10 Things We Absolutely Love About Greenland
Most of us have read the lore or been told stories of the Vikings and their formidable cunning, their warrior-natures and their many exploits; and in doing so know of their clever naming of Greenland to attract more settlers to what they secretly knew was an icy, frozen, “wasteland.”. For some of us, these stories may have now faded to dim legends in our minds turning the setting of these legends, Greenland itself, into a place shrouded in mystery and intrigue that we may value for its larger-than-life history, but never see as a vacation destination. If like us, you also fit this category, then no need to worry because now that we have traversed the ice, avoided the polar bears, and survived the food we’re here to show you how to conquer Greenland too!
Getting to Greenland requires decisive planning and flexibility as it is both expensive and remote. Being a large country by landmass with a small population, resources are limited overall meaning that there is less access to conveniences for those living there and even less access for tourists when compared to your average modern nation which makes this a destination where “winging it” would not be in your favor. That being said, a little planning goes a long way and you’re likely to find most of the creature comforts you need at the handful of shops available, just make sure to pack whatever specialty items you absolutely can’t live without!
Booking a flight to Greenland is a little perplexing initially as the most common way to find airfare these days is through a major search engine like Expedia.com however a general search for flights will likely land you a “no results” page each time. This is because the main routes to Greenland are actually sold by Air Greenland themselves through their own website so you’ll need to book with the airlines directly for your desired dates. As you would expect, Air Greenland offers the most flexibility in flight options with nonstop flights leaving daily from Copenhagen, Denmark to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. This is not your only choice however as Icelandair also offers nonstop flights from Reykjavik, Iceland to Greenland as well. Flights from Iceland often go to the cities of Nuuk and Ilulissat in Greenland and cost on average about 1200 USD. The flights from Iceland are shorter in duration (about 3 hours) than from Denmark (5 hour flights) and may seem like a better choice overall but there’s a catch: Icelandair air only flies to the Greenland cities a limited amount of times per week and the number of flights are less in the winter than summer. Needless to say this could be a wrench in the works if you have limited time or are not particularly organized when planning!
We chose to fly to Kangerlussuaq, home to Greenland’s largest international airport, from the city of Copenhagen which did indeed take us 5 hours and cost about 1000 USD per person. The flight itself was surprisingly comfortable and actually included a warm meal and frequent beverage service which we all know is a luxury that has vanished since the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic. We would caution you to leave an entire day open for travel as flight delays due to weather and other issues are fairly common and, while you will ultimately get to your destination, this could cause undue stress particularly if you have planned prepaid tours/activities on your arrival day. Now, with the most harrowing part of the trip behind us, we can finally move on to all the things we loved about Greenland in the hope that we will inspire you to consider this remarkable place for your next vacation adventure.
1. The Unique Cities Of Greenland
With its huge landmass, lack of interconnecting roadways and only a handful of residents when compared to nations of similar sizes, it’s likely not a surprise that the cities of Greenland are vastly different from each other. Following sound advice that recommended visiting only one to two cities to save cost, we chose to visit Kangerlussuaq for its easy access to the polar ice cap and Ilulissat for its proximity to the remarkable Disko Bay.
Kangerlussuaq
If you follow in our footsteps and choose Kangerlussuaq as your entrance city into Greenland then you’re in for a treat and here are some things to know that will smooth your arrival and stay in this rustic town.
Kangerlussaq is a small settlement with only 500 residents but is notable for being home to a diverse group of terrestrial animals including muskoxen, caribou, and arctic hares. On arrival you might be taken aback by the small footprint of the settlement, but don’t despair because the small size actually means that all your conveniences are but a short walk away!
Kangerlussaq Airport (SFJ)
This is one of the only airports built with a runway large enough to accommodate international jets – a byproduct of a historical military partnership with the USA. Kangerlussuaq airport serves as the main air transport hub of Greenland and is a great jumping off point for flights to other cities. While fairly small, the airport still has all the amenities one would expect such as clean bathrooms, Wi-Fi, ample seating for its size, restaurants, and even a gift shop.
The airport is situated next to a nearby sand dune created by glaciers eroding and completely pulverizing rocks in the area. Why mention this? Well in addition to the airport being plagued by high winds and poor visibility due to snow and fog, it can also suffer sandstorms which can result in lots of flight delays and cancellations. Traveling to Greenland in the summer high season lessens the likelihood of delays due to these natural phenomena as was evident through our own arrival in early August to relatively clear skies and mild temperatures.
