Glacier Lodge Eqi, Greenland
Thunderous echoes of crashing ice ripple throughout the bay like a relentless refrain of nature’s beat.
Nothing can put together you for the sound of a glacier calving. It’s a clap, crack and deep rumble that rolls throughout the floor of the water, seemingly gathering pitch and velocity. The better part, it’s a delayed sound so you might want to actually focus and watch the glacier to really catch a calving in motion. If you await the sound you’ll at all times be 7-10 seconds too late resulting from how sound travels throughout the fjord.
Located a 3.5hr ice breaker boat experience north of Ilulissat, Eqi Glacier is among the world’s most energetic and there’s little question a go to will embrace it’s fair proportion of tumbling ice reveals. As the boat cruises by way of the Ataa Strait, teal colored water shares the scene with icebergs ranging in sizes from mega mansions by way of to dinner plates* (*not official measurements ????). If a protracted boat experience sounds boring, then you definitely’ve been on board the incorrect boats. This one is endlessly fascinating. Every passing iceberg is exclusive in form, tone and sample making the journey a photographer’s buffet of potential pictures.
Before arriving to Port Victor to disembark at Glacier Lodge Eqi, the boat spends roughly two hours bobbing about straight in entrance of the glacier wall. With calvings taking place consistently, you possibly can {photograph} from the highest deck and watch in surprise because the true energy of nature turns into more and more evident. It’s not till the next day’s hike did I realise how small we actually have been on the boat, a tiny crimson speck amongst an enormous sea of icebergs.
Size right here is definitely one thing that’s actually, REALLY laborious to find out. What seems to be comparatively shut could also be 2km away and that is as a result of panorama being so overwhelmingly expansive with virtually no level of reference for comparability. The boat is among the solely comparisons you’ll see all through your keep on the lodge and as soon as it arrives the subsequent day you’ll out of the blue really feel like an ant in a bizarrely massive world. But that’s getting too far forward…let’s get again to the beginning of the journey.
As the boat pulls in to Port Victor, named after the French explorer Paul-Émile Victor who used the realm as a base camp whereas researching the glacier greater than 100yrs in the past, we’re warned to get off rapidly. The risk of a tsunami attributable to giant calvings is ever current and the staff at all times have somebody on wave watch till all visitors are above the security zone. Nothing like an adrenaline enhance to kick begin a 3 day glamping expertise I’ll always remember.
Glacier Lodge Eqi is among the closest locations you may get to feeling such as you’re on the finish of the world. There’s no roads, no outlets, no city, no wifi, no telephone sign…simply someplace cosy to relaxation your head at night time and a world of alternatives to discover the great thing about Greenland.
Guests can select between certainly one of 4 luxurious cabins which have entry to operating water and electrical energy, normal huts or the model new glamping tents, each of which don’t have operating water or electrical energy however share rest room and bathe services. While the bathroom could also be a brief hike away from the hut or tent, it signifies that each time you go it’s a mini journey. It’s like roughing it with out the establishing half, oh and, you’ve acquired skilled guides, comfortable bedding, blankets, personal decks and a really proficient chef…so not too tough!
Having glamped earlier than within the tropical paradise of the Cook Islands, I used to be desperate to sleep in the identical circumstances on the opposite aspect of the world, contrasting climates and environment. World of Greenland had solely simply arrange the tents previous to my keep and as one of many first visitors, I couldn’t have been extra impressed. Wandering down the wood ramp towards Tent C and up the steps to my personal balcony (aka viewing deck to among the finest reveals on the earth), I did a contented dance…as a lot as I might muster whereas carrying my digital camera bag and tote for the journey.
Opening the door to the tent revealed an area that will’ve made any explorer’s job a lot simpler, in actual fact, with my tent trying onto the unique hut used many years in the past, I’ve acquired nothing however the utmost respect for his or her efforts on this harsh surroundings. Fitted out with pure tones and mild textures, the room is extra boutique lodge than tent. Blankets, rugs, pillows plus house to hold your garments, a desk and even a fuel heater for when it will get a bit chilly.
With the lodge solely accessible in the summertime months, there’s a superb probability a keep right here will coincide with the midnight solar. We’ve all had these sleepless nights the place your thoughts is stressed and telling you to remain awake with ideas…the midnight solar has the same impact however it’s weirdly calming and invigorating. Rugged up and enjoyable on the balcony, I stayed up properly previous midnight to take a seat and hearken to the glacier calving because the solar ventured towards the horizon, barely touching it earlier than beginning to rise once more.
One factor to say, when sleeping within the tents there’s little sound proofing. For me, this was whole bliss as a result of it meant I might lie in mattress and hearken to the sound of the glacier because it calved all through the night time. On my first night time I used to be leaping off the bed each couple of minutes in an try and see what seemed like the most important calving ever, however alas, the velocity of sound meant I used to be tricked every time haha. If you’re delicate to sounds at night time I’d counsel bringing ear plugs although!
