The Arctic Circle Trail, ACT for short, is the most famous hiking trail in Greenland and one of the most famous in the world.

The multi-day trek takes you deep into the Greenland wilderness, but it also takes you through a relatively gentle landscape and the journey itself is not extremely physically demanding.

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For official information, visit arcticcircletrail.gl.

160 km through pristine wilderness

The ACT is 160 km long, during which time you will be in absolute isolation from the civilised world. This Greenland trek is definitely one of the most orphaned yet relatively accessible long-distance hiking routes.

Which way does the Arctic Circle Trail go?

The trail connects the coastal town of Sisimiut with the small settlement of Kangerlussuaq, home to a large international and military airport.

The first 10 km from Kangerlussuaq is the most boring and follows a dirt road.

After that, the Arctic Circle Trail turns inland and the vast majority of the route follows beautiful lakes, rivers and more or less gently rolling countryside.

The highest point of the ACT is around 450 metres above sea level.

How long does it take to cross the ACT?

The usual time to cross the Arctic Circle Trail is 7-10 days.

What is the difficulty of the journey?

The Arctic Circle Trail is not a technically challenging trail. There are no climbing sections or long steep elevation changes.

In fact, the total elevation gain for the 160 km is only 2,000 vertical metres.

The difficulty of the route lies mainly in the length of the march and the need to carry all the equipment.

Equipment along the way and signage

The ACT is a well-marked path with typical red coloured stones.

As the Arctic Circle Trail is the most famous trail in Greenland, the path is clearly beaten all along its length.

Every 15-20 km or so you will come across houses that can serve as emergency sleeping quarters in case of bad weather. Most travellers, however, take a tent with them.

Expect to encounter 10 km long stretches unsuitable for a tent!

Permits, price and booking required

The Arctic Circle Trail is a free trail with no reservations or permits required.

There are also no fees to pay on site.

What time of year to go on the ACT?

The Arctic Circle Trail is a summer trail and is impassable during the winter with normal hiking gear.

The best months to hike the ACT are:

• Second half of June
• July
• August
• first half of September

There may be years when the Arctic Circle Trail is easily doable in the second half of September and even early October.

Arctic Circle Trail during winter

In winter, hiking is difficult even with snowshoes. There are places where there are several metres of snow.

However, during the winter season, the ACT is popular for adrenaline-packed snowmobile or dogsled tours.

Accommodation and transport to the ACT

At both ends of the Arctic Circle Trail, you'll find traditional hotels and airports with regular service.

• Kangerlussuaq
  • Hotels - Kangerlussuaq (right at the airport), Polar Lodge
  • Airport - Kangerlussuaq SFJ (direct flights to Nuuk, Sisimiut, Copenhagen, Ilulissat via Air Greenland)
• Sisimiut
  • Hotels - SØMA Sisimiut ***, Hotel Sisimiut ***
  • Airport - Sisimiut JHS (direct flights to Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq, Ilulissat)
  • Ferry - Safraq Ittuk towards Ilulissat, Nuuk, Aassiat and more (read our cruise review)

Our tips before the trip

As the Arctic Circle Trail runs through absolute wilderness, it is essential to be well prepared. Here are our tips for you to take note of before your trip:

• You must bring all your food (for 10 days) - it is not possible to buy anything during the route (supermarkets are in both Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq).
• All natural water in Greenland is drinkable without restrictions.
• Even during the summer you have to expect the possibility of very cold weather, temperatures can drop below freezing, although this is not very common.
• The closer you are to the sea, the more chance there is of rapid weather changes.
• Most travelers go in the direction from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut, as the views will be increasingly beautiful in this direction.
• Don't forget to bring insect repellent. There are sections where flies and mosquitoes are very annoying.

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