In August 2021, I set out on my longest and toughest hike: the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland. With backpacks packed to the bare minimum, we carried everything we needed for our 11-day trek. No shops, restaurants, or roads along the way… just us and the vast Arctic wilderness. If you got injured, the only option was to keep moving until the end. The only way out would be a helicopter evacuation.
I loved the raw, untouched nature and the sense of oneness with the environment. I typically spend 12+ hours a day in front of a laptop, so shifting to 12+ hours of hiking each day was both physically demanding and mentally freeing.
Lessons learned
1. Less is more and every gram in your backpack matters
Overpacking essentially means more suffering. It was a bit of an essentials-over-comfort approach. My backpack weighed 12 kg and contained only the necessities. Every little item had to earn its place in my bag
✔ Sleeping gear – Sleeping bag & Therm-a-Rest NeoAir sleeping mat
✔ Clothing & accessories – Headlamp, hiking poles, sleeping mask
✔ Survival tools – Knife, power bank, fishing rod, kitchen essentials, food
✔ Filming gear – My drone (very essential, haha)
2. Water is life and finding it is not always simple
In extreme environments, access to water is never guaranteed. We each carried a 500ml bottle and refilled it from running streams along the way. On Day 2, we struggled to find fresh water. After hours of walking, we came across a still lake, but drinking from stagnant water is risky, as it can contain bacteria and parasites. So we kept going until we finally found a running stream. It was quite humbling. At home, water is just a tap away, but here, every drop was precious
3. Fire, shelter, and food: primal needs become everything
In extreme environments, the modern world fades away, and survival instincts kick in. You become hyper-aware of resource management, energy conservation, and decision-making. One night, we camped near the ice cap. I slept with all my clothing on to stay warm, but at 4 am I woke up and knew I had to get up because I couldn’t stay warm. Though the tent was strategically placed in a protected spot from the wind, it was too cold to sleep. I made a cup of tea to warm up, then packed up and got moving to get heat back in my body. At 6.30 am, I went fishing and caught my breakfast. A 55cm trout. What a way to start the morning
4. Nature resets your nervous system
Away from screens, deadlines, and notifications, my mental and physical health improved. Silence in the Arctic came with a profound presence. I began to notice every shift in the wind, the rhythm of my breath, and the subtle sounds of wildlife.
5. The Arctic is fragile and powerful at the same time
The Arctic Circle Trail reveals the untamed power of nature – massive glaciers, endless tundra, and raw landscapes. It makes you feel small in the best possible way. But beneath its strength lies a deep fragility. As we stood before the ice cap, we watched it break in real time, large, huge chunks collapsing into the water. It was a powerful, unsettling sight. Climate change is not some distant theory; it is happening right now, right in front of us
Final thoughts
This type of trek is probably something I should do every 3-5 years to reset my mind. It was a good reminder of how little we actually need to survive, how powerful nature’s presence is, and how much the modern world dulls our instincts.
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