Ilimanaq Lodge in Ilimanaq, a town of 50 people in Greenland. Peter Knudsen and World of Greenland
A sea of icebergs stands between our water taxi and the 50-person settlement of Ilimanaq, Greenland. This is the only way to reach Ilimanaq from the closest town, Ilulissat, and the captain weaves expertly through the kaleidoscope of blue, reminding us how little berg we can actually see on the surface—only about 10 percent. “It makes you think,” another passenger says, “about how much of the world you haven’t really seen yet.”
The whole of this ice-covered country reminds you of that: tiny towns dotted with candy-colored homes; shy seals darting under the water as boats approach; ancient igloo remains in icefields telling stories of Inuit tradition. But now, these seldom-seen places are coming under the spotlight.
Once a tricky part of the world to reach, Greenland is ushering in tourism like never before thanks to a new international airport that opened in the capital, Nuuk, on November 28, one of three expected to debut in the country by 2026. That means that some of the most remote reaches of the globe are coming into focus for many travelers.
Nuuk, Greenland. Bogomil Shopov – Бого/Unsplash
With the announcement of a direct United Airlines flight from Newark to Nuuk starting in 2025, that now includes Americans. Previously, the only direct flights to Nuuk were through Copenhagen or Reykjavik, making the journey quite a bit longer if you were flying from North America, and subject to cancellation due to facility limitations and low visibility. The airport also had a shorter runway that didn’t accommodate large international airliners. The new airport in Nuuk promises to change all that.
“The opening of the new international airport in Nuuk is a milestone that will make Greenland’s capital more accessible through direct flights, reducing travel times and opening the doors to new international markets,” Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO of Visit Greenland, tells Observer.
As a result, dramatic Arctic landscapes are closer than ever, and the remote, exclusive experiences now within reach are drawing plenty of attention from adventure seekers who want to check last frontiers off their bucket lists.
Just look to Ilulissat, the iceberg capital of the world and Greenland’s third-largest city, home to only about 4,600 people. While you may not have heard of it before, it’s poised to become one of Greenland’s big tourism destinations. A typical day here can be spent taking in the rugged Arctic landscape while whale watching and dog sledding, boating through the icebergs in Disko Bay, and hiking the Sermermiut Settlement Walk along the UNESCO World Heritage-protected Ilulissat Icefjord. It’s hard to say what’s more fascinating: witnessing the glacier here break off (“calve”), or seeing how indigenous groups lived thousands of years ago at settlement igloo remains. It’s also an excellent place to learn about the history of Greenland; the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre delves into the history and culture of the icy terrain, and the Ilulissat Cultural History Museum chronicles Inuit culture.
It’s no wonder demand is growing for bucket list-worthy igloo and glacier lodge stays in the area. That said, given its remote nature and the limited infrastructure here, arranging experiences through tour operators is the best way to access the area if you’re traveling by land.
Ilimanaq Lodge offers just 15 cushy bungalows. Harry Pope and and World of Greenland
Bérti Klemensen of World of Greenland, a tour operator based out of Ilulissat, says they’ve seen an additional whopping 1,140 overnight stays in 2024 over the previous year, and had to build six extra cabins at their properties just to meet demand for their igloos and iceberg-front lodges, plus adventures like iceberg boat tours, helicopter rides, dog sledding, whale safaris and stays in remote villages.
At Ilimanaq Lodge, where the water taxi dropped us off after our iceberg-filled boat ride, it’s easy to see the appeal. When approached from the water, the 15 Scandinavian-style bungalows perched on a rocky cliff in Ilimanaq give an immediate sense of exclusivity and solitude that only staying in a town of 50 people could provide. You spend the week waking up in a luxe A-frame cabin to a seafront of icebergs where whales often splash and the sun never sets in summer—and with few other guests around, it feels like it’s all for you, which is quite refreshing after trips spent elbowing other tourists for space in Oia, Venice or Barcelona. Perhaps most surprising is that the experience only costs about 1,825 DKK (around $257 per night) in peak season, on weekends from June to July.
A stay in this part of remote Greenland also puts you face to face with ways of life you hardly knew could exist. Here, the mayor rides around on an ATV and waves hello. Local hiking guides tell stories of classic Greenlandic myths: spot the Northern Lights, and you’ll see their ancestors playing soccer with a whale skull. This is an untapped vacation with no wifi (by design) to help you tap into the nature around you. Despite the sparse surroundings, there’s still luxury to be had, as aside from the 15 cushy two-story bungalows, there is an excellent fine-dining restaurant, Restaurant Egede, that celebrates local ingredients.
Igloo Lodge. Luke Stackpoole and World of Greenland
Another one of World of Greenland’s accommodations, Igloo Lodge, offers stays in traditional Inuit domed snow houses, all pretty far from civilization. They’re in Nalluarsuk, well into the Ilulissat hinterland and on the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage site, Ilulissat Icefjord. This is no glamping experience; it’s nothing like staying in your average ice hotel, which typically has structured rooms with beds and amenities like saunas and showers. Guests have only thermal mats and skins to keep you warm unless you opt to stay in the nearby heated lodge. But if you do stick it out, you’ll belong to an exclusive club of adventurers who have experienced Greenland as the indigenous have for centuries—if you’re lucky, with an unimpeded view of the Northern Lights. Prices start at 2,995 DKK (about $422) per night on winter weekend nights when the lights are at their peak.
Sometimes, the demand for these remote experiences seems to be outpacing even what’s available on the ground.
“We expect that it will be easier to visit Ilulissat from 2026, when the new international airport there is finished; however, we can be a bit worried about the hotel capacity in Ilulissat,” Klemensen says. “The locals are now planning on building new hotels, so we are hopeful that we will be able to accommodate upcoming guests by that time.”
