This participatory sledge expedition in Melville Bay is an exceptional adventure and the journey of a lifetime.
Sharing these moments of life with the northern polar region’s last hunters is a unique opportunity because this fragile and strict way of life is unfortunately, disappearing.
However, it is far from a vacation. The temperature fluctuates between -40°C and -20°Cand sledges are the only permitted means of transport for travelling in Melville Bay.
Maps of the region are unclear and even inaccurate, satellite images are poor quality, and as the Inuit proverb says:“Only weather and ice are masters.” The itinerary is therefore provided as a guide.
We will travel in a Greenlandic sledge, pulled by twenty or so dogs.
A musher will take two passengers and their personal equipment with them on their sledge and there will be a specific sledge for team equipment.
Each evening, we will have to feed the dogs, set up camp and fix our tent onto two sledges positioned top to tail.
Four people will sleep in each tent, on the sledges covered in caribou and polar bear skins.
Simple, everyday life in Kullorsuaq is already a great adventure in itself, but daily life on an expedition on the sea ice is the adventure of a lifetime.
At these latitudes, everybody must participate. You will help to drive the sledge, feed the dogs, and set up camp. It is a unique opportunity to observe the Arctic people’s traditional life skills and survival techniques in the field, which unfortunately, are under threat.
The challenge lies in resistance to the cold and commitment to the mission. Although it is important to be in good shape in order to take full advantage of your expedition, it is more of a mental challenge than a physical one.
We will be there to take care of you, but you must pay particular attention to your equipment and food.
As they say in Greenland,
“If you lose your gloves, you lose your fingers.”
Once in Kullorsuaq, we will provide you with equipment essential to your wellbeing on the sledgesand for when it is at its coldest:
• Boots for -100°C
• Warm snowsuit
• Gloves for the extreme cold
• Sleeping bag for the extreme cold
We will share the life of the northern polar region’s last hunters and as such, we will also share their food, depending on the results of hunting and fishing.
However, we will also ensure to bring sufficient freeze-dried food so as to be able to live comfortably in the extreme cold.
In order to promote safety, comfort and sharing, we will be equipped with SPOT satellite messengers. That way, your close ones will be able to track your progress on a dedicated website.
