Greenland, part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is one of the world’s last wild places, where parts of the map are still marked “unexplored”. Vast areas in the north are hidden under an ice sheet that averages a staggering mile in depth.
In contrast, much of the south, while still in the Arctic, is outside the Arctic Circle and enjoys mild summers. Here, where Greenland is rich with grass, flowers, and trees, you can understand how the country won its name.
After that breathtaking natural beauty draws you in, colourful towns will enchant you. Enjoy everything there is to see by following these tips for visiting Greenland.
Choose the Right Season
Qaqortoq
Picking the right season to visit Greenland is mostly—but not just—about the weather. To see the Northern Lights, you need to visit in winter, while Arctic summer brings the midnight sun for long days of hiking or whale-watching.
Summer is also the perfect time to visit Greenland for kayaking among icebergs or experiencing Inuit culture. Spring is a time of ice melt and glacier sightseeing, while fall is brief but rich with autumn colors.
Although Greenland winters are very cold, temperatures are surprisingly mild in summer. You can expect a range from 41°F to 59°F, with up to 24 hours of daylight in June and July.
These long, pleasant days of summer make it the ideal season to visit. It’s also when Greenland’s colorful landscapes and picturesque fjords look their very best.
Layer Up
When you think of Greenland, it’s easy to imagine extreme weather. However, outside winter, the biggest thing you will have to deal with is changeability.
It’s tempting to buy a big, warm coat for your visit, but you will be better off concentrating on layers. That will help you deal better with a climate where the weather changes from hour to hour.
Remember that for most extreme activities such as whale-watching you will likely be provided with specialized clothing. So you just need to dress comfortably in a way that will cope with quick adjustments.
A base layer, top, and bottom in merino wool or polyester is always a good start. Then add mid layers of quick-drying pants and shirt, plus a light sweater, zipped fleece, or down jacket.
Poncho
To cope with summer rain showers, bring light waterproofs or a good poncho. Even in summer, don’t forget some light gloves, a scarf or buff, and a sun hat.
It’s easy to underestimate how much 20 hours or more of sunshine can burn the skin, so pack sunscreen. Polarized sport sunglasses are also ideal for activities that might include seeing seascapes or icebergs.
Be Ready for Bugs
Mosquito head net
In summer, you can expect lots of mosquitoes in Greenland, with small, black flies appearing in August. These black flies seem impervious to bug sprays, so you might want to pack a mosquito head net.
Otherwise, long pants and sleeves will help keep all these tiny pests off. If you stay close to the sea or go on a boat trip, ocean breezes do also keep them away.
Mosquitoes are mainly an annoyance and vary depending on temperatures and wind. You can find a forecast online to update you on current conditions before any visit.
Enjoy the Midnight Sun
Midnight sun
Greenland is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun for the 24 hours of daylight in summer. Even outside the Arctic Circle, in towns such as Qaqortoq and Nuuk, you can still expect 20 hours of daylight, followed by a twilight-like night.
These long hours of sunshine are disconcerting, but in a thrilling way. It’s slightly intoxicating for your body to see sunlight when it expects darkness.
Photographers love a “golden hour”—that special light around sunrise and sunset. In Greenland’s summer, the sun sinks so briefly below the horizon that the golden light lasts much longer than an hour.
Wear Good Shoes
Hiking boots
Greenland is three times the size of Texas and there are no roads connecting its towns. You’ll spend a lot of time walking on rough ground, if you’re not traveling by plane, boat, ATV or dogsled, and jumping onto boats.
Good boots, ideally waterproof against the rain, are the best footwear to cope with all that. A pair of waterproof trail runners will also be suitable if you prefer something lighter.
Navigate by Color
Qaqortoq
Most houses in Greenland were shipped from Denmark as prefabricated kits. With each having a specific function, they were traditionally color coded.
For example, churches and stores were red, health facilities were yellow, utilities were green, and anything to do with fish was blue. This was then extended to the homes of those associated with each color, such as priests, doctors, or fishermen.
In an era with no road signs and high illiteracy, it was an easy way to identify key places. Nowadays, people can paint their houses in any color they want, albeit in a palette laid down by the community.
Church of the Savior, Qaqortoq
However, you’ll still notice that churches are usually still red—such as the Church of the Savior, in Qaqortoq. Look out for other buildings still following the old system, including Qaqortoq’s yellow hospital.
Read: Iceland vs. Greenland: Which Should You Visit?
Pack Binoculars and a Long Lens
Humpback whale
Greenland is a place to see wildlife but you do need to keep your distance for safety. That means a good pair of binoculars is essential.
You can expect to see whales and seals, as well as plenty of birdlife. Puffins, kittiwakes, and Arctic terns are common species.
The best way to encounter them is on a guided iceberg boat tour, where you can benefit from the local experience of your skipper. A kayak tour, again with a knowledgeable guide to keep you safe, is another option.
Icebergs in Greenland
Photographers will want a long lens, such as a 500mm, to capture close-ups. You’ll also need a polarizing filter to cope with the glare from the sea, especially when photographing icebergs.
If you are planning to photograph winter’s Northern Lights, a sturdy tripod will enable longer exposures. However, on a summer iceberg boat tour, perhaps use a beanbag to steady your camera as tripods are not practical onboard.
Bring a Dry Bag
Dry bag
A dry bag is an essential item for any traveler to keep valuables such as electronics or a passport away from water. Whether you’re in a hot spring, a boat, or a rain shower, it will help you enjoy the experience more.