For photographers there’s no finish to that heat, photogenic gentle because it adjustments the landscapes earlier than your eyes. Photographing the glacier is like capturing a unique topic at each look. From your hut or tent you should use a zoom lens just like the Olympus 300mm f4 to {photograph} the patterns and calvings, or, if you wish to get a bit nearer, there’s a guided hike included in your keep.
Setting off after breakfast, the hike takes roughly 4-5hrs and traverses alongside the coast, over a waterfall and as much as one critically breathtaking view simply 800m from the glacier. It’s not significantly strenuous however does require a steep ascent in the direction of the tip and a few minor obstacles alongside the best way….each completely well worth the effort.
With packed lunches and snacks, you’re then capable of sit and take in the sounds, sights and feeling of someplace so environmentally important. Those staying two nights on the lodge can choose to remain behind a bit longer and hike again on their very own, one thing I in a short time put my hand as much as do as a result of there’s one thing so magnetising about watching a glacier calve.
Staying a bit longer additionally leads to the comparability I discussed earlier. At roughly 11:30am you’ll get an opportunity to identify the boat because it arrives up the ice fjord. Our information joked that it’s fairly a enjoyable sport to seek out it and it’s not till you really see the boat dwarfed within the distance by icebergs that you simply realise how actually minute it’s amongst the surroundings.
Quick Tips –
– If staying within the huts or tents with out energy, you’re welcome to make use of the facility shops in Café Victor to cost your cameras/telephones.
– Take solely a small bag along with your digital camera gear and belongings for the keep. From the boat there’s a bit uphill hike over the rocks and in case you’ve acquired something bigger than a backpack it’ll be a battle. You can retailer your baggage on the World of Greenland in Ilulissat workplace earlier than departure.
– Be ready with a lot of layers because the climate can change rapidly. In the arctic I at all times counsel having thermals, a fleece layer, thicker jacket + windproof layer. A beanie, neck warming fleece (my saviour on arctic journeys!), gloves and surprisingly sufficient…additionally layers like a t-shirt as a result of it may be fairly heat within the solar if there’s no wind. Also sun shades as a result of that solar doesn’t set!
– Don’t fear about meals, you’re supplied with scrumptious meals throughout your keep and may alert the staff to any allergy symptoms or dietary necessities earlier than arrival! If you’re a little bit of a late night time snacker like me, then take a deal with or two to nibble whilst you’re watching the glacier out of your balcony. Drinks and snacks can be found to buy from Café Victor.
– When on the boat, don’t overlook to go to the higher deck for nice views on the journey up and again from Eqi Glacier.
Recommended Camera Equipment –
Because the glacier is roughly 2-3km from the lodge, I extremely advocate having a top quality zoom lens in your bag. I took the next with me and managed to make use of each single lens since you’ve acquired loads of time to check out numerous vantage factors and angles.
Olympus E-M1X + E-M1 MKII
– M.Zuiko 300mm f4 – nice for capturing nearer particulars of the glacier and calvings from the camp
– M.Zuiko 40-150mm f2.8 – good whereas mountain climbing to make use of as the first zoom lens resulting from it’s versatility.
– M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 – whereas I didn’t use this one as a lot, it was nice to have whereas mountain climbing to seize the surroundings and likewise to {photograph} your entire view from my tent.
– M.Zuiko 7-14mm f2.8 – I used this to {photograph} the midnight solar stars above my tent and likewise whereas wandering round camp to showcase the scene.
– DJI Mavic Air Drone – I’ll admit, I’m a complete wuss on the subject of flying my drone and like when there’s nobody round or nothing too shut. This made Eqi the best place to fly, nonetheless, as a result of lack of satellite tv for pc sign and magnetic pull of the glacier, it’s fairly harmful as there’s a excessive probability your drone could fly north and by no means return.
This in thoughts, I used the drone from my tent and flew straight above the camp to seize an total picture of the realm. I additionally took the drone on a brief hike to seize some aerials of the icebergs…I didn’t fly it over the glacier after listening to what number of drones had been misplaced up there. While flying, my drone misplaced contact a number of occasions and I wasn’t ever additional than 100m away displaying simply how little sign there may be up there! So fly at your individual danger ????
As with all visible opinions, I’ll let the pictures do the speaking so please see a set of pictures from my keep beneath…
To learn extra concerning the expertise or ebook your individual, go to worldofgreenland.com
Hello! I’m the founder and photographer behind The Wandering Lens.
With 17+yrs expertise as an expert journey and panorama photographer, all recommendation discovered on this website is from my private expertise on the highway. I hope it’s helpful to your personal travels and would love to listen to within the feedback about your journeys and experiences around the globe.