reykjavik to Kulusuk, East Greenland  A short transfer from your accommodation to the airport.  Flights are with Air Iceland.  A spectacular flight over the icebergs of the Denmark Straits, and great views of Greenland’s coast and the pack ice as we get closer.  Landing on the gravel strip in amongst the mountains is quite an experience.  Your GES Expedition Guide will meet you in Arrivals and arrange for baggage to be transferred down to the harbour.  We will then travel to a point where easy access to the Icecap can be gained.

NB.  From here on, our itinerary is going to be very variable, depending on snow and ice conditions, fitness of the team, weather etc.  The day breakdown given below is meant to give you some idea of how the Expedition could go.

Day 3  Ascent onto the Icecap  With the sleds at their heaviest and the ground sloping steeply up the initial 20km, the first days will be taken slowly and steadily, as we become accustomed to the systems we will be using to travel across the ice.  At the end of the day, camp will be established.  As well as getting much needed rest, time in the tents is occupied with melting snow to rehydrate after the day's exertions, and in eating plenty.

Day 4  Ascent onto the Icecap  After melting yet more water and packing up the tents, we will start skiing again.  Each skiing day is broken down into short segments, between which we take 5-10 minute breaks to re-hydrate and eat.  In these early days, particular care will be taken to avoid any potential crevasse danger.  Camp is established.  We will generally sleep 2 to a tent, each pair preparing their own meals and water.

Day 5  The ground becomes less steep  As we leave the coast behind, the potential for crevasses lessens and the going gets less steep.  Our daily distance covered and final position, plotted each night, will increase as the expedition progresses.

Day 6-10 Skiing  As the team becomes used to daily expedition life, we will gradually increase our hours of travel, starting with as little as 6 or 7 hours and building up to 10 or 12.

Day 11 Establish Basecamp  A suitable basecamp site will be found within striking distance of the peak.   

Day 12  Mont Forel  An early start, the glacier will be ascended, at the top of which we will place a high camp.

Day 13  Mont Forel  Another early start.  Moving roped up, the team will tackle the moderate alpine route to the summit of Mont Forel.  From the top, extensive views stretch over the Icecap and the whole Schweizerland Range.  Descending, the high camp will be packed up and carried down to Basecamp.

Day 14 Contingency Day  In the event of bad weather etc.

Day 15-24  Schweizerland  Traversing the Schweizerland Mountain Range by the huge glaciers that cover the area, we will undertake a beautiful route that passes some incredible mountain scenery.  Linking the glaciers are a number of low passes over which we will pull the sleds.  Reaching the Karale Glacier, we will follow it down to the point at which it enters Sermiligaq Fjord.  On the rocky shore, right beside the calving ice face, our pick-up boats will meet us and carry the team back to Kulusuk for hot showers and meals. 

Day 25  Kulusuk  A day in and around the village, packing up equipment and relaxing.

Day 26 Fly Kulusuk to Reykjavik  Return to civilisation...  After transferring through to the airstrip, the team will fly back to Reykjavik, where taxis will be waiting to take us back to a comfortable guesthouse in the city centre.  A final night's celebration before leaving for home the following day.

Day 27 Fly Iceland to Home Country  Transferring to the International Airport, flights back home mark the end of the expedition.