Western Greenland

Western Greenland (Greenlandic: Kitaa, Danish: Vestgrønland) is a region of Greenland. Home to the capital, Nuuk, this is the part of Greenland that you would probably think of if you've only seen the stereotypical picture. Large icebergs can be seen floating in the ocean with dogsled trips from one small settlement to another. In these settlements, fish and sharkmeat are often hanging outside small colorful houses along with the constant barking of dogs in the background.

• 64.175-51.7388891 Nuuk (Danish: Godthåb) – Capital of Greenland
• 68.709722-52.8694442 Aasiaat (Danish: Egedesminde)
• 69.216667-51.13 Ilulissat (Danish: Jacobshavn)
• 67.008611-50.6891674 Kangerlussuaq (Danish: Søndre Strømfjord, English: Sondrestrom)
• 65.416667-52.95 Maniitsoq (Danish: Sukkertoppen)
• 69.344444-51.0027786 Oqaatsut (Danish: Rodebay)
• 61.994444-49.6666677 Paamiut (Danish: Frederikshåb)
• 68.820144-51.1932428 Qasigiannguit
• 66.938889-53.6722229 Sisimiut (Danish: Holsteinsborg)
• 70.674722-52.12638910 Uummannaq (Danish: Umanak)

Western Greenland contains the country’s capital, Nuuk, as well as major towns such as Sisimiut, Ilulissat, Aasiaat, and Uummannaq. The region combines Greenland’s largest urban communities with small fishing settlements, immense fjord systems, tundra, mountains, glaciers, and the edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Nuuk offers museums, restaurants, shopping, and contemporary Kalaallit culture, while the Arctic Circle and Disko Bay areas are better known for wilderness adventures, icebergs, sled dogs, and traditional hunting and fishing communities.

The coast is broken into countless islands, bays, and fjords, and settlements are not connected by an intercity road network. Travel between communities is therefore by aircraft, helicopter, ferry, or local boat. Distances are large, fares can be expensive, and weather frequently changes transport schedules, so itineraries should include spare time for delays.

Conditions vary greatly by latitude and season. Summer brings hiking, boating, fishing, whale watching, and the midnight sun north of the Arctic Circle. Winter and spring offer northern lights, snowshoeing, skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and dog-sled journeys in the official sled-dog districts from Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq northward.

The trans-oceanic service to Greenland either lands at Kangerlussuaq, Narsarsuaq (the only two airports in the country which can accept anything larger than a turboprop), or the capital Nuuk from Iceland and Canada with smaller planes in the summer.

Kangerlussaq is the main hub with daily flights year-around. The other international flights are seasonal.

From Kangerlussaq, you can reach any other city or settlement in the country, through Air Greenland's domestic network.

Read the Greenland page for more information.

There is no road system between settlements. The easiest way to get around Greenland is by plane, particularly Air Greenland. Within Western Greenland, there are airports at Aasiaat, Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq, Maniitsoq, Nuuk, Paamiut, Qaarsut and Sisimiut. Air Greenland also operates helicopter flights to smaller settlements.

In the summer, Arctic Umiaq Line passenger ships provide service to destinations between Narsarsuaq and Uummannaq along the west coast. Diskoline passenger ships provide service to settlements around Ilulissat.

• Pingu: No, not the name of the main character in the clay animated children's television series but this is rather a 394 ft (120 m) prominent hill east of Nuuk.

• Explore the Ilulissat Icefjord. Follow the marked trails and boardwalk through Sermermiut, join a boat or kayaking excursion among the icebergs, or take a scenic flight over the fjord. Ilulissat’s enormous icebergs can be seen throughout the year, although boating and hiking are most popular in summer.
• Hike in the backcountry. Short trails begin near most towns, while experienced long-distance hikers can attempt the 160-km Arctic Circle Trail between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut. The route normally requires eight to ten days and crosses rugged, largely uninhabited country with only a few simple huts.
• Go whale watching. Summer excursions operate from Nuuk, Maniitsoq, Aasiaat, Ilulissat, Qasigiannguit, and other coastal communities. Humpback, minke, and fin whales are regularly encountered in western waters, while Disko Bay is also important for bowhead whales.
• Travel by dog sled. Winter and spring excursions range from short rides to multi-day journeys. Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq are the southernmost West Greenland destinations offering traditional dog sledding, with February through April generally providing the best conditions.
• Sail or kayak through the fjords. Boat trips visit glaciers, abandoned settlements, fishing villages, whale-feeding areas, and iceberg-filled bays. Use a licensed local operator, since fog, winds, currents, and floating ice can change quickly.
• Experience winter activities. Depending on the destination, visitors can try snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, or northern-lights excursions. Ice fishing is generally offered between January and April.

