greenland tourism

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'When you've seen the world there's always Greenland' goes the old travellers' saying. But why wait till then? Greenland is not a cheap destination, but few places combine such magnificent scenery, such clarity of light and such raw power of nature.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

The Southern Fjords

Astonishingly grand spires of granite soar straight out of Greenland's southernmost fjords like the teeth of an interplanetary crocodile. Climbers rate…

Ilulissat Kangerlua

The greatest tourist attraction in all of Greenland is the astonishing Ilulissat Kangerlua (Ilulissat Icefjord), a berg-packed bay fed by the 5km (3mi)…

Greenland National Museum

The spacious, well-presented Greenland National Museum is based in an extended 1936 warehouse. Its better exhibits include an interesting section on 1950s…

Paamiut Museum

A circle of five historic stone-and-timber buildings around a turf-ringed former wellhouse constitute Paamiut Museum. The 1839 former governor's residence…

Tele-Museum

On weekend afternoons it's well worth visiting the Tele-Museum. It traces Greenland's role in the development of transatlantic communications and has such…

Emanuel A Petersen Art Museum

Greenlandic landscapes are on view at the Emanuel A Petersen Art Museum, where most of the works are by the eponymous Danish artist. Petersen (1894-1948)…

Qaqortoq Museum

Qaqortoq Museum is housed in a tar-blackened 1804 building that was once the Julianehåb colony manager's house. Today its most unique features are right…

Lyberth Charter

The cute 1859 cottage housing Lyberth Charter was the former Fortanderkabshuset (elders' council chamber). Red with green stairs, it retains the bronze …

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Oct 10, 2023 • 6 min read

Icebergs. Uninhabitable wilderness. Polar bears. Greenland will leave you awestruck. Here's everything you need to know about your trip.

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Greenland and beyond.

Greenland Tours & Vacations

About 4,500 years ago, early man migrated thousands of perilous miles from Canada into Greenland.

And when they got there and saw the ice-covered mountains, glaciers and resident polar bears, they stopped and said ‘Yep, this looks like the spot.’ And who can blame them? It may be cold, but the unfenced wilderness of the world’s biggest (and least populated) island is worth wearing a scarf 11 months of the year for. Although technically still part of Denmark , Greenland is now self-governing and has a proud Inuit culture. And with no crowds, little crime and only a few roads to break up the endless ice flow, it’s easy to see the appeal (just don’t forget that scarf).

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Greenland at a glance

Capital city.

Greenlandic, Danish

(GMT-03:00) Greenland

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type K (Danish 3-pin)

Learn more about Greenland

Best time to visit greenland.

Generally the summer months of June, July and August are the time to see Greenland, but it does depend what you’re looking for. At midyear the country isn’t as chilly as it can be (temperatures can rise as high as a sweltering 60°F…) and you’ll get to experience the phenomenon of the midnight sun. Of course, if it’s the night lights of the aurora borealis you’re after, the time to go is definitely October through to March, when temperatures can plummet to well below freezing. Pack accordingly.

Geography and environment

When 84 per cent of your country is covered in the world’s largest ice sheet (and the rest is classed as permafrost), geography may seem kind of self-explanatory. But Greenland’s coastal fringes are where most of the magic happens. Plunging fjords, rocky promontories, trundling glaciers calving off into the Labrador Sea. Most of the settlements along the western coast are colorful wooden houses painted every color of the rainbow. Towns and settlements are virtually cut-off from each other (roads are very rare in Greenland), so most trade and movement is done by sea and air.

Top 5 wildlife experiences in Greenland

1. humpback whale.

Humpback whales migrate to the cooler waters of the Arctic to feed each year. It’s a mammoth journey, often spanning thousands of miles (and all at traveling just a few miles per hour). That’s probably why humpbacks like to blow off a bit of steam in Greenland. Around Aasiaat, Qeqertarsuaq and Sisimiut between April and November it’s not an uncommon sight to see a 30-tonne humpback leaping clear out of the water.

In the Middle Ages, Inuits and Norse tribesmen would trade narwhal horns for fabulous sums (they were the marine equivalent of a unicorn). Thankfully the horn trade is over and these beautiful toothed whales can swim and eat in peace. They’re usually found in Melville Bay and around Qaanaaq, where their spiralling three-metre tusk can be seen poking through the surface of the water.

3. Polar bear

This is the world’s largest land predator, and the chances of seeing one increase when you’re on the water. Cruising along the coast of west or north-east Greenland is your best shot at spotting one of these creatures, but don’t hold your breath – they can be quite aloof. But the good news is that if they are out there, they are quite easy to see due to their off-white fur standing out against the snow-white ice.

4. Arctic fox

Technically there are two types of Arctic fox in Greenland – the classic white and the blue. Both species change color depending on the season in order to blend in with the rocky landscape and the polar ice sheet. Arctic foxes live on an almost exclusive diet of lemmings – so when lemming populations drop, so do the number of foxes. Thankfully numbers are strong, and the Arctic fox isn’t a threatened species.

5. White-tailed eagle

Don’t forget to look up every now and then: Greenland has a huge and colorful variety of birdlife. The biggest and most striking bird is the white-tailed eagle (known as the nattoralik in Greenlandic). You’ll usually find them circling along the west coast down to Cape Farewell, hoping to find a cod, char or smaller sea bird to stoop. These birds are as rare as they are beautiful, and are officially a protected species in Greenland.

Greenland travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Do I need a visa in Greenland?

Australia: No - not required Belgium: No - not required Canada: No - not required Germany: No - not required Ireland: No - not required Netherlands: No - not required New Zealand: No - not required South Africa: Yes - required in advance Switzerland: No - not required United Kingdom: No - not required USA: No - not required

Is tipping customary in Greenland?

Not really. For restaurants and hotels, a service charge is usually included in the bill. Tipping won’t be expected, but it is sure to be appreciated when offered.

What is internet access like in Greenland?

You can thank undersea optic cables running from Europe for Greenland’s great internet connectivity. Around 93 percent of the population has access to the web. And it’s highly likely your accommodation will have Wi-Fi.

Can I use my mobile/cell phone in Greenland?

You sure can. There’s only one phone provider in Greenland, TELE Greenland, but most villages will have good 3G coverage. Note that data roaming charges are international (as Greenland is technically outside the EU) and much higher than usual.

What are the toilets like in Greenland?

Most Greenland villages and cities have modern and fully functional flush toilets, which are widely available.

Can I drink the water in Greenland?

Tap water is safe to drink throughout Greenland. You can even drink the water in the rivers and lakes – nothing better than pure glacial melt water.

Are credit cards widely accepted in Greenland?

Major credit cards will be accepted at most restaurants, hotels and shops. Major supermarkets will also give cash out, but if you’re venturing into the smaller settlements, carry cash as a backup (card readers are often broken).

What is ATM access like in Greenland?

ATM access is good in the major towns and settlements, but most holes-in-the-wall will close at about 6pm. You can also withdraw money in banks and post offices.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

How do I stay safe and healthy while traveling?

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners, Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilize school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

• 3 Other destinations
• 4.1 Location
• 4.2 Climate
• 4.3 Visitor information
• 6.1 Passports and visas
• 6.2 Expedition permits
• 6.3 By plane
• 6.4 By boat
• 7 Get around
• 9.2 Driving a dog-sled
• 9.3 Kayaking
• 9.4 Mountaineering
• 10.2 Shopping
• 10.3 Supermarkets
• 16 Stay safe
• 17 Stay healthy
• 18.1.1 Newspapers
• 18.1.2 Radio
• 18.1.3 Television
• 20.1 Phones
• 20.2 Internet

Greenland ( Greenlandic : Kalaallit Nunaat ; Danish : Grønland ) is the world's largest non-continental island, in the Arctic far north-east of North America . For thousands of years this icy landmass has been inhabited by Arctic peoples. In the 10th century, it was settled by Vikings (or at least a small part of it was), and to this day it is part of the Danish Realm.

Greenlandic places generally have two names: the (traditional and now official) Greenlandic , or Kalaallisut , and the (no longer official) Danish. Greenlandic is abbreviated 'kl;' Danish is 'da.'

• 64.175 -51.738889 1 Nuuk (da: Godthåb ) – the capital
• 70.485278 -21.966667 2 Ittoqqortoormiit (da: Scoresbysund ) – settlement in the sparsely populated eastern Greenland
• 67.008611 -50.689167 3 Kangerlussuaq (da: Søndre Strømfjord ) – known for research facilities and the former US Bluie West Eight base; comparably mild weather, while the glacier is in easy reach; good site for viewing the northern lights .
• 65.575278 -37.183333 4 Kulusuk (da: Kap Dan ) – one of the largest towns in Eastern Greenland
• 77.466667 -69.230556 5 Qaanaaq (da: Thule ) – one of the world's northernmost civilian settlements, with a U.S. airbase
• 66.938889 -53.672222 6 Sisimiut (da: Holsteinsborg ) – second largest city
• 65.613611 -37.631111 7 Tasiilaq (also Amassalik, for its municipality and the island it is on) – the largest city in Eastern Greenland
• 72.786944 -56.147222 8 Upernavik – unique wildlife, the largest bird cliff (Apparsuit)
• 70.674722 -52.126389 9 Uummannaq – whale watchers' paradise

Other destinations

• 76 -30 1 Northeast Greenland National Park – the largest natural reserve in the world. There are no towns or settlements, only a couple of weather stations. The coast of this area is accessible on cruise expeditions.

According to the Icelandic Sagas, Erik the Red chose the name " Green land" to entice settlers from Iceland . In fact, Greenland has far more ice cover (about 84% of its surface area) than Ice land does, but the southern coasts the Vikings settled are green in summer, and were likely more so during the Medieval Warm Period.

Be careful with maps of Greenland, as many Greenlandic names simply reference a particular geographical feature. For example, "Kangerlussuaq" means "Big Fjord" and so is not only the Greenlandic name for Søndre Strømfjord.

