Greenland, the world's largest non-continental island, is a near-pristine wilderness of glaciers, jagged mountains, expansive tundra, wild, wind-swept valleys, and beautiful fjord systems. It is largely uninhabited, and very little of it is populated. This makes it a paradise for nature lovers, photographers, wildlife enthusiasts, and those with a passion for discovery and a thirst for adventure.
There are so many things to do in Greenland and fantastic, awe-inspiring places to see in Greenland. The Greenland ice sheet covers much of Greenland, and its rugged terrain makes many areas largely inaccessible. However, by visiting Greenland on an expedition cruise, you can experience some of the most beautiful places in Greenland and follow the scent of adventure in the air.
What to see in Greenland?
The question of what to see in Greenland is simple to answer. Greenland today is a land unlike many other parts of the world, a glimpse of how much of the north used to look in centuries and millennia past. It is a land of vast glaciers, with the Greenland ice sheet being the world's second largest body of ice, covering an area of 1,710,000 km2 (660,000 sq mi). This means that, despite the name, some 80% of Greenland is covered by ice.
Much of Northern Greenland lies within the Arctic Circle, while the southern regions are sub-Arctic. A significant proportion of Greenland experiences an Arctic tundra climate, with many coastal areas populated by various Arctic plants, with birch trees and larger flora surviving in the far south. During the summer months, colorful carpets of flowers and other plants cover mountainsides and the tundra floor, while species such as musk oxen, and Arctic hares, and reindeer graze throughout the brief summer period. These expanses of tundra are among the most beautiful places in Greenland.
Picture by Sara Jenner
Greenland features extensive mountain ranges, many of which are buried deep below the thick Greenland ice cap, with peaks emerging as nunataks. Snowy mountain peaks and rugged, inaccessible terrain dominate the coastline. The waterways, fjords, and inlets of Greenland are among the most beautiful in the world, being so visually striking due to the combination of soaring, misty peaks, tumbling glaciers, and flotillas of icebergs scattered across the deep, blue water. It is within these many fjords and bays that much of what you can do in Greenland can be found - they are the entry point for many expedition cruises and contain many opportunities for landings and activities by Zodiac.
Many visitors to Greenland are drawn by its combination of ice, rock, water, and snow. It is our natural world at its finest, most magnificent, and most imposing. So, the answer to what to see in Greenland is simple: Greenland itself.
What are the best things to do in Greenland?
So, we get it. Greenland is a spectacle of nature. But what can you do in Greenland? Greenland's landscape and geography act as a fantastic enabler for various activities, pursuits, and interests and as a very real and imposing barrier. On an expedition cruise to Greenland, you can engage in many different activities at sea and on land. These range from Zodiac cruises along shorelines and into iceberg-laden fjords and kayaking the polar waters to hiking from landing sites into a land of such beauty that you will be breathless not only from the incline but from the land itself.
Picture by Sara Jenner
If you are competent and experienced, you can also experience polar diving in the waters of Greenland, which offers fantastic opportunities to witness this icy world from below. Perhaps the two main draws for visitors to Greenland, however, lie in its nature and its wildlife.
Wildlife spotting in Greenland
Wildlife spotting opportunities in Greenland are abundant and varied. The coastline of Greenland is ecologically rich and diverse, supporting a variety of species both on land, at sea, and in the air. The tundra of Greenland is home to the imposing musk ox, once an Arctic staple but now much reduced in number and range. You'll also see Arctic foxes as they forage for bird eggs or fledglings, along with reindeer, known as caribou in Greenland, Arctic hares, and many other small mammals, such as lemmings and ermines. Of course, the king of the Arctic, the polar bear, also ranges throughout many parts of Greenland, particularly the northern and eastern portions.
Picture by unknown photographer
The waters of Greenland are home to dozens of whale species, including bowhead, sperm, beluga, blue, humpback, fin, and minke whales, which often pass close to shore in late summer and early autumn. You'll also frequently see orcas visiting the fjords and beaches of Greenland's coast, particularly in areas with larger seal populations. Dolphins are also often seen frolicking in Greenland's seas, hunting the many fish species that inhabit the deep waters of the fjords and the wild northern seas. If lucky, you may also spot the elusive narwhal, which is more commonly found in Western Greenland.
