Explore things to do and destinations in Greenland, find answers to common travel related questions, or get in touch with a travel expert. You can also check these frequently asked questions
Why not combine your trip to Greenland with one of our music, sporting or cultural events? Use our event calendar to check out what's going on.
Commercial airlines are the only way for travelers to get to Greenland, served by airports in Denmark and Iceland unless you arrive with a cruise ship.
operates regular flights from Copenhagen to the main international airport in Kangerlussuaq and seasonal flights to Narsarsuaq. Also seasonal flights between Keflavik in Iceland and the Greenland’s capital Nuuk and from Keflavik to Ilulissat in the Disco Bay.
flies year round from Reykjavik Domestic Airport to Kulusuk in East Greenland and the capital Nuuk in West Greenland. Icelandair also operates seasonal flights to Narsarsuaq in South Greenland and Ilulissat in the Disko Bay. Nordlandair from Akureyri in Iceland, also operates to Constable Point in North East Greenland.
The Greenlandic airline Air Greenland flies all year around from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq in West Greenland and to Narsarsuaq in South Greenland in summer time. In the winter period there are four flights a week to Kangerlussuaq and up to ten flights a week in the summer. Narsarsuaq is served up to twice a week during the summer. The flight time to both destinations is just 4.5 hours.
Onward transport to the towns on Greenland’s west coast takes place by airplane or helicopter, and there are frequent connections that ensure that it is normally possible to reach your final destination the same day. Contact your travel agency or Air Greenland for more information.
Air Greenland flies from the international airport in Keflavik to the capital, Nuuk, all year round, and from Keflavik to Ilulissat from March to October. Furthermore, the Icelandic airline Icelandair (Air Iceland Connect and Icelandair united as Icelandair in March 2021) has a service all year round from Reykjavik to Kulusuk and Nerlerit Inaat on Greenland’s east coast. Kulusuk is served twice a week in the winter season and every day during the summer. This is a very common travel route to East Greenland. Nuuk is served twice a week whole year round.
During the summer period Icelandair also flies to Narsarsuaq and Ilulissat several times a week, and to Nuuk from two to four times a week and to Kangerlussuaq. Icelandair also operates the route to Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat in the winter time. The flight time to Kulusuk and Narsarsuaq is two – three hours from Reykjavik. Contact your travel agency or Icelandair for more information.
There are no ferry connections between Greenland and Iceland, Denmark or Canada. However, more and more cruise shipping companies are choosing to include Greenland on their itineraries, whereby it is possible to begin the voyage from Iceland or go onboard at, for example, Kangerlussuaq.
Some shipping companies also sail from the USA and Canada or a country in Europe. Read more about cruises to Greenland.
Greenland is a rugged land and except for a few settlements and sheep farms in South Greenland there are no roads between any towns or communities. This means that passenger-approved boats, helicopters and planes tie the country together in a web of sea and air connections operated by both large and small scale operators. Greenland’s national airline Air Greenland services all major towns and a number of settlements with domestic flights and helicopter connections year round.
Arctic Umiaq Line runs a ferry between Qaqortoq in South Greenland and Sisimiut on the Arctic Circle from April until early January with the service extending to Ilulissat in the Disko Bay from late April until Christmas.
Disko Line ferries passengers between towns and settlements in the Disko Bay area, South Greenland, West Greenland and the capital area. Nuuk Water Taxi and Maniitsoq Tour Boat connect Maniitsoq with the capital Nuuk, both on a seasonal basis. And in South Greenland Blue Ice Explorer connects a number of towns and settlements, while a range of smaller charter boats are available throughout the country.
There are no roads between the towns in Greenland and all transportation is conducted with airplane or ship. The Arctic climate can sometimes be quite extreme, which places big demands on the security during the transportation.
These requirements are fully fulfilled by the Greenlandic transport companies. For shorter distances, one can take approved boats or ships for sailing tours or as transportation between towns or villages.
Air Greenland, the airline company of Greenland, handles a great part of the transportation of passengers with its two-engine Dash 8-200 and different types of helicopters. Helicopters especially serve the towns in South Greenland, North and East Greenland, as well as the small villages.
Sailing is another common means of transportation in Greenland. The passenger ship Sarfaq Ittuk from Arctic Umiaq Line is in service from April to December between Qaqortoq in South Greenland and Ilulissat in North Greenland. In the summer season it is a good idea to book tickets well in advance.
For more information about sailing tours contact the local tourist office.
The shipping company, Disko Line, operates in the entire west coast of Greenland with many small ships.
Ticket bookings can be made via www.diskoline.gl
In South Greenland, Blue Ice Explorer sails with four different boats. They sail between Narsarsuaq, Narsaq and Qaqortoq in the summer season. Ticket bookings can be made via www.bluice.gl.
Always be sure to only use passenger-approved boats and ships – both for your own safety and to abide by the law.
The summer is the season of the Midnight Sun and a great time to experience Greenland on both land and water. Whales swim along the shores, icebergs flow from calving glaciers, flowers and plants grow at tremendous speeds, hiking trails open up the backcountry, and boats connect the many communities along the coastline. The climate is generally mild and the weather in Greenland is often fine for long spells through this short, fiery season. See all activities in Greenland.
When the first frosts arrive and snow starts falling the tone of Greenland changes, and the country wraps itself in a white blanket that lasts the better part of six months. Winter is a season for dog sledding, northern lights, ski trips, and star gazing. Fjords and bays freeze over, opening up more and more winter highways the further north you travel, and the rhythm of everyday life adapts to the Polar night, which peaks at Christmas time. See all activities in Greenland.
Hotels in Greenland are a part of the joint European project, Hotel Stars Union, which means they are starred by European standards. You can read about the criterion at hotelstars.eu.
Summer or winter, north or south. Outdoor or cruise, hotel or tent. There are many things to consider, before taking a trip to Greenland. Here you will find a range of questions that hopefully will answer some of the questions you might have. Whether you are traveling on your own or in a group, the information will hopefully make it easier, for you to plan a great trip to Greenland. No one can control the weather, but if you are properly prepared, you will find that the weather’s changeableness can be quite charming when visiting Greenland.
