Greenland

Greenland’s natural beauty is breathtaking. As the people of Greenland often say, “You feel very small” in the magnificent surroundings that include glaciers, fjords, mountains and amazing fauna – and that is exactly the feeling we hope to give you when you visit. Not many places on earth can offer such magnificent scenery, clarity of light and raw power of nature.

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark although the country has its own government. Geographically it is a part of the North American continent, but it has always been politically and culturally associated with Europe.
Greenland is the largest island in the world (not a continent), and yet very little of it is known to the outside world. Almost 80 percent of the country land mass is covered by an ice cap which also makes it one of the least populated countries in the world.

History & Inuit culture

According to historians the first humans arrived in Greenland around 2500 BC. The Inuit migrated to Greenland from Asia in the 13th century and most Inuit Greenlanders are their direct descendants – and some still practise the centuries-old traditions.
Despite the size of 2.16 million square kilometers, there are no roads or railway system that connects the town settlements to each other. All travel is done by plane, boat, helicopter, snowmobile or dogsled. Boats are the most popular mode of transportation and you’ll often see the locals cruising on the fjords.

Fishing is a major industry in Greenland. The country imports almost everything except for fish, seafood and other animals hunted in Greenland, such as whales and seals.

Midnight sun & Northern lights

Every summer, the sun does not set from May 25th to July 25th, and it stays visible throughout the entire day and night. The midnight sun, as it is called, is a pretty cool natural phenomenon that is a different and great experience for the visitors.
The dancing northern lights, officially named  Aurora Borelis, is happening when the night sky is regularly illuminated by the natural northern lights’ green glow. The phenomenon is often seen around midnight and is best experienced on a dark, clear night in the period from September to the beginning of April.
The northern lights actually occur all year round, but cannot be seen during the summer months in Greenland due to the midnight sun.

Unique accommodations

Pitch a tent in the Arctic tundra, hide away in huts overlooking calving glaciers or stay in convenient hotels – the choice is yours!

Accommodation options in Greenland vary from cottages inspired by traditional Greenlandic turf huts, safari style camp, tent camps in the Arctic tundra and igloos – to fancy 4-star hotels. Depending on what you would like to explore and experience, we assist you to choose and book the best possible accommodation in the most convenient locations to suit your requirements.

View gallery of top hotel choices

Meetings & Events

Greenland is the perfect destination for combining a strict meeting agenda with relevant teambuilding activities. The rough wild nature and the very different Greenlandic culture can for sure add an all new perspective to the content of your meeting.

Most of the hotels offer meeting rooms and facilities. The beautiful culture house Katuaq in Nuuk and Taseralik in Sisimiut offer a range of meeting rooms.
Depending on your interests, requirements and time at disposal, we can give ideas on cultural happenings and activities that will “shake”, impress and give your participants learning and experiences, they will never forget.
Let us know your ideas and vision for your event, and we will be happy to prepare a detailed programme suggestion that will match and suit your wishes – and we may also inspire you…

View gallery of the two culture houses

Authentic experiences

Greenland is one of the most exciting destinations in the world for adventure minded travellers.
Seeing glaciers calving, spotting an eagle or a polar fox in their natural environment, catching the biggest cod you have ever seen, experience a fin whale diving in front of you, exploring an authentic nature based culture, tasting local natural specialties – and the most surprisingly, just to listen to the silence of nature…
We dare to promise that your visit will leave you stunned and impressed – and it will broaden your global mind with regards to how important it is, that we all respect and take better care of the nature, wherever we are….

The amazing country gives you the opportunity to choose amongst a wide range of activities.

• Dog Sledding expeditions
• Whale expeditions
• Experience the Midnight sun & the Northern lights
• Ice & glacier hiking
• Sailing tours & speed boating tours
• Kayaking
• Stay overnight in an igloo
• Fly fishing, ice fishing & fishing tours by boat
• Disco Bay, where large icebergs meet whales (UNESCO World heritage)
• Study the Norse people see their legacy (UNESCO World Heritage site in South Greenland)
• Cooking events – learn of local products & cook together
• Experience reindeer, musk oxen, birds, majestic whales and many more amazing animals
• Hunting & fishing expeditions
• Helicopter tours
• Visit a local Greenlandic brewery
• Visit The National Museum to see the mummies and the tupilak selection.

Let us know of your group, your ideas and visions, and we will be happy to prepare a detailed program suggestion that will match and suit your wishes – and we may also inspire you with a few extra ideas.

View gallery of ideas for activities

Food culture & cuisine experiences

Greenlandic food culture is based on the former hunter-gatherer society’s strong sense of community. Living conditions depend on willingly sharing one’s catch and exercising hospitality. And this still applies today.
Nature rules all in Greenland, and when it comes to agriculture and Greenland gastronomy it is the everlasting challenge. The harsh Arctic climate plays a definitive role, limiting the land wildlife to those mammals that can forage through deep snow and a few adept predators. The Greenland ice sheet captures much of the country’s terrain, leaving just the tiniest offering of good soil in South Greenland to run small sheep farms and to grow select fruits and vegetables in small batches.

The treasures of the nature

The sea, which is naturally overflowing with diverse fish species and many Arctic mammals, came to provide the most Greenlandic food. In fact, the sea became such a gastronomic compass for hunters and fishermen that they often named landforms and settlements after its characteristics. For example, Kapisillit is ‘the place with salmon’ and Ammassalik is ‘the place with capelin’. Thus, Greenland’s waters and hillside combined compose the Greenland cuisine, and what a tasty stock of ingredients it is!
Reindeer, muskox, and South Greenlandic lamb are Greenland’s succulent equivalents to common livestock. The animals run wild amongst the Greenland backcountry, and this natural and unstressed life absolutely contributes to the tenderness and high quality of the meat. Small game, such as ptarmigan and snow hare, complete the land repertoire.

The cool Arctic waters offer an impressive selection of cod, trout, Arctic char, redfish, rockfish, and the famed Greenlandic halibut. Not to mention snow crabs as wide as a man’s arms and Greenlandic shrimp and prawns that pack distinct flavour into their miniature size.

The restaurants combine Greenlandic raw ingredients with trends from French, Japanese and Thai cuisine. Vegetables and potatoes from the south of Greenland make a natural accompaniment to the dishes. During the summer the menus are characterised by mushrooms, berries and herbs found and picked in the countryside, which for several thousand years has produced a groundcover of vitamins and nutrition.

Your own catch for dinner

We offer you the option to arrange a fishing tour where your guests should catch the fish themselves and hereafter – assisted by a local chef – prepare a genuine Greenlandic lunch or dinner together.

We dare to promise you fantastic food experiences that will stay in your and your guests’ memories forever.

Location, style, service level and pricing are all important elements when selecting the restaurants and the meals for your program. Destination Copenhagen prides itself in knowing the newest hot spots, the local favourites and newest trends which certify you will always have a wide range of catering experiences to choose from.

View gallery of top restaurant choices