When visiting a city or village, don't be afraid to ask for directions of shops, places to eat or somewhere to sleep, even if you think there might not be any. Most places (even Nuuk ) are small enough for everyone to know where everything is, and therefore no one bothered to put up a sign. Don't be surprised to find a fully equipped supermarket inside a grey factory-like building in the middle of nowhere.

Politically, Greenland is a member of the Nordic Council and still part of the Kingdom of Denmark , though it was granted self-government in 1979. In 2008, it voted for more autonomy, in effect making it a separate country with formal ties to Denmark. Some inhabitants are now projecting the eventual road to full independence. Copenhagen remains responsible for its foreign affairs and defence, and is a source of investment.

Although some projections of the globe (including the common Mercator) make Greenland look as big as Africa, (geographers call this "the Greenland problem") it is actually about the size of Mexico . Greenland has the lowest population density among autonomous entities.

Greenland accounts for 97% of the area of the Kingdom of Denmark, which encompasses metropolitan Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands . The Danish territorial claim is rooted in the 10th-century explorations of the Vikings, though administrative power has changed hands several times over the centuries due to developments in Europe. The native Greenlanders , or Kalaallit , are Inuit descendants of nomads from northern Canada.

Although all of Greenland is known for being cold, different parts of Greenland have significantly different temperatures. For example, parts of Southern Greenland , have in the past reached 86 °F (30 °C); meanwhile, temperatures in the high central plateau and far north of Greenland can get as low as −87 °F (−66 °C).

Coastal regions on the northern half of Greenland experience winter temperatures similar to or slightly warmer than the Canadian Archipelago, with average January temperatures of −30 °C to −25 °C (−22 °F to −13 °F). The coastal regions in the southern part of the island are influenced more by open ocean water and by frequent passage of cyclones, both of which help to keep the temperature there from being as low as in the north. As a result of these influences, the average temperature in these areas in January is considerably higher.

The interior ice sheet escapes much of the influence of heat transfer from the ocean or from cyclones, and its high elevation also acts to give it a colder climate since temperatures tend to decrease with elevation. Snow cover, combined with the ice sheet's elevation, keep temperatures on the ice sheet lower, with July averages between −12 °C and 0 °C (10 °F and 32 °F).

In summer, the coastal regions of Greenland experience temperatures averaging just a few degrees above freezing in July, with slightly higher temperatures in the south and west than in the north and east. Along the coast, temperatures are kept from varying too much by the moderating influence of the nearby water or melting sea ice. Temperatures above 20 °C are rare but do sometimes occur in the far south and south-west coastal areas.

Visitor information

• visitgreenland.com

The official language, Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) , is that of the more populated western coast. The eastern dialect is slightly different. Both are highly challenging languages to learn, as words are very long and often feature "swallowed" consonants; try uteqqipugut or Ittoqqortoormiit . Though you won’t be able to quickly pick up the language on a visit in the way that you might for Danish, Greenlandic words may come in handy for visitors wanting to experience the "real Greenland".

Almost all Greenlanders are bilingual with Danish , and in urban areas like Nuuk there are many first-language Danish speakers, and many also have a functional command of English. However, English proficiency in rural areas and villages is rare, so it is best to learn some Danish for exploring these areas.

Greenlandic is sufficiently different from Inuktitut, the language of the Canadian Inuit who share similar historical roots to the Greenlanders, that the two peoples have difficulty understanding each other. However, attempts are being made to unify the Inuit language, and Greenlandic – with its existing libraries of translated Shakespeare and Pushkin – seems the most useful option.

Passports and visas

Although part of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland is neither part of the European Union nor the Schengen Area . Everybody but citizens of the Nordic countries needs their passport, and even Danish residents may need an entry permit.

If you do not need a visa for Denmark, you can generally visit Greenland for up to 90 days without a visa, although your passport must be valid for at least three months after your visit.

Nordic citizens (Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish) do not need visas for any length of stay, do not need working permits, and can use any form of identity documentation to enter. However, your transport may require a passport or formal ID stating your citizenship, and if your transport is diverted in bad weather, you may need a passport for e.g. Scotland. Foreign residents of Denmark need to apply for an entry permit instead of a visa.

If you do require a visa for Denmark, Schengen area visas for mainland Denmark are not valid for Greenland. You will need a separate visa , which can be applied for at any Danish diplomatic post or embassy along with your Schengen visa for Denmark or Iceland if you are transiting through one of those countries. If you are flying through Nunavut, you would need a Canadian temporary resident or transit visa.

If you're planning work or study in Greenland, you'll need an appropriate permit, although some types of work (teaching, consulting, artists, installation technicians, and a few others) as well as short term research are exempt from needing a work or study permit if the time spent in Greenland is less than 90 days. For Nordic citizens, see above.

There is no border control on entering or leaving Greenland – all document checks are performed by the airline during check-in and at the gate. Thus, if you need your passport stamped (e.g. for a residence permit) you will normally have to seek out border staff yourself or get in touch with Greenland Homerule to obtain the stamp.

Expedition permits

If you stay on the typical tourist paths you do not need any permissions, but any expeditions (including any trips to the national park , which by definition are expeditions) need a special permit from the Danish polar centre. If travelling with an agency they will usually take care of the paperwork. If you are entering or travelling through Thule Air Base , you also need a permission from the Danish department of foreign affairs, since it is a US military area (except for children under 15, Danish police and military, US military or US diplomats). See Qaanaaq for details.

Trans-oceanic service to Greenland either lands at 67.011 -50.717 1 Kangerlussuaq ( SFJ  IATA ) (Danish: Søndre Strømfjord, English: Sondrestrom), or 61.1588 -45.4255 2 Narsarsuaq ( UAK  IATA ), the only airports in the country that can accept anything larger than a turboprop. These two airports are in unpopulated areas without road connection, and almost every passenger continues with local flights, helicopters or boats.

The capital 64.193 -51.676 3 Nuuk ( GOH  IATA ) receives some international services from Iceland each summer.

Except on the Reykjavík-Nuuk route, where there is some competition (Air Greenland and Icelandair), getting to Greenland is expensive , although sometimes travel agents are able to get discounts through agreements with Greenland Tourism.

Air Greenland , the flag carrier, offers several options for reaching Greenland. They only sell tickets through their own website and travel agents. Fares are not advertised on any consolidator website. Despite minority ownership by SAS, Air Greenland is not part of the Star Alliance network, nor does it have codeshares through SAS or any other major carrier. Interlining baggage and a single reservation may be possible: consult a travel agent.

• Year-round, a daily return between Copenhagen Airport and Kangerlussuaq , with a second daily return in the summer season contracted out to Danish carrier JetTime. From Kangerlussaq, you can reach any other city or settlement in the country, including the capital Nuuk, through Air Greenland's domestic network.
• Seasonally, several departures each week between Copenhagen and Narsarsuaq, operated by JetTime.
• June to September, two weekly returns from Keflavik Airport in Iceland (Icelandair's hub) to Nuuk and Narsarsuaq. With plenty of flights between Iceland and the United States, this is by far the easiest way to get to Greenland from North America. It's also the most affordable as it's the only route Air Greenland has any competition on.

The flights to Greenland typically leave in the morning and flights to Iceland in the afternoon. This means together with the transfer time that a night's sleep is probably needed in Iceland. If you are in Iceland, a popular day excursion is to fly from Reykjavík to Kulusuk , where traditional handicrafts are on sale, before returning to the comparative comforts of Iceland.

• Year-round flights from Reykjavík city airport to Kulusuk , Ittoqqortoormiit and Nuuk and additionally to Narsarsuaq and Ilulissat during the summer months.

There are also many charter outfits serving Greenland from Europe and mainland North America, and if you're on a package tour to Greenland from the rest of North America, a chartered flight is frequently included. Scientific and technical personnel travelling from North America for research purposes typically fly into Kangerlussuaq aboard New York Air National Guard C-130s.

Greenland's airports are private aviation-friendly if the weather is right. The name of Greenland's airport service is Mittarfeqarfiit.

Realistically, there is no ferry service from Europe or the rest of North America. Royal Arctic Line is the national freight operator, but they don't take passengers to or from Greenland.

There are cruise ships from both continents that visit Greenland:

• Hurtigruten , has cruises from or to Iceland.
• AdventureSmith Explorations - Expedition cruise wholesaler with over 30 small ship cruises to Greenland.

It is possible to transport a car as container cargo. Royal Arctic Line transports containers and other goods from Aalborg. This is however very expensive (kr 30,000 return) and time consuming and considering there are no roads between settlements, this is done only when moving or buying a car, not by visitors.

There is no road or rail system. The easiest way to get around Greenland is by plane, particularly Air Greenland. In the summer, Arctic Umiaq Line passenger ships provide service to destinations between Narsarsuaq and Uummannaq along the west coast. Royal Arctic Line can take passengers on local routes.

• Icebergs and glaciers (especially the Ilulissat Icefjord)
• Animal life - Whales, seals, walruses, musk oxen, reindeer/caribou and polar bears; see North American wildlife .
• The midnight sun - In the northern 2/3 of Greenland, the sun stays above the horizon for days or even several weeks in the summer. In the remainder, the weeks around the summer solstice (21 June, a national holiday) see the sun dip below the horizon for only a short while each night, with the sky never getting truly dark. (Of course the reverse is true in the winter.)

You can freely hike near most settlements in Greenland as there is no property ownership anywhere in the country. Do go off the few small walking paths that exist. You will easily find yourself in offbeat locales, and wonder if you are perhaps the first person to ever stand in that particular spot. This rare sensation is by far the best reason to travel in Greenland.

Hiking does require permits in some cases, though. The government requires expedition permits [dead link] for all traffic on the glacier, in the Greenland National Park and East Greenland except areas around Illoqqortoormiut and Tasiilaq. There is a non-refundable application fee of kr 4000 for the expedition permit.