Time will tell if the tourism industry can catch up to hotel demand in Greenland, but thankfully for interested visitors, it’s not just land-based operations expanding. Cruise lines are also jumping on the trend; Greenland saw a 73 percent increase in cruise passengers from 2022 to 2023, according to Visit Greenland Statistics.
HX’s cruise ship amid icebergs in Disko Bay. Sandra Walser/Hurtigruten
Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX), for example, has notably added three new ‘Grand Greenland’ voyages from Nuuk for 2025 that go further north in Greenland than the line ever has before, expanding far beyond the western coast of Disko Bay: Icy Giants of Disko Bay, Mythical Lands of the North and Farthest North to Thule and Kane Basin, starting in June and July. Prices start from $9,600 for 13-day sailings, inclusive of all meals, drinks and excursions.
“We’re seeing significant demand for Greenland, especially as travelers increasingly seek rare, less-traveled destinations,” says Alex McNeil, HX’s chief expedition officer.
In 2024, HX operated four cruises on Greenland’s west coast. In 2025, eight itineraries, including sailings to Arctic Canada, will use Nuuk as a changeover port.
According to McNeil, these voyages onboard hybrid-battery-powered MS Fridtjof Nansen will spend more time on Greenland’s west coast and explore further north than ever to Thule and Kane Basin, what he calls “the northernmost limits of the world.”
Near Uummannaq. Tommy Simonsen
Expedition cruises like this may be the most comfortable way to travel to Greenland right now, considering the accommodations are luxurious and well-appointed, the dining spaces are predictably good and there’s no need to rough it in the rugged wilderness. But being onboard doesn’t preclude you from having cultural experiences. There’s still opportunity to connect with local communities thanks to excursions, such as hikes led by local guides, and onboard performances like traditional dance and music.
McNeil is especially excited about the ‘Farthest North’ expedition, which he says basically puts the cruiser in the footsteps of early area explorers. “It’s an extraordinary journey to the fabled ‘Ultima Thule,’ an area so far north that it has captivated explorers for centuries.”
He explains that as they explore the Kane Basin, they’ll connect with isolated northern communities, traverse icy waterways and witness wildlife, including narwhals, walruses and polar bears. On a typical HX cruise, they’ll head out on RIB excursion boats and participate in citizen science projects, returning to comfortable floating accommodations at night. “Guests will venture far beyond the habitable world, journeying in the footsteps of polar pioneers who helped shape Arctic history.”
An arctic fox near the Eqi glacier, north of Ilulissat in West Greenland. Universal Images Group via Getty
On my own voyage, I came face to face with Greenland’s isolated wildlife. Stepping out of a RIB boat onto a pebbly beach with frigid wind whipping at my face, I saw it: a flicker of a tail in the distance. A focus of the binoculars reveals an Arctic fox family scurrying toward rocky cliffs. They’re a common wildlife sighting here in Greenland, as are humpback whales and polar bears. We leave them be. “Best not to disturb nature,” our guide says. Nearby, some brave souls wade into the Arctic water for “polar plunge” bragging rights—just one of the many close-up encounters you can get with the land in Greenland via cruise.
There’s just one potential snag in the plan for tour operators, including expedition cruises. Concerned about the footprint all these new tourism experiences leave on the area, Greenland has proposed a tourism law to curb rapid growth that could outpace what the environment and communities are ready for. Specifically, it would create tourist “zones” in Greenland: green, yellow and red; the red signaling sensitive remote areas like Northeast Greenland National Park that could be banned from tour operators completely.
“The proposed legislation is rooted in a desire to manage tourism growth responsibly,” Grødem says. “The law aims to ensure that tourism, including expedition cruising, is conducted in a way that prioritizes sustainability, safety, and respect for local communities and nature.” That might change what on-land experiences expedition cruisers can participate in, and how often—but discussions are still in progress.
Grødem says the ultimate goal is long-term, sustainable growth that benefits both visitors and Greenlandic communities. “Our aim is to enable visitors to explore these areas while protecting their natural beauty and cultural heritage,” Grødem says. “By encouraging responsible tourism, we ensure that Greenland’s unique destinations remain as extraordinary tomorrow as they are today.”
Ittoqqortoormiit. Unsplash/Rod Long
For now, HX says its remote itineraries aren’t impacted since the law is still in the discussion phase. For those concerned about the impact tourism will have on Greenland, it’s worth noting that HX launched the world’s first battery hybrid-powered ship and banned heavy fuel and single-use plastics. They also give back. In the remote communities of Qaanaaq (Northwest Greenland) and Ittoqqortoormiit (Northeast Greenland), HX is working closely with the community to develop products and experiences aligned with local tourism strategies: sponsoring local Greenland tourism experts in Qaanaaq with English training, tourism mentoring and excursion development, and in Ittoqqortoormiit, providing support to the Inuit-led not-for-profit organization Oxen Network and local school Ejnar Mikkelsenila Aluarpia. It’s all led to community-focused excursions like opportunities to learn about traditional hunting techniques from a local hunter.
Whether or not Greenland curbs its most remote areas with the tourism law, Grødem says the airports will undoubtedly give way to growth, and that this new chapter brings a sense of excitement and opportunity, as well as reflection.
“Many Greenlanders are optimistic about the possibilities tourism can create—economic growth, more jobs, better connections with the rest of the world and a chance to share our culture with visitors,” Grødem says. At the same time, there’s a deep awareness that this growth must be balanced with respect for the environment, traditions and way of life. “Greenlanders take great pride in our land, culture and heritage, and we’re committed to ensuring that tourism strengthens, rather than threatens, these aspects.”
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Publish date : 2024-12-17 03:00:00
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