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Ilulissat - Gargantuan icebergs, whale filled fjords and fascinating Inuit hunters
By Stephen Gollan
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An amazing day in Nuuk FjordGoing on a fishing trip was something I looked forward to doing here. I thought it was fun to see if I could catch some fish that we don’t have in Norway. I didn’t have too high expectations to catch a fish, because I know that fishing requires patience, but apparently not here in Greenland! We were only fishing by waterfalls so I guess that's where the fish gathers. We threw out the first fishing line as we arrived at the fishing spot, and it didn’t even take
Exploring the ghost settlement KangeqThe first tour I went on was a refreshing boat trip to the abandoned settlement Kangeq to have a look at what’s standing left. I’ve always had an interest in exploring abandoned buildings, but in addition, to explore, I also got to learn a lot about the history of this town and why it’s abandoned. The day started with being pretty foggy, which were a good start considering we were going to a ghost village.Disappearing in the fog as we were on our way to Kangeq. I didn’
Traveling from Norway to GreenlandHow long does it take to get from Norway to Greenland? Well, of course it depends on which city you are traveling to and from. Here you’ll get an insight on my travel from my hometown Trondheim to the capital of Greenland - Nuuk, and I’ll even give you my best tips for traveling to Greenland! I had a flight from Trondheim at 6:00 in the morning, so I knew I wouldn’t get much sleep… or no sleep at all. I didn’t have much expectations before traveling to Greenland,
Narsarsuaq’s half-remembered historiesI step off the Dash-8 onto the tarmac, greeted by blue sky arching over the glittering fjord. Despite living in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, it’s been years since I’ve been in the South Greenlandic settlement of Narsarsuaq, an abandoned American military airbase. A spotless, metallic-silver DC3 is the only other aircraft in sight. A handful of Americans, beaming with pride, are chattering, fussing around this splendid, mirror-like machine. Many such private aircraft turn up in re
Voices from the past – Greenland National Museum and ArchivesIt smells like the past. I sit alone on a seal-skin covered bench before glass-fronted cabinets brimming with objects. Gruesome carved soapstone beasts, knives, tools, baskets, combs, jewellery, boots, and so many variations of seal, fur, and beaded clothing. Dim, directed lamps cast yellow puddles of light onto the displays, though some small objects escape into the shadowy corners. It’s quiet. In the distance I hear other visitors talking amongst themselves, but I can’t make out
Greenland Wilderness TrekkingGreenland contains huge areas virtually untouched by humans. The scenery is often immensely stunning and breathtaking, but make no mistake, the Greenland wilderness can be just as brutal and harsh as it is beautiful. Therefore, doing a longer trekking expedition in Greenland should not be taken lightly or underestimated. For the summer of 2019, I am offering a 9 day long trekking tour in the inland region of Kangerlussuaq. Check out the link below: Arctic Circle Wilderness
What to do and what NOT to do in Greenland?What to do in Greenland? Enjoy the place as much as possible! How? Book as many activities as you can! Take a walk, go to the museums, enter to the churches and the souvenir shops. You cannot know how does it feel to sail around a neighborhood of icebergs if you don't book a boat trip. Then you'll probably feel small and absolutely lucky by having the chance to meet this corner of the world. You won't be sure of the strength of a dog team if you don't book a dog sledding excur
Dogsledding in UummannaqRecently I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the remote island of Uummannaq, a tiny place with only about 1.300 inhabitants, but incredibly rich in natural beauty! The island is far enough north that the ocean freezes over every winter, surrounding the island with a white blanket with the occasional icebergs frozen stuck creating the odd icy hills here and there on the otherwise flat landscape. Once the sea ice is thick enough, people venture out with their dogsleds to go ice fishin
The Thule CultureThe Thule Culture was an ancient Inuit hunting culture, that populated Greenland centuries ago, and since then has developed into the modern-day Greenlandic population. As an Arctic Nature Guide, I am very excited to be offering a wild trekking expedition for the summer of 2019, where the goal is to hike from the Greenland Ice cap to the UNESCO world heritage site of Aasivissuit, which were an old inland summer hunting camp for the Thule Culture. Arctic Circle W
Hiking with the localsWhen I visited East Greenland in the late summer of 2013, we planned a hiking tour in Tiniteqilaaq, a nice and small settlement in the Sermersooq municipality. There were no paths and no routs to follow, so it was better for us to find the easiest way to climb the rocks, and reach a higher level where we could rest and have lunch during the break. Friendly dogs We were on our way and the guide was talking about the northern lights we saw the previous night when all of a sudden
The longest word in the Greenlandic languageGreenlandic is a polysynthetic language which allows for the creation of really long words by stringing together roots and suffixes, and is therefore pretty well known for its long words, but which is the longest? If you go to a website called kalak.gl it claims the longest word is this: Nalunaarasuartaatee-ranngualioqatigiiffissua-lioriataallaqqissupiloru-jussuanngortartuinnaka-sinngortinniamisaalinn-guatsiaraluallaqqooqiga-minngamiaasiinngooq." Consisting of 153 letters.
