As the Copenhagen climate conference grinds to its final tortured impasse today, here’s some news that ought to get the delegates’ attention: next summer, Explorers’ Corner founder Olaf Malver will personally lead the first ever commercial kayaking tour of Greenland’s remote Kangerdlussuaq Fjord, now accessible to small-boat tours because of the Arctic’s receding icepack. “It’s a sad thing that the area’s opening up,” Malver told Away.com in a recent phone interview, “but this is a really unique, exploratory opportunity.” A 32-hour boat ride from Iceland, the area—known as Greenland’s “Forbidden Coast”—was previously only accessible to a few hardy Inuit hunters and well-heeled explorers with access to boat and helicopter transport for getting around. In 2010, Explorers’ Corner will lead two groups of seven experienced kayakers on back-to-back trips that will delve into eastern Greenland’s wilderness by boat, from there they’ll launch out in sea kayaks to explore a lattice of remote islands, fjords, and inlets, as well as take day hikes onshore in the shadow of Greenland’s highest peaks. The rugged region is home to narwhals, polar bears, seals, and other Arctic wildlife. Both trips are now fully booked, although Malver expects to be able to offer the same expedition in 2011. A great opportunity for a truly unique adventure, it’s also one more indication that global warming is already altering the world we know.

Check out the video below of an Explorer's Corner Expedition through Greenland's Sermilik Fjord for a taste of what to expect:

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