GReeNLAND

A good 80 per cent of the world’s largest island is covered in Ice. In its very far north you can meet the most mysterious of all whales.

Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

whales: Greenland

In summer, you can mainly observe humpback, fin and minke whales in Greenland. In spring, with a bit of luck, you may also see narwhals, belugas and bowhead whales. Always available: the endless ice sheet and gigantic icebergs.

Up to 15 different whale species live in the waters around Greenland, most of which are only encountered sporadically, but humpback, fin and minke whales can be seen regularly between July and September.

The south and west of Greenland are particularly interesting for whale watching, with most operators in Nuuk and Sisimiut in the south, as well as in the west around Disko Bay, especially in Ilulissat and Aasiat, and a little further north in Uummannaaq.

In spring, with a lot of luck, you can even spot narwhals, belugas and bowhead whales, which are always close to the ice edge and migrate far north in spring as soon as the winter ice breaks up.

The best chances to spot them are in Qaanaaq, in the very north of the island. Bowhead whales and belugas can occasionally also be found in Disko Bay before they head north between April and May.

A humpback whale dives close to an iceberg in Disko Bay in western Greenland. There really is a lot going on around the ice there. Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

As most of Greenland is above the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set in summer – in many places, especially in Ilulissat, numerous tours of the iceberg fields are therefore also offered in the evenings and at night. Whale watching under the midnight sun is something you can't do in many places in the world.

One word about narwhals and bowhead whales: These animals are the northernmost living whales in the world, staying almost permanently near the pack ice. It is therefore virtually impossible to encounter them on standard tourist routes.

Travelling to the edge of the pack ice inevitably has the character of an expedition. From Qaanaaq you have the best chances, it is not for nothing that the city bears the narwhal in its coat of arms. However, Qaanaaq is also not easy to reach and is hardly touristy, with only around 650 Inuit living there.

Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

TO DO: Greenland

A good 80 per cent of Greenland is covered by ice. Nevertheless, you can go on fantastic hikes here and encounter reindeer and musk oxen.

The most touristic areas – if you can call them that at all - are in the south and west of Greenland. The north and east are scarcely populated. The capital Nuuk is in the south, Disko Bay with its gigantic icebergs in the west – the most important places: Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Sisimiut.

The inland ice, a layer of ice up to 3 kilometres thick covering 80 percent of the island, is best visited from Kangerlussuaq (the only place from which a road leads directly to the edge of the ice). Guided tours lasting several days with camping on the ice are also possible here (not dangerous, equipment is provided).

“Polar bears are usually only seen in the north and east of the island – unless they accidentally drift southwards on an ice floe. If you want to see polar bears and walruses, it is best to take a boat along the coasts in the north.”

The largest icebergs can be found in Disko Bay on the Ilulissat Icefjord, which is a World Heritage Site. Here, the huge Sermeq Glacier is advancing at a rate of around 40 metres per day, faster than any glacier in the world. In the process, it produces hundreds and thousands of gigantic icebergs that can reach the height of skyscrapers.

Between Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut you can hike the Arctic Circle Trail, a total of 160 kilometres, which should take eight to ten days to complete. You don't need a rifle, polar bears are usually only sighted in the north and east of the island – unless they accidentally drift southwards on an ice floe. If you want to see polar bears and walruses, it is best to take a boat along the coasts in the north.

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What you will definitely see in the south: musk oxen! These almost primeval animals live in their thousands in the mountains around Kangerlussuaq, which is Greenland's main airport. Even if you only have a few hours before your onward flight, a short safari is possible directly from the airport – Kangerlussuaq consists of little more than this airport.