Things I miss living in GreenlandRecently, I was in London, immersed in the heaving mass of city life. I was reminded of the things one misses when living in Greenland. Here are some of them. Coffee. As far as I know, it is not possible to buy a good cup of coffee in Greenland. People used to drive out to Nuuk's airport café, as it had a reputation for the best coffee in town. But the café has changed hands and I can’t say I was all that impressed even before the café’s latest incarnation. Th
Dog Sled Expedition in East GreenlandIn April 2018, I embarked on a two-person, twelve-husky, dog-sledging expedition from Diilerilaaq to Isortoq. Our route was uncertain. Max, the team’s driver, a former professional hunter and an experienced Ice Cap explorer, mapped a few leads after consulting other hunters and village elders. Our first challenges were to boat across Sermilik Fjord and to disembark safely onto the fast ice that clogged Johan Petersen Fjord. Next, we would start scouting the coastline for a way up the- Feeling one with GreenlandWhen we travel, we are always looking for something different, eat special local food, experience seasonal activities, discover landscapes we've never seen before, find out the highlights and share the weirdest anecdotes when we are back home. Some of my favorite moments in Greenland are when I have plenty of time to feel the cold breeze, the snow falling on my face, my hair blowing in the wind, or my fingertips getting frozen while shooting photos. Every single time I'm in th
- Qaqortoq, the biggest town in South Greenland'Qaqortoq' means 'white' in Greenlandic. South Greenland has more green fields and trees than any other places in Greenland, however ironically the name of this biggest town (population: 3,084 - Statistics Greenland 2017) in South Greenland is 'white'. Does Qaqortoq envy other towns in Greenland with a lot of snow and ice? Qaqortoq has been my favourite town in whole Greenland since my first travel to Greenland in 2010. So far, I have visited nine towns/settlements in Greenland
5 things to do in Greenland during WinterGreenland is well known for being this rough remote place with long and harsh winters, so is it even worth traveling to here in the winter? Well here are a few things you could do if you choose to come in the midst of winter. 1. Dogsledding Dogsledding has been an essential part for surviving the winters here in Greenland, and it is still one of the best ways to move around in the high north. It is still a means of transport almost exclusively used by hunters, but they've started to g
Get a fresh sigh in the old settlement SermermiutIf you are planning a tour to Ilulissat in West Greenland, there are many places you'd like to visit, and I am pretty sure that spending a couple of hours in the old settlement called Sermermiut, is already on your things to do. Sermermiut, located in the south part of Ilulissat, makes you walk heading to the nicest landscapes, and there is a pleasant walkway made of wood that you need to follow in order to reach the right spots where you enjoy the I
Ptarmigan hunting and why I love the fall in Nuuk!Nuuk is at its best during the fall in my opinion, fresh air below freezing, and lots of icebergs just outside the city and on its beaches because the winds have shifted, bringing them out of the large fjordsystem right to our doorstep. It's also a photographers dream because sunrise is at a reasonable hour and sunset isn't far behind, giving an amazing day of pink hues. And as soon as the darkness comes the sky will randomly light up in bright shades of green, reminding us we line in GR- The Unplugged Wilderness Trekking Experience in East GreenlandIf you love trekking and getting away from everything, the 12-day Unplugged Wilderness Trek in East Greenland is absolutely perfect for you. You will likely not see another human being (apart from those in your group) for almost 2 weeks, and there's no mobile phone coverage either! (Note: this is a very brief summary of my experiences. Visit my blog for a more detailed description of my adventures on the Unplugged Wilderness Trek) The Unplugged Wilderness Trek with Green
Sailing among giantsHow does iit feel to sail in Ilulissat? Well, first of all we must keep in mind the meaning of this town. Ilulissat means "icebergs" in kalaallisut (greenlandic). So now you can picture yourself sailing in a chilly paradise during the winter time, surrounded by its residents, frozen giants floating freely, huge white buildings standing all around Disko Bay, witnessing the beauty of West Greenland. As soon as the sea thaws, the boat trips are available and ready to wander around the coast to