Seals are also common in Greenland, with several species to be found along the coast, including large populations of hooded, bearded, and grey seals.
Bird life, particularly seabirds, is important to Greenland's ecology. Straddling Europe and North America, Greenland is home to both Palearctic and Nearctic species, depending on the region you visit. Much of Greenland's coastline is rugged, featuring high vertical cliffs. Here, you'll find breeding populations of puffins, auks, skuas, and kittiwakes. Greenland is also home to various duck and goose species, including the common eider and pink-footed goose. Migratory birds, such as the red-necked phalarope and snow bunting also visit the tundra, mountainsides and coastlinesg. You can also see Arctic birds such as the ptarmigan, snowy owl, gyrfalcon, and white-tailed eagle on Greenland's shores.
Picture by Martin Anstee
Experience nature at its most dramatic, beautiful and inspiring
Among all the things to see in Greenland, its spectacular fjord networks and snow-laden mountains are some of its finest. Greenland is home to the world's largest national park, Northeast Greenland National Park, which covers 972,000 km2 (375,000 sq mi) and is larger than 166 of the world's 195 countries. Some of the most beautiful parts of Greenland can be found along its long coastline, extended by the long, twisting fjord systems that can be found along it.
Scoresby Sund, located on the northeast coast of Greenland, is one of the largest fjord systems in the world, covering around 38,000 km2 (14,700 sq mi). It is a vibrant ecological area, home to various land and ocean life, laden with many icebergs that are calving away from glaciers deep within its branching fjords and waterways. Scoresby Sund is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful areas in Greenland. Beyond this fjord, much of the northeast coast of Greenland is of particular note, being remote, rugged, and strikingly beautiful.
Visiting this region by small expedition cruise ship allows you to enter isolated fjords and bays and undertake landings in some of our planet's most pristine and untouched locations. During the winter months, much of the coast of Greenland is locked in by pack ice, drifting south and forming impenetrable barriers. Our expedition cruises visit during the summer and autumn months when icebergs are at their finest, the tundra colors are their brightest, and the changing season brings dramatic light, expressive wildlife, and the scent of adventure into the air.
Greenland offers photographic opportunities not found in many other places on Earth. The canyons, valleys, fjords, and mountains will leave you awed and humbled by the power and beauty of our natural world. The sight of glaciers spilling into fjords of such size, with whales breaching and the cries of seabirds above, is almost beyond description.
Remember that you can also witness the spectacular northern lights in the skies above Greenland - an experience unlike anything else on Earth.
Picture by Regis Perdriat
Experience a rich cultural history in Greenland
In addition to its rich nature and wildlife, there are many places to see in Greenland linked to its fascinating past. Greenland has a rich history that extends far into the distant pages of the human story, with several paleo-Inuit cultures first inhabiting the regions of Greenland. Perhaps the most well-known of these is the Thule culture, from whom the indigenous population of Greenland is descended today. You can visit the remains of Thule settlements across Greenland and learn more about their harsh but accomplished existence in this wild part of our world.
Greenland is also closely tied to Norse exploration. It was settled by Icelanders and Norwegians led by the famous Erik the Red from 986 AD. Norse settlements can also be found scattered throughout Greenland, and the land plays a key role in many Norse sagas and the development of the Norse culture across the Arctic and North Atlantic.
Picture by Sara Jenner
What to see in Greenland: Greenland itself
There is so much to see in Greenland, but perhaps it can be summed up with these final points, all of which can be experiences on one of our expedition tours to Greenland:
- Expansive fjord systems and flotillas of icebergs
- Dramatic, rugged coastlines and soaring, misty mountains
- Diverse wildlife and ecology, with superb wildlife spotting opportunities
- A rich cultural history
- A glimpse of our world as it used to be
- Some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth
A visit to Greenland with us isn't just an expedition cruise; it's a true polar adventure, visiting remote, untouched, and unreachable locations. In Greenland, you'll get closer to the heart of nature and the spirit of adventure than you ever believed possible.
Main image by unknown photographer