UNESCO

Your jumping-off point for all things UNESCO in Greenland

As of 2018, Greenland has an amazing three UNESCO world heritage sites – each wildly different and with its own unique blend of culture and nature to showcase.

Use the map below to explore our UNESCO sites, find out what makes them so special and how you can experience their spectacle for yourself.

Ilulissat Icefjord – Inscribed 2004
This was Greenland’s first ever UNESCO world heritage site. The fastest moving glacier in the world feeds into this 61 km long fjord which is packed with fascinating icebergs all year around.

Aasivissuit – Nipisat – Inscribed 2018
Greenland’s most recently inscribed site, Aasivissuit – Nipisat is still in the early stages of its development as a UNESCO site. It encompasses a huge area that stretches from the ice cap to the sea, and which has been an Inuit hunting ground for about 4,200 years.

Kujataa – Inscribed 2017
Kujataa is a cultural landscape that is located across five different sites in South Greenland. It celebrates both the Norse and the Inuit farming cultures, which have simultaneously shaped the people and land in the area for over 1000 years.

Ilulissat Icefjord

Greenland’s original UNESCO world heritage site never fails to impress

Ilulissat Icefjord is the channel through which ice that calves off of Ilulissat Glacier (Sermeq Kujalleq in Greenlandic) reaches the sea. Ilulissat Glacier is one of the most active and fastest moving glaciers in the world, and has been studied for over 250 years by scientists, helping to develop our understanding of climate change. As well as being an invaluable research site for scientists, the icefjord is a place where the everyday person can be humbled by the very real sight of climate change in action.

How can I experience this site?

Check out this article which outlines all the different ways that tourists can get up close and personal with the icefjord.

In summer 2021, the area leading up to the icefjord will be enlivened by a brand new Icefjord Visitor Centre, upon which work has already begun. The building will act as a touchpoint for tourists to get more information on the site, and is designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape.

You can also look at the things to do links below for more inspiration about how to experience the icefjord.

The tour boat Puttut among icebergs near Narsarsuaq in South Greenland — Boat Tours
Sailing is a way of life for Greenlanders so if you set out on a boat trip in Greenland you'll open up a world of fjords, whales, and nearby villages.

Two Air Zafari planes heading towards the Greenland Ice Sheet near Kangerlussuaq Airport — Flightseeing
Experiencing Greenland from the air provides a new perspective of the enormous size of the country, and the conditions for life in the Arctic.

A couple overlooking Tasiusaq sheep farm near Qassiarsuk in South Greenland — Hiking
Follow hiking trails in Greenland to reach mountaintops or traverse long distances. Or forge your own route and stand in no one’s footsteps but your own.

The reflection of an iceberg in the Disko Bay — Icebergs
Experience colossal icebergs grounded in the Ilulissat Icefjord or find them along Greenland’s coastline like floating sculptures.

Kayakers mong icebergs near Ilulissat and Oqaatsut in North Greenland — Kayaking
The kayak is a cultural link between the earliest immigrants in Greenland, the common everyday experience by local kayakers and the modern rugged adventure expeditions.

Snowshoeing in the Sermermiut valley near the Ilulissat Icefjord in North Greenland's UNESCO World Heritage area — Snowshoeing
Explore winter in Greenland the slow way, hiking through the landscape on snowshoes with a seasoned guide and a group of friends.

A whale safari near Qeqertarsuaq in Greenland — Whale Watching
Set sail on a whale watching tour to spot humpback whales, fin whales, and minke whales frolic and feast in Greenland’s waters during their own summer holidays.

Local providers operating in this area

Fantastic iceberg sculpture. Photo by Nuuk Water Taxi — Nuuk Water Taxi
Greenland Water Taxi operates in areas around Nuuk, Maniitsoq, Qasiannguit and Ilulissat. They cater a range of services that you can read more about here. Fiord Adventure Catch'n'eat Whales Photography Groups Film Crews ScienceSupport Shuttle Cargo Delivery VIP Ice Fiord Cruise Deep Sea Fishing.

Ilulissat icefjord. Amazing Boat Tours – Ilulissat. Photo by Vijayanthi Gemander — Amazing Boat Tours – Ilulissat
If you value 30 years of sailing experience in Greenland by captain and owner Wilhelm Gemander on his comfortable and safe motor cruiser “MB/MAYA”.

Ice Cap Tours 05 — IceCap Explore
IceCap Explore is located in the heart of Ilulissat in a building, which also houses a tourist office, café, microbrewery and discotheque.

Ilulissat Tourist Nature 06 — Ilulissat Tourist Nature
Ilulissat Tourist Nature is an adventure tour and accommodation provider in Ilulissat with a wide range of experiences year round.

Aasivissuit – Nipisat

Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea

Aasivissuit – Nipisat was inscribed as a UNESCO site in summer 2018, making it Greenland’s newest UNESCO site. Like the Kujataa site in South Greenland, it is recognised as a cultural landscape, as humans have helped to shape the area for at least 4,200 years.

The site is vast and stretches all the way from the ice cap to the sea. This area is actually the largest ice-free landscape in Greenland, meaning that throughout history it has acted as a valuable hunting ground for many different groups of settlers, and still does for Greenlanders today.

