This resource-rich Danish territory has recently made headlines, but the vast Arctic wilderness has long called to nature-loving travellers with its awe-inspiring landscapes and resilient wildlife. Home to considerably more reindeer (caribou) than people, the former Viking stomping ground of Erik the Red nonetheless has a rich human history and fascinating Inuit culture.
1. It’s a superb spot to see the northern lights and eclipses
Eclipse chasers head to the coolcation hotspot to witness celestial events from its light pollution-free shores. A total solar eclipse will obscure the sun on 12 August 2026, a phenomenon best viewed from Greenland’s High Arctic, as well as Iceland and northern Spain. It’s part of life above the Arctic Circle, where the magnificent Aurora Borealis blazes across the night skies during the long polar winter.
2. The ’midnight sun’ bathes the country in beautiful, eerie light
From late April to late August, the deep nights give way to the contrasting ‘midnight sun’ for Greenland’s northernmost towns. The sun remains ever-present, creating the impression of perpetual un-ending daytime at spots such as beautiful Ilulissat, overlooking Ilulissat Icefjord. Skies still shift and shimmer, smearing stark white daylight into golden evening hues and offering spectacular hiking on empty trails with hardly another soul in sight.
3. It’s the ‘Ice Factory of the North’
One of the Northern Hemisphere’s most active glaciers calves towering icebergs into Disko Bay at Ilulissat. Appropriately, the Western Greenland town’s name means ‘icebergs’ in the national Inuit language of Kalaallisut. Every day, the UNESCO-listed icefjord releases enough freshwater to satisfy New York City’s daily demand, and the iceberg that sank the Titanic is believed to have originated in this 70km-long fjord.
4. You can paddle alongside whales and icebergs
Venture onto the icy water by Zodiac or kayak to see a vast iceberg drifting past, dwarfing the frigid seas teeming with marine life. The word kayak itself originates from Greenland, introduced by the Thule people centuries ago, and the small, sleek boats allow you to paddle alongside majestic humpback whales, orcas, and the rare, milk-white beluga whales. Known as ‘sea canaries’ for their vocalisations, these gentle giants often communicate with a mix of chirps, whistles and clicks, creating a surreal soundtrack as you glide along.
5. You can gaze at the icy landscape from a hot pool
Once again, the clue is in the name – Uunartoq means ‘the hot place’ in Kalaallisut, and the uninhabited southern island is home to naturally occurring thermal springs. Its geothermal pools reach a cosy 38°C – perfect for a relaxing soak, complemented by spectacular view of icebergs and towering mountains.
6. People have trodden the ice for millennia
Uunartoq, which you can visit on a boat trip from Qaqortoq, also features much Viking history, having yielded a fragment of navigational sun compass and the legend that Norse explorer Leif Erikson enjoyed a soak here. They’re just two examples of the surprising richness of human history in the world’s largest island, where the Greenland National Museum in capital Nuuk is home to eight well-preserved mummies. A lucky combination of dry air, cold temperatures and a north-facing cave kept the remains of six ancient Inuit women and two children in remarkable condition for 500 years.
7. It’s the world’s least densely populated country
Greenland’s modern inhabitants are just as interesting – as is their scarcity, with 57,000 people across an area roughly the size of Western Europe. Around a third of the majority Inuit population lives in Nuuk, one of the world’s smallest and remotest capitals. Still, it’s Babylon compared with villages above the Arctic Circle such as Ittoqqortoormiit, the Western Hemisphere’s most isolated settlement. Located at the mouth of the largest fjord system on Earth, its cottages are pops of colour in a thick snow blanket for nine months of the year. Winter visitors to the 400 villagers face a journey by helicopter, snowmobile or dogsled, but you can pick up a pickled gift for your host at Pilersuisoq supermarket.
8. East Greenland is the world’s largest national park
Spanning almost one million sq km, Northeast Greenland National Park Greenland covers a swathe of unpopulated tundra roughly the size of Egypt. The park is largely unexplored, its frozen expanse locked away under layers of drift ice for up to eight months of the year. Scoresbysund, the planet’s largest fjord system, offers pristine wilderness, rugged basalt cliffs and a range of wildlife, including musk oxen, Arctic foxes and polar bears. The region is also a vital habitat for migratory birds and whales, attracting expedition cruises from launchpads such as Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and Reykjavík.
9. Its history endures in colourful facades
A cheerful contrast with the rocky shores, the distinctive houses’ photogenic charm is rooted in a practical purpose. When the Danish settled Greenland in the 18th century, the traditional buildings were painted in vibrant colours for easy identification. Yellow clapboard meant medical supplies, red indicated trading posts and blue houses were those of fishermen.
10. You’ll experience fascinating Inuit culture
For millennia before Danish-Norwegian coloniser Hans Egede arrived in 1721, the Inuit had lived in turf huts, tents and igloos, made with building materials including driftwood, bones and animal furs. You’ll learn more about these hardy people and daily life in Kalaallit Nunaat (‘Land of the Greenlanders’ in Kalaallisut), where the world’s second-largest ice sheet covers 80% of the island’s surface. Start at a kaffemik social gathering in the capital, as well as Nuuk Art Museum, Katuaq cultural centre and Kittat Economusée traditional costume workshop.