There are hiking trails or trail networks in some parts of Greenland. The longest and the most famous is the Arctic Circle Trail, which spans 167 km from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut, is well marked and frequented by 600-1000 hikers annually. Hikers typically complete it in 7-11 days.

Nuuk is connected with Kapissilit by a trail which is not marked but frequented by a considerable number of hikers, typically in 5/7 days, 103 km.

In Southern Greenland the settlements of Narsarsuaq, Quassiarsuk and Nasaq can be linked by a hike, partially on gravel roads and paths, approx 80 km in total.

Driving a dog-sled

Mountaineering.

As with hiking, you need permits for some destinations. The peaks in the western part of Greenland and especially those nearby towns do not require any permits, and often have a path leading to the top. The helicopters on Greenland are not equipped for mountain rescue.

Like the rest of the Kingdom of Denmark, the official currency is the Danish krone (plural, kroner ), denoted by the abbreviation " kr " (ISO code: DKK ). Icelandic króna, euros, and Canadian dollars are sometimes accepted in tourist areas (but always check first), exchange other major currencies (such as pounds sterling, Swiss francs or U.S. dollars) for kroner at any bank or post office for a minimal charge.

Greenland is largely a cash economy. With improvements to the infrastructure over the past few decades, the number of merchants accepting credit cards or debit cards is increasing, although many still do not. As a general rule, apart from hotels or mainland chains with a presence on the island (e.g. supermarkets) don't expect that credit cards are accepted: carry some cash as a backup. Every settlement has at least one ATM and if all else fails, banks may be able to give you a cash advance from your credit card.

Tourists to Greenland sometimes buy:

• Inuit art and crafts
• Sealskin – which the Great Greenland fur company has fashioned into everything from coats to thick belts to purses and pencil cases. If considering sealskin products, check import restrictions of your home country and intermediate ones.
• Duty-free – most flights land at Kangerlussuaq, where you can buy duty-free after landing. Stock up on cheap booze, smokes and everything else at prices far lower than the rest of Greenland. Greenland is not a member of the EU , so although you may be travelling from Denmark, the custom rules are the same as for a trip out of the EU.

Supermarkets

• Pilersuisoq - Chain of larger supermarkets usually found in small villages. Has a little bit of everything.
• Pisiffik - Chain of larger supermarkets present in the cities.
• Spar - Dutch supermarket chain with a few shops in Greenland.
• Brugsen - Danish supermarket chain with a few shops in Greenland.

Food in Greenland is generally not that different from American or continental European tastes. Restaurants carry typical European fare. Local food can be purchased at local markets in each town. Many Greenlandic restaurants combine traditional foods (locally-caught fish, shrimp, whales and seals; also muskox and reindeer) with more familiar dishes. Expect to find whale meat at a Thai restaurant and caribou in a Chinese one. Nuuk also has several burger bars and a couple of very high-end restaurants, most notably Nipisa, which specializes in (very expensive) local delicacies. Prices are high everywhere, but servings are generally large, especially with fries.

Vegetables are expensive and therefore not very common.

A local speciality is Greenlandic coffee. Its creation in some places is a performance and it hits hard: it's coffee laced with liberal amounts of kahlua, whisky and Grand Marnier. One of the best places to buy is at the Sukhumvit Thai Restaurant, for about Canadian $22.

Accommodation in Greenland tends to be pricey, world class hotels exist in all of the more visited areas (Hotel Hans Egede in Nuuk, Hotel Arctic - with its igloo rooms - and Hotel Hvide Falke in Ilulissat), but cheaper options exist. Try for the Seaman's Home hotel in Maniitsoq, Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Sisimiut and Aasiaat.

For less expensive options, you can check with the Nuuk Tourism office for its hostel program, where locals have rooms they will rent out for a third the price of the town's hotels. It's a great way to experience the real Greenland, although knowing a few words of Danish or Greenlandic is very helpful as your hosts may or may not understand English. You can also camp in any field or plain for free if you're equipped to handle the elements.

Skilled workers (K-12 teachers and doctors in particular) are always needed, knowledge of Danish or Greenlandic (preferably both) are necessary, although the University of Greenland in Nuuk does offer some programs in English. Foreigners, including most EU/EEA nationals (Greenland is not part of the EU/EEA) require a work permit in advance, which needs to be vetted and approved both by the Danish immigration authorities and the Government of Greenland. Only citizens of the Nordic countries are exempt. Certain types of short-term work (teaching, performing, installation technicians, construction, among others) for less than 90 days does not require a work permit, nor does short-term research. See this page .

If you have residency (permanent or temporary) in Denmark, you do not have any automatic immigration privileges in Greenland, although you can visit for up to 90 days without a visa even if you are a citizen of a country that would normally require one. Under Danish immigration law, time spent in Greenland is considered time outside of Denmark for residence permit purposes, and a long visit or work assignment in Greenland (i.e. 6 months or more) could cause your permit to lapse. Contact the immigration department if this may apply to you. (For purposes of applying for Danish citizenship, time spent in Greenland fully counts as it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.)

Crime , and ill-will toward foreigners in general, is virtually unknown in Greenland. Even in the towns, there are no "rough areas." So long as you use basic common sense and etiquette, you should be fine.

Cold weather is perhaps the only real danger the unprepared will face. If you visit Greenland during cold seasons (considering that the further north you go, the colder it will be), it is essential to bring warm enough clothing.

Stay healthy

The very long days in the summer can lead to problems getting sufficient sleep and associated health issues.

During the summer, also watch out for the Nordic mosquitoes . Although they do not transmit any diseases, they can be irritating.

The availability of emergency health care is limited in smaller communities. Evacuation by helicopter or airplane might be needed. This is quite expensive, so make sure you have travel appropriate insurance.

Tap water is drinkable.

• Sermitsiaq (in Danish and Greenlandic)
• Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa ( Radio Greenland ) broadcasts one national radio station with a wide variety of news, music, cultural, and entertainment programs, primarily in Kalaallisut (Greenlandic) but some features (particularly news) are also in Danish.
• In Nuuk only, a second frequency re-broadcasts Danmarks Radio from Copenhagen.
• Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa broadcasts KNR TV nationwide, with a similarly broad selection of programs in both Greenlandic and Danish.
• Many settlements have a secondary commercial television station, such as Nuuk TV and Sisimiut TV with locally produced news, current affairs and entertainment programs.
• Nuuk TV also offers Nuuk TV Digital an encrypted over the air digital network available by subscription. 40 channels are available, comprised of Danish terrestrial networks (DR Television), Canal+ film channels, and several Danish and international cable networks, such as CNN and Discovery. Some channels on Nuuk TV digital are in English.
• Terrestrial TV networks do not broadcast around the clock. KNR Television has a breakfast news program from 06:00-11:00, closes down until 16:00 and then signs back on for the evening program until 00:00 or 01:00, hours are expanded slightly on weekends and may be expanded further for football or other sports coverage. The local commercial stations only broadcast in the evening. Nuuk TV Digital is on the air 24 hours a day.

Although Greenlanders used to be commonly known as "Eskimos", the term is today considered to be a racist slur in Greenland and should never be used. The native inhabitants of Greenland call themselves Kalaalleq (plural Kalaallit), though the term "Greenlander" is also acceptable. Also do not say you are in "Denmark", as this might be considered offensive. Instead, if you must make reference to Danish sovereignty, state that you are in the “Kingdom of Denmark”.

Greenland has country code 299. Tusass is the only telephone service provider. Almost every village has mobile phone coverage. The countryside has much less coverage. Greenland does not belong to the EU, and the roaming charges are much higher than they are inside EU for EU residents, closer to the high end of the world's roaming prices.

SIM cards with data can be purchased from Tusass but they are not cheap: a prepaid SIM costs 250 kr for 3 GB of data for 1 week, or 500 kr for 20 GB of data for 2 weeks. If your phone supports eSIM technology, these are available from US$9 for 1 GB for 1 week.

Thanks to undersea fibre optic cable links to Europe and broadband satellite, Greenland is well connected with 93% of the population having internet access. Your hotel or hosts (if staying in a guesthouse or private home) will likely have Wi-Fi or an internet-connected PC. Every town and village has some form of publicly-accessible internet. Just ask around.

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First time in Greenland?

A guide for those visiting greenland for the first time.

Greenland can be a daunting destination for first-time travellers. It’s probably unlike anywhere you’ve ever been before – so you have lots of questions, and it isn’t always easy to find the answers.

Here, we’ve tried to gather all those first-timer questions in one place, to give you a great jumping off point for your Greenlandic adventure.

Summer or winter?

What do i want to experience, where do i want to go, should i travel via denmark or iceland, how to prepare for the unexpected, what are the locals like, 9 things you can’t live without in greenland, get inspired by real-life first-timers, check out permit required areas.

It is a common misconception among first-time visitors that visiting Greenland in winter is some sort of unmanageable Arctic expedition. We won’t lie to you: our weather can be unpredictable, but it is a risk visitors must be willing to take all year around. There is no such thing as bad weather…only bad research! It is true for most destinations that they have different things to offer in different seasons, and our giant island is in fact open for visits and full of things to do all year round.

Because Greenland is such a large country, the  characteristics of seasons vary between regions. For example, summer in South Greenland means lush and green landscapes, whereas in the North it can mean icebergs drifting lazily through fjords and bays. Winter in the Capital region is warm city lights dotted across a snowy backdrop, while in East Greenland the frozen sea becomes the winter scenery.

Whether you want to visit at Easter, in Autumn or for Christmas, therefore depends on what your dream trip to the Arctic looks like: where do you want to go and what do you want to experience?

