Qaqortoq Greenland private tour operators?

[cruisemom42]

I am on a TA cruise in August/September on HAL's Zuiderdam with two stops in Greenland which I'm very excited about. 

 

I have read about a Viking church (Hvalsey) and nearby VIking ruins that one can see on a tour from Qaqortoq, where we dock. However, the ship either doesn't offer a tour or it is sold out -- it's not showing up online. I have been trying to find a private vendor who will do the short-ish boat ride to the ruins for a small group. Several providers have not responded, and the one who did (Blue Ice) is booked up.

 

I realize I am late in planning, but I had to switch to this cruise when my April Japan cruise on the Westerdam was canceled due to COVID-19 issues.

 

Can anyone provide any thoughts, ideas, suggestions?  Is this the kind of place where there are likely to be independent boat captains waiting on arrival?

 

I am just about beside myself, since the Viking remains in Greenland are one of the MAJOR attractions for me on this itinerary -- I am not so into beautiful scenery but I am VERY into history and ruins....  Hoping someone can help.

 

[hallasm]

the problem is that number of tour operators is limited and might be fully booked by the cruise line - also many tours are more than one day.

Get some inspiration from Visit Greenland  - sagalands.com tours and guidetogreenland.com Qaqortoq Tours day tours

 

 

[Turtles06]

On 3/17/2020 at 8:17 AM, cruisemom42 said:

I am on a TA cruise in August/September on HAL's Zuiderdam with two stops in Greenland which I'm very excited about. 

 

Ah, so you did decide to take this cruise.  😊

 

When we were on HAL's Viking Passage aboard the Zuiderdam in 2018 [a fabulous adventure!], with a port call in Qaqortoq (tender port, btw), there were no HAL tours offered (nor in Nanortalik).  Just too tiny, no real tourist infrastructure.  Before that cruise, I had read just about everything I could find here on CC about private tours, and that was not much.  A few comments that I did find were from people who had booked in advance with someone with a boat, and the boat had problems the day of and there was no tour.  Things like that.

 

I don't recall any boat captains waiting on the tender pier offering to take people places, but then again, I wasn't looking for any. 

I know from reading your posts over the years how much the Viking history interests you, and I hope you are able to find someone to get you where you want to go.

 

I would at least try the "contact us" form on Sagalands.com, and see if they can help.

 

http://www.sagalands.com/contact-us/

 

Good luck! 

[cruisemom42]

54 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

I know from reading your posts over the years how much the Viking history interests you, and I hope you are able to find someone to get you where you want to go.

 

I would at least try the "contact us" form on Sagalands.com, and see if they can help.

 

http://www.sagalands.com/contact-us/

 

Good luck! 

 

Thanks, a message has been sent. I'm nothing if not persistent; hopefully something will turn up.

 

I'm in the same boat (!) for Nanortalik, there are also Viking ruins near it, in fact, the supposed farm/homestead of Erik the Red. 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by cruisemom42

[Turtles06]

10 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm in the same boat (!) for Nanortalik, there are also Viking ruins near it, in fact, the supposed farm/homestead of Erik the Red. 

That’s of course an even smaller community. I hope you find something. If not, the Open Air Museum really is quite interesting and I think you would enjoy the history. 
 

The fact that both places are tender ports and that you don’t have full days (at least we didn’t) are of course other limiting factors, but I know you know that. 
 

I hope you enjoy the trip. We loved it. 

[janmcn]

If you get to go, both villages are delightful to just walk around and ditto the Open Air Museum in Nanortalik...many interesting old buildings and picturesque views...about $5/person.

[DRS/NC]

I'm reading this late in the 2020 non-cruise summer; I assume that your cruise did not happen. 

However, for future reference, Qaqortoq & Nanortalik are quite tiny, as others have mentioned.  I was there in Aug. 2019 on a Princess cruise; both are tender ports -- meaning that there was just a timber pier in each places, able to unload/load ONE tender at a time.  The process took a LONG time each tender -- 2 hrs. from leaving the ship to walking onto the dock.  Same for return. Those ports are not set-up for large ships -- and probably shouldn't be.

 

Qaqortoq is about 2,700 people; Nanortalik has about 1,500.  There were a few 'private' tours arranged w/local boat owners.  I think Princess arranged a very few too.

 

I must use either a walker or scooter; I was able to take my walker/rollator ashore both places & walk around the tiny port/village for about 2 hrs. in each.  I didn't make it all the way to the church, tho I could have if I'd planned better.  Both villages were quaint & interesting, esp. the geography.  I was also able to chat w/middle school kids in Nanortalik (they were having a fund raiser that day -- clever kids).  We had great weather in both: 50-60ish & clear.

 

But basically, there is little to see in either place -- but I'm so glad I was able to go.  I hope you can reschedule!

[CassCruise]

We went in August 2018 and it was so hard to organise a tour in Qaortoq but I am so so glad my persistence paid off - we did one of the best most memorable tours here - fast boat to a glacier - passing miles of icebergs was just magical the details of who we used are below

Greenland Sagalands

Qaqortoq Tourist Service

Post box 128

3920 Qaqortoq

Tlf. +299 64 24 44 Cell. Phone +00 299 49 37 41

www.sagalands.com

 

In Nanortalik we happily walked and toured the village