The journey to the magnificent Saqqarliup Gacier is as thrilling as hiking on the glacier itself. After a beautiful boat ride cruising past the mouth of the ice fjord, we jump into off-road vehicles for a dusty, yet exciting ride across rugged, hilly terrain towards the Tasiusaq fjord.
A boat takes us 40 kilometres nearer the inland ice, through a forest of towering icebergs. A huge bank of white suddenly appears – the glacier. The temperature drops rapidly as we approach.
Our anticipation rises as we put on our insulated protection suits and crampons and start climbing the glacier.
Occasionally we hear a crack in the distance – calving, the breaking off of ice chunks from the glacier to form icebergs.
I keep away from crevasses, gaps in the ice that are far deeper and more dangerous than they look.
More accessible than ever
Until now, Greenland has not been an option for most travellers due to its inaccessibility and cost. While it remains an expensive holiday option, numerous factors have collided recently to trigger greater interest in the destination than ever before.
Donald Trump’s rather surreal desire to either buy it or take it over by force has provided worldwide publicity this year. Overtourism has been a buzz word in the last couple of years, causing travellers to explore quieter climes –and Greenland is one of the last great wildernesses left on the planet.
Added to this, climate change causing temperatures to increasingly rise to uncomfortable levels in many traditional holiday destinations has triggered a growing popularity of ‘coolcations’.
The opening of Nuuk’s new international airport in November 2024 has been another gamechanger. Now able to accept larger planes – which will lead to lower airfares – new routes from both Denmark and the U.S. has made Greenland more connected than ever, supplementing existing gateways via Denmark and Iceland.
New airports at Ilulissat (the gateway to the stunning Ilulissat ice fjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Qaqortoq in the southern part of the island, are scheduled to open in 2026, making exploring Greenland even easier.
“Greenland is seeing a significant rise in interest, especially from adventure-seeking travellers looking for raw nature, cultural authenticity, and a sense of space,” says Anne Nivíka Grødem, CEO, Visit Greenland.
“Greenland offers immersive and authentic experiences shaped by our connection to nature. Whether travellers seek everyday adventures or once-in-a-lifetime moments, the journey is always guided by nature.
“If I were to offer tips to agents selling Greenland, I’d say firstly that it is not a product, it’s a perspective. You don’t come to tick off boxes. You come to feel something different. Greenland isn’t for everyone – and that’s exactly the point.”
She advises travel agents to position Greenland as a destination for those seeking unfiltered adventure across three levels: soft: cultural visits, scenic hikes, wildlife viewing; immersive: dogsledding, boat tours, fjord trekking; and ultimate: remote camping, glacier trekking, heli-skiing.
“Greenland’s commitment to sustainable tourism and cultural respect is a strong selling point,” says Grødem. “Agents are encouraged to collaborate with DMCs in Greenland to design tailored, authentic itineraries.
“These experts help provide safe and meaningful experiences that honour local communities and the environment.”
Core experiences across the country include dog sledding, hiking trails, the northern lights, iceberg, whale and coastal settlement boat tours, local cuisine featuring musk ox, Arctic char, seaweed, and storytelling, snowmobiling, glacier walks, and ice and snow exploration.
Additional highlights include heliskiing, the Ilulissat Icefjord, natural hot springs, remote camping, wildlife photography, settlement visits, fishing, and local folklore.
“At Greenland Travel we offer support to agents and have an ‘Agent’s Area’ on our webpage that tells people the basic facts about Greenland and provides good selling points,” says Jesper Kunuk Egede, Marketing Consultant at Greenland Travel.
“Long summer nights and midnight sun in northern Greenland are a good selling point, as are the northern lights from September to early April. Greenland is also one of the last truly untouched frontiers of nature and culture.”
This year has seen new legislation to regulate tourism, which includes a new licensing system forcing tourism operators to comply with safety and environmental standards. It will also manage tourism growth so that visitors won’t feel they are holidaying in a place suffering from overtourism.
Top experiences
Greenland has very few roads so a cruise is ideal for exploring remote fjords and Inuit communities, hiking to waterfalls and stopping at an abandoned World War II military base. steppestravel.com
At Igloo Lodge, reached by snowcat, not only can you stay in a traditional igloo but also snowshoe hike over a frozen lake, with jaw-dropping landscapes a given. worldofgreenland.com
Greenlandic dishes are, unsurprisingly, distinctly different. At the restaurant at Hotel Icefjord in Ilulissat sample local products such as reindeer, musk ox and hand-picked herbs. hotelicefjord.com
Topas Travel offers dog sledding trips from under four hours to overnight multi-day tours for the truly adventurous. greenlandbytopas.com
Book it
Eight-day bestselling summer tour, Summer, Sun and Huge Icebergs in Greenland takes in the capital, Nuuk, as well as UNESCO World Heritage Site the Ilulissat ice fjord. Priced from £2,551pp. greenland-travel.com
Ben West
Ben West is a writer and photographer who has written extensively for national newspapers and many magazines.