Sit down and envision what the musts are on your Greenland bucket list. What kind of traveller are you? Are you a dog sledder? A foodie? Or a ski tourist? Some activities are only available at certain times of the year in certain destinations, so this can help to give your itinerary a direction. Kayaking in between icebergs, for example, is a summer exclusive, whereas you can experience the northern lights in every location during the winter season. If you already have a particular activity in mind, check out our things to do page to find out where in Greenland you can do this.

In case you are not already certain what your focus should be when visiting Greenland, a good start is to ask yourself whether you’re primarily interested in Greenlandic nature or culture . You can also check out the Big Arctic Five – five iconic experiences that you simply cannot miss when visiting Greenland. Maybe they will inspire you to fly over ice on a dogsled , experience the dancing northern lights , photograph towering icebergs or silky soft snowflakes, meet the pioneering people or sail alongside some of the largest mammals in the world in one of our endless fjords.

Now that you know what you would most like to experience, you probably also know which destination might be right for your first visit. Even though it might be tempting to try out the entire list of activities and destinations, we have to disappoint you slightly. Not many travellers “do” Greenland. Greenland is sparsely connected by roads, and if you want to move between cities you will have to go by plane, by sea or sometimes even by dog sled. It is most common to choose one (or at most two) regions to visit. Although it would be wonderful to go from rough adventure travel in Destination Arctic Circle to a farm holiday in Greenland’s lush Garden in the South , fear not: there’s always the second visit.

When you have decided which destination is right for you, whether it is Capital coolness or Icefjord adventures , you can start planning how to get from your corner of the world to our Arctic one. There are two ways of getting to Greenland by plane: through Reykjavik or Copenhagen (sometimes also Aalborg in the summer), and one or the other might be easier for you depending on where you’re coming from and where you are going. Even though you might have to settle for an extra stop, why not make a trip out of it and enjoy exciting Copenhagen or stunning Iceland before you venture on to one of the locations with direct flights: Nuuk , Kangerlussuaq , Narsarsuaq , Ilulissat or Kulusuk . You can also choose to continue your journey and fly, sail or hike your way from those destinations to other locations in Greenland.

Visa to Greenland

When entering Greenland, keep in mind that if you do not need a visa for Denmark, you also do not need one for Greenland. However, if you do need a visa for Denmark, you will need a special permit to enter Greenland (separate from your visa for Denmark). Make sure to note that you are traveling on to Greenland when you apply for your visa for Denmark. Learn more here . Preferential Scheme: Fasttrack visa application for Chinese citizens. Read more here .

There are many unique things about Greenland – and one of them is all those unusual things you have to think about as a tourist to Greenland that you’ve probably never thought about on holidays before. We’re here to clear a few of them up for you.

WiFi (or lack of!)

Getting online as a tourist in Greenland is not as easy as in other parts of the world. Although most hotels and cafés in major towns and settlements have WiFi, you often have to pay for it by the minute or by the megabyte. It is becoming more common to find free WiFi around and about, but prepare to be disconnected a lot of the time if you don’t want to pay.

If you really need to stay connected, the cheapest way is to buy a local SIM card at any Tusass shop and use the mobile data network, which covers most towns and settlements fully.

Polar bears?!

Well, there are polar bears in Greenland. But they are not as easy to spot as you might think, and they are (usually) not walking the streets! Polar bears are most common in Northern and Eastern Greenland, but even here they are rarely spotted by tourists. If hiking in these areas it is sometimes advisable to take a rifle with you just in case. Talk to the locals/your guide/the local tourist office for the most up-to-date advice.

Check out our infographic for more information on encountering polar bears in Greenland.

Delays / Cancellations

Now here’s something that’s a more certain experience than a polar bear. Greenland may be globally accessible nowadays, but it is still very much an Arctic wilderness, and nature is in charge.

This means that the weather can change suddenly and dramatically and that it often gets in the way of our plans. It is normal to experience some delays throughout your travels to and around Greenland, especially if you have a lot of connections – so an accepting and relaxed mindset is a great thing to bring with you. Simply sit back, enjoy the wait, and know that our transport and tourism staff are doing their best to keep you on track with your plans.

Availability of food

Greenland’s geography creates some other logistical obstacles that it is helpful to bear in mind. Most of the fresh fruit and vegetables we eat (and anything else we like that can’t be grown or sourced in Greenland) are imported from Denmark by plane or ship. These journeys are also at the mercy of our wild and powerful nature, which means that you cannot rely on those things that you are used to back home always being available.

Further north, for example, because of sea ice, no boats can visit the towns and settlements for most of the winter, which severely restricts the amount of goods that can be imported. If you have particular dietary requirements, therefore, it is highly recommended that you bring with you those foods that you can’t live without. It is also helpful to have an open mind about what you feel like eating – as the range of options (particularly in smaller destinations) is sometimes limited and based on what has recently been caught, hunted or delivered in the area.

Greenlandic people are known for their welcoming and hospitable nature, and they will always return your friendliness with warmth. Don’t be surprised if locals strike up conversation with you in the street. Generally speaking, the simple advice below is a great start to positive relationships with local people:

• Smile and say hello
• Ask before you take pictures, and always respect a “no”
• Talk to people, not about them
• Respect local habits
• If invited into a local’s home, always remember to take off your shoes before entering

You can hear the language and the different variations in regional dialects in this video:

We often refer to Greenlanders as ‘pioneering people’, since, throughout history, they have always been explorers and have had to adapt to living in harsh conditions. As one of the relatively few tourists to Greenland, we hope you also embrace the pioneering mindset and tag your social media posts with #greenlandpioneer.

Many tourists even learn a few words of the Greenlandic language to help them get by. Try out the phrases below:

Hello: Aluu

Goodbye: Baaj

How are you? Ajunngi?

OK / Good: Ajunngilaq

Thank you: Qujanaq

You’re welcome: Illillu

Greenland is very diverse and there are different things to pack for different kinds of trips. However, these 9 things are the things we find absolutely necessary for any trip, anywhere, for any reason in Greenland. Forget them at your peril!

Travel insurance

Check, double check, and triple check that your travel insurance policy not only covers healthcare in Greenland, but that it covers specifically the activities you are planning on enjoying. Much of Greenland is classified as a remote, wilderness area, and even insurance policies that ostensibly cover ‘everywhere’ often exclude these kinds of areas. Check the smallprint and contact your insurance company to ask specifically about your trip if you are unsure.  

Mosquito net (summer only)

If you are travelling between June and August and planning on doing pretty much anything outdoors, you will probably hear about Greenlandic mosquitos. Our special brand of mosquitos are particularly resilient and are often not bothered by repellent, so it’s best to bring a headnet as well to minimise disturbance.

A great camera

Greenland’s incredibly photogenic nature constantly compels you to snap its stunning landscapes. With endless days in the summer and dancing northern lights in the winter, you will kick yourself if you don’t have a camera capable of catching these spectacular polar phenomena.

Hiking boots

Even if you are not usually a hiker, Greenland will turn you into one. As soon as you touch down on the treeless landscape, the surrounding mountain peaks and potential views start to lure you in. It’s a good idea to bring hiking boots just in case you get tempted by a trek into the rugged wilderness. Even within towns in Greenland, much of the terrain is uneven and rocky, so good boots are sometimes preferable simply for a stroll around the town centre.

These might be one of the last things you think about when heading to an Arctic destination like Greenland, but even when it’s not sunny, sunglasses are indispensable for fending off the reflection of light off of snow or water. Pack sunglasses regardless of the time of year you’re visiting.

A Windbreaker

Winds in Greenland can be strong and chilly and can hit at any time of year. Even when it looks warm and sunny, a windbreaker jacket can greatly increase your comfort level.

A guide book

Combat the inconveniences of not always having an internet connection by carrying a comprehensive guidebook with you at all times. This way, you can easily check accommodation options, look for tour providers and find your way around town even when you are offline.

Similar to the previous recommendation, an old-school travel journal will be a life-saver when you experience a moment you just need to record but cannot post to your social media platforms. Take a book with you, fill the pages with your experiences, and share with the world once you get back online.

A sense of humour

This might be the most important thing that you can’t live without in Greenland. In the remote and wild Arctic, things do not always go as planned. Be prepared to take this in good humour, be flexible, and even laugh about it! A change of plans opens you up to even more brand new and once in a lifetime experiences!

Still not convinced it’s worth the effort to venture to Greenland, or need some more inspiration to help your decisions along? Check out some quotes from real-life first-timers to get a glimpse of some of the amazing reasons that you should be a first-timer.

“We chose Greenland to kayak. For me probably one of the best places in the world to have a kayaking trip.”

“There’s not a lot of places in Europe where there is actually wilderness. Like a really big area of wilderness.”

“I have been quite a few places in the world and this is probably the most beautiful I have ever seen. I was mesmerised by the nature.”

“It’s the way people are in Greenland. They’re very open and smiling and they haven’t any set judgments about you before you come.”

“We came here for adventure. It’s our 30th anniversary tomorrow and I asked my wife if she wanted to go to the romantic Greek isles, and she said no, she wanted to do something adventurous. So we came to Greenland and it really is just magical.”

“When we arrived, I put my feet on the ground and I saw the icebergs, and I felt the cold air. And I said, OK, I worked a year and a half to come here, and now I’m here. That was the best feeling.”

Contributors

Content Team Visit Greenland

Anna Maria Jakobsen

EDITORS' PICKS

Top 10 restaurants in Greenland you shouldn't miss

Discover the Top 10 Gastronomical Experiences featuring Fresh Greenlandic Produce and Traditional Greenlandic Food.

Discover Siorapaluk and Kiviaq

Experience Siorapaluk, Greenland's northernmost settlement. Witness Kiviaq-making and savor a North Greenlandic delicacy.

Visa requirements for foreigners visiting Greenland

If you are a citizen of one of the countries on the list, you don’t need to apply for a visa to enter Greenland.