• Learn about Kalaallit culture. Visit the Greenland National Museum in Nuuk, local museums in Ilulissat and Sisimiut, craft workshops, historic harbours, and archaeological sites. Some operators arrange a kaffemik, a traditional social gathering with coffee, tea, cakes, and conversation in a local home.

Suaasat is their national dish. A soup usually made out of rice, onions, bayleaf, seal, or whale, reindeer, or sea-birds.

Petrified Greenland shark is also eaten. It is not as popular as it is in Iceland, and is an acquired taste. The Icelandic name of the dish is Hákarl.

Public drinking water is generally safe, and carrying a reusable bottle is preferable to repeatedly buying bottled water. Visit Greenland also states that water from a flowing river can normally be consumed while hiking, but water from stagnant ponds or enclosed lakes should be avoided.

Coffee and tea are central to social life. A kaffemik may last for several hours and usually includes coffee, tea, cakes, and other food. Do not confuse ordinary coffee with Greenlandic coffee, an alcoholic after-dinner drink commonly prepared with coffee, whisky, coffee liqueur, orange liqueur, and whipped cream.

Nuuk has the region’s broadest selection of cafés, pubs, wine bars, and restaurants, while Ilulissat, Sisimiut, and other larger towns have hotel bars and a smaller selection of drinking establishments. Public nightlife may be very limited in villages. Beer, wine, and spirits are widely available but are considerably more expensive than in Denmark because most products must be imported.

Crime is low, and normal precautions are generally sufficient in towns. The principal dangers are instead the region’s extreme weather, isolation, cold water, rough terrain, and limited emergency response outside populated areas. Search-and-rescue assistance may take a long time to reach remote locations, so wilderness travelers should have suitable insurance covering helicopter evacuation.

Weather can deteriorate rapidly, even during summer. Carry warm, waterproof layers, spare food, navigation equipment, and an emergency shelter on longer trips. Tell someone your route and expected return time, and do not depend on a mobile telephone: coverage usually ends shortly beyond towns and settlements. A satellite communicator or personal locator beacon is sensible for independent backcountry journeys.

Do not approach glacier fronts or unstable icebergs. Calving ice can create powerful waves, while floating icebergs may roll or collapse without warning. If you hear loud cracking or booming near a glacier, move away immediately rather than stopping to watch or film. Avoid the bases of steep cliffs because thawing, rain, and temperature changes can trigger rockfalls or landslides.

Avalanches are a risk around Nuuk, Sisimiut, and other mountainous areas during winter and spring. Avoid steep slopes after heavy snow, rain, strong winds, or sudden warming, and use a qualified guide when skiing, snowmobiling, or travelling through avalanche terrain. Never cross glaciers or unfamiliar sea ice without current local knowledge and suitable equipment.

Polar-bear encounters are unlikely around the more populated parts of western Greenland, but bears occasionally follow coastal sea ice, particularly in remote northern areas. Ask local residents or guides about recent sightings before a long coastal hike and follow official instructions if a bear has been reported.

Transport interruptions caused by fog, wind, ice, or snow are common. Allow extra days before international connections and carry enough money and essential medication to cope with an unexpected overnight stay. Dial 112 for emergency assistance.

• South Greenland — Continue from Nuuk to Qaqortoq and the greener southern fjords, where sheep farms, Norse ruins, hiking routes, and the UNESCO-listed Kujataa cultural landscape contrast with the iceberg-filled west coast. Air Greenland operates frequent Nuuk–Qaqortoq connections following the opening of Qaqortoq Airport in April 2026.
• North Greenland — Travel beyond Disko Bay and Uummannaq toward Upernavik or Qaanaaq for increasingly remote settlements, long periods of midnight sun or polar night, and a culture still closely connected to sea ice, hunting, and dog sledding. Most journeys involve domestic flights and helicopter connections through Ilulissat.
• East Greenland — Kulusuk and Tasiilaq offer sharply mountainous scenery and a culture and dialect distinct from those of the west coast. Air Greenland operates connections between Nuuk and Kulusuk, although schedules vary by season.
• Denmark — Nuuk has direct year-round flights to Copenhagen, along with seasonal services to Billund and Aalborg. Copenhagen remains the principal gateway for most travelers arriving from Europe.
• Iceland — Direct Nuuk–Keflavík flights provide convenient access to Reykjavík and onward international connections. Services operate on selected days and should be checked before planning a tight connection.

• Iqaluit and Arctic Canada — Seasonal flights connect Nuuk with Iqaluit in Nunavut, where onward services are available to other Canadian destinations. Passport and Canadian entry requirements apply.