Words and information are probably superfluous the first time
you set eyes on Greenland. Towns and settlements are, however,
teeming with good stories and captivating anecdotes, which can make
your experience and holiday even greater.
Stories everywhere
The small settlement communities, the peat houses, churches and
museums contain far more information and stories than the signs and
guidebooks. Added to this is the fact that the country's geological
and glaciological history remains unrivalled in most parts of the
world. It is no coincidence that this country has, for hundreds of
years, attracted explorers and polar researchers from all over the
world. And continues to do so.
Enthusiastic guides
Most towns offer guided tours on their programme. The guide is
either a local resident and educated in Greenland, or someone who
comes to Greenland year after year to talk about what he or she is
passionate about. A town tour typically takes in the church, the
harbour and the museum. The tour may also pass by "brættet" - the
local game and fish market, where local fishermen and whalers sell
freshly caught seals and fish.
Differences in duration and level of difficulty
Many excursions head for the Ice Sheet - on a dog sledge, on
foot, by boat or by helicopter. Here a good guide can help make the
tour even more interesting with information about the history of
the ice, its present day and future. It is always a good idea to
find out what individual towns have on their excursion programme.
Most towns typically provide hikes, boat and dog sled trips. The
trips all vary enormously - both in level of difficulty and
duration - from a few hours to several days.
The alternative option
And then there are all those options you will not have thought
of. You can feed the sled dogs and learn more about them. You can
visit a kaffemik, take a ride on a snowmobile, go heliskiing,
climbing, diving, and much more. Choirs, masked dances, drum
dances and picnics in the mountains can be arranged for larger
groups. There are plenty of opportunities. Contact individual tour
providers - either online before you leave home, or once you arrive
in the town.
Safety precautions
Do you want to travel alone, but are not quite ready to throw
yourself into Greenland's wild and unpredictable nature? Then you
have the option of paying for a personal guide. These are available
in towns such as Ilulissat. Ask in other towns for
information. Not only will you feel safer, you will also pick up
new information and local news.