Overview to Greenland: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Stark, desolate and with the population of a medium-sized town, Greenland is not exactly your run-of-the-mill backpacking destination. But the world’s largest island is defined by an almost otherworldly beauty and, for those whose heart is set on it, it’s a very special place to visit.
Getting to Greenland in the first place is not straightforward; flights are limited, and on the expensive side. And once there, it doesn’t get much easier. The country, after all, has no road or rail networks to speak of.
Much of the country’s tiny population is clustered together down to the (milder) south of the island. Over to the west, Nuuk (or Godthab) is the capital city, while Tasiilaq (or Ammassalik) is the most populous on the eastern coastline.
In the summer, Greenland is a fantastic trekking and climbing destination. North of Nuuk, meanwhile, Ilulissat is home to the remarkable icebergs and ‘calving’ glacier of Ilulissat Icefjord, the country’s most popular sight.
Other attractions include winter sports activities, dog-sledding and snowmobile rides. The country’s wildlife is also a major draw with the seal, walrus, narwhal, caribou and, of course, polar bear populations all of interest to visitors.
Inland, mile after frozen mile of tundra stretches across the rest of the landmass. Frequently unpredictable weather conditions, allied to this inhospitable landscape, make visiting Northeast Greenland National Park (the world’s largest) only for the most determined.
It’s a place for the adventurer and the lover of solitude. Whether it’s the Midnight Sun, the Northern Lights or watching an iceberg drift slowly by out on the icy depths, Greenland possesses a stillness and beauty that makes it, undeniably, a life-defining trip.
