These overlooked destinations all offer the quintessential Greenlandic icons, such as ice, wildlife and vast mountainous landscapes, but each with their own little-known twist which will make your trip even more memorable.
These overlooked destinations all offer the quintessential Greenlandic icons, but each with their own little-known twist
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Add more adventure to your journey by using different forms of transport or making that extra connection. Get off the tourist trail and experience everyday life in the unexplored corners of Greenland.
Kids making twist bread at bonfire in Aasiaat. Photo by Magssannguaq Qujaukitsoq
What makes it special?
Aasiaat and the surrounding area is known as ‘the land of a thousand islands’, as the town is located on an island that is part of a huge archipelago. This island landscape doesn’t just influence the everyday activities of locals, for whom sailing, kayaking and fishing is a way of life, but it also shapes the town’s culture.
Aasiaat is a thriving town with an increasing population and flourishing industry. It is the educational headquarters of North Greenland, meaning that young people from all over the region flock here to attend high school. This lends the town a creative character, and plenty of artwork can be found dotted around the town, from sculptures in the streets to paintings by Danish artist Per Kirkeby in the community centre (rumoured to be worth a fortune).
The lively town of Aasiaat offers visitors some of the most archetypal Greenlandic natural experiences, combined with an exceptional cultural spirit which maintains a perfect balance between being equipped for tourists and retaining its authenticity.
How to get there?
Aasiaat is easily reachable by air or sea. You can fly directly from Ilulissat or Kangerlussuaq nearly every day throughout the year. The coastal ferry, Sarfaq Ittuk, also docks twice a week from late May to late August. For local connections to other towns within Disko Bay in the summer, you can take boats with Disko Line.
What to do?
One of the most authentic ways to explore Aasiaat is to get out of town and into the water. Aasiaat is one of the best places in Greenland to go whale watching, with many different species a common sight while sailing between the maze of islands. While whales may not be a completely guaranteed sight, icebergs certainly are, as Disko Bay’s glaciers feed a multitude of spectacular icebergs into the bay.
Make sure you soak up the lively culture of the town and the various events that take place throughout the year. One of the most eminent events is the Aasiaat Midnight Sun Marathon, which takes place under the enchanting light of the midnight sun. The winter season has just as many offerings, with dogsledding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling all popular activities.
Where to stay?
Hotel Nattoralik and Hotel Søma Aasiaat.
A photographer taking pictures of volcanic rocks in Kuannit near Qeqertarsuaq on Disko Island in North Greenland. By Paul Zizka
What makes it special?
Greenland is known as the world’s largest island, but it has a largest island of its own, which also has a character of its own. Qeqertarsuaq literally means ‘the big island’, and it is the only town on Disko Island, the fascinating landmass which looms, with its mysteriously lush and green landscape, in the middle of a bay of icebergs.
The unique quality of Disko Island has long been a topic of legend, with Greenlandic folklore attributing the verdancy of its landscape to the story that it originated from South Greenland. According to the tale, two seal hunters freed the island from its southern position and pulled it north with nothing but their kayaks and a single baby’s hair. As it entered Disko Bay, a witch in Ilulissat spied the lush green island heading north and cast a spell on it to run aground.
The island is dominated by striking terrain, from the steep basalt mountains that were formed by volcanic activity 25-65 million years ago, to the Lyngmark Glacier which towers above the town. Qeqertarsuaq is truly a one of a kind destination, being unlike anywhere else in Greenland.
How to get there?
In the summer, there are daily boat connections from Ilulissat and regular connections from Aasiaat with Disko Line. In the winter, when the bay is frozen, Disko Line operates regular helicopter connections from Ilulissat and Aasiaat.
What to do?
Qeqertarsuaq’s natural wonders don’t stop in town – the area has a deep fjord for kayaking, steep mountains for hiking, and even natural hot springs dotted around the island’s valleys. In winter, the active lifestyle continues with ice fishing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling popular activities.
Where to stay?
Accommodation in Qeqertarsuaq include hotels, cabins on the glacier and private home rentals.
What makes it special?
The town of Maniitsoq is built across an archipelago that is linked together by bridges. It has been dubbed “the Venice of Greenland” by locals, thanks to the small natural canals that cut through the rocky islands that make up the town centre. And the best thing about being an underrated version of Venice is – there are no crowds!
And we really mean, no crowds. There are about 2,600 residents in Maniitsoq, and just outside town there’s an infinite and untouched backcountry to explore. The town’s name means ‘place of rugged terrain’, and the area is notoriously mountainous and unforgiving. In fact, the mountains here are the largest in western Greenland, and they offer some of the best heliskiing in the world.
An elderly man talking on his cellphone while Sarfaq Ittuk was docked in Maniitsoq in Greenland. By Arctic Umiaq Line A/S
How to get there?
Maniitsoq is located about halfway between Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq, meaning that it is accessible by a direct flight from both of these international hubs. The passenger ferry Sarfaq Ittuk also stops here once a week, and Maniitsoq Tour Boat services nearby villages and runs a regular passenger transfer to Nuuk in the summer months.
What to do?
