Iceland review - 2015, Page 81

ICELAND REVIEW 79
VESTNORDEN
Minutes to the Middle of Nowhere
In a country like Greenland, where no roads traverse the wilder-
ness, aerial transportation is an integral part of life. However,
aerial sightseeing—or flightseeing—is still relatively new in Green-
land, meaning that travelers today have unprecedented access to
some of the island’s most beautiful and remote areas.
Founded in 2007 by husband and wife pilots Jens Ploug Lars-
en and Bente Biilmann Larsen, Air Zafari offers on-demand aerial
tours around Greenland’s magnificent fjords, towering glaciers
and sprawling ice plateaus—landscapes that, in many cases, can
only be seen from the air.
AN ARCTIC SAFARI
In addition to its popular night-time urban lights tours in Copen-
hagen, Denmark, and Reykjavík, Iceland, Air Zafari operates na-
ture sightseeing tours from three locations in Greenland—Ilulissat
and Kangerlussuaq in the west and, in the summer, Kulusuk, on
Greenland’s rugged east coast.
Its unique outings include a Disko Bay Whale Safari and a Global
Warming Glacier tour. Air Zafari is also the only company offering
bespoke helicopter tours (minimum five passengers) to Sermeq
Avannarleq, or Northern Glacier. This tour provides stunning views
and also goes one step further—the opportunity to actually stand
on a glacier. “You spend some time on the ground,” says owner
Jens Larsen. “It’s not just about getting from point A to point B.”
Some of the company’s most popular tours—such as the
Paradise Valley and Ice Cap tour—depart from Kangerlussuaq, which
is just a few minutes’ flight to what seems, at least, to be the middle
of nowhere: the Greenland Ice Sheet. This trans-coastal icescape is
breathtaking for its aquamarine river valleys, looming cliffs, and ev-
er-changing, glacier-filled bays. It’s also home of astonishing variety of
wildlife, including reindeer and musk ox. “That’s actually how we got
our name,” explains Jens. “Flying in the valleys along the Ice Sheet is
a lot like going out over the Serengeti.”
A MULTI-SENSORY EXPERIENCE
Air Zafari offers helicopter tours by request and boasts a fleet of Parte-
navia P68 planes, which accommodate five people. These planes are
ideal for flightseeing expeditions, as they can fly as low as helicopters
and all passengers get their own window. Better yet, guests are given
noise-reducing headsets through which to communicate with the pilot
and to listen to music.
“Our focus is on interactive tours,” says Jens, who believes that
the best tours engage all the senses. To that end, guests are served a
sweet treat before departure, while listening to a quick briefing about
their destination. In the air, they can ask the pilot questions and listen
to the soundtrack of their choice. “We’re always thinking out of the
box,” says Jens, “and looking for new ways to engage our passen-
gers.”
airzafari.com
Air Zafari takes you on an aerial adventure in Greenland.
SPECIAL PROMOTION