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14 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Greenland

Written by Andrew Birbeck Updated Dec 27, 2023 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

Greenland, an autonomous nation within the Kingdom of Denmark , can truly be said to be a world apart. Icebergs and glaciers are the most famous of Greenland's natural attractions, and the Ilulissat Ice-fjord in Disko Bay is a popular place to visit if you want to see the colossal shapes of blue and white float on an azure sea.

Green mountains with beautiful wildflowers, breathtaking fjords, precipitous cliffs, hot springs, and crystal-clear skies perfect for viewing the northern lights are all waiting to be discovered. Seals and whales flourish in the sea, and impressive animals like polar bears and reindeer roam the land.

Nature isn't all Greenland has to offer tourists, though. The nation's weather and isolation have helped preserve evidence of cultures long past, allowing tourists to visit sites like a 2,000-year-old Eskimo village and several Norse Viking settlements.

Because of the unique topography, there are virtually no roads between towns, so if you want to explore, it will be by boat, airplane, sled, or snowmobile. In fact, you'll find that some of the best things to do in Greenland are active ones — dogsledding, snowmobiling, hiking, walking on the ice cap, and traveling its waters by boat.

Explore this fascinating land with the help of our list of the top attractions and things to do in Greenland.

See also: Where to Stay in Greenland

1. Ilulissat Ice-fjord

2. whale watching, 3. nuuk and the greenland national museum, 4. the northern lights (aurora borealis), 5. uunartoq hot springs, 6. qaqortoq museum, 7. viking ruins, 8. sermermiut eskimo settlement, 9. exploring by boat and ferries, 10. dogsledding and snowmobile tours, 11. tasiilaq, east greenland, 12. walking on the ice cap from kangerlussuaq, 13. katuaq cultural center, 14. nuuk art museum (nuuk kunstmuseum), where to stay in greenland for sightseeing.

Justifiably Greenland's most visited area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004, this amazing berg-strewn section of coast in Disko Bay is where huge glaciers "calve," an expression meaning that icebergs break off from the glaciers and float out into the coastal waters.

This is the perfect place to visit, if you're lucky enough to get the timing right, to witness this awe-inspiring natural spectacle. Unlike other ice fjords in Greenland, it can be watched from land.

The immense glacier Sermeq Kujalleq , more than five kilometers wide and one kilometer thick, feeds into the bay and flows at a rate of about 25 meters (82 feet) a day. Be prepared for stunning vistas and nature at its most majestic. Disko Bay is also notable for its historic significance; it's the site of Norse Explorer Erik the Red's 985 CE settlement.

While in Ilulissat, stop to see the collection of Greenland landscapes in the Emanuel A Petersen Art Museum.

Read More: Best Winter Holidays with Snow

One of the top things to do for visitors in Greenland is to experience an up-close encounter with whales. Most of the fjords melt by May, so June and July are usually the best months for cruising among icebergs and whale watching along the breathtaking coastline.

Tours usually depart from towns such as Qeqertarsuaq, Nuuk, and Aasiaat and are offered by operators like Disko Line . Typical encounters are with humpback, minke, and fin whales, but occasionally also blue whales, killer whales, narwhals, beluga whales, sperm whales, and pilot whales. Patience is required but richly rewarded.

Nuuk, the capital and administrative center of Greenland, has a population of around 16,000 and is especially popular with visitors thanks to the Greenland National Museum . Its collections of hunting equipment, kayaks, carvings, and Viking finds paint a vivid picture of life here from the earliest times.

The 500-year-old mummies of women and children (discovered in 1978) are so well preserved that some of the facial tattoos and various colors of the clothing material are still recognizable. The museum also hosts regular exhibitions of geology and the arts.

Nuuk is the departure point for tours of the Godthåb Fjord, one of Greenland's most beautiful regions, and the atmospheric buildings of the old colonial harbor are well worth seeing.

Address : Hans Egedes Vej 8, Nuuk

The northern lights are often referred to as "the biggest light show on earth," and during your visit to Greenland, you shouldn't miss this incredible natural spectacle. If you're planning to visit for the sole purpose of seeing the aurora borealis, then make sure you travel in winter.

There's a good chance of seeing the northern lights anytime between November and March, although December through February are the best months because the nights are clearer. The Northern Lights are visible across Greenland. Qaqortoq (south), Ittoqqortoormiit (east), and Kangerlussuaq (west) provide the best views.

Hot springs are found throughout Greenland, but on the uninhabited island of Uunartoq, the springs are the perfect temperature for bathing. Here, three naturally heated springs merge into a small pool, where you can immerse yourself surrounded by icebergs and stunning mountain peaks.

Uunartoq is a short boat ride from the town of Ilulissat . There are literally thousands of springs elsewhere in Greenland, most notably on Disko Island, whilst on the easterly side of the country there are around a hundred more.

Qaqortoq is a rock-bound fishing village of brightly painted houses climbing a hillside above the harbor. Set in an 1804 building that was once the Julianehåb colony manager's house, the Qaqortoq Museum displays artifacts from the Dorset, Thule, and Norse cultures, each with its separate exhibits and interpretation.

Norse history is especially well-represented with artifacts that include harpoons and kayaks, along with an authentic replica of a peat hut. There is also a replica umiac, a traditional Greenland boat.

On the top floor are the beautifully reconstructed "Blue Room" and "Red Room," where the explorer Knud Rasmussen and aviator Charles Lindbergh respectively stayed. Lindbergh was here when he was scouting sites for a Pan Am stopover airport.

Address: Torvevej B 29 3920, Qaqortoq, Greenland

Among the most popular things to see in southern Greenland are the remnants of Eric the Red's thousand-year-old Norse colonies. At their peak, it's estimated that something around 5,000 Norsemen lived throughout Greenland. Why the settlements died out remains a mystery.

A visit to the sites of the ruins is a fascinating journey back in time into the lives of these hardy hunter-gatherers. There are several Viking ruins found in the region including the Hvalsey Fjord Church (the oldest in Greenland and highly recommended) and Brattahlid near the town of Qassiarsuk (a 20-minute boat ride from Narsarsuaq international airport).

Roughly two kilometers from the town of Ilulissat, you'll find this ancient Eskimo settlement, first excavated at the beginning of the 20th century, which has some of the best-preserved remnants of indigenous Eskimo cultures in the Arctic. The ancient village is abandoned, but you can still see artifacts from the inhabitants who lived here more than 2,000 years ago.

To get to Sermermiut by foot takes roughly an hour. From the center of Ilulissat, walk south to the old Heliport and then follow the boardwalk a further 1.2 kilometers south to the shore of the Icefjord. Finds from the site are displayed in the Ilulissat Museum .

Whether you take a short afternoon cruise among the icebergs to a glacier or a multi-day cruise into the bays and fjords, boats are the best way to get a look at most parts of Greenland. Most of these mighty walls of ice are visible only from the sea, and boats are such a vital part of Greenland life that wherever you go there will be opportunities for sea excursions.

Small excursion boats have the advantage of no set itinerary, so in addition to the icebergs and glaciers, you may see waterfalls and wildlife, like an eagle guarding her nest. You can also find tour operators like Blue Ice Explorer in Narsarsuaq that offer custom tours to suit your interests and your schedule.

You can also take a longer multi-day cruise to see more of Greenland's wonders or get a feel for local life by joining Greenlanders on one of the many ferries that ply the small coastal ports. The Arctic Umiaq Line operates ferries that are the local transport, so unlike the cruises designed especially for tourists, these ferries give you a chance to meet and mingle with Greenlanders.

Without a doubt, exploring the wild landscape is one of the top things to do in Greenland, and the best way to experience the country's unique natural environment when snow is on the ground is on a tour by dogsled or a snowmobile excursion.

Naturally, the winter months are the time for dogsled tours and snowmobile trips. Some of the most popular areas to explore are Disko Bay , Tasiusaq Fjord , Qaanaaq , and Thule . You'll find numerous tour operators all over Greenland offering trips to suit different budgets.

Although it has just 2,000 inhabitants, Tasiilaq is the largest town in East Greenland. It lies on the island of Ammassalik, about 100 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. Set amid breathtaking scenery on a fjord surrounded by soaring mountains and bisected by a small river, Tasiilaq should be high up on any visitor's agenda.

The Flower Valley behind the town is a popular place to visit for short or long hikes. Popular winter activities are skiing trips and dog-sled tours. In summer, activities include hiking, climbing, helicopter rides over the ice sheet and glaciers, sea kayaking between icebergs on the fjord, whale watching, and fishing. As Tasiilaq remains one of the most isolated settlements on Earth, expect an experience like no other.

Kangerlussuaq is a small town of about 500 people that has two reasons for a visit: it's the favorite starting point for hiking the 200-kilometer (124-mile) Arctic Circle Trail and it has the closest access to the Greenland ice sheet. You can book a half-day tour to the ice sheet, which is only about 30 kilometers away, and once there, walk on its surface.

This is one of the few places the ice cap can be reached without a helicopter. It's like no other experience-ice stretching to the horizon, cut by blue rivers of meltwater. Hikers looking for something shorter and less demanding than the Arctic Circle Trail can climb the nearby Sugarloaf Mountain for sweeping views that include the ice cap.

The Katuaq Cultural Center is located in Nuuk, housed in a beautiful modern building that was designed to emulate the movements of the northern lights. For tourists, the highlights of this attraction are its art exhibits and variety of live performances.

Visual arts exhibits change every one to two months and highlight the work of Greenland creators, both well-known and emerging artists. Performances include not only musical and theatrical productions, but also comedy shows and lecture series.

The center also has a very nice restaurant that features international food made with locally sourced ingredients.

Address: Imaneq 21, 3900 Nuuk

The Nuuk Art Museum began as the private collection of Svend and Helene Junge, which represented their love of all things Greenland. The collection includes paintings of Greenland and works by those who lived and stayed here, as well as a variety of craft-art pieces.

