How to plan a trip to Greenland's top destinations

Raw wilderness, thousands of years of culture and humbling landscapes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the world’s largest island. While Greenland’s location and mammoth size are two of its biggest draws for travelers, the combination of remoteness, inhospitableness and lack of infrastructure can be daunting when it comes to planning your own trip. Many first-time visitors opt for a hands-off approach and book with group tours or visit via cruise ship. However, as interest in Greenland as a tourism destination grows and related investments skyrocket, it is becoming easier to plan a trip on your own — as long as you know how. 

This is our ultimate cheat sheet on how to plan your own trip to Greenland. We cover the most popular regions and activities, so you can work out what to do, when to go, where to stay and how to get around. All it takes is some dedicated research and proactive booking to make your dream DIY Greenland trip a reality. 

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Step 1: Decide what you want to do and find the best time to do it

Iceberg cruises, visiting Viking ruins or dogsledding? The absence or abundance of ice plays a critical role in your activities while visiting Greenland. As such, the two biggest factors in planning a trip are what you want to do and the best time of year to do it. Because climate, conditions and weather are so intertwined with available experiences in Greenland, it’s ideal to consider both of these questions at the same time.

June, July and August are Greenland’s peak season, when the ice has melted and tour and transportation options are plentiful. The days are long (sometimes lasting a full 24 hours, depending on where you are), the temperatures are in the 5–15ºC (40-60ºF) range, and the people, plants and wildlife come out of hiding. Accommodations, particularly specialty tours and lodging, are often booked months or even upward of a year in advance. These are the best months for whale watching, cruising through the fjords, visiting remote settlements, foraging, camping, kayaking and hiking the tundra. 

On the opposite end, during the winter months of December through April, you’ll have the best chance of seeing the northern lights and can go dogsledding, ice walking, ice fishing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Temperatures are below freezing, the cloak of 24-hour polar nights hangs in the sky, and transportation options quite literally freeze up. There are fewer international and domestic air routes, and nearly all travel is done overland by foot, snowmobile or dogsled. Accommodations book up months in advance, and many settlements become difficult or impossible to reach. 

Shoulder season months of May, September and October can be a bit of a gamble, since they are highly unpredictable transition times that can have early or late ice melt or freezing, dictating what experiences are available and accessible. You’ll have somewhat better odds when booking a little bit less in advance, but don’t necessarily expect shoulder season savings. Some dates in May and September may be within airlines' seasonal flight schedules. 

Step 2: Choose the best base 

Greenland is huge — roughly a quarter of the size of the US — and the island offers different experiences depending on the region and season. The lack of infrastructure makes it essential to pick a base region for your trip. Plan on staying the majority of your days in a hub settlement and map out any movements well in advance. 

Selecting the most convenient base relative to the availability and accessibility of your must-do experiences is crucial when planning. Take into account how accessible your base will be during the time you want to visit. How easy will it be to access when the ice is thick? Are there only seasonal transportation services, accommodations or tours? Will you need to book a charter flight? How often are the activities you want to do offered per day or week? What are the nearby backup activities in case your Plan A doesn’t work out? 

Here is a breakdown of Greenland’s three most popular regions and their most convenient base towns. 

Ilulissat and the Disko Bay area 

Best for the hits

This 350-person settlement on the west coast of Greenland is the island’s tourist hub. Roughly 325km north of the Arctic Circle, it sits at the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord UNESCO World Heritage Site and, starting in 2026, will have its own international airport for direct access. Summer is the most lively season, but it’s a good all-season base and functions as a natural gateway to many of Greenland’s biggest draws. You’ll find several options for hotels, modern Greenlandic cuisine, attractions, cruises and tour operators. It’s also a fairly easy place for tourists to navigate, plan, troubleshoot and connect with locals since English is widely spoken. 

Top activities: You’ll have access to colossal iceberg viewing, glacier hikes, ancient Inuit ruins and superb wildlife watching. The Ilulissat and Disko Bay area is known for its incredible whale watching and scenic fjords, containing some of Greenland’s largest icebergs – Ilulissat’s Jakobshavn Glacier (Sermeq Kujalleq) is believed to have calved the iceberg that sank the Titanic. During the summer, tours utilize kayaks, boats and ferries to visit the nearby Eqi glacier or Disko Island; go on whale safaris for humpbacks, minke and bowheads; and cruise around the fjord’s massive icebergs. In winter, dogsledding, snowshoeing and snowmobile day tours are popular. 

