ERFALIK LODGE

COMFORT MEETS WILDERNESS

In the summer of 2019, the Erfalik Lodge – in the remote wilderness of Greenland, replaced our former tent camp. Now, you can have the best of both worlds: Greenland’s most productive arctic char fishing as well as great comfort; including single occupancy rooms, 24-hour power, hot showers, and three-course meals.

The eco-friendly lodge is located at the mouth of the Erfalik River with a magnificent view of the river and fjord, and it replaces our legendary tent camp where we developed the now famous foam fly fishing for char more than a decade ago.

HOME POOL

The tidal pool right in front of the lodge can be very productive on a rising tide. A couple of deep pools, before the river meets the first lake, always hold fish as well. Other great spots before reaching the upper river include a stream between the first and the second lake, and especially around inlets and outlets. A short hike further up and you’re on the upper river – perfect water for skating foam flies, swinging streamers, or sight-fishing with nymphs.

REASONS TO GO

Three things make the Erfalik River stand out: The clarity of the water (it’s lake fed so it doesn’t get dirty or “glacier-milky”), the abundance of arctic char, and their willingness to chase skated foam flies. Though the latter depends on the weather conditions, (oftentimes, it’s not productive during clear, sunny days) – there will be plenty of occasions during a week where you can get them on foam flies. And more so than on any other river we have fished in Greenland. Only the fish know why.

TRAVELLING TO THE ERFALIK LODGE

SEASON: July-August.

FLY TO: Sisimiut via Copenhagen, Denmark.

TYPICAL ITINERARY: 
Day 1: Arrival in Copenhagen, stay at hotel (optional).
Day 2: Morning flight to Sisimiut via Kangerlussuaq, transfer to Hotel Sisimiut,
afternoon sight seeing in town or relax at the hotel.
Day 3: Boat transfer to lodge, fishing the rest of the day.
Day 4-9: Six days (and nights) of fishing.
Day 10: Boat transfer to Hotel Sisimiut, farewell dinner.
Day 11: Morning flight back to Copenhagen.

PRICE: On request – get in touch!

BOOKING INQUIRY

    EASY HIKING

    Following a hearthy breakfast, you pick up your waders in the dry room, put on your boots on the stairs overlooking Home Pool, and soon you’ll be on your way to the boat, anchored in the lake a short walk from the lodge. Together with a handful of your fellow anglers, one of the young guides will ferry you across the lake.

    Fifteen minutes later, you will be on a path to the upper river: A path already beaten by generations of reindeer, local hunters, and previous anglers. It’s trouble free hiking and it’s easy enough for you to enjoy it in your breathable waders, which will also give you the freedom to cross the river wherever you like.

    FISHABLE WATER

    Most fisheries for anadromous salmonids see the fish holding in pools or other defined lies. On the Erfalik River, maybe due to the sheer number of fish running, the char spread out until they are ready for spawning. This means that each kilometer (or mile, if that’s your thing) doesn’t just represent a few good spots and a lot of “dead” water in between – instead, it’s actually a kilometer of fishable water. In other words, you have seven or eight kilometers of river to fish (that’s five miles). That’s A LOT of water to cover in a day. The good news is that you have six long days to try to fish it all.

    CRAZY NUMBERS

    You might have heard stories about fly fishing in Greenland that include super aggressive fish hitting every fly you throw at them – stories that lead to crazy numbers of landed fish in a day, or in a week. Though not equally hyped, there are – fortunately – also stories about the very same char having lockjaw and days where you need small flies, prefect presentation, and a few secret tricks to crack the code. Like everywhere else, it’s called “fishing” – not “catching”.

    We love it when the fishing gets a little technical. And we know the small tricks needed to fool a few nice fish – even when the bite isn’t on. Our camp managers and young, eager guides love to share them with our guests. Maybe because they’re friendly, maybe because it makes them look cool. Probably, it’s a mix of both.

    AFTER-FISHING

    You return to the lodge after a long day of fishing. It feels great to kick off the boots, to get out of the waders – and maybe grab a shower before dinner. You’re tired but happy. Maybe you should rest in your room for half an hour? Maybe not. The special after-fishing atmosphere draws you in for an after-fishing drink. The first few fish stories start to flow.

    The nice dinner – a dinner you really deserve after hiking all day – fuels up your body with energy. Soon, you find yourself on the big porch with everyone else, swapping more fish stories, looking at phone- and camera screens displaying digital proof of a great day. Enjoying life with friends and fellow fly anglers in the most scenic surroundings.

    The trick is to know when to call it a day. If you are waiting for darkness to make the decision for you, you will be waiting in vain. These are the days of great fishing, good times, and of the midnight sun. Be sensible and find your room sooner or later. Tomorrow is another great day on the Erfalik River.

    ERFALIK FAQ

    If you need more general information, check our Greenland FAQ here.

    We only fish during prime weeks, which is the reason our bookings are usually well spread out. It’s not like the same one or two weeks always sell out first.

    At Erfalik, you’ll find only fresh fish early in the season. From late July, there will be a mix of fresh fish and some that have already colored. Later in the season, it mainly comprises colored fish, with some fresh ones in the lower parts of the river and in the lakes.

    All weeks are good, so we usually advise guests to choose the week that suits their calendar well.

    The lodge is located approximately 80 kilometers south of Sisimiut, Greenland’s second largest city with 5600 inhabitants. It overlooks the fjord and the river mouth of the Erfalik River.

