Experience Greenland on foot

Hiking trips for all tastes
The Greenlandic nature provides magnificent hiking experiences in an almost untouched landscape. In most areas of the country you do not need to walk very far before you can enjoy the deafening silence and the sight of wide open spaces. Greenland is therefore a very popular hiking country for people who love the great outdoors.

Short hikes
At many of Greenland’s 18 towns there are hiking routes which can be completed within two or three hours depending on your pace and the number of breaks you take en route. A good alternative is a guided hike where you can also learn about the flora and fauna in the area, as well as the local history and geology.

Daytrips
Hikes lasting a day are a good option if you wish to see particular settlements close to the town that you are visiting. An example of this is Oqaatsut/Rodebay, which lies approximately 7-8 hours from Ilulissat. In Oqaatsut you can book overnight accommodation in a cabin and thereby sleep on a comfortable mattress instead of a sleeping mat in a tent.

Week-long hikes
If you love longer hikes, Greenland is absolutely ideal for hiking from one town to another. The route from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut is especially popular, as are the routes from Qaqortoq to Igaliku and Qassiarsuk to Narsaq in South Greenland. At Tasiilaq there are also lots of good hiking routes on the island of Amassalik – both short and long. Read more about how to get hold of good hiking maps.

Practical information
Hiking trips require that you have equipment suitable for the difficulty of the trip. It is therefore a good idea to start by asking the tourist office or travel agency about the hiking routes available and then finding out what you need to take with you – apart from drinking water, hiking maps and good walking boots.

In the case of longer hikes, it is not just a good idea but a must to inform the tourist office or others of how long you are planning to be away and the route you are planning to take. Greenland’s nature is more extensive and wilder than many people perhaps realise.