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Sign up for a guided walking tour around town as an introduction to Greenlandic culture, take a guided day hike to the nearby settlement of Oqaatsut and meet sled dog pups, or follow the boardwalk from town for a self-guided walk to the edge of the icefjord and through the 4000-year-old remnants of the ancient Inuit settlement of Sermermiut. On bad weather days, visit the fantastic Icefjord Centre, Ilulissat Art Museum (one of Greenland’s two art museums) or Ilulissat Museum to gain context for your trip. 

Eat: Ilulissat is on its way to becoming the gastronomy capital of Greenland and gives travelers a true taste of modern Greenlandic cuisine with several upscale and fine-dining restaurants. Many of the top restaurants are inside hotels, including Brasserie Ulo, where you can try dishes like smoked ptarmigan or reindeer tartare, or a sample Greenlandic dishes buffet-style at Hotel Hvide Falk’s restaurant. For a real treat, make a reservation for the stunning 7-course French via Greenlandic dinner menu at Restaurant Icefjord. 

Stay: Ilulissat has an impressive range of accommodations, and many operate year-round. At the Ilulissat Hostel, you'll find no-frills double rooms with shared house facilities. Hotel Søma Ilullissat offers a few types of hotel-style accommodations, from rooms to family suites. Or you can opt for an overnight in a comfy and contemporary glass cabin at Hotel Arctic Aurora Cabins. For an extra special experience, check into the Igloo Lodge, where you can stay in a bonafide ice and snow igloo.

Nuuk and the Capital Region

Best for a blend of modern culture, history and outdoor activities

Home to roughly 19,000 residents (a third of Greenland’s population) and the main international airport, this coastal capital city is worth an extended layover if you’re already flying through or even a purposeful routing change. Nuuk is the only settlement with a public transportation system, though the majority of the city is walkable. Spending time here is an especially good complement for travelers who are visiting smaller settlements as well. It’s doable in a day, but to fully experience the culture, nature and history of the area, three full days is better. 

Top activities: Soak in contemporary Greenlandic culture with tours around town, and do as the locals do by wandering into the shops, coffeehouses and restaurants or stopping to soak in the views from the harbor. Nuuk’s museums are worth a stop, particularly the National Museum and Archives, where artifacts and Greenland’s famous mummies give a comprehensive look back at human history on the island. Get out onto the fjord in warmer months in a kayak or boat. Guided tours from Nuuk Water Taxi include varied choices year-round, including winter catch-and-cook fishing, icefjord sunset tours, visits to abandoned settlements, hiking and snowshoeing, and wildlife tours for whales and puffins. Or join a Two Ravens summit hike up Quassussuaq (Lille Malene) in Nuuk’s backcountry, offered year-round. 

Eat: Nuuk has the most diverse food options in Greenland, serving up everything from Greenlandic twists on Thai food and hearty brunches to fresh-caught seafood and hot dogs made with Greenlandic game like reindeer or musk ox. Café Esmerelda, off the main street in downtown Nuuk, has a huge menu of diner-style classics, while the nearby Katuaq cultural center has a small modern eatery serving Greenlandic tapas and smoothies. Coffee culture is huge in Nuuk, and Kaffivik is a favorite place to sip. 

Stay: Situated in the heart of downtown Nuuk, the Kulukis Downtown Hostel offers simple single and double rooms with shared house facilities. Bumping up the budget a notch, the Hotel Søma has a tasty breakfast buffet and views over the Davis Strait. The Hotel Hans Egede is a top hotel; free breakfast and wi-fi and on-site restaurants, a workout room and a cute piano bar are among the perks. Booking a night at the Aurora Glass Igloo is a must for travelers who want the intimate experience of sleeping under the northern lights and don't need too many bells and whistles. 

Qaqortoq and South Greenland

Best for Inuit and Viking history and culture

South Greenland is where you’ll want to base yourself if you’re looking to experience Greenland’s inhabited history and surprisingly lush landscapes. Current agricultural communities exist right on the edges of ancient Norse and Inuit settlement ruins, giving visitors and historians excellent insights into farming practices in largely nonarable land. Sheer mountain faces have also earned South Greenland’s fjords the nickname of Arctic Patagonia, making this a can’t-miss region for climbers and anyone looking for neck-breaking views from kayaks. Base yourself in the friendly fishing village of Qaqortoq, where English is common and solid tourist initiatives are in place. 

