Activities in Kangerlussuaq

For the majority of visitors some time – either brief or extended – spent in the airport at Kangerlussuaq is their first experience of Greenland and its nature. And the area offers great adventures in terms of nature, wildlife and the Ice Sheet.

Examples of activities:

By car to the Ice Sheet
The Ice Sheet is just 25 km (16 miles) from Kangerlussuaq, and you can reach it all year round, either by car or in a special vehicle in winter. You can see the enormous white expanse of ice from a great distance, but it becomes really impressive when you are standing right in front of the 80-metre (260 feet) high wall of ice and can experience the ice calving. At certain places it is possible to walk directly up onto the Ice Sheet, and during the summer you can stay overnight in a tent for a day or two at a camp at the edge of the ice.

On a wildlife safari
There is plenty of wildlife around Kangerlussuaq, including one of the world’s largest populations of musk oxen, which is in fact not in the ox family, but is a species of sheep. Other wildlife includes grazing reindeer, arctic foxes and arctic hares. You will meet the animals when travelling in the area or when on a guided tour. There is also a wealth of birds in the region, and there are good chances of seeing eagles, falcons, ptarmigans and not least the large ravens.

Enjoy the spectacular colours of the northern lights
Owing to its stable climate, Kangerlussuaq is one of the best places during autumn and winter to see the northern lights flickering across the night sky. Once you have got away from the illuminated buildings and streetlights, you just have to tip your head back and enjoy the spectacular shades of yellow, green and red illuminating the sky.