• Things to Do
  • Destinations
  • Plan Your Trip
  • About Greenland
  • Events
Visit Greenland
  • Home
  • Things to Do
  • Destinations
    • All destinations
    • North Greenland
    • Disko Bay
    • Destination Arctic Circle
    • Capital Region
    • South Greenland
    • East Greenland
    • The National Park
  • Plan Your Trip
  • About Greenland
  • Articles
  • Events
  • Cruise
  • Practical Questions
  • Package tours & providers
  • Your Local Travel Agency
  • Contact
  • Search

The midnight sun

Turn your sights northward to the Arctic Circle in Greenland to find relaxation and new energy in the land of the midnight sun.

MIDNIGHT SUN IN GREENLAND

The sun is one of the most ordinary elements in life, rising and setting every day to create day and night. But every summer north of the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun foils this conventional understanding of time.

Stark white daylight turns into warm evening hues, but still the sun remains in plain sight for one perpetual day. Though you may not be looking for it when you come to Greenland, the inner peace, rejuvenation, and inspiration you find here will be a welcome surprise.

“If you have not seen the Midnight Sun setting behind the wall of icebergs, then you have missed something fundamental in your life!”

Package Tours

Greenland by Topas – Summer tour: Disko Island, Icebergs and Eqi Glacier

Greenland by Topas

Summer tour: Disko Island, Icebergs and Eqi Glacier

Experience Disko Island’s glaciers, Disko Bay’s huge icebergs and legendary whales, then further north, Eqi Glacier's deafening calving events.

FROM €3,617
Nomad Greenland: 6 Days of Solitude in the Heart of Kiattua Valley

Nomad Greenland

6 Days of Solitude in the Heart of Kiattua Valley

This camp offers a retreat into pristine wilderness, dramatic mountain landscapes, midnight sun and unparalleled tranquility.

FROM €8,750
Disko Line: Day trip to Eqip Sermia

Disko Line

Day trip to Eqip Sermia

Experience the beautiful Eqi glacier that runs into the fjord north of Ilulissat.

FROM €327
Greenland Travel: Summer impressions in Greenland

Greenland Travel

Summer impressions in Greenland

Greenland’s most popular sites: the Greenland Ice Sheet at Kangerlussuaq, the capital of Nuuk and, the world-famous Ilulissat Ice Fjord.

From €3,625
Show More

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 lifestyle and concrete jungles.

Without the white sandy beaches and the scorching temperatures, the Arctic may seem like an unlikely place for a relaxation holiday. But basking in the midnight sun, and embracing the new outlook it causes, provides the same sense of renewal one often seeks in the southerly latitudes. 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.

  • Where to see the midnight sun in Greenland:
    Anywhere above the Arctic Circle. The midnight sun arrives first in Greenland’s northernmost towns – like Qaanaaq, Upernavik and Uummannaq.
    Here, it also stays the longest.

  • 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.

  • The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon in which the sun does not set for a matter of days or months.

  • Many towns offer evening excursions to showcase the midnight sun

  • Hotels and accommodations are outfitted with blackout curtains to block the midnight sun at night.

TWICE THE LIGHT, TWICE THE DAYS

Greenlanders take much pride in their culture, which is still deeply entwined with nature despite an otherwise modern lifestyle. As a nation of pioneering people we have an uncanny ability to read the environment, and 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.

Tour operators are also keen to relish in the midnight sun in Greenland, and many offer nighttime 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.

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.

Local providers

Explore related articles, offers and tour providers:

  • Aasiaat
  • Anything
  • Anytime
  • Destination Arctic Circle
  • Disko Bay
  • East Greenland
  • Ilulissat
  • Ittoqqortoormiit
  • Kangaatsiaq
  • Midnight Sun
  • Natural Experiences
  • North Greenland
  • Oqaatsut
  • Qaqortoq
  • Qasigiannguit
  • Qeqertarsuaq
  • Summer
  • Upernavik
  • Uummannaq

By Visit Greenland

Behind Greenland's largest travel site is the Visit Greenland that is 100% owned by the Government of Greenland, who is responsible for marketing the country's adventures and opportunities for guests wishing to visit the world's largest island

https://visitgreenland.com

Editors' pick

Gill is winter hiking in Ilulissat. Photo by Gill and Alistair Campbell

A senior’s guide to adventure in Greenland

There are more and more active travellers who are over 60 but still looking for adventure and new places to discover.

