Safety
Despite its isolated nature, there is little to harm you on the Arctic Circle Trail if you have the correct experience, are well prepared with appropriate gear, and take care. All users undertaking the Arctic Circle Trail do so at their own risk. Greenland has limited capacity for Search & Rescue missions, so please be honest with yourself about your abilities before deciding on the adventure.
The key safety things to be mindful of are as follows. You can also read more about staying safe in Greenland at:
Weather
This is likely the greatest concern on the trail. It is extremely changeable and you must be prepared for a broad spectrum of conditions ranging from snow (yes, even in summer), to hot sun, to strong winds.
Make sure you pack layers of clothing and stop to add or remove layers whenever necessary. Also ensure that your tent will withstand windy conditions and that your sleep system is warm enough to cope with overnight temperatures below zero.
River Crossings
There are several rivers you must cross on the Arctic Circle Trail. These may be problematic if you are hiking in early summer (or if it is a wet year), as they can be quite deep and have a strong current. If this is the case, be particularly careful and cross with a buddy if you can.Some good tips for how to cross a river safely can be found at the “Safe River Crossings” page of the U.S. National Parks service, or in the video opposite.
The deepest crossing is the Itinneq River between the Ikkattooq and Equalugaarniarfik huts. There is a bridge to assist you (GPS: 66.9880817, -52.3358973), but it is located a few km closer to the fjord than where the trail crosses. If you have any doubt as to whether you should cross the river at the trail, hike downstream to find this bridge.
The other rivers are usually easily forded and it may be possible to rock-hop across (easier with hiking poles). However, do be careful if choosing this option. We don’t want sprained ankles! For safety, it is better to change into a set of river shoes and simply walk across. Whatever you choose, make sure you open your hip and chest belts so you can ditch your pack quickly if required.
Wildlife
Polar Bear sightings in this part of Greenland and along the Arctic Circle Trail are extremely rare. For this reason, you are not required to hike with a rifle. Please note: bear spray is illegal in Greenland. Also, if you go hiking in North, East and parts of South Greenland, you will need to prepare for polar bears.
The animals you are likely to encounter along the trail generally try to avoid close contact with humans whenever possible. While not usually dangerous, we still strongly advise you to maintain a distance of at least 100m from any animal in the rare chance that it becomes spooked and charges you, or it carries the rabies virus (foxes).
While it is not necessary to hang your food (and in fact, there is nowhere to hang it) please clean up after meals, do not leave food lying around for the animals to find, and definitely do not try to feed or pet them.
Please stick with the marked trail at all times to help preserve wildlife corridors.
In case of emergency
If you are in Kangerlussuaq or Sisimiut, please contact the police on: +299 701 448
On the trail, we strongly advise that you hike with a two-way emergency communication device. These emergency devices are the only way to call for help while hiking as there is no cell phone reception and it may take other hikers several days to reach Kangerlussuaq or Sisimiut.
Please make sure you also understand how and when to use it before you start your trek, and keep to the marked trail – it simplifies the search and rescue process.
Read more about what happens when you activate an emergency beacon on the ACT.
It is important to be honest about your experience level and whether it is appropriate for the trail before deciding to do the trek.
