Hotel Angmagssalik Tours

Only in Greenland is the dogsledge still an integral part of everyday life in the Northern winter and spring. In the rugged terrain of East Greenland/ Tasiilaq, it is truly an unsurpassed mode of transport since in many areas the inclines and depth of snow prevent access by motorised sledges (snowmobiles). The apparently simple wooden sledge and a team of husky dogs, each attached by a line to the front of the sledge, is in fact a living expression of man s adaptation to his environment, the means by which, since the beginning of time, the Inuit/Eskimo have travelled to their hunting grounds and challenged even the world s largest carnivore, the Polar Bear. The load on the sledge depends on snow and ice conditions, hard or soft, but is generally 2 or 3 persons. On steep inclines the load must be reduced by one or more of the passengers walking behind the sledge and holding the uprights at the rear in order to maintain forward motion and pace. On the downhill runs, which can be like riding the rollercoaster, the task is simply to hold on and not fall off! The Tasiilaq area has a considerably milder climate than the other dogsledging regions in Greenland, therefore also a richer snowcover on its magnificent landscape. There is no better way to see this than to accept the welcome of the friendly and helpfull local hunters on their sledges. The ancient dogsledge routes are Travel at its most unique!