Kujataa World Heritage
As soon as the pilot starts his descent, however, it starts to make sense. Beyond the icefield and a ridge of mountains, all I see is deep fjords and a winding coastline. A predominantly green landscape, with grass covering the hills and mountains. In the distance I see a waterfall running down a granite wall. A glacier blue river runs into the ocean. I’ve arrived in South Greenland. In the coming week I’ll discover the region’s most spectacular views, with the help of Salik Frederiksen, cofounder of tour company Tasermiut Camp.
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Still excited from the helicopter ride, I meet Salik in Nanortalik, the southernmost city of Greenland. For the past forty minutes I have seen the most spectacular landscape gliding by – and this is just the beginning of my trip. Salik is also enthusiastic – he wants to show me around the region. First stop: Nanortalik and its island. After a quick stop at the hotel, we hike the little mountain, Qaqqarsuasik. I wonder out loud what kind of view awaits at the top, and Salik answers: “Wait and see, it’s worth it.” About an hour later, I realise Salik is to be trusted. I’m overlooking a horizon of clouds, drifting up the vertical cliffs of Greenland. Even though we’re only at 1,559 meters, I feel like I’m right on top of the world. Salik: “In clear weather, all you see is ocean. It’s very peaceful. Just below the cliffs, there are small islands. Our local fishermen often camp out there for a couple of days, to catch fresh fish and seal.” I also have a good view of Nanortalik itself: the houses colour the landscape.
The next day Salik takes me to the Nanortalik museum. He explains: “To be able to understand South Greenland, you need to learn something about its history and culture. A visit to this museum is a must.” The museum is located in the old town of Nanortalik, and consists of a dozen small houses. The museum guide, David, explains that back in the day, every house had a different purpose. For the next two hours, I’m all ears. I learn about the first hospital, the kayak, the women’s boat and whale hunting. With about 60 years of life under his belt, David remembers how the whales were pulled ashore in the harbour. The entire village came to help, as strong people were needed to pull the animal ashore. Once there, the whale was processed in the small houses. David shows me where they extracted the oil, how the meat was prepared, and how the skin was used for gear and clothing.
That afternoon, we travel to Uunartoq. In Greenlandic, uunartoq means “warm water”. Very applicable, as Uunartoq is an island with a natural hot spring. During our two-hour boat ride, I am focused on the ocean, hoping to spot a whale. Unfortunately, I have no luck today – they’re off on their own adventures. The views along the way don’t disappoint, however. We pass small, abandoned settlements; the white peaks of icebergs float along the water. Some are meters high. When we arrive at Uunartoq, I jump in the hot spring as quickly as possible. Mosquitoes swarm around the pool, and I prefer not to be their target. In the distance, the horizon is once again filled with mountains. Moments later, Salik calls: “Dinner is ready.” Shrimp with toast and soup awaits, seasoned with herbs from the area. Salik shows me Greenlandic thyme: “I look forward to the later summer months, when it is full of herbs here.”
The next day, it’s time for our camping trip. Salik takes me to the Tasermiut Fjord. We have quite the boat trip ahead of us, as the fjord is more than 70 kilometers long. It’s well known for its natural beauty, and is often known as the Greenlandic version of Patagonia. When I fail to contain my excitement at the first mountain, Salik says: “This is just the beginning.” Of course, he’s right again. The further the captain takes us, the steeper the mountains get. Every time I think I’ve spotted the most beautiful mountain, an even more spectacular view follows. It almost looks like the mountains rise vertically from the water. Salik: “Tasermiut is well known among climbers – the granite walls are a climbers’ paradise.”
At the furthest point of the fjord, a glacier awaits us. Because of the two rocks on both sides, it’s also called The Devil’s Ears. Nothing seems evil about this view, though. Aside from the water I can hear running down the glacier and the waves crashing to the shore, there is complete silence. It’s rare to be at such a beautiful and peaceful destination, without any other tourists. We truly have the entire view and fjord to ourselves. It’s a surreal experience. I simply cannot compare it to anything I’ve ever seen before.
The captain gives us a sign: time to sail back. Not to Nanortalik, though; Salik has prepared a camp for us halfway down the fjord.
When the camp is set up, Salik says: “Take a warm sweater, we’ll hike to a lake closeby.” According to him, it’s a perfect place to cook. “And,” adds Salik, “from here we have a good view of the sunset.” Say no more Salik, I’m coming! After making a fire, cutting vegetables and boiling a pan of water, Salik confesses something. “You wanted to experience the Greenlandic cuisine, right? I have a surprise… I’ve brought lamb heads.” With all the sheep farms in South Greenland, it’s a local snack. “And one of my favorite meals,” continues Salik. It’s quite the surprise, for sure, but I’m happy to get the full Greenlandic experience. During the cooking process, the heads start to look quite tasty. The skin turns crispy, and the Greenlandic mentality (no rush, take your time) makes me long for it. It turns out to be delicious. Except for the brains, although Salik can’t get enough of them.
Meanwhile, the mountains turn orange and red, the sky is purple. The sun disappears behind the mountains. When we finish our final beer, we decide to return to the camp. The evening has flown by: Salik tells me it’s already midnight. I had no idea! It’s hard to have a concept of time when the sun only sets for two hours every night. And so I crawl into my sleeping bag, while it’s still light outside.
Today is my last day in the fjord. We wander around the area, visit a remote sheep farm close by. Even before leaving, nostalgia strikes. I would have loved to stay longer at the Tasermiut Fjord. Salik receives a message that the boat will pick us up in an hour. “While we wait, I have one final culinary surprise for you,” says Salik, as he takes out a plastic bag with black contents. It looks like liquorice. “Dried seal meat and seal blubber,” he explains cheerfully. This seems the perfect moment to open up my small bottle of champagne. We call it blubber & bubbles. Some of the meat pieces are tender, others are more tough. When I try the blubber, I notice this is actually a mouthful of fat. Salik loves it – I decide to stick to the dried seal meat. While we finish our champagne, we reflect on the last couple of successful days. And I take a final look at the Tasermiut Fjord.
