Things to do in Greenland in Summer
It doesn't matter where you go in Greenland or what your pace of travel is, there is certainly something for you in Greenland. Especially in summer. Between summer and winter, the range of activities that you have at your disposal changes quite drastically in relation to winter. Still, you will find that...There are more things to do in Greenland in summer than you can shake a stick at!
We are pretty sure that one trip won't be enough. To help you out with all the decision making, we decided to lay it all out for you. From Greenland Adventures, with love.
No Skiing or Northern Lights: How about some Midnight Sun?
When the Northern Lights disappear into the endless day, new opportunities arise. Photographers have the expression, “golden hour” to describe the time of day when the sun sits low on the horizon. In Greenland, forget about golden hour, its more like golden five hours! And if you are anywhere above the arctic circle, the sun never sets! The midnight sun in Greenland is really an Arctic Jewel.
Boat Excursions
In Greenland, the rivers are the roads! Boat journies both as a means of transport and as a form of sightseeing are really a lot of fun! Sail between icebergs mirroring in the calm water, watch and listen to glaciers calve or explore the majestic UNESCO-certified Ilulissat icefjord by boat, or follow the waters of Erik the Red on a boat excursion that retraces the waters of this intrepid viking explorer.
Hiking/Backpacking/Trekking
In summer, a lot of the surface ice near the coast melts and Greenland opens up into a hikers and backpackers paradise. Explore incredible rocky terrains, amazing glacial rivers and lush green valleys! You weren't expecting that one, were you? Well, its true! In south Greenland, there is a lot of vegetation! Greenland was actually called Greenland for a reason; when Erik the Red first arrived, he landed in a green valley, and named the land "green" land in it's honour.
Whale Watching
Summer is whale season in Greenland, and there are up to 15 species that can be seen. They have almost definitely travelled further than you to be there, too! Many have come from the exact opposite side of the world. Most common are the Minke whale, Humpback whale, and Fin whales in summer. Get on a whale safari, or just see the whales feeding as you casually pass by. Combine this with a walk to the UNESCO classified icefjord in Ilulissat over 3 days and get two of your Big Arctic 5!
Wildlife
There is other, more terrestrial wildlife in Greenland to see too such as the arctic fox, hares, musk oxen and reindeer. Greenland is home to a range of migratory waterfowl. Perhaps the most impressive is the white-tailed eagle which is Greenlands largest bird of prey.
Kayaking
Quiet, silent and still. Kayaking in Greenland is as remarkable as it is ancient. Only now, the kayaks are not made of hollowed-out driftwood sealed with seal skin and fat. Fiberglass is the material of choic these days. Gte into a kayak and silently glide among the icebergs. It's a personal and pioneering experience.
Flightseeing
Once you have seen it all from the ground, take to the air and see it all from the air with a flightseeing tour. The order is up to you, but it's so amazing to see those giant icebergs suddenly get put into size when you see them in the context of the overall vastness of not just the ice but the rest of the land, it is the world's largest island after all!
Culture
Visit remnants of Greenlands past through the variety of norse ruins and abandoned Inuit settlements around the country. Explore the colorful Greenlandic culture of today by meeting the locals, tasting the delicious Greenlandic gastronomy, watching a drumdancing performance or vising one of many small hunting villages along the coast, especially in the east.
Dog sledding in summer time
Dog sledding is a very important thing to experience in Greenland due to its historical significance as a means of survival through the harsh winters. As such it comes highly recommended. The Greenlandic husky is a large dog that was born, and lives, to pull. If you really, really want to dog sled in Greenland in summer, Lyngmarksbræen on the Disko Island in West Greenland is the place to go.
As you can see, when we said there was plenty to do in the summer in Greenland, we were not kidding! We have reams of adventures for you to try out. Book your tour with us for next summer. Be inspired, be adventurous, Be a Pioneer!
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