Maniitsoq has a world-class reputation for angling, with two rivers just south of the town literally swimming with Arctic char. For visiting anglers, hut accommodation and guides with deep local knowledge are available. The pure abundance of char in this area means that even inexperienced anglers will go home happy.
Just north of Maniitsoq, around the spectacular Eternity Fjord (Greenlandic: Kangerlussuatsiaq), you’ll find one of the best locations in Greenland, and even the world, for heliskiing. Here, it’s possible to be dropped off on top of the tallest mountains in western Greenland, and ski all the way down to sea level, finishing deep within the dramatic surroundings of the Eternity Fjord.
An Eternity of ski touring. Photo by Fredrik Schenholm
If culture is more your thing, spend your time wandering around the undulating streets of the town and along its winding waterways. You can even see internationally renowned art in this tiny, tucked-away town – in the museum, there is an extensive exhibition of paintings and sculptures produced by local artists. Aka Høegh, one of Greenland’s most internationally renowned artists, along with local animal skin seamstress Martha Biilman, has decorated the local church.
Boat trip and skii adventure in the eterinty fjord near Maniitsoq. Photo by Jesper Regin
Where to stay?
The town has two hotels, Hotel Maniitsoq and Hotel Heilmann Lyberth.
What makes it special?
Nanortalik, like many of our underrated places, is located on an island. Deep in the intricate landscape of South Greenland, which is scattered with welcoming towns and settlements that are perfect for hopping between by boat and even foot, Nanortalik island lingers in the mouth of the mighty Tasermiut fjord.
What makes this island particularly special is that it is considered to be unique in South Greenland. Nanortalik is the southernmost town in Greenland, but there is nothing southern about its steep, jagged mountains and the sea ice that floats past town – these features are more reminiscent of the landscape of East Greenland than the lush green pastures of the south.
There has also been an historic cultural migration of East Greenlanders to the area, and it seems like the Easterners have brought their famously cordial demeanour with them, as Greenlanders say that coming to Nanortalik, even for the first time, feels like returning to your childhood home.
How to get there?
In the high season (mid-June to early September), there are direct flights to Narsarsuaq from both Denmark and Iceland. From Narsarsuaq, you can then take a boat or helicopter operated by Disko Line to reach Nanortalik. Disko Line also connects Narsarsuaq to other towns and settlements in the area. Outside of the high season, international visitors should fly to Kangerlussuaq and take a connecting flight to Narsarsuaq.
What to do?
The most popular activities in the Nanortalik area involve exploring Tasermiut fjord, which is one of Greenland’s best fjords for trekking, climbing and kayaking.
However, if you’re looking for underrated experiences as well as destinations, Nanortalik has much to offer. Check out Greenland’s only natural forest, which is found 40 km from Nanortalik, in Qinngua Valley. There, trees grow to be several meters tall. This is quite amazing in a country where conditions are generally too harsh for large vegetation to grow.
Hiking among flowers and trees in Narsarsuaq. By Mads Pihl
A view of Nanortalik in the southernmost part of South Greenland. Photo by Mads Pihl – Visit Greenland
Another feature that makes Nanortalik unique is its association with choir singing. With several choir groups in town, you are sure to get the opportunity to experience this exclusive Nanortalik tradition.
Where to stay?
Nanortalik has a good range of accommodation, with a hotel, a hostel, a bed and breakfast and apartments available.
What makes it special?
Niaqornat is perhaps the most underrated of our underrated places. With only 52 residents, it has been said that dogs outnumber people here. The settlement gained prominence as ‘the village at the end of the world’ in the movie of the same name – a documentary about the struggles of a small community living in a society which is increasingly trying to move on from traditional ways of living.
Trade in Niaqornat, and the survival of its community, rely almost completely on fishing, sealing, whaling and hunting. In this way, Niaqornat represents the authentic Greenlandic settlement lifestyle – residents truly live off the land, and continue Greenlandic hunting culture into modern times.
How to get there?
Niaqornat may be known as the village at the end of the world, but the end of the world isn’t as difficult to get to as it sounds! There are a few stages to the journey, though.
From Kangerlussuaq, Greenland’s main international hub, fly to Ilulissat and then take a connecting flight to Qaarsut. From there, you can take a helicopter to Uummannaq and then to Niaqornat. In the summer, you can also take a boat from Uummannaq to Niaqornat with Uummannaq SeaSafaris.
Remember that, when travelling to remote parts of Greenland, journeys are particularly susceptible to delays, cancellations and weather disruptions, so you cannot rely on your trip to Niaqornat going entirely to plan – although transport providers will always do their best to get you there on time.
What to do?
Niaqornat is truly one of the best places in Greenland to experience authentic local culture. If cultural immersion is your thing, then this is your dream destination. Residents are so off the grid here that the village is even unsewered – it’s bucket toilets only! So slow down, get to know the locals, and experience everyday life in a truly tight-knit community.
You can also get out of town and go hiking, fishing and trophy hunting. There is so much wildlife in the local area that the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources have a branch in the settlement in order to study the many different species.
Where to stay?
Niaqornat is only recently seeing the beginnings of tourism, thanks to the movie that brought international attention to it in 2012. As a result, there are no official tourism operators in the settlement. Accommodation and activities are available but should be arranged privately.
