Transition of Thoughts

Weaving thoughts into words

Top 10 things to do in Greenland

Greenland - A place with so many natural wonders

Greenland – A place with so many natural wonders

Source: https://a2ua.com/greenland/greenland-007.jpg

With an area of more than 2 million sq km’s, Greenland is considered as the largest island in the world. But just about 20% of this area is ice-free where the 56000 residents of the country reside. To give some perspective, there are only 0.03 people per square kilometer making Greenland the least densely populated country in the world.

I have always been enamoured with Greenland considering it’s large tracts of emptiness and it’s location far away from the rest of the world (it’s about 1300 kms away from the nearest landmass). While I generally write personalized travel posts, Greenland’s beauty encouraged me to research more about the country and plan a travel itinerary.

Tourism is just beginning to grow in the country and therefore I have listed the top 10 things to do or see in this mysterious land.

1) Northern Lights

Northern Lights

Northern Lights

Source: https://hurtigruten.global.ssl.fastly.net/assets/48f3bb
/globalassets/local/norway/photos/2500x1250_nordlys_jan-r-olsen_just_topaz.jpg?width=2500&height=1250&transform=DownFill

Like the rest of Scandinavia, parts of Siberia and more, Northern lights (or Aurora Borealis) is one of the prime attractions if you are in the country between November to March. Qaqortoq, Ittoqqortoormiit and Kangerlussuaq are the best places to see this phenomenon. These lights occur due to the sun’s electrically charged particles colliding with the earth’s atoms in the atmosphere. Moreover, it is said that Greenland is the best place in the world to see the Northern Lights.

2) Midnight Sun

The land of the midnight sun

The land of the midnight sun

Source: http://www.greenland.com/media/1999/midnight-sun-04.jpg?width=1920&height=1280&mode=crop&format=jpg&
quality=95

If Northern Lights is all about winter, the midnight sun is all about the summer. From the end of April to August, Greenland transforms itself into the land of the midnight sun making you do so much more during the ‘day’.

3) Mountain climbing 

Mountain climbing

Mountain climbing

Source: http://www.sidetracked.com//wp-content/uploads/2013/06/East-Greenland-02.jpg

Considering it’s rocky landscape, Greenland serves as the perfect spot for mountain climbing with numerous peaks of 3000m in height. Stauning Alps, Watkins Range, Schweizer land, Evighedsfjorden, Cape Farewell among others are some of the best spots you will find for that perfect climb. Once you reach the top, the spectacular scenery that will greet you will surely be a sight to behold.

4) Hot Springs

Hot Springs

Hot Springs

Source: http://www.greenland.com/media/5981/hot-spring-05.jpg?width=1920&height=1280&mode=crop&format=jpg&
quality=60

While there are hot springs spread across Greenland, the ones at Uunartoq take the cake. The temperature is maintained at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit and they are an important attraction throughout the year.

5) Wildlife 

In the wild

In the wild

Source: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zP4p9a367Cc/maxresdefault.jpg

Despite it’s harsh weather, Greenland provides a suitable habit for a variety of animals including polar bears, reindeer, musk oxen, humpback whales, walruses and more. For wildlife lovers, it’s an exciting place to see these animals up, close and personal.

6) Icebergs and more

Ice Sheets and more..

Ice Sheets and more..

Source: http://thesuperslice.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/floating-icebergs-greenland-03.jpg

With 80% of the country covered with ice, how can you miss these icebergs? How about a boat or a kayak ride through the icebergs or icefjords amidst the setting sun? Doesn’t that sound exciting enough? This is where you see nature in it’s true glory. The famous Ilulissat Ice-fjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.

7) Flight excursions

Flight excursions

Flight excursions

Source: http://www.greenland.com/media/6124/helicopter-1.png

Since Greenland doesn’t have that many roads outside of the towns, there’s no better way to see the country than taking a helicopter or Cessna ride. From the icecaps to the mammoth icebergs, from the vast tracts of emptiness to the tiny towns sprinkled in between, you can see all this and more during these excursions.

8) Dog Sledding

Dog Sledding

Dog Sledding

Source: http://mms.businesswire.com/bwapps/mediaserver/
ViewMedia?mgid=356181&vid=5

One of the important means of transportation for Greenlandic people is dog sledding. Over the years, this has also become a leisure activity with tourists opting for dog sledding in good numbers.