  • #Aasiaat
  • #All destinations
  • #Anytime
  • #Arctic Wildlife
  • #Boat Tours
  • #Coastal Ferry
  • #Cross Country Skiing
  • #Cultural Experiences
  • #Culture vs Nature
  • #Greenlandic Gastronomy
  • #Icebergs
  • #Ilulissat
  • #Kapisillit
  • #Meeting Greenlanders
  • #Natural Experiences
  • #Nuuk
  • #Regions
  • #Seasons
  • #Sisimiut
  • #Summer
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Towns & settlements
  • #Winter
A view on Tasiilaq. Photo by Chris König

A journey into East Greenland – iceberg, glaciers, and local life

From Kulusuk we leave in the direction of Tasiilaq and almost the first things we see are the massive icebergs floating around.

  • #Anytime
  • #Boat Tours
  • #Cultural Experiences
  • #Culture vs Nature
  • #East Greenland
  • #Icebergs
  • #Kulusuk
  • #Kuummiut
  • #Meeting Greenlanders
  • #Natural Experiences
  • #Regions
  • #Seasons
  • #Summer
  • #Tasiilaq
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Tiilerilaaq
  • #Towns & settlements
  • #Winter

New flight schedule makes Greenland more accessible

Big changes for Greenland tourism: Nuuk’s new international airport opens Nov 28, 2024, with two more until 2026.

  • #Anything
  • #Anytime
  • #Anywhere
  • #Seasons
  • #Things to do & About
  • #Towns & settlements
Photo workshop under the glacier. Photo by Norris Niman - Visit Greenland

Discovering the ancient – East Greenland’s ultimate ice cave expedition

Equipped with crampons and a helmet, we crunched over the ice and into the mouth of the cave. Our torchlight illuminated the otherwise pitch-black surroundings, revealing a grand expanse.

  • #East Greenland
  • #Kulusuk
  • #Natural Experiences
  • #Photo tours
  • #Summer
  • #Tasiilaq
More related articles

Keep Exploring

Things to Do

Browse culture and nature (outdoor, hunting, fishing, cruises) related activities, as well as combination of both types.

Plan your trip

Read about practical information on how to get to Greenland, how to get around, when to travel or where to stay.

Destinations

Explore the regions and towns around Greenland and dig deeper into the experiences in each destination.

About Greenland

All about art, music, history, as well as animals, climate change and other interesting information about Greenland.

Visit Greenland

About Visit Greenland

Behind Greenland's largest travel site is the Visit Greenland that is 100% owned by the Government of Greenland, who is responsible for marketing the country's adventures and opportunities for guests wishing to visit the world's largest island.
The VisitGreenland.com website is created by Visit Greenland and Kathart Interactive.
The Privacy Policy for Visit Greenland

Frequently Visited Pages

  • Things to Do
  • Destinations
  • Nature & Climate
  • When to go
  • Greenlandic Culture
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Other Websites By Visit Greenland:

  • Travel Trade
  • Cruise Call List
  • Media Database

Newsletter

Receive inspiring stories, travel deals and news from Greenland via email.

SIGN UP HERE

VISIT GREENLAND – contact us:

Mon. - Fri: 8 am - 4 pm

Visit Greenland
Hans Egedesvej 29
P.O. Box 1615
3900 Nuuk
Greenland

Visit Greenland Phone:
(+299) 34 28 20

info@visitgreenland.com
Copyright Visit Greenland 2023 © Produced by KathArt Interactive
Ilulissat Icefjord A tour boat in fron of an iceberg wall in the Ilulissat Icefjord in Greenland Northern Lights over the backcountry near Sisimiut in Destination Arctic Circle in West Greenland Northern Lights
Scroll to top