COLDER CLIMATES
u l t i m a t e
ARCTIC Adventure
greenland is the world’s largest island and it is an exciting destination for all adventure seekers
The world’s largest island……
with the sparsest population of any country, Greenland is a vast expanse of wilderness that has spectacular scenery, rugged mountainous landscapes with wonderful Arctic wildlife. The islands coastlines in contrast have lush valleys, fjords and picturesque villages made up of colourfully painted houses. Most of the population of Greenland is concentrated along the islands western coast, in the capital city of Nuuk and in settlements surrounding the stunning Disko Bay, while the east coast is virtually uninhabited aside from a scattering of remote Inuit villages. During the summer months, the pack ice breaks up allowing travellers to explore Scoresby Sund, the world’s largest fjord system, sailing past towering icebergs, snow-capped mountains and delicate ice sculptures.
For thousands of years, Inuit communities have managed to eke out a living in the frozen north of Greenland. Today, the majority of islands far north lies within the Northeast Greenland National Park, the largest national park in the world encompassing an area of 972,000km², with a permanent population of just 40 Arctic researchers. The inhabitants of this un-spoilt wilderness are far outnumbered by the wildlife that can be found in this remote region, including half the worlds population of muskox and the King of the Arctic himself, the mighty polar bear.
Travelling down the eastern coast you will come across Kong Oscar and Kejser Franz Josef Fjords, where you can hike across the steep, tundra-covered mountains to visit a number of historic trappers stations. Further south, a scattering of brightly-coloured houses make up the isolated community of Ittoqqortoormiit, one of few settlements on the east coast, leading into the meandering waterways of the Scoresby Sund fjord system. On the west coast of Greenland lies the capital and largest city of Nuuk, set against a panoramic backdrop of snow-capped peaks.
Annie Spratt
Annie Spratt
Annie Spratt
Annie Spratt
Mads Pihl
Mads Pihl
With a population of just under 17,000 people, Nuuk is the cosmopolitan centre of the island with a museum, international airport and several restaurants. A number of other settlements are dotted around the scenic Disko Bay area, including the picturesque cliff-side village of Uumannaq and the town of Ilulissat, situated at the entrance to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ilulisat Icefjord.
Greenland only really has two definitive seasons – a long winter and a short summer. Greenland is a true winter wonderland for most of the year. Snow carpets every city, town and settlement in fluffy white. This, coupled with the trademark colourful houses poking out of the wintry landscape, completes the unique and iconic scene of Greenlandic winter. In the cities, short days mean warm lights in windows and long, cosy evenings enjoying local cuisine and culture.
Greenlanders love to be outside and don’t let the cold stop them – it is common to see locals zooming around town on their snowmobiles once the snow has set in. Further north, the water freezes in lakes and fjords to allow you to dogsled or ski across totally new terrain. Of course, winter is cold, but temperatures vary greatly between regions and in places where conditions are very dry and still, Kangerlussuaq, -40ºC does not feel as bad as it sounds! As long as you dress right, you can enjoy the magic of Greenlandic winter in comfort and style.
Visit Greenland
Greenland’s summer is short and changeable, and starts in June. There is a noticeable shift in the weather in April and May, however it’s not characterised by blooming flowers, it’s more melting snow and higher temperatures. Summer finishes some time in early September, but sometimes the snow arrives earlier or later. Summer in Greenland is a short burst of excitement. As the snow slides away, suddenly the landscape is revealed in a brand new light. The mountains go from white to grey and green, as waterfalls trickle down their sides to meet melting bodies of water. Sea ice breaks up and the fjords are decorated with magnificent floating icebergs, birds fill the sky and the seas become alive with whales and fish. People move in new ways – hike, run, cycle, sail, and kayak over the newly exposed terrain. The days get longer so there’s lots of time to explore the great outside, taken advantage of what nature has provided.
Visit Greenland
Visit Greenland
Visit Greenland
Visit Greenland
Polar bears, musk oxen, caribou, arctic foxes, hares, eagles, ptarmigan, lemmings and the rare Arctic wolf are all part of the terrestrial fauna of Greenland. All along the west coast, as well as, in large parts of the east coast there are pockets of herds of reindeer, which each year migrate long distances between the interior and the coast in search of food and to reach summer calving grounds near the ice cap. In the interface between land and sea, the home of the polar bear, this Greenlandic white coated bear is especially common in Northern and Eastern Greenland, where it hunts from the sea ice, and in Southern Greenland, when it comes ashore after drifting on the sea ice from the East Coast. The Greenland polar bear hunts seals and birds and often during summer will go on shore to consume vegetation.
Jennifer Latuperisa-Andresen
There is no downplaying that the enormous ice sculptures of Greenland, is a spectacular sight. But there is more to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ilulisat Icefjord, than its natural beauty. It tells a profound story of the planet’s history and it is humbling in a time of climate change debate. There are a handful of ways to experience this wonder, to fully grasp the scale and significance of the Icefjord, which is a massive collection of icebergs that have calved from the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier one by one. It is necessary to first get a bird’s eye view so you know exactly how grand it is. Unless you arrive to Ilulissat on the coastal ferry, your first sight of the Ilulissat Icefjord will actually be from the window of an air plane. It’s a good view, but get an even better experience by helicopter or fixed-wing plane. These smaller aircraft fly slower and lower all the way to the glacier wall and with only a handful of seats, everyone has the best view in the cabin. You might even feel the rumble of the glacier calving beneath you and then it really feels like an adventurous ride!
Paul Zizka
Mads Pihl
Visit Greenland
Mads Pihl
Winter in Greenland opens up new worlds and new trails across an otherwise roadless land, and the snowy season actually has more options for travelling through the country than you might immediately expect. Dogsledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and then of course skiing are central to how to navigate the winter landscapes and while many towns have groomed cross country ski trails right on their doorstep it is the longer, often multi-day, wilderness ski experience that appeals most to adventurous spirits looking to explore the mountains and valleys. Greenland is the last frontier where robust nature reigns most powerful. The expansive back country literally knocks at the back door and urban sprawl has not plagued these pristine mountains and lakes. Greenlanders often say that even though they build their homes next to the nature, their hearts are always happiest in the great outdoors. Go hiking in Greenland to experience a country that loves the nature just as much as you do if not more.
Andre Schoenherr
There’s something about experiencing Greenland’s majestic landscapes from the perspective of a dog sled that snowmobiling or a ski tour simply cannot match. Maybe it is the slower pace that gives plenty of time to take in all the impressions or maybe it is the combination of sled dogs panting plus the rhythmic beat of their large paws, a sound that is suddenly magnified against a backdrop of pure silence.
Enjoying this fascinating experience of man and dog working together in nature does necessitate a small tolerance for chilly temperatures, but Arctic fanatics are not the only ones that can take pleasure in dog sledding. Dog sledding helps tell the story of how Greenlanders adapt to the robust environment that surrounds them. Contrary to other Arctic locations, dog sledding in Greenland is a way of life, by choice if not by necessity.
To find out more about Greenland adventures, seek out www.visitgreenland.com
“Living in and off of the nature is central to Greenlandic identity, and therefore when you are close to the nature, you are also close to the Greenlandic culture.”