Sisimiut was our first official stop in Greenland after our journey down the Sondre Stromfjord. The community has been around for 4,500 years. From the Saqqaq culture, we saw additions of the Dorset people, the Thule, and then from Canada and Denmark. Sisimiut means “the inhabitants at the foxhole” and remains ice free all year. These conditions, coupled with some of Greenland’s deepest fjords, make the bay home to some of the areas many whales and seals. Sisimiut is known largely for its fishing industry and is a busy port! We saw many families leaving by boat with food and goods for their home.
Sisimiut was also our first view of the bright colored homes that are so iconic to the Arctic. When Denmark colonized Greenland back in 1721, the arrival marked the new colonial style of wooden homes sent over from Denmark in timber kits. They also found that it was easier to paint the homes with colors for what was in the building while the locals were still learning to speak Danish. Commercial homes were red; hospitals were yellow; police stations black; the telephone company was green and fish factories were blue.
Nowadays, you’ll also find orange, pink and purple scattered about the village. I think this is a wonderful contrast to the tundra brown.
We had a lovely time walking the village with our guide. We visited the local heritage museum, saw the many sled dogs resting in the summer sun, and visited the grocery store to stock up on my favorite Scandinavian chocolate bar: Daim med melk sjkolade.
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.