You could use a simple ziplock bag, but a sturdier one with a shoulder strap will leave your hands free. That’s more convenient—and much safer—when getting on or off excursion boats.
Another bonus is that, if you do drop it in the water, a good dry bag should float if it’s not over-packed. Do try to avoid hitting them with your bug spray, however, as that can affect the waterproofing.
Go Shopping
Tupilak
While credit cards are accepted, internet outages might affect payments at the till. Have some Danish Krone (DKK)—available from any local ATM—for such emergencies and smaller buys.
It’s not polite to haggle in local culture, so do pay craft vendors or other artists the price asked. It’s hard for them to use US dollars, so those Danish Krone are helpful.
Similarly, there is no culture of tipping, although one will always be appreciated. Tour guides and drivers or skippers are more used to a 10-15% gratuity.
Tupilak
When shopping, pay attention to any rules—usually on display—about exporting goods to your home country. For example, the US has banned the import of anything made from sealskin, polar bears, or narwhal bone.
Distinctive local products that are safe to buy include beadwork, wall hangings, InuaCare beauty products, and woolens. Many visitors leave with a “Tupilak”, a grotesque figure carved from stone or bone that’s a traditional good luck charm.
Respect the Environment and Say “Hello”
Hiking in Greenland
Greenland is a harsh environment, especially in winter. The Inuit have survived by living in close harmony with nature and developing a strong sense of community.
As a visitor, you will see that in the respect Greenlanders have for nature and for each other when meeting. Show your understanding by minimizing waste, not dropping trash, not disturbing wildlife, and properly greeting everyone you meet.
That includes anyone you might wish to take a photo of. It’s polite anyway to ask permission, but greet the individual properly first and you are well on the way to establishing a connection.
You’ll hopefully also notice how quiet public spaces are. It’s considered rude to speak loudly in restaurants, shops, or other shared areas.
Try Some Greenlandic
Speaking of saying “Hello”, how exactly do you do that? Almost everyone you meet will speak English, but learning a few words in the two local languages will be appreciated.
In Danish, “Hello” is “Hej” but it’s “Aluu” in Greenlandic. Greenlandic has almost 60,000 speakers, mostly the Inuit in Greenland, but is also a close relative of Canada’s Inuit languages.
The language has some challenging sounds for native English speakers. Break the ice by asking for help with words such as “Naalagaaffeq”, and “Qujanaq!”—”Please” and ”Thank you” respectively.
Be Flexible
Qaqortoq
With the unpredictable weather in Greenland, you need to be prepared for anything. That includes excursions delayed or postponed because of poor visibility, or a spare part that hasn’t arrived for a boat.
In fact, the word “ímaqa”—meaning “maybe”, or “we’ll see”—is firmly embedded in local culture. It’s not an attitude to life you might expect in northern Europe, but it’s helpful in remote, unpredictable Greenland.
One of the most awe-inspiring things to do in Greenland is to go whale watching. However, if the weather is against you, consider alternatives such as a walking tour of Qaqortoq.
Go Hiking
Lake Tasersuaq
While people come to Greenland for the icebergs and whales, it is the country itself that leaves the biggest impression. It’s a place of great beauty and everyone who visits leaves a piece of their soul there.
To get a real feel for the spirit of South Greenland, you can hike to Lake Tasersuaq, supplying fresh water for Qaqortoq. The hike is six miles return, so a three- to four-hour round trip in summer.
A shorter hike is to the viewpoint above town, which will give you panoramic fjord views. That will take anyone of moderate fitness around two hours, depending on stops for photographs—but always let someone know where you’re going.
Experience Inuit Culture
Qaqortoq
Some 90 percent of Greenlanders are Inuit, speaking the Greenlandic language—as well as Danish and perhaps English. Greenland’s culture mixes local and Danish culture but there is a long-standing independence movement.
You can learn more about Inuit culture at the fascinating Qaqortoq Museum. It’s in the town’s oldest building, which dates to 1804 and showcases everything from crafts to clothing.
You can also arrange to visit local homes, for a “Kaffemik”—a get-together over coffee and cake. Traditionally, it’s an open house hosted by a family for birthdays, weddings, or other special events.
The Great Greenland Tannery uses traditional techniques to prepare sealskin for clothing and other products. While sealskin can’t be exported to the USA, a tour does show how vital seal hunting still is to the Inuit way of life.
Support the Local Economy
Uunartoq Hot Springs
Your visit to communities in the world’s remote places, such as Greenland, can have a large impact. Help make that a positive one by supporting the local economy wherever you can.
In Qaqortoq, for example, you might join an art tour to see the “Stone and Man” sculptures. The one-hour boat trip to Uunartoq Hot Springs is another fun experience for any visitor.
Try Greenland’s Cuisine
Halibut
Food tours and home visits will let you experience the food of Greenland. It tends to be high in protein, especially fish, but low in fresh vegetables and fruit, for obvious reasons.
You’ll see a lot of fish, such as Arctic char, cod, or halibut, and birds including Eider duck. Free-range Greenland lamb supplements game meat such as musk ox and reindeer.
Shellfish, including lobster and shrimps, will usually also be on the menu. Ingredients such as rhubarb or fresh berries are served as desserts.
Whale or even seal are local specialties you might not wish to try. However, do understand that hunting is a way of life for many Inuit and be polite if offered either meat.
Qaqortoq
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