    To get to Sisimiut, you will need to fly to Copenhagen, Denmark (overnight in hotel) and then to Sisimiut via Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. It’s approx. 4,5 hrs from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, and then a short domestic flight of 30 min. to Sisimiut. You arrive early afternoon, settle in at Hotel Sisimiut and have the rest of the afternoon for sightseeing and relaxation. The next day you transfer to the lodge by boat (approx. 2,5 hrs transfer time).

    On the Erfalik River, sometimes in inlets and outlets of the lakes, and occasionally in the fjord for cod or fresh char heading for the river mouth.

    In a brand-new lodge (built in 2019) overlooking the fjord and the river mouth. The sleeping cabins are pretty small (with bunk beds) but all guests have a single room so there is plenty of room for all your stuff. The lodge has a big, comfortable dining area, big couches and a large porch, all with a spectacular view of the fjord.

    While it’s not fine dining as such, the meals are tasty and made with the “Swedish chef’s” dedication. Our Swedish chefs aren’t quite as entertaining as the one you might remember from the Muppet Show but they all work much bigger venues for most of the year, they like fly fishing, and a week or two in Greenland is part of their summer break.

    Most nights, they will prepare a nice three course meals, though variations on the dessert theme are fairly limited. Most of our guests are impressed with what they come up with, especially when taking the remoteness of the location into consideration.

    Breakfast will be eggs, bacon, bread, cereals etc. And for lunch, we put out bread, cold meat, and toppings so you can make a couple of sandwiches that will keep you going throughout the day.



    Get up around 7.00 where breakfast is served, make your own sandwiches after breakfast, get in your fishing clothes, and head for the river around 8.30. The guides will ferry you across the first lake, and unless you choose to fish the inlet or outlet of the small stream between the two lakes, it’s a 20-minute hike to the upper river. The next five to seven miles are yours to explore over the week. Head back for dinner somewhere between 6 and 7 PM, unless you choose to fish a little longer. Most guests will also go out once or twice during the week for some evening- or even night fishing. They typically sleep in the next day. It’s an easy-going and flexible schedule as there is light enough to fish 20-24 hours a day, depending on the season.

    From two minutes to two hours. Most of the time, a five-minute walk followed by a fifteen-minute boat ride and another twenty minutes of hiking.

    It’s typically either swinging streamers, skating foam flies, or sometimes nymphing. While some methods are more productive than others, we encourage the methods that are the most fun. Nothing beats catching char on foam flies skated across the surface – but the fish aren’t always in the mood for that. Other times, you can sight-fish for them with small streamers. And when you really need a pull, swinging a weighted streamer or fishing a nymph will usually get it done.

    Enough. While we have certainly seen our weeks of “silly numbers”, we are not at all into encouraging our anglers to hammer the water and land as many char as humanly possible. And you will never see us advertising weekly catch rates to fill more spots.

    Even if there are probably tens of thousands of char running the Erfalik River, it is still a natural resource, and every fish landed – and released – amounts to pressure on this resource. On good days, you can easily catch fifteen or twenty char on methods that give you a lot of fun and pleasure. There are ways to sometimes double that number, possibly even triple it. But why? It’s not a competition.



    Foam flies, streamers and nymphs. We provide a Pre Trip Planner with detailed information on flies.

    A nine-foot six weight, preferably with a fight butt is our go-to rod but a five weight with some backbone will do as well. It is a good idea to bring at least two rods, in the event that one breaks.

    We mostly fish floating lines and leaders are 12-16 lbs (0,28-0,33 mm), occasionally lighter when nymphing.

    No. The Erfalik River is under concession and it is not allowed for other anglers to visit.

    You might but usually not more than knee-deep. We fish in breathable waders because it’s nice to be able to cross the river to reach all the spots – but it’s super easy wading, and there is no need for a wading stick or special soles etc.

    We don’t have guides in the traditional sense. Our English speaking camp manager and camp assistant will be happy to help you get started and show you around, introducing you to the many different beats.
    While they are not there to tie your knots or unhook your fish, they will do what ever they can to help everyone have a great week.

    At the moment there is no Internet service. Cell phone reception is getting better, and now there are a couple of spots around camp where you can find reception.

    ERFALIK MOMENTS

    We have collected a selection of moments from the river to capture the feel and atmosphere of this magnificent place. Sit back and enjoy!

    P.S. You might get a head start in getting to know some of the spots.

    If you want to read more about the fishing at Erfalik Lodge, check out our season reports:

    Erfalik Season Report 2023

    Erfalik Season Report 2022

    Erfalik Season Report 2021

    The shallow stream between Lake Two and Lake Three is often too shallow for the chars to navigate. Instead, they hang out near the outlet and offer some spectacular lake fishing.

    Enjoy a well deserved after-fishing beer in the spa and sauna, overlooking the river mouth.

    Our camp manager, Aurelien, with a beautiful char and a happy guest.

    Late in the season, the color of the Arctic char in Erfalik is truly astonishing.

    The delta from the river into Lake Two is an often overlooked spot that can offer some great foam fly action.

    The boat ferries guests across Lake One. We usually make several daily crossings so that guests can tailor-make their days on the river.

    A great day of fishing is topped off with a glass of champagne while enjoying the view from the upper river.

    The Aquarium marks the beginning of Paradise Valley and is the first resting place for the fish after crossing Waterfall Two.

    The outlet of Lake One is the perfect place for fishing just a little longer before the short hike back to the lodge and a waiting dinner.

    While Phone Pool only occasionally offers phone reception it’s a always worth fishing. It’s a great resting spot before the fish enter the upstream delta.