Kangerlussuaq Accommodations
As you’ve probably guessed by now, Kangerlussuaq accommodations are limited and book up rapidly especially during the summer travel season. There are two main options for lodging in the settlement : Hotel Kangerlussuaq and the Polar Lodge. Booking a stay at these places is difficult through major search engines like Priceline.com as they often show up as completely booked. However, you’re likely to succeed in securing a reservation by calling or emailing the hotels directly.
Hotel Kangerlussuaq is the “airport hotel” and is actually the only traditional hotel in the area. It is directly connected to the airport meaning that you can walk from baggage claim to the hotel check-in desk in about 100 footsteps. We enjoyed this particular perk since the time it took to disembark the plane, check in, and ditch our hiking boots after a long day of travel was no more than twenty minutes. The hotel is a little dated, but provides all the basic amenities. Plus, we had a cool view of the runway without having to deal with too much noise since there were no flights overnight which made for a peaceful nights rest. We were able to secure our stay at the hotel for only one of our two nights in the settlement.
We spent our second night at the Polar lodge which, true to its name, is more of a hostel-style lodge than a hotel. The lodge is a short walk (less than 5 minutes) across the street from the airport’s rear exit. We had a small private room and shared a bathroom with a shower with 5-6 other rooms. While this wouldn’t typically be our first choice it more than met our needs. The room had effective blackout curtains, great temperature control, and small but comfortable beds. The bathroom was clean and well maintained. Most importantly there were no offensive smells and no noise from other tenants to deal with and we ultimately had a very short but comfortable stay.
The average cost of a nights stay in Hotel Kangerlussuaq was 240 USD and the Polar Lodge was 150 USD which we thought was rather reasonable overall. If this is too steep a price there are other options such as camping and we recommend visiting the website for Albatross Arctic Circle tours for additional details and booking such accommodations.
Ilulissat
Located within the Arctic Circle, Ilulissat is the third largest city in Greenland and is home to the Icefjord known as Disko Bay. Disko Bay is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site to protect its fragile and profound beauty and is the main draw for those heading to Ilulissat.
Since Greenland lacks typical infrastructure due to extreme terrain and weather conditions there are no roads between Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat. Prospective visitors have two options for travel to Ilulissat and these are by boat or airplane. A boat trip could last several days and as we were on a tight schedule we decided to fly. There are frequent flights between these two cities daily and we were easily able to book a 50 minute round trip flight for 300 USD per person through Air Greenland’s website.
Arrival to Ilulissat Airport was a bit of a surprise as the airport for this bigger city was noticeably smaller and less well equipped than the Kangerlussuaq airport and only offered a set of bathrooms, one small eatery and no Wi-Fi. The walk into town from this airport is considerably longer and can take about an hour but is scenic and very doable if you have good weather and feel like taking on an adventure right after landing. We chose to take a taxi, which, after standing around cluelessly outside the arrivals terminal for 15 minutes, we finally managed to get by actually calling the cab service and arranging our pick up. The ride into town was spectacular providing high views of Disko Bay and only took about 10 minutes.
Ilulissat Accommodations
There are more hotels in Ilulissat than Kangerlussuaq but visitors are still faced with the same issue of limited room availability in the summer season and, once again, you should plan to book well in advance of your arrival day. In researching our trip we were shocked that we were unable to find an available room even though our trip was 2 months away. Fortunately for us we planned to stay only one night in the area and decided to spend that time in a charming little settlement within Disko Bay itself.
Ilimanaq Settlement And Lodge
Located within the remote Ilimanaq settlement which is home to approximately 50 people and which is accessible only by a 35-45 minute boat ride from Ilulissat, the Ilimanaq lodge is the perfect place to absorb the beauty of Disko Bay while unwinding from the hassles of everyday life.
We booked our stay through World Of Greenland tours and the trip included reservations for the lodge itself, the boat ride to the lodge and dinner at KOKS restaurant which is also located within the settlement. We found the lodge to be luxurious offering all the amenities one would want and within a short walk of the small harbor. Most notable was the lack of Wi-Fi within the lodge and settlement which, as it turns out, is intentional to allow visitors to completely disconnect. While it was expensive overall we can honestly say that the experience was truly worth it as it was a once in a lifetime chance to get up close to the giant floating icebergs, try the unique foods of Greenland and enjoy the midnight sun on our own private balcony overlooking the bay while sipping on gin and tonic chilled by prehistoric ice. If you’re on the hunt for that perfect silence and that absolute peace and quiet then this is the place for you too!
2. The Food
While agricultural is generally limited in Greenland and a lot of the needed fresh produce is often imported, the melting polar icecap continues to unveil more fertile land yearly meaning that Greenlanders are now capable of cultivating some of their own fruits and vegetables. There are also a handful of ranches and, of course, lots of fresh seafood so there’s hardly a scarcity when it comes to finding something good or even something adventurous to eat. Surprisingly, we found the food prices to be very reasonable and even cheaper overall when compared to other European countries.
