A life re-energized
The midnight sun and the endless days it creates are, at best, a fabled tale for many people. But standing in Greenland, where the midnight sun circles overhead and adds a bit of softness to the rough landscape, there is suddenly a dose of reality to the legend. It gives a new perspective to see that such simple and natural elements do exist in a world that is too often clouded by busy lifestyles and concrete jungles.
It is quite common to feel energized by the midnight sun in Greenland, feeling that you can stay up long into the night as your body begins to sync with the sky overhead.
We always accept what it gives us. So when the summer months grant us the midnight sun, we take full advantage. We spend as much time outdoors as possible, letting the extra light give us a surplus charge in our batteries for the coming winter.
With daylight limitations a distant memory from the south, your own energy level and thirst for exploration are free to set the schedule. At the harbor, fishing boats file in one by one after a full day at sea. Watch as they return home with long shadows trailing in their wakes. Or push forward into the night on your outdoor adventure to see the mountains and sea cloaked in every shade of gold.
Local tour operators are also keen to relish in the midnight sun in Greenland, and many offer night time excursions to admire the lovely sky. Indeed, one of the finest experiences north of the Arctic Circle is midnight sun sailing through waters spotted with ice. Whether you weave between the mammoth icebergs outside the Ilulissat glacier or navigate through pack ice off the northeast coast with an expedition ship, the sight of the midnight sun playing amongst the ridged and angled ice is an essential experience.
When to see the midnight sun in Greenland
- Summer. The midnight sun is visible between late-April and late-August in Greenland’s northernmost towns. Closer to the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun is visible between early-June and mid-July.
- One thing is for sure though: all communities across North Greenland will be celebrating the return of the sun after its long absence. Here you can see when the sun returns in some of the main towns and settlements in Northern Greenland.
- The sun will return on different dates depending on the town location
- The Sun’s Return Date in Different Towns
- Aasiaat – January 13th
- Ilulissat – January 13th
- Qeqertarsuaq – January 13th
- Ittoqqortoormiit – January 19th
- Uummannaq – February 4th
- Upernavik – February 6th
- Qaanaaq area – February 17th
Despite all the community’s preparations to welcome the sun’s return, sometimes nature has different plans! This year, the sun returned 3 days ahead of schedule in the town of Qeqertarsuaq.
White nights
The full midnight sun in Greenland is spectacular, but we will let you in on a little secret – its effects can actually be felt all over Greenland, so don’t fret if you cannot make it past the Arctic Circle this time. Even in Greenland’s southernmost towns like Qaqortoq and Nanortalik, there are nearly 20 hours between sunrise and sunset, and the nights are still quite light by typical standards.
The most northerly town, Qaanaaq, has both the highest number of days with midnight sun and the most winter darkness. However, reflections of moonlight in the snow and the glow from the Northern Lights help to light up the landscape during this period.
Here comes the sun – Greeting the sun in Greenland
The beginning of the year is a special time all around Greenland, but particularly above the Arctic Circle.
Starting in mid-January, the sun rises above the horizon once again, ending several weeks of polar darkness.
During the polar nights, the northern lights, starry skies and bright moon provide a natural luminosity that makes the snow glitter and wraps the surroundings in a dream-like atmosphere. During this particular period of the year the everyday life rhythm slows down but doesn’t stop.
However cosy and special this darkness period is, all northern Greenland impatiently awaits the return of the sun. That special day will be another good opportunity to celebrate with family, friends and community.
Greeting the sun tradition
In the weeks before the sun returns, school children will actively prepare songs and make drawings to honor the daylight and sunshine. All the kids get ready for their annual school hike to the view point where they can welcome the sun.
In Ilulissat, on the 13th of January at about 13.00, 1/3 of Ilulissat community will gather on Seqinniarfik (in Greenlandic it means ”the place where to go and greet the sun”). Everyone will sing songs to welcome back a dear old friend.