Since Aasivissuit – Nipisat is so new and covers such a large area, it is still in the early stages of being developed for tourism. The site is essentially a vast area of backcountry so there is a lot of work to be done to guide tourism experiences within it. Authorities are hard at work, though, and plans are being developed for each of the 7 sub-sites which make up the site as a whole. If you download this detailed map from UNESCO, you can see each of the 7 sub-sites marked in yellow. There are plans for permanent exhibitions at all 7 sub-sites, but it is the hope that the site will offer a ‘living experience’, and that tourists will be allowed the freedom to enjoy this vast cultural wilderness each in their own way.

How can I experience this site?

Greenland is unique in that its wilderness areas are unrestricted, meaning that anyone is free to roam and camp wherever they like in the backcountry. This makes the Aasivissuit – Nipisat site a dream come true for adventure tourists who are happy simply to sling a pack on their back and set off into the landscape.

A great way to experience the site on foot is by completing the Arctic Circle Trail – a 160 km long hike, a large part of which passes through the site. Check out our Go-To Guide to the Arctic Circle Trail for everything you need to know about this experience.

Experienced hikers who want more freedom are free to hike wherever they like around the site – but please take proper safety precautions. See our general Greenland hiking guide for ideas and more information on hiking.

Although they do not technically lie within the boundaries of the site, the towns of Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut are located close by, and provide great bases from which to explore the site if you’d rather stay somewhere with all the modern conveniences. Kangerlussuaq is located at the “ice” end of the site, while Sisimiut is found at the “sea” end. There are loads of things to do in the towns themselves, and there are also plenty of tour operators based there who can help you plan your UNESCO experience.

The Aasivissuit – Nipisat site is recognised for its value as a hunting ground, and there are outfitters in the area whom you can accompany on a hunting trip for the authentic cultural experience of the site. Check out our trophy hunting page to learn more.

In winter, the snowy landscape allows for many different ways to experience this UNESCO site. Head to this page for some ideas on enjoying Aasivissuit – Nipisat in the winter. As the sub-sites are developed, there will be more and more opportunities for organised tours in the sub-sites themselves – so the future looks very bright for Aasivissuit – Nipisat! Visit the site’s website to stay updated on developments.

Because the site is so huge, and encompasses both the coast and the ice cap, there is actually a vast array of ways in which you can move through the area and get immersed in this cultural landscape.

Arctic Circle Race Participant in Green. By Mads Pihl — Arctic Circle Race
Greenland’s Arctic Circle Race is a 160 kilometer-long adventure type, cross-country race in Sisimiut. The Race is known as the world’s toughest cross-country race.

Hiker on the trail leading down into the valley below Nasaasaaq - Day 8 of Arctic Circle Trail. Photo by Lisa Germany. — Arctic Circle Trail: The Go-To Guide
This go-to guide for hiking the Arctic Circle Trail will give you
all the tools and information you need to prepare yourself from head to toe.

Reindeer in winter colors in Greenland — Arctic Wildlife
Polar bears, humpback whales, musk oxen, walruses, reindeer and sea eagles are just some of the many species that you may experience by land, air and sea around Greenland.

Mountain biking in the Narsarsuaq backcountry. Photo by Mads Pihl. — Biking
Paved roads are not always necessary to embrace the freedom and flexibility that a bicycle can offer - why not take on Greenland’s backcountry with a good quality mountain bike, or even conquer snow and sea ice on a fatbike!

Cross country skiers in the backcountry around Tasiilaq in East Greenland — Cross Country Skiing
Explore Greenland on skis and get access to the snowy backcountry on both short, easy runs around many towns, and on longer trips with guides.

Dogsledding in Kangerlussuaq. Photo by Anders Beier - Visit Greenland — Dog sledding
Arctic temperatures and several meters of snow are no match for the natural impressions and cultural twist that will warm your soul while dog sledding in Greenland.

Local providers operating in this area

Hotel Sisimiut 01 — Hotel Sisimiut
Hotel Sisimiut is a 3-star hotel with 40 rooms, a conference centre, a bar and a gourmet restaurant.

A skier climbing one of the many hills of the Arctic Circle Race. Photo by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland — Arctic Circle Race – ACR
Arctic Circle Race is a 160 km cross country ski race that has been called the world’s toughest cross-country skiing race, and for good reason.

Trophy Hunting Greenland 02 — Trophy Hunting Greenland
We are a small trophy hunting business with hunts in the area around Kangerlussuaq (Sondre Stroemfjord) in Greenland.

Hikers in Aasivissuit UNESCO area close to Kangerlussuaq Photo by Morten Christensen — Greenland Outdoors
Greenland Outdoors is an adventure travel tour provider from Kangerlussuaq with a team of experienced guides.

Kujataa

Norse and Inuit Farming at the Edge of the Ice Cap

South Greenland is the lushest and most fertile part of the country, meaning that it has been home to farming culture in Greenland for over 1000 years. In the 10th century, Vikings settled in Greenland and established several farms in South Greenland. Today, the farms not only act as fascinating cultural ruins but have actually been revived by modern Greenlanders to work as fully functioning farms. This meeting of different cultures and their connection with the land is why Kujataa is known as a cultural landscape.