In all honesty, there are dozens of opportunities for you to get your heart rate up in Greenland. Being physically active is part of the local mentality, especially in Nuuk. Season doesn’t matter – we might be running in town all year round, cross-country skiing after work in winter, and frequently inventing new races and challenges – just to keep things exciting.
Being physically active is part of the local mentality.
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NuukKap is an extreme ultra running race held in the wild arctic nature. The route is 110 km of wild untouched nature. You can also run or wander 70 km from Nuuk to Qooqqut which is where the 110 km wanders will stay overnight.
Also known as the ‘coolest marathon on earth’, pun intended, this Arctic foot race checks a lot of bucket list boxes in just 42,2 km – crossing the Arctic Circle, feeling the immensity of the Greenland Ice Sheet which is one of only two in the world, and, of course, being part of the elite fraction of the world’s population who has tried such an endeavor. Let’s just say, when you’re finished, a leisurely stroll to hunt for northern lights in the autumn sky will be well-deserved!
Want to start with simply standing on the Greenland Ice Sheet?
Thanks to a gravel road that runs directly from the town of Kangerlussuaq, this vast ice cap can be experienced with far less effort than a marathon requires. Local tour companies drive with all-terrain vehicles and drop you off nearly at the ice’s edge. And if you want to play polar explorer, you can spend the night on the massive glacier with a guide at Camp Ice Cap.
If you’re a CrossFitter, you know what skipping a WOD can feel like. Luckily you don’t have to when you’re in Nuuk thanks to CrossFit Inua, Greenland’s only affiliate. The box’s mentality is to take both training and camaraderie seriously, so every class starts with walking around and greeting the people you don’t know before you start loading the bar. This year, 23 members from CrossFit Inua are competing in the worldwide CrossFit Games. Buy your drop-in card and come train with them, the coaches, and the entire CrossFit Inua network.
In three days in the Sisimiut backcountry you can learn more about your endurance and physical and mental strength than in maybe one year at home. The skiers alongside you are every bit as tough as the rough, real and remote nature that surrounds you all, and gaining energy from each other while pushing through 160 km of mountainous terrain is what the annual Arctic Circle Race is all about.
Just want to have fun in fresh pow?
Bring your skis (or take our rentals) to the backcountry tracks or downhill pistes in Sisimiut and Nuuk. There’s also endless unrestricted ski territory over in East Greenland for you to make your own path.
Imagine yourself running by the breathtaking scenery of the Ilulissat Icefjord under the midnight sun. Especially if you are an active night owl, you don’t want to miss this event. If you prefer daytime, this event is still for you as the midnight sun will give you the energy you need to stay up late.