9) Cruises

Cruises - Experience of a lifetime

Cruises – Experience of a lifetime

Source: https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/images.abercrombiekent.com.au/images/
Journeys/Polar-Cruising/2017-Arctic-ArcticCruiseAdventure-ss-Hero.jpg

Greenland is a hotspot for cruise traffic from across the Atlantic. There are also a variety of cruise ships which cover Iceland and Greenland together. If you get a chance to be on one, then don’t forget to miss the chance of a lifetime.

10) Museums and Souvenirs

An exhibit at the Nuuk Art Museum

An exhibit at the Nuuk Art Museum

Source: http://www.greenland.com/media/3712/kunst5.jpg?width=1920&height=1280&mode=crop&format=jpg&
quality=60

There are a variety of museums spread across Greenland including the art museums in Nuuk and Ilulissat, the aviation museums in Narsarsuaq and Kangerlussuaq provide a sneak peak into the life of how the Greenlandic people went about their daily lives, their trials and tribulations.

And finally, just before you leave, how about some Greenlandic souvenirs?

Hopefully one day I will get a chance to visit myself and experience all this and more.

I am taking part in the #MyFriendAlexa campaign to take my Alexa rank to the next level with Blogchatter.

Previous

Five Sentence Fiction: Flowers at the door..

Next

Microblog Mondays: The test of endurance

35 Comments

  1. Did you visit yourself? As I would have loved to see more pictures from you

    • aseemrastogi2

      Honestly no :(. Hopefully I can visit the country someday as it offers so much for the avid traveler.

  2. I guess you should visit and write your own experience.

    • aseemrastogi2

      Hopefully someday when I have the money ;).

      • Yes, then your post would make an impact. Else, all this info is publicly available anyway, if you know what I am saying.

        • aseemrastogi2

          Yeah I agree :). But if you see it in another way, it’s about making people aware of the place as well. Not sure how many people actually think about Greenland from a tourism perspective and know what all it offers.

          But yeah all said and done, agree that a personal experience always stands above and beyond a generally researched travel post.

    • Rightly said Alok, but still because of him we come to know about it and read it a little bit of that place.

  3. I like your itinerary Aseem! There is so much to do in this small place! And the place looks spectacular too! I hope you manage a trip to this place and share your experiences with us, living vicariously is all I can hope for!

  4. Such an adventurous and nature blessed place .
    Residing there is a task in itself .

  5. I’ve heard a lot about Greenland and Northern lights. Wish to visit this beautiful place someday! 🙂

  6. Looks like a beautiful place..as they say pictures speak a thousand words!

  7. wish to visit this place soon 🙂 amazing article well written

  8. I appreciate this post because though I read a lot about countries out of curiosity but don’t know why I haven’t read about it till now, you give me initiation for that.
    Thank You 🙂

  9. wow, Greenland is like a dream… Northern lights is high up on my list, a dream since I read about it in Geography book. Great info.

  10. Northern lights and midnight sun all at the same place.Greenland sounds superb.Will have to brain map this .

  11. RamyaRao

    This place has been in my must visit place for a long time now. Maybe after I save up enough! 🙂

  12. subzeroricha

    Thank god this was a plan and itinerary I would have killed you if you had seen northern lights and not me 😀 😀

  13. Did you visit Aseem? It’s a nice place to visit. Any travel agency in India offer a tour in Greenland?

  14. I’ve always wanted to visit Greenland. I can point it on the map too. Don’t they say, you get want you want? May you get to visit soon.
    Some day, I’ll follow too 🙂

  15. On my list now that I have been to Iceland, thank you for listing this down.

    • transitionofthoughts

      Oh Iceland must be amazing as well. Am sure Greenland is exciting too :).

  16. wish to visit… Happy to connect #zarahatkeblogreads

  17. inquisitivegeet

    The pictures are just so spectacular!! Greenland is on my list. And the idea of midnight sun is quite fascinating. I sure would love to visit!

    Cheers
    Geets

    • transitionofthoughts

      It definitely would be amazing. Hopefully I can visit some day as well.

  18. The first picture was so much like Norway and as i kept reading all of these activities I could to in Norway but surely would love to see Greenland too…there is a popular saying I heard in Iceland, that Iceland has less ice and Greenland is not that green 🙂 Wonderful Aseem, you will see me around more now on 🙂

  19. This goes straight on my bucket list. Thanks for sharing !!

  20. Always wanted to go… Major goals now 🙂
    Thank you for the motivation

  21. Cool article! I will surely leverage while planning for Greenland!

Leave a Reply to shwetadave09 Cancel reply

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén

%d bloggers like this: