If you’ve never been to Greenland, planning how and where to get around this vast country can seem daunting. After all, it’s one of the most sparsely populated countries. Also, it’s one of the twelve largest countries on Earth, which means there are enormous and vast areas to cover if you plan to visit multiple places in Greenland.
This all leads to the question of logistics and planning, especially when finding out the best ways to visit Greenland on your trip.
We loved visiting Greenland, one of the most breathtaking countries I’ve ever visited. We explored the stunning Disko Bay, spent time in the capital city, Nuuk, and sailed through Prince Christian Sound and Uunartoq Hot Springs (which is idyllic, by the way). Greenland is honestly so beautiful.
How to visit Greenland
So, what’s the easiest way to visit Greenland? Well, it’s going to be via one of two options: flight or ship. Both of these options have merits, and both options have downsides, too.
Flying to Greenland (internationally)
If you intend to visit Greenland by flying, you can do so year-round. However, it’s worth noting that most visits happen in the summer months when the weather is a little more friendly.
You can easily book flights with Air Greenland or Iceland Air, which operate from Iceland. You can easily book flights to regional areas and settlements like Ilulissat, Narsarsuaq, Kulusuk and Nuuk. All these options are great; it just depends on what area of Greenland you want to visit.
Alternatively, you can fly directly from Copenhagen (in Denmark) with Air Greenland or with United Airlines from New York (in the summer season).
Flights are easy to get into key areas in Greenland, but it’s worth noting that you will still need to organise internal transport between other places if you plan to travel around.
Boarding an expedition ship to visit Greenland
This is an excellent option if you want to cover a lot of ground (or should I say water) around Greenland. We boarded this expedition that departed from Reykjavik in Iceland, which was incredible.
Now, the benefit of booking an expedition is that all the hard work of planning, logistics and so forth are all sorted out by the onboard team. This makes it a great choice if you don’t want to deal with the stress (or potential cancellations) of transport services in and around Greenland.
Typically, these expeditions will take you around the east (where many polar bears are) and/or west of Greenland, which makes it ideal for seeing much of the country.
The downside is that they can be a more expensive option than doing it alone. However, I have to say, Greenland is the kind of country where you require experts and guides to help you see the best of the country.
From the threat of polar bears and extreme weather, it can be an inhospitable environment if you don’t plan well.
You can see all our posts on our Greenland expedition here.
How to travel within Greenland?
It’s worth noting that there are no road networks that connect settlements and towns in Greenland. This means you either have to fly via internal flights, helicopters, boats or ferries. All of these options work, depending on what suits you best.
Flights in Greenland (internally)
One of the key operators of these flights is Air Greenland, and once you’ve arrived in Greenland, it’s worth checking what flights will take you between settlements. They fly to the most popular places in Greenland (like Simimiut, Ilulissat, and Narsarsuaq, amongst others).
However, as with any form of transport, give yourself a time buffer between the flights and the activities and guides you have booked. Flights can be delayed or cancelled due to inclement weather.
Internal boats in Greenland
In the summer months, it’s worth checking out the ferries that Arctic Umiaq Line operates. These are more functional ferry services that will get you from point A to B in Greenland and are well worth booking if you don’t fancy flying.
Their ships have accommodations (some more basic than others), cafes and lounges onboard and are a comfortable option to get around the country.
Just be sure to book your tickets well in advance, as there is limited space.
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