Despite being a very small settlement, Kangerlussuaq had a very nice and varied selection of restaurants with options ranging from fine dining to “fast food.” Even though you would be hard pressed to find a traditional American fast food joint like say a Wendy’s or McDonalds you can still find near perfect satisfaction from the offerings at the airport cafeteria. Yes you heard us right! While “cafeteria food” may not sound glamorous or inviting we can vouch for the well executed and perfectly delicious fish and chips and fried chicken. We also immensely enjoyed the offerings at Musk Ox restaurant which was also located within the airport complex. If you happen to be staying in this area for an extended time then be sure to try out some of the other well reviewed eateries like Restaurant Roklubben and Nordlyset Pizzeria-Thai-Grillhouse.
Ilulissat, as would be expected of an in demand tourism destination, has plenty to offer in terms of food. We particularly enjoyed the smoked halibut sandwich and seafood soup at the Inuit Café located within walking distance of Disko Bay. We were also able to visit the previously mentioned KOKS restaurant located within the bay where the tasting menu was so varied, delicious and extensive that we will be providing a detailed description of our experience on our Food Page. Be sure to check back if you would like to know how to embark on this one-of-a-kind foodie adventure yourself.
3. The People
Most people are in some way familiar with the Viking history and their habitation of Greenland but it may not be common knowledge that the actual indigenous population of the country are the Greenlandic Inuits who refer to themselves as the Kalaallit Nunaat.
Unlike the indigenous populations of many other countries who often are displaced and overshadowed by other prevailing ethnicities, the Greenlandic Inuits appear to be intricately involved in governing their country. They are in no way hidden and are in fact at the helm of leading their country.
We can honestly say that the people of Greenland were warm, welcoming and super friendly towards us. For instance we were being stereotypical tourists and holding up foot traffic on the tarmac trying to take a selfie while boarding an Air Greenland prop plane when, instead of getting yelled at, an airport agent actually left her post and offered to take our picture! Definitely not the typical kind of treatment we usually get from airport personnel! The genuine hospitality of the people added a welcomed warmth to our stay in the Arctic circle.
4. The Weather
We mentioned earlier that weather can be dramatic in Greenland even in the summer ranging from foggy, rainy days to bright blue skies and endless sunshine. You might be surprised to learn that temperatures in the summer can range from 40-60 °F and can even reach 70 ºF at the peak of summer. Of course, winter is very different with its harsh subzero temperatures, high winds, blizzards and fog.
Choosing when to visit can dramatically alter what type of adventures are available and can even impact entrance into the country as flight cancellations are dramatically increased in the winter. For this reason, the majority of tourism occurs in the summer time. What we particularly loved about the weather in Greenland in August was the abundance of fresh, cool air and mild temperatures allowing us to traipse about as we pleased in one wool layer, a light jacket and hiking boots!
5. No Overcrowding!
While various informational sites suggest that summers in Greenland are “overrun” with tourist, keep in mind that this is somewhat exaggerated and mostly applies to hotel room availability as this is the overall limiting factor. You would be hard pressed to visit any of the attractions in Greenland and find yourself elbow to elbow with other visitors as you would at Vatican City in Rome or at the Great Wall in China. Honestly, we did not find ourselves to be crowded or even in close contact with other tourists despite visiting some of the most popular sites at the most prime time of the year!
6. The Water
Having traversed most of Scandinavia, we can say with authority that Greenland water is the best water you’ll probably ever taste. Most of the drinking water comes from rainfall and melt water found in the fresh water lakes across the country. The environment is so untouched and pristine that you can simply fill your bottle from the tap or even drink directly from a river or a lake! We mostly carried refillable water bottles and filled up from available taps wherever we went. We didn’t have an opportunity to drink from a lake however we were lucky enough to drink directly from a glacial river on the polar icecap itself which is the purest, most refreshing water we’ve ever had! Plastic bottles that we use to store water and pipes that transport water to us all impart a flavor to that water. Can you imagine removing these influences and what that might mean for the taste of the water? Well we finally can and if you visit the icecap and take a sip you’ll also find out!
7. Almost Everyone Speaks Multiple Languages!
If pressed to answer the question of what the main language of Greenland is, you might guess Greenlandic and you’d be right! About 70% of the population speaks Greenlandic while the rest speak Danish. Greenlandic itself is divided into 4 dialects spoken by the different groups that occupy different parts of Greenland.