Tourists interested in local handcrafts can see the process of traditional Greenlandic costume-making up close at the Kittat Economusée , also located in Nuuk. It is a working museum, giving visitors the opportunity to watch as the skins are prepared, designs are drafted, and the art form is implemented. Visitors can also touch and examine the work and can purchase items made on-site.

Address: Kissarneqqortuunnguaq 5, 3900 Nuuk

Hotels in Illulissat:

• The closest to posh you're likely to find in Greenland, Hotel Arctic Ilulissat bills itself as "the world's most northerly 4-star hotel." Views from rooms facing the bay are stunning, and breakfast is free, as are rides to the airport and the hourly shuttle into town.
• Conveniently located in the town center, the mid-range Hotel Icefiord sits right on the edge of Disko Bay. All rooms face the bay for views of the icebergs drifting past. The restaurant is popular, and breakfast is included, along with airport transportation.

Guesthouses in Nuuk:

• Right on the water, with beautiful views from the rooms, Eagle View is a boutique guesthouse with a well-equipped kitchen, lounge area, and baths shared by guests.
• Guest rooms are spacious and cheerful. Greenland Escape is close to the airport, and about a 20-minute walk or a taxi ride from the center of town, Rooms have a modern, minimalist décor, and the guest kitchen and baths are shared.

Hotels Elsewhere in Greenland:

• Popular with hikers and visitors seeking outdoor experiences, Kangerlussuaq is not a place to find luxury resorts, but you'll be comfortable in the small rooms of the Old Camp , a hostel-style lodge where guests can make their own breakfasts in the kitchen.
• Perched high above the colorful village of Tasiilaq, in East Greenland, the Angmagssalik Hotel has stunning views of mountains across a bay filled with ice. The hotel has a restaurant, and breakfast is included in the rate.

More Related Articles on PlanetWare.com

Where to Go from Greenland: Most visitors flying here from North America connect to Greenland through Reykjavik , the capital of Iceland and the closest international airport to Greenland. A stopover here gives you a chance to explore the tourist attractions of Iceland .

More Arctic Regions to Explore: If glaciers, icebergs, Arctic landscapes, and the midnight sun fascinate you, then you'll enjoy the fjord-cut coastline of the Kenai Peninsula and 700-square-mile Harding Icefield, south of Anchorage in the US state of Alaska . You might also like to explore the Arctic reaches of northern Finland .

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"Kayaking with icebergs, crampon walking on glaciers, climbing mountains and sleeping amongst melting glaciers was all an exceptional and unique experience." Santhurie, traveled in July 2023

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"The Ocean Albatros is an outstanding boat! The lectures/presentations were generally very good." Gabriele, traveled in August 2023

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What people love about greenland tours.

This is an amazing tour, exploring the world largest island. I am the oldest in the group of young dudes from different parts of the globe. Being an old bloke in the group it’s not easy. Traversing and maneuvering the parched land of Greenland and trekking the icecap…whoa! that’s incredible to feat. Our tour expert Eva is amazing, she walks and talks with full of energy. She knows the area well enough that she could explain with gusto. If you’re looking for comfort tour, this is not for you. Transportation…majority by foot and speed boat. The group of ten bonded together. We’d amazing swaddled moments together. Sleeping in a tent in the middle of nowhere, very very cold, making pee in the middle of the night walking few hundred feet groping in the dark if no flashlight…that was fun, good luck if you trip. Eating our lunch anyplace, anywhere but place good enough to rest and eat. The only issue I’d was buying a few minutes of WiFi to use that didn’t work, waste of money. I want to write more but it’ll be a book….Anyway, thanks to the Tasermiut Tour team but Eva takes the lion’s share.

it was absolutely amazing!!! Trip of a lifetime

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Receptivo Aborigen Tours is an expert in:

"I need to clarify that my tour guide Alma was great and she was very sweet and helpful. My issues have to do with GJ Travel and the fact that they did not provide me with all the excursions they posted in their itinerary, but they still charged me for the full price of the tour. The itinerary posted had daily excursions for the entire 4 days that I'm in Ilulissat, but my final itinerary had one free day. I was informed ahead of time by the company that the full day excursion to Eqi Glacier do not run at the end of September, and that they would replace the cruise with other activities. They never provided me with alternative activities. I found out that the cruise to the glacier was still operating and the only reason why it was not included in my tour is because Alma was leaving Ilulissat to fly home on the day in question. Alma offered to book the cruise independently for me but it would mean I had to pay for the cruise out of my own pocket when it should have been included in the tour price. GJ Travel should have been honest with me about the whole situation about Alma leaving before my tour was scheduled to end. At the very least, they should have given me a discount and I could pay for the cruise myself separately.

GJ Travel is an expert in:

"Good experience, good hotel and staff, good activities and good communication but some difficulties to coordinate activities from the hotel where we stayed.

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Greenland Is Approaching Tourism Slowly—And Taking Lessons from Iceland

By Stephanie Vermillion

With towering icebergs, unspoiled tundra, and unbeatable views of the aurora borealis, Greenland has all the makings of a tourist hot spot—not unlike where Iceland was a decade ago. In the following years, Iceland marketed its raw, pristine beauty, and tourism numbers spiked from 460,000 to over 2 million between 2010 and 2018, effectively turning the destination into the poster child of overtourism .

Greenland, a fragile Danish territory with one of the world’s two permanent ice sheets, wants tourists, but it has no desire to become Iceland 2.0. It’s been taking notes to ensure its own travel push yields sustainable results by prioritizing local jobs and protecting its ecosystems.

Upernavik, a small town in western Greenland

“Doing this [planning] before it becomes a crisis is always a good thing,” says Tracy Michaud, a hospitality and tourism professor at the University of Southern Maine. Michaud is part of the new Arctic Education Alliance , a partnership between the U.S. and Greenland that supports the island’s sustainable tourism and hospitality industries.

“It’s unique to still have this whole land mass that’s [nearly] 90 percent Indigenous,” says Michaud. “That’s really valuable to this world, so how do you preserve and maintain it while building in a way that allows visitors to enjoy and be part of it, too?”

New attractions dedicated to culture and climate

The first lesson in combating overtourism: Move travelers beyond the main sights—advice we’ve heard from Iceland’s own tourism leaders before . Greenland’s tackling this with a host of strategically dispersed attractions located beyond top sights like Kangerlussuaq, the most easily accessed international travel hub, where visitors can enjoy attractions like walking on the island’s headliner ice cap before jet-setting straight home.

“Each region will have its own visitor center and a specific regional theme, promoting the variability of cultural, geological, culinary, and historical elements each place has to offer,” says Visit Greenland Senior Manager Idrissia Thestrup.

In Ilulissat, a coastal town with colorful houses flanked by icebergs the size of skyscrapers, it’s all about the ice. The town, accessible via seasonal flight, ferry, or cruise, will soon open the Ilulissat Icefjord Center , a sleek new visitor center overlooking the Ilulissat Icefjord, one of few destinations where Greenland’s ice cap meets the sea. This venue, the first of Greenland’s new visitor-center offerings, is projected to open in summer 2021. It will pair iceberg views with educational exhibits that highlight Greenland’s cultural connection with ice while illustrating the stark reality of climate change.

Ilulissat Icefjord Center, a new visitor center that overlooks the area where Greenland's ice cap meets the sea

Themed visitors centers across the territory will follow Ilulissat’s lead, as will local-led experiences like the highly anticipated Qaqortoq Arctic Culture Center, a reindeer reserve and cultural hub with overnight accommodations, set to open as soon as fall 2022.

Thestrup says new hotels are also in the works, while more than 100 existing tourist accommodations stand ready to welcome travelers, from farm stays and hostels to Ilulissat’s four-star Hotel Arctic , an ocean-view getaway with rooms and isolated igloos overlooking the nearby icefjord.

Enhancing transportation will improve the Greenland experience

Greenland’s 836,300-square-mile island, slightly larger than the size of Mexico, has 56,000 people, only 100 miles of roads, and no railways. The ice sheet covers the majority of inland Greenland; its towns and settlements dot the coasts. Locals rely on the Sarfaq Ittuk ferry to move up and down the iceberg-laden western coast. This 12-town, often multi-day ferry ride does welcome tourists, but most travelers prefer the ease of visiting Greenland via organized cruise ships.

Thestrup says the territory hopes its towns will welcome more expedition cruises as its tourism grows. “[Expedition-cruise passengers] stay longer in the destination, they spend more in the destination, and they’re more aware about sustainability issues,” she says.

By Jessica Chapel

By Emily Pennington

By Charlie Hobbs

By Kaitlin Menza

Attracting travelers who arrive on their own is another goal for Greenland tourism. That’s where new aviation investments come into play.

Ilulissat is scheduled to get an international airport as early as 2023. 

The territory’s existing air-travel options are limited, with overseas routes from Copenhagen and Reykjavik. Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq, the territory’s main international hub, is the dominant route. Intermittent and seasonal flight options exist between Reykjavik and Nuuk or Ilulissat, and within Greenland, but small runways and low passenger numbers have made inter-island travel more difficult.

New international airports in Nuuk, Ilulissat, and Qaqortoq should change that. Airport construction was delayed due to COVID-19, but some aviation experts anticipate Nuuk and Ilulissat’s international airports could still open as early as 2023.

Keeping the kroner in local pockets

Another pillar of Greenland’s tourism plan is prioritizing local businesses. In Greenland, where the population is nearly 90 percent Inuit and millennia-old industries such as fishing and mushing are changing with the climate, this local-first approach is essential.

“Traditional livelihoods are disappearing, and it’s not a country where you have a lot of industry that allows locals to go from traditional livelihoods to new industries,” Thestrup says. “It’s either tourism or mining, and the locals are very much aware that tourism will have a less negative impact on their country and culture than mining would.”

