Activities in Sisimiut

Nature, culture and history are the characteristic elements of Sisimiut, Greenland’s second biggest town, and there is something to do here all year round. The town’s location just north of the Arctic Circle means midnight sun and long, light summer nights.

Examples of activities

The ultimate dogsled trip
From Sisimiut to the airport at Kangerlussuaq there are about 160 km (100 miles), and during the period from February to April the trip can be done on a dogsled in three days. Overnight halts are in tents or hunting huts, and you will have the chance to experience at first hand the close working relationship between the sled driver and the dog team, a tradition that has been handed down for many hundreds of years. If you are not up for such a major challenge, you can take a sled trip lasting just a couple of hours, yet which is still a great adventure.

Historical and cultural sites
The area around Sisimiut has been inhabited for more than 4,000 years, not constantly, but for different periods, and close to the town you can come across traces of the earlier settlements. You can also meet the Greenlandic culture by visiting the museum, which is situated in old 18^th century buildings or by visiting a family where you will be offered cakes and coffee or a typical Greenlandic meal.

Arctic Circle Race – a cross-country ski race for tough competitors
For many years Sisimiut in the spring has been the venue for one of the world’s toughest cross-country ski races. The route, in very hilly terrain, has a distance of 160 km (100 miles), and there are two overnight stops where you will camp out in a tent in the wilderness. Your baggage is transported by dogsled in the traditional manner, but you still need to be very fit. You will be cold and tired – but you are also sure to be extremely happy as all the town’s inhabitants come out to cheer you across the finish line.