Greenland: A Land of Rugged Wilderness and Ancient Culture
As the world’s attention turns to Greenland, a territory of 56,000 Inuit people sandwiched between New York and Moscow, the island is stirring from its frozen Arctic slumber. President-elect Donald Trump’s musings about taking over Greenland have leaving the Danish authorities protesting that it’s not for sale.
But before the world changes for Greenland, now is the perfect time to experience its unspoiled wilderness, rich indigenous culture, and hardy people who make a living from the sea and the ice.
Just opened, Nuuk’s long-delayed international airport, and from June 2025, United Airlines will operate a twice-weekly direct service from Newark to Nuuk. Another two international airports, Qaqortoq and Ilulissat, are due to open by 2026, making travel to Greenland more accessible than ever.
Ilulissat, a fishing port on the west coast, is a must-visit. It’s a place to be awed by the UNESCO World Heritage Icefjord, where giant icebergs drift like ghostly ships in Disko Bay. Visitors can take a small boat to sail among the bay’s magnificent iceberg flotilla, but, as local skipper David Karlsen warns, not too close, as he once saw an iceberg split in half, creating a giant wave.
Whales, including humpback, fin, and minke, feast on plankton in Disko Bay, making whale-watching an excellent activity around Greenland’s craggy coastline. The traditional Greenlandic delicacy of mattak – whale skin and blubber – is not for the faint-hearted, but locals have quotas to hunt narwhals, polar bears, musk-ox, and caribou.
Remote and rugged, Greenland is a haven for adventure seekers. The west coast is especially popular with voyages emanating from North America or Iceland, with calls to picturesque communities, Qeqertarsuaq Island, and ancient hut sites of pre-Inuit paleo cultures.
The Eternity Fjord near Maniitsoq is another highlight, with its striking blue waters and ancient Viking longhouses dating back to the 10th century. For a more organic experience, the multi-day coastal ferry, the Sarfaq Ittuk, offers a chance to meet Inuit commuters, though don’t expect it to be cheap – locally, a head of lettuce costs $10.
For a taste of true wilderness, head to the harshly dramatic east coast, facing Europe. The coastline is rough, with few tourists, and a growing number of small expedition vessels explore its frosted scenery and wildlife. The world’s largest fjord system, Scoresby Sound, is a must-see, with its sharp-fanged mountains and hanging valleys choked by glaciers. The North East Greenland National Park is a hotspot for spotting polar bears, musk oxen, and walrus, as well as great flocks of migrating geese, Arctic foxes, and walrus.
Some of these animals are fair game for local communities, which have retained their traditional habits, like hunting and preserving meat in the ground. The actual pronunciation of a village like Ittoqqortoormiit may be hard to grasp, but the locals’ traditional practices, like dog-sledding and igloo-building, are a must-experience.
Greenland is changing rapidly, with the climate crisis affecting its icecap, and it may well end up as a pawn in a game of geopolitical chess. But for now, it’s a wild and untouched destination for the adventurous traveler.
