Greenland Heli Skiing
8 Day Heliski Packages in Arctic East Greenland
Overview
Heliski the fabled Troll Peninsula with exclusive access to the longest runs & best summit to sea skiing in Iceland. Combine world class heli-skiing with the Northern lights, midnight sun, volcanic activity, hot springs & a unique Viking culture for a true ski adventure experience.
Heli skiing packages are available from February to June, with powder well into April & often beyond. In small groups of 4 skiers/snowboarders & 1 guide, you will ride the best lines in Iceland, Classic Heliskiing Programs are based at the Klængshóll Lodge near Dalvik in northern Iceland. The lodge sleeps 16 guests & has all the facilities & services expected from a world class heli ski operation. A talented team in the kitchen focus on high quality Icelandic ingredients such as organic lamb, fresh fish and game meats with great emphasis on using what nature provides in the region. For more information see the Lodging & Food tab.
Ski Terrain & Vertical
The Troll Peninsula is every skier's dreamland with about 90% of the mountains skiable, meaning there are not many cliff faces or flat spots. The mountains are the perfect mix of steep to very steep couloirs and faces to wide open low angled glacier runs.
What really sets the Troll Peninsula apart from any other heli ski destination is the fact that you can ski up to 1300m runs all the way down to the ocean. There are plenty of slopes for skiers of all abilities from very extreme terrain suitable for the pro riders to nice and friendly areas for the first time heli skier. The mountains of the Trolls are up to 1500m (or 5000ft) high but you can in many cases ski that entire vertical all the way down to the ocean. The average heli ski run is around 900m (or 3000ft) in vertical drop.
Due to our northerly position there is no tree skiing in Iceland. In fact the local joke is that if you get lost in an Icelandic forest, you just need to stand up. So if you are scared of big nasty tree wells, Iceland will feel pretty safe!
Average vertical on a Classic program is 6000m/day (20,000ft). Based on the included 4 or 6hr flight time, most groups will ski 24.000-36,000m (80,000 - 120,000ft ) of vertical during their stay. Extra runs from €3000/flight hour (divided between group pro rata i.e. an extra 20min flight would cost €1000 divided between the group of 4 so €250/person).
See the full program on the Itinerary tab.
Snow Quality
The snow pack is predominantly coastal and in the springtime we are skiing powder in March and April, to excellent corn snow in May and June, with the occasional powder dump well into May. What really makes the snow good is the small temperature difference between night and day which makes for perfect corn snow, never too deep and never too hard.
This also means we have for the most parts very stable snow in terms of avalanche danger so we can ski steeper and more exposed lines than you would normally do heli-skiing.
Another good thing about our great corn skiing in the second half of the season is that skiers that would usually not dare venture on a heli-skiing trip where deep powder skiing skills are a must can come here and enjoy themselves just as much as the experts.
Location & Transfers
The Hotel & helipad are located in the village of Kulusuk in south-east Greenland. The closest airport is a short distance from the hotel & accepts flights from Iceland & the Greenland capital. All ground transport from/to Kulusuk airport & the hotel is included in the package.
Kulusuk Airport (KUS) can be reached by a flight from Rekyjavik Airport (RKV). Flights to Reykjavik from international origins land at Reykjavik's Keflavik International Airport (KEF), 45min by road from RKV.
PLEASE NOTE: Greenland can be very unpredictable in terms of weather. It is a remote location with few means of transportation to and from the country. Please be advised that flights can be delayed and you should be prepared to be flexible with your dates or at least be prepared to be delayed on arrival or departure.
See the 'Travel to Iceland' page for detailed information on getting to Iceland prior to departing for Greenland.
Helicopter & Guides
Arctic Heli Skiing is in partnership with some of the world’s leading helicopter providers with Heli Austria providing our machines for the Iceland operations.
Heli Austria is one of the largest mountain flying operations in the Alps with over 35 years of experience in the field of mountain rescue operations, heli skiing and aerial work and a fleet of around 40 helicopters providing services in five different countries. These strong partnerships provide Arctic Heli Skiing with unparalleled services and reliability. With extensive safety and heli ski specific flight training our pilots are as good as they get. Our fleet is comprised of the latest model Airbus AS350 B3e’s, the most modern and powerful fleet of heli ski machines in operation in Iceland. The H125/AS350 is the veritable workhorse of the global heli ski industry. These powerful and time proven machines are the best possible helicopters for small group heli skiing.
With space for 4 skiers in the back, plus the guide and pilot up front, one helicopter can service up to three guided groups of skiers in a fast and efficient manner. For family groups of 5 skiers the helicopter can be configured to seat 5 skiers plus the guide, allowing for unmatched flexibility in group size in the Icelandic heli ski industry.
All guides are internationally accredited ACMG or IFMGA & work within a large experienced team with expert local knowledge. Guide to guest ratio whilst skiing is 1:4.
Ski Ability & Equipment
The Arctic Heli Skiing Classic Program can be is suitable for fit, strong intermediate or better skiers with previous off-piste powder & mixed snow conditions experience. Participants need to bring their own ski boots are provided with all avalanche safety gear (Airbag, shovel, shovel, probe & beacon). High performance Völkl skis are available for use by guests free of charge. There are a limited number of snowboards too. Personal skis should be mid fats or above (95mm underfoot or greater) ¬ be too soft. Snowboarders should bring there own board unless other arrangements have been made with Arctic Heli Skiing.