What’s more, tourism provides a way to keep Greenland’s nearly 4,500-year-old Inuit culture alive. Some Greenlanders now mix traditional work like fishing with part-time tourism jobs to make ends meet.

“Tourism, when it's developed right and done sustainably, can be a really powerful tool for the economy and communities,” says Michaud. “There’s a lot of [economic] opportunity that doesn’t necessarily involve exploitation of resources. Greenland cares about and understands that, and they’re trying to develop from this perspective.”

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Greenland Vacation Packages

Find your next big adventure in Greenland here! At the left, choose months , activities , and destinations . You can also choose duration and difficulty .

This is an easy way to compare prices and book the exact Greenland vacation package that suits you

Showing 1–24 of 62 results

Spend a night in a real Igloo | Ilulissat

Glamping at Camp Kangiusaq | Nuuk | West Greenland

A long weekend in the Arctic to remember | 5 days | Ilulissat

Highlights of the Arctic winter in 5 days | Ilulissat | Disko Bay

Arctic Wilderness Expedition | 11 days | East Greenland

Dog sledding expedition | Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut | West Greenland

Midnight Sun Exploration | 8 Days | Arctic Circle & Disko Bay

UNESCO 5 days package | South Greenland

Land of Icebergs | 4 Days | Disko Bay

East Greenland Photo Exploration | Tasiilaq

East Greenland Adventure | 6 Days

8 Days Of The Inland Ice Sheet, Midnight Sun & Icebergs | West Greenland & Disko Bay

Multi-day Dogsledding from Tasiilaq | East Greenland

Kayak & Ice Hike | 8 Days | South Greenland

Best Of Ilulissat | 5 days | Disko Bay

Kayak & Ice Hike | 15 Days | South Greenland

Northern Lights Tour | 3-Day Vacation Package | Nuuk | Greenland

Ice, Big Walls & Hot Spring | South Greenland Explorer

5 Day Ilulissat Explorer | Disko Bay

Snowshoeing and Backcountry Sleepover | Nuuk

10 days of hiking through Arctic nature & villages | East Greenland

Perfect winter tour with snow and ice | Ilulissat & Kangerlussuaq | 8-days

West Greenland Exploration | Ilulissat & Kangerlussuaq | 6 Days |

Narsarsuaq & Igaliku 5 days Package | South Greenland

More about greenland vacation packages.

Are you interested in a Greenland vacation package? Whether you are off for an active vacation, a family trip, or an all-inclusive holiday, these vacation packages ensure you will get a well-planned, affordable, and adventurous vacation in Greenland that you will never forget.

Below, you can find answers to questions which is related to our vacation packages in Greenland.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a greenland vacation package cost.

The prices vary a lot in terms of your activities and destinations. Take into account that the cheapest tours may only include flights and accommodation and a few experiences, so when you add more day trips, the cost is more or less the same as buying a more expensive package tour from the start. You can filter in the price above to the right. In this way, you can easily find a vacation package in Greenland that match your budget.

If I am not able to travel, can I then cancel my vacation package?

You can read more in our Terms and Conditions page: https://guidetogreenland.com/terms-conditions/

Why buy a package tour instead of a bundle of day tours?

If you buy a package tour to Greenland, everything is planned and taken care of, so it is much easier and more convenient for you.

Can I plan a tour myself?

You can buy your flights, accommodation and day trips yourself, but make sure that all dates fit and that there is space on the trips. It is a pity to have reached Disco Bay, and then not be able to go out to e.g. a whale watching tour or iceberg tour!

How far in advance should I book my Greenland vacation package?

We advise you to book your vacation package at least 3 months in advance. The best would be booking your holidays 6 months or more in advance as availability in Greenland is really limited and change quickly. Furthermore, when you book some months in advance, you have a lot of time to prepare for your big Arctic adventure!

For how long do I have to wait on answers on the packages on request?

We will do our best to answer you as fast as possible.

Does any vacation packages start from Iceland?

Yes, we have vacation packages in Greenland with a starting point from Reykjavik, Iceland.

What should I know before booking a Greenland vacation package?

All vacation packages in Greenland start either from Copenhagen, Denmark, or Reykjavik, Iceland. During summer, a few start from Billund in Denmark. You should be aware of which activities your vacation package includes since some of them can vary in difficulty. Moreover, Greenland quickly sells out in the high season, and the overall supply is less than the demand during the high season.

What airlines are flying to Greenland?

Air Greenland and Icelandair.

What is the difference between a vacation package and a multi-days tour?

A vacation package in Greenland includes flights whereas multi-days tours does not.

Is Greenland a good vacation spot for long tours?

If you ask us, Greenland is the best vacation spot for long tours! Greenland is a remote and mindful destination with untouched mountains and fjords. Once you are here, most people want to stay longer and enjoy nature and the unique quietness. Moreover, there are so many amazing places in Greenland from West to East and North to South. With a long tour, you have the opportunity to visit more than one place.

What does a vacation package in Greenland include?

It includes flights, accommodation, sometimes meals, guides, and activities. You can find all information on what is included in each package in the tab ‘included’.

What should I pack before traveling to Greenland on a vacation package?

It really depends on where you are going, what you are going to do, and what seasons - and of course for how long. You can read our guides to what to bring when going to Greenland here: https://guidetogreenland.com/about-greenland/travel-information/best-clothing-to-pack-for-a-trip-to-arctic-greenland/

What will the modes of transport be for the big portions of my Greenland tour?

Since Greenland does not really have any roads, the majority of transport will be by airplane and ferry. However, sometimes even a helicopter, a dog sled, or a snowmobile all depending on your vacation package!

What size would the group be if my tour to Greenland is fully booked?

The size of groups varies from each package - normally between 6 to 12 people. But a vacation package is not necessarily the same as a group tour. You can purchase a package where you and your spouse are the only ones attending.

Are there travel packages in all of East, West, North, and South Greenland?

Yes, we have vacation packages all over Greenland. From South to North and from East to West. You can filter by ‘destination’.

Are there vacation packages only for outdoor experiences?

Yes, we also offer outdoor packages for the extremes. You can book hiking, kayaking, biking, and ice hiking vacation packages in Greenland.

Are there vacation packages in Greenland in all seasons?

You can go all year round to Greenland. You can find the perfect vacation package in your preferred time of year by filtering in 'Available months'.

Do vacation packages include insurance?

No, you should purchase insurance separately - and be sure it covers Greenland!

Is it necessary to have insurance while traveling in Greenland?

It is required for some of the package tours. But we will always advise you to have insurance while traveling in Greenland.

Do you do tailor-made vacation packages?

No. However, if you are a group of 6 and more please contact us by email. We might be able to help you!

Is my vacation package booking confirmed after payment?

No, you will need to wait until it is confirmed by one of the Guide to Greenland experts.

Do you need to book connecting flights to Greenland by yourself?

Yes, you need to book flights from your home country as you need to get to Copenhagen or Reykjavik. We advise you to have your connection flight at least one day before and one day after your Greenland tour.

How long is the flight to Greenland?

It depends on where in Greenland you are flying. Usually, the flight from Denmark is approximately 4 to 4,5 hours. From Iceland to Greenland it could be from 2 hours (if you fly to East Greenland) to 3 hours.

When do I need to be at the airport before my Greenland flight?

We advise you to be in the airport at least 2-3 hours before.

When will I receive the tickets and the final itinerary for my trip?

At the latest 2 weeks before the trip.

Do I need to pay for my vacation package at once or I can separate payments?

Due to the limited supply and huge demands, we need to have all payments at once.

Can extra charges appear after booking a package tour?

Yes, but not very often. There could be an extra charge if flight prices change due to energy prices rising or similar. If standard rooms are occupied and the only option is to stay in an upgraded room, we may also charge more. We will inform you about that right away.

Can my itinerary be changed after the booking?

Yes, your itinerary can change. You will still go on all included tours but the days of the tours can change due to availability and weather conditions can also adjust your final itinerary.

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Greenland Wants You to Visit. But Not All at Once.

The Arctic island, renowned for its glaciers and fjords, is expanding airports and hotels to energize its economy, even as it tries to avoid the pitfalls of overtourism.

By Gabriel Leigh

“The weather decides”: It could almost be the motto of Greenland. Visitors drawn to this North Atlantic island to see its powder blue glaciers, iceberg-clogged fjords and breathtakingly stark landscapes quickly learn to respect the elements, and they’re sometimes rewarded for it.

One cold December day, I was waiting for a delayed flight in Kangerlussuaq , a former U.S. military base just above the Arctic Circle, when a friendly Air Greenland pilot named Stale asked if I’d like to join him on a drive to the harbor to “pick up some musk ox heads.” The offer seemed very Greenlandic, so how could I refuse?

By early afternoon, it was already getting dark. We hopped into a pickup truck and headed down a long, icy road. At the water’s edge, Stale picked up a musk ox skull — they are kept as trophies, and the horns can be valuable for carving and toolmaking. Then we drove up a snow-covered mountain. The full moon illuminated the fjord below. Next to it, the town looked like a lunar base: a small pocket of human activity nestled in a seemingly infinite void.

I had arrived in Kangerlussuaq earlier that day aboard Air Greenland’s first brand-new jet, an A330neo fresh from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France. The airport in Kangerlussuaq is one of few in Greenland with runways long enough to accommodate large jets. From there, travelers must switch to smaller turboprops to continue onward, including to the capital, Nuuk — where I was eventually headed — or Ilulissat , a town whose icy fjord is a UNESCO World Heritage site. When the Airbus jet, also carrying the prime minister of Greenland, landed, hundreds of people waving red-and-white Greenlandic flags greeted us.

Kangerlussuaq

The new jet is part of a plan to invigorate the island’s tourism industry. Greenland, which is part of Denmark but has autonomy over most domestic affairs, is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation, building new runways and terminals in Nuuk and Ilulissat. If all goes according to the government’s plan, large jets could bring international visitors directly to these towns by 2024.

