Explore our glaciers
Greenland’s coastline is absolutely riddled with fjords and inlets, through which the magnificent ice sheet seeps out into the surrounding oceans. This means that there are hundreds more glaciers in Greenland than we can possibly describe on this page. Here, we introduce those glaciers which are the most accessible and well-known, divided by region.
People often ask:
“Where is the blue river?”
- It is common for research into Greenland to lead one to the viral photos of kayakers floating down a crystal clear blue river that trickles serenely across a desolate glacial landscape. And this is hardly surprising, since these photos are truly stunning.
- Unfortunately, this experience is not a tourist product and the river is not accessible by tourists. The “Blue River” is meltwater on top of Petermann Glacier, which is found right in the very north of Greenland, further than it is possible for tourists to go. The glacier sits right on the edge of Greenland’s National Park (the largest national park in the world), which is generally only entered by scientists and expeditionists who have a special permit.
- Glaciers can be dangerous and unpredictable and the Blue River itself changes constantly as the glacier melts. Although this is surely a truly incredible experience, it is simply not safe or realistic to develop it into a tourist product. Fortunately, there are plenty of other glaciers in Greenland where you can have unique and safe experiences as a tourist.
North Greenland
North Greenland is synonymous with icebergs and glaciers. It is home to what is said to be the world’s fastest-moving glacier, Sermeq Kujalleq, which is located close to the town of Ilulissat. In fact, the word ‘Ilulissat’ even means iceberg in Greenlandic!
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DESTINATION DISKO BAY
The waters around Greenland’s coast are packed with islands, but Disko Island is the largest of them. It’s so big that it has plenty of its own glaciers to explore.
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Destination Arctic Circle
Destination Arctic Circle gives perhaps the easiest access to the ice cap of any of Greenland’s regions – which, of course, means easy access to glaciers, too!
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Capital Region
Although you can often see icebergs in the waters around Nuuk, you will not find any glaciers close to town. Fortunately, Nuuk sits right at the entrance of an amazingly intricate fjord system into which a few different glaciers feed, so it is an easy day trip to go and witness the city’s closest glaciers.
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South Greenland
If you’re visiting South Greenland, you’re already a part of the exhilarating tangle of fjords, glaciers, islands and winding coastlines that make up the region. There are inlets and glaciers everywhere, and moving between towns must usually be done by boat or helicopter since settlements are dotted across this fascinating terrain. This means there are many more accessible glaciers in South Greenland than can be described here.
Local providers operating in this area
Local providers operating in this area
Local providers operating in this area
East Greenland
East Greenland’s glaciers are slightly more difficult to access, but no less spectacular. The most accessible are those within the Sermilik fjord system, which is close to East Greenland’s largest (and only) town, Tasiilaq.