Photo by Christine Lang
Cultural Experiences
Greenland’s rich cultural heritage offers a unique window into the lives and traditions of the Arctic. Each evening, guided by the flow of your day and your interests, you’ll select experiences that bring you closer to the stories, skills, and daily life of Greenlandic communities, uncovering the deep ties between people and this vast, rugged landscape.
Photo by Luke Stackpoole - Visit Greenland & Carlo Muies
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Experience the Heart of Greenland in a Local Home
Step into the daily life of Saqqaq, a small village nestled along Disko Bay’s rugged coastline. In a local home, you’ll be warmly welcomed with coffee, homemade cake, and an introduction to the village’s rich heritage. Saqqaq’s roots go deep, with traditions that echo the resilience and spirit of Greenlandic life. As stories unfold, you’ll gain insight into the close-knit community’s relationship with the sea and land, the challenges and beauty of village life, and the warmth of Greenlandic hospitality. This two-hour visit offers an intimate view of life in one of Greenland’s remote settlements.
Season: All season
Duration: 1 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Visit to the Ancient Graveyard
Step into a realm where Greenlandic beliefs touch the earthly and the eternal. The shallow graves north of Saqqaq reveal a blend of pre-Christian and Christian Inuit burial customs, with stone cairns and wooden coffins marking the passage of time. Here, bones and skulls are visible within the graves, reflecting the Inuit’s deep respect for nature, where life’s departure is embraced by Greenland’s vast sky.
Season: All season
Duration: 2 hour
Difficulty: Medium
Visit to the Archaeological Site of Saqqaq Culture
Among the layers of history, the Saqqaq culture’s legacy remains woven into the land. One of Greenland’s earliest known societies, the Saqqaq people once walked these lands, though they are not ancestors of the contemporary Kalaallit (Greenlanders). This journey reveals the migrations that shaped Greenland’s past, with the Saqqaq people marking the longest period of inhabitation here. Their traditions, though distinct, remain preserved within the landscape’s quiet strength, offering a profound window into Greenland’s deep-rooted and diverse human history.
Season: All season
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Boat Tour to the Abandoned Settlement of Ujarasussuk
Cross the Vaigat Strait to Ujarasussuk, an abandoned settlement across from Saqqaq. Here, the echoes of life from the 18th and early 20th centuries linger—a chapel, a school, and homes where Arctic life played out against the vastness. Stories of Greenlandic colonization come alive, reflecting its deep effects on local life and culture from then until today. The settlement stands as a silent witness to resilience amid profound change.
Season: All season
Duration: 4 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Explore Qullissat – Life Clinging to the Edge
Set out for Qullissat, the haunting ghost town on Qeqertarsuaq Island that once thrived as a coal mining hub. Established in 1924 and abandoned in 1968, Qullissat’s empty structures evoke the quiet resilience and history of Greenland’s people. The journey includes a transfer by dinghy, adding an element of adventure, as getting in and out can sometimes be tricky due to the tides and rocky shoreline
Season: All season
Duration: 6 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Meet Greenlandic Dogs
Join a short, one-hour visit to meet Greenlandic sled dogs and learn about their role in traditional Arctic life. These dogs, distinct from other breeds, are well adapted to Greenland’s harsh winters, and their role in daily life provides a unique insight into the region’s culture.
Season: All season
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Igaasaq – Cliffside Greenlandic Fish Feast
Experience the traditional Greenlandic way of enjoying fresh fish with an Igaasaq meal along Saqqaq’s scenic cliffs. A fresh catch is boiled in seawater or a saltwater solution, then poured directly onto a rock surface, where it’s enjoyed communally, directly from the cliff. The chef provides a selection of sides to enhance the meal, offering something for every taste. This cliffside dining experience combines the simplicity of Greenlandic tradition with the stunning beauty of Saqqaq’s natural landscape, offering a hands-on taste of the Arctic.
Season: All season
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Flavors of the Arctic – BBQ Feast
Gather for a Greenlandic BBQ, where locally sourced reindeer, musk ox, and other meats are traditionally cooked over flat stones. With wild herbs and sauces prepared by our chef, this ancient method honors Greenland’s culinary heritage, bringing out the authentic flavors of the Arctic landscape.
Season: All season
Duration: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
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Uummannaq Island’s Ancestral Grounds
A short boat ride leads to Uummannaq Island, a site rich with Greenlandic history. Here, beneath towering peaks in one of the world’s oldest mountain ranges, lies a small church flanked by two historic graveyards. One holds Moravian missionary tombstones, while the other is an ancient Inuit burial site, where stone cairns shelter human remains visible beneath the open Arctic sky. These graves reflect deep-rooted Inuit beliefs, embracing both the natural world and the eternal. This quiet exploration offers a glimpse into Greenland’s spiritual heritage against a timeless landscape.
Season: All season
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Distance from Kiattua: 15-minute boat ride
Embracing Greenlandic Hospitality in the Village of Kapisillit
In the remote village of Kapisillit, nestled within the fjords near Kiattua, Greenlandic hospitality shines through a warm welcome into a local home. Over coffee and homemade cake, you’ll learn about life in this small village—the only permanent settlement within the Nuuk fjord system. Kapisillit’s unique history is shaped by a blend of Inuit traditions and Danish influences, giving insight into the resilience and cultural pride of its residents. Here, you’ll hear stories of endurance and deep respect for the surrounding natural world, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of those who thrive in Greenland’s rugged wilderness.
Season: All season
Duration: 1 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Distance from Kiattua: 35 min boat ride
Visit the Village of Kapisillit
Visit the quiet village of Kapisillit, nestled within Greenland’s remote fjord landscape and home to just 35 residents. This unique settlement, the only permanent community in the Nuuk fjord system, is where modern life meets ancient Arctic traditions. Here, you’ll learn about daily life in one of Greenland’s smallest communities, shaped by deep-rooted Inuit customs and a resourcefulness passed down through generations.
Season: All season
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Distance from Kiattua: 35-minute boat ride
Explore Viking Ruins
Just steps from camp lie well-preserved Viking ruins, remnants of a Norse settlement from over a thousand years ago. During this tour, learn about the Vikings who once called Greenland home, arriving around the 10th century to establish farms and trading posts. These early settlers lived in close harmony with the rugged landscape, leaving behind stone foundations that reveal glimpses of their way of life. Discover how they adapted to the Arctic and contributed to Greenland’s layered history.
Season: All season
Duration: 1 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Flavours of the Arctic – BBQ Feast
Gather for a Greenlandic BBQ, where locally sourced reindeer, musk ox, and other meats are traditionally cooked over flat stones. With wild herbs and sauces prepared by our chef, this ancient method honors Greenland’s culinary heritage, bringing out the authentic flavors of the Arctic landscape.
Season: All season
Duration: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
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