Top activities: Settlement visits – namely to one or more of the five areas within the Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site – are a popular activity. Four of the five sites can be reached by boat transfer, helicopter or hike (Sissarluttoq is only reachable by hike). In Qassiarsuk, lucky visitors can meet sheep farmer and wool artisan Ellen Frederiksen in her studio for a kaffemik (storytelling over coffee and cakes), take a wander up to the bronze Leif Erikson statue and explore the adjacent ruins of Erik the Red’s famous 10th-century Brattahlid settlement. On a visit to Igaliku, meet the sheep, hike grassy fields and visit the oldest surviving ruins of European architecture in North America at the 12th-century Norse ruins of Gardar. For a most surreal experience, step through the remaining four walls of the 14th-century church ruins at Hvalsey, the last recorded whereabouts of the Vikings. 

On the remote island of Uunartoq, soak in spectacular fjord views of icebergs and towering mountains from inside the only natural hot spring pool in Greenland. It’s the perfect treat after days spent hiking through South Greenland’s wildflowers and tall grass, kayaking through the region’s beautiful fjords or summiting the many thunderous mountainsides. Helicopter flights over the ice sheet, hikes in Tasermiut fjord to one of Greenland’s experimental forests and dramatic, jaw-dropping views of Prince Christian Sound are standout South Greenland experiences. 

Eat: You’re officially in farm country in South Greenland, so eat up! Ingredients will be fresh and hyperlocal, and for meat eaters, the lamb dishes are outstanding. In Qaqortoq, spend a slow breakfast or lunch at Brasserie HQ, a casual meeting spot that has a diner vibe, or try Inbox Cafe's menu of Thai dishes with a Greenlandic twist, like red curry with locally caught red snapper or musk ox. The frozen yogurt is a big draw at Qassiarsuk’s Café Thorhildur. And believe it or not, you can visit Qajak Brewery in Saqqannguaq, one of Greenland’s two craft breweries. 

Stay: There is a solid selection of hostel accommodations around settlements in South Greenland, offering basic but clean and comfortable dorm-style and private rooms. In Narsarsuaq, across the fjord from the Igaliku UNESCO World Heritage Site, the small Igaliku Hotel and Lodges has a variety of accommodations available at multiple price points, along with a restaurant serving cozy Greenlandic meals. Book into a more traditional hotel in the fishing village of Qaqortoq at Hotel Qaqortoq, or go in an entirely different route with Tasermiut Camp's memorable glamping experience at Tasermiut fjord, known for its exceptional beauty – you can hike, fish, forage and fall asleep comfortably in a tent under the stars. 

Step 3: Research transportation options

Getting to Greenland and getting around once you’re there are two other major parts of the planning process. You’ll need to consider Greenland’s limited infrastructure by looking into what transportation options are available and when. Check seasonal flight schedules and when other transportation options begin and end. Transportation (mostly lack of) can greatly affect how long your trip should be, and you should build in a few buffer days in case of delays or cancellations. 

Regardless of the time of year, weather in Greenland can turn on a dime without warning, affecting availability, access and transportation. Always book well ahead of time — you can try and adjust later if your plans change. This is especially important if you want to visit someplace that is off the beaten path or is known for feisty weather. 

Direct international flights are available from North America, Iceland and Denmark via Icelandair, Air Greenland and United. Air Greenland flies 58 domestic routes via fixed-wing planes and helicopters with some year-round service. During the summer, the Arctic Umiaq Line, a Greenlandic ferry company, runs two ferries up and down the coast from West Greenland to South Greenland and has onboard accommodations, entertainment and food, making it a unique transportation option for DIY travelers. 

Step 4: Prebook as much as possible

Once more for the travelers in the back: when it comes to Greenland, it pays to prebook. Many activities sell out months in advance (sometimes even a year or more) and are offered only during certain seasons, months or even weeks. 

Hotels and specialty accommodations also fill up quickly, particularly during the peak summer season, when tour groups are vying for rooms too. Secure your spot several months in advance. Winging it isn't viable in a destination with such limited availability; many settlements may have only one or two places to stay (if that). Don't forget to check the specialty accommodations – these are not cheap but offer really cool overnight stays with once-in-a-lifetime experiences like tundra glamping, tented ice camping, sleeping in a traditional igloo or watching for the northern lights from inside a heated glass igloo. You can also opt for immersion into the current culture with local homestays via the locally run Inuithome. 

Step 5: Invest in travel insurance

Even if you’re not normally a traveler who opts for additional travel insurance, we highly recommend travel medical insurance for trips to Greenland. One of the most important components is coverage for at least US$250,000 for an emergency medical evacuation. Read the fine print and make sure your plan covers most — if not all — of the activities on your itinerary.