What surprised us thoroughly though was the fact that many people, even in the more remote areas of Greenland, also spoke English. When you stop to consider how removed this nation is from its neighbors by distance as well as the fact that tourism is on a small scale when compared to other countries of similar sizes it is astonishing that so many of the people speak a language that they would originally have had only limited exposure to. This definitely made navigating the country much less intimidating and, to us, shows the lengths to which the native people have gone to make Greenland more accessible and welcoming.
8. Endless Daylight
Another huge perk of visiting Greenland in the summer is the endless days. We have probably all at one time or another felt that our vacation days are way too short. Well, if you visit Greenland in the summer then you’ll have 24 hours of daylight to pack in as much fun as you can tolerate. Interestingly, while we did have the advertised long days in August and no real night, we also had noticeable changes in the quality of sunlight during the day and even a brief twilight around 11pm which still somehow synced to our circadian rhythm and managed to feel natural. We were able to get a restful night sleep without the need for blackout curtains or sleep masks although a sleep mask is highly recommended if you need absolute darkness to be able to sleep.
9. Disko Bay
Easily accessible from the city of Ilulissat, Disko Bay is a must see and is the very embodiment of a dreamscape. With its’ gigantic floating icebergs, many of which are large enough to sport their own icy waterfalls, it’s sparkling sapphire blue waters and the many sea creatures that call the bay home, it is no wonder that this has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
There are a few great ways to see the bay and catch some of those social-media worthy clips and pictures to make your followers instantly envious. Within walking distance of the city center is a park with a wooden board walk that brings you close to the bay. Walking the entire trail takes about 40 minutes and, while the trail is initially flat and begins at the level of the bay, it eventually begins gently climbing upwards to provide a jaw-dropping bird’s eye view of the bay.
The best way to see the bay and get up close and personable with those icebergs and the wildlife is, of course, by boat. Tours through the bay are plentiful with some lasting for a few hours and others that can last for several days. If you’re feeling particularly daring and don’t mind a potential dip in arctic waters accompanied by curious sea creatures then you could also consider kayaking the bay. We maximized our enjoyment of the bay by taking a 45 minute boat ride operated by World Of Greenland to the settlement of Ilimanaq and spending the night in a lovely cottage with astounding views of the bay. With scenery so untouched and so spectacular that it can easily overwhelm, Disko Bay should be at the top of the list of wonders to see if you happen to be journeying to Greenland. Check out our video on YouTube!
10. Greenland’s Polar Ice Cap
To access this marvel, we booked the Ice Point 660 tour through Albatros Arctic Circle. This is perhaps the most popular tour to the Polar Ice Cap as it can be done by road from Kangerlussuaq at 2pm or 7pm daily in the summer time. The ice cap can also be seen from other parts of Greenland but to do so could require a full day tour involving travel by boat and snowmobiles.
Our tour set off at 7pm east of the airport by bus on a single lane dirt road known as “Sermersuarmut” and journeyed through the Artic Tundra where the opportunities to spot reindeer, arctic hare and the like along the way were plentiful. After about an hour, we made our first stop at Reindeer Glacier where we took a short trail down to a roaring waterfall and splendid views of the glacier itself.
Continuing on from the glacier, we passed through incredible terrain on our Monster Bus which miraculously handled well and managed to cross several high elevation bridges that set our heart rate up as they seemed too small to walk across much less drive across with such an enormous vehicle.
While it definitely felt like we shaved a few years off our lives on this drive the views of sand dunes, the valleys, the gorges and the lakes dotting the landscape more than made up for the somewhat harrowing drive.
After about 2 hours, we arrived to the end of the road and to our ultimate destination: Ice cap Point 660. From here we hiked up a short, steep trail and as we crested one last hill we could finally see the mighty ice sheet before us. A few more minutes of hiking and we were finally able to set foot on the ice cap.
Describing the Ice cap, unless you’re a genius wordsmith, is a little difficult. Suffice it to say that walking on the ice cap was akin to walking on a gargantuan, gray snow cone. The ice was pitted and surprisingly grippy rather than being a smooth, slippery surface. This was likely due to significant melting that had occurred over the course of the summer. We definitely did not need crampons and everyone in the tour seemed to do well with some good old tennis shoes.
Walking on the ice cap was also visually stunning with gray ice dunes as far as the eyes could see, veins of blue ice beneath our feet and blue-bed streams carrying the world’s purest water curving away from us. We were sure to fill our water bottles before making our way back! Be sure to take extra layers and gloves as the ice cap was about 30 ºF cooler than Kangerlussuaq.
On our way back to Kangerlussuaq, we stopped for one more photo-op at the Russel Glacier to admire yet another glorious waterfall before wrapping up this remarkable trip!
