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Glaciers in Greenland

Get right up close to massive glaciers on the edge of towns and settlements. Tour companies organize hiking, helicopter and boat trips to the glaciers.

GLACIERS IN GREENLAND

Glaciers are not an unusual sight in Greenland due to the gigantic ice sheet that covers most of the country.

However, there are only a few places where the glaciers occur immediately adjacent to a town, and therefore can be appreciated on an excursion.

The majority of visitors to Greenland either drive up to and onto the ice in off-road vehicles at Kangerlussuaq, fly to the ice in helicopters as at Nuuk or Ilulissat – or sail to the glaciers, which can be done from most towns.

At Narsarsuaq it is also possible to walk to the glacier, although the hike takes several hours.

RIVERS OF ICE

The majority of glaciers in Greenland are slow-moving rivers of ice that flow out of the ice sheet.

It is not until the ice begins to move that the term glacier can be used, and if the ice breaks free or falls into the water then the term iceberg applies.

Ice is constantly released at the head of the glacier due to the force of gravity and the pressure from the enormous volume of ice behind.

The sea in the vicinity of productive glaciers is covered with castles and towers of ice, and the ice crushes everything along the mountainsides during its slow passage forward.

"The majority of visitors in Greenland drive up to and onto the ice in off-road vehicles."

Package Tours

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Disko Line

Whale Safari

Take a whale safari in Disko Bay and have a unique experience.

FROM €160
Greenland Tours: Northern Lights & Icebergs

Greenland Tours

Northern Lights & Icebergs

4 days in Ilulissat incl. dog sledding & Northern Lights tour

FROM €830
Disko Line: Day trip to Eqip Sermia

Disko Line

Day trip to Eqip Sermia

Experience the beautiful Eqi glacier that runs into the fjord north of Ilulissat.

FROM €327
Greenland Tours – East & West

Greenland Tours

East & West

8 days exploring Disko Bay & East Greenland with stop in Nuuk

FROM €2,365
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THE MOVEMENT OF GLACIERS IN GREENLAND

Glaciers move forward as a result of the force of gravity and by means of meltwater which acts as a sort of lubricant at the bottom of a glacier.

Over a longer period, glaciers alternately move forward and pull back depending on a number of different climatic factors.

Many researchers believe that climate change plays an important role, and is connected to the fact that glaciers all over the world are withdrawing.

CREVASSES AND PINNACLES

In contrast to the ice sheet, which is completely flat in the middle, glaciers are usually jagged in their contours. Glacier crevasses occur because the ice is moving at different speeds.

This creates both attractive pinnacles that rise into the air at a glacier head, but also treacherous crevasses that can be concealed by snow. You should, therefore, never go up onto a glacier without an authorised guide.

Glacier hikes with authorised and highly trained guides can be undertaken from several locations in Greenland.

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