The 35-year-old prime minister, Mute B. Egede, who supports eventual independence from Denmark, sees tourism as a way to build economic self-sufficiency. The government has banned all oil exploration and has been cautious about expanding mining despite the potential for profits: It blocked the development of one rare-earth mining project over fears about uranium contamination.

“We need to have more growth,” Mr. Egede told me before the flight departed. “Right now most of our money comes from fisheries. We need some other income possibilities, and tourism is one of the key potentials for future growth in Greenland.”

Greenland, the world’s largest island, is roughly three times the size of Texas but has only about 57,000 residents. In the first three quarters of 2022, it attracted just under 55,000 visitors, according to Visit Greenland, the national tourism authority, and nearly 37,000 of them came from Denmark. Only 2,430 Americans visited Greenland in that period. Direct flights from the United States could mean a big influx.

The chief executive of Air Greenland, Jacob Nitter Sorensen, told me last year that the airline has North America in its sights, with New York as a top destination. That would put Nuuk just a four-hour hop away from the U.S. East Coast, meaning Americans would no longer need to backtrack from Copenhagen. (Nearly all flights to Greenland currently pass through the Danish capital.)

But a sudden surge of tourists could strain Greenland’s limited infrastructure, and challenge what makes the island special. Visitors come to experience its remoteness. Fly down the west coast and you’ll pass countless fjords and glaciers crowded only with birds and reindeer. You’re more likely to spot wildlife like humpback whales, narwhals, polar bears and musk oxen than to see a tour bus. Some locals worry about becoming the next Iceland, which has struggled to cope with hordes of tourists and rising prices as that island’s popularity has exploded in the last decade.

For now, those fears seem distant. Tourists are rare, and the weather still makes the rules. When I finally got to Nuuk, I had planned to go on a snowshoe trek in the mountains outside town and take a boat trip to see the fjords. I had also booked a special dinner of traditional Greenlandic cuisine — a menu that might have included food like reindeer, whale, musk ox, and Arctic herbs and berries. But lack of snow put a stop to the trek, high winds canceled the boat trip, and the dinner was called off because there weren’t enough other customers.

But at least one plan seemed to remain intact. I had booked a night in a “glass igloo” at the edge of town and was looking forward to the private hot tub and sauna — with views of the nearby bay and mountains — on its deck.

When I arrived in a taxi from the airport a few hours late, I found the place shut. It was frigid, the paths slick and treacherous. As the taxi sped away, I tried to call the hostel. Nobody answered.

Then, just as I was gearing up for the long walk up the icy hill to find a main street and hopefully another place to stay, a car pulled up, and Gerth Poulsen, a co-owner of the igloo, got out. Mr. Poulsen showed me around, turned on the hot tub, handed me a pack of peanuts and a Greenlandic beer, and drove back into the night, leaving me alone in my glass igloo. With panoramic views of the rugged landscape, it felt a bit like camping, but with a very effective heating system.

The island’s tourist infrastructure remains somewhat limited, but officials hope to change that by the time the new runways and terminals open next year. “There’s a great pressure to have more destinations ready when it comes to hotels, restaurants and experiences,” said Anne Nivika Grodem, the chief executive of Visit Greenland. “And it must be based on our values, to ensure a sustainable development.” With jet travel a major contributor to global warming, a destination famous for its ice and snow will have to strike a difficult balance.

Greenland is still a place where “the weather decides” can be a liberating mantra — once we accept that we’re powerless to do anything about the weather, we can give up control. And when we do, anything can happen.

For me, a delayed flight turned into an expedition onto a mountain. And then in Nuuk, with my packed schedule of outings wiped clean, I was free to wander, ducking into a pub that seemed straight out of old Denmark, dining on a plate of surprisingly affordable giant snow crab legs, and visiting the national museum to learn how Indigenous Greenlanders thrived in the harsh conditions a thousand years ago, long before the kind of heat I had in that igloo.

It wasn’t exactly the Greenlandic experience I’d planned, but it was the kind of adventure that endures.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook . And sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to receive expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2023 .

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Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

The Alaska Highway:  On an epic road trip, a family plots a course from Alaska to the Lower 48, passing through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery .

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King Frederik and Queen Mary face big change on royal tour – details

The new king and queen are denmark ascended to the throne in january.

King Frederik and Queen Mary have been undertaking some of their first royal tours since acceding to the throne, with the royals visiting their neighbouring Scandinavian countries.

The pair are due to undertake some more official visits, including to the Faroe Islands and Greenland, both of which are autonomous territories of the country. Tentative dates for their visits published by their official website r evealed the royals would be in the Faroe Islands from 11-14 June and would stop over in Greenland from 29 June-8 July .

However,  there has now been a change of dates for the trip, with their trip to Greenland now ending two days earlier than planned . A reason for the cutting short of the visit hasn't been revealed.

Earlier in the month, Frederik and Mary   visited both Sweden and Norway , meeting with the countries' royal families. The couple showed how strong their bond was as Frederik was spotted kissing his wife during their Swedish trip.

Following solo engagements in the country, the couple reunited for lunch and the Danish monarch was seen planting a kiss on the side of his wife's face.

On the first night of their state visit, Frederik and Mary were hosted by King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at a state banquet at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Mary glittered in a gold silk skirt from Jesper Hovring's 2017 collection with a sheer top with burgundy beading from his Fall 2018 collection.

The couple also visited Norway and they were seen walking hand-in-hand as they strolled along Oslo's harbour front. The engagement was a focus on the architecture where Frederik and Mary viewed a new sustainable urban development, but they exchanged loving looks and plenty of smiles as they walked along the waterfront.

The royal couple acceded to the Danish throne earlier this year following the surprise abdication of Frederik's mother, Queen Margrethe .

The 84-year-old made the announcement in an address which was shared on New Year's Eve. "I have decided that now is the right time," she said. The 14th January 2024 - 52 years after I followed my beloved father - I will step back as the Queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son the Crown Prince Frederik."

The former monarch added: "Tonight, I first and foremost would like to express my thanks. Thank you for the overwhelming warmth and support which I have received during all these years. Thank you to the changing governments with whom the collaboration always has been rewarding, and thank you to The Parliament, who have always vested their confidence in me.

"Thank you to the many, many people who on special occasions and in everyday life have embraced me and my family with kind words and thoughts, turning the years into a string of pearls. The support and assistance which I have received throughout the years, have been crucial to the success of my task. 

RELATED:  Prince William to be joined by European royals during solo overseas trip

MORE:  Danish royals make landmark balcony appearance for King Frederik's 56th birthday

"It is my hope that the new King and Queen will be met with the same trust and devotion which have fallen to my lot. They deserve it! Denmark deserves it! I will conclude my new year's address in my usual manner: GOD BLESS DENMARK, GOD BLESS YOU ALL."

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• ENVIRONMENT

The polar vortex, explained

The swirling mass of cold air that hovers above the North Pole is sometimes responsible for episodes of extreme cold weather in North America.

Above the Arctic hovers a counter-clockwise spinning mass of cold air that grows and shrinks with the changing seasons—the polar vortex.

When this vortex dips toward the equator, it brings with it blasts of freezing air.  

The record-breaking cold front heading into the continental U.S. is the result of an unusually far south polar vortex says Bob Ovarec, a lead weather forecaster with the National Weather Service.  

"As that system is reforming to the south, it’s helping push all the cold air south and eastward, so a lot of parts of the country are going to see some dramatic temperature changes," says Ovarec.

In extreme cold, frostbite can attack exposed skin in minutes, and prolonged exposure leads to hypothermia. At least 21 people died as a result of a 2019 polar vortex outbreak.

The polar vortex is a well-documented, long-existing pattern, but some scientists say climate change could be making it unstable, with potentially serious consequences.

How does the polar vortex work?  

The vortex is constantly spinning in a counter-clockwise direction around the North Pole. During the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, the edge of the vortex sits at a higher latitude, and in winter months, it edges south.

At the bottom edge of the vortex is the polar front, or polar jet stream. The polar jet stream moves from west to east, which is why the northeastern portions of North America are often hit the hardest by polar vortex weather. ( Read about the difference between weather and climate. )

Jet streams are propelled forward by temperature differences and the Earth's rotation. Wider temperature differences create faster-moving winds.  

Those jet streams tend to sit at the same altitudes that planes fly, 30,000 feet off the ground, and pilots will often catch them to travel faster and save fuel. Jet streams can also usher in weather changes like cold fronts and heat waves.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a strong polar jet stream moving roughly along the same latitude as the vortex makes the vortex more stable and traps cold Arctic air within the Arctic Circle. But occasionally the polar jet stream weakens, moving around the globe in a wavy pattern called arctic oscillations with peaks and troughs that allow warmer southern air to move north, and cold Arctic air to rush south.

This photo from Jan. 27, 2019 was taken by the NOAA-20 satellite. Signs of the polar vortex that plunged parts of the U.S. into frigid weather show up as "cloud streets" over the Great Lakes. The extremely cold air moves over the unfrozen, relatively warmer lake water, creating cumulus clouds that can deliver heavy lake effect snow .

Climate change and the polar front

Scientists are studying how warming temperatures will influence weather patterns like winter storms. Overall, winter is the fastest warming season for a majority of people living in the U.S.

But whether the polar vortex will become more likely to send cold air south as the planet warms is an area of active scientific research and debate. The question largely centers over how warming temperatures at the poles will affect the polar jet stream .  

Scientists are now finding that the Earth is warming more quickly at the poles than at the mid-latitude regions, meaning the temperature contrast that drives jet streams has decreased.  

A study published in the journal Nature in 2018 linked warmer-than-average Arctic temperatures to cold weather outbreaks in the eastern U.S. And another study published in the journal Science in 2021 found Arctic warming may increasingly disrupt the polar vortex itself, rather than the jet stream.  

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