Air Greenland welcomes you to Upernavik

Upernavik’s location, high to the north means that for four months of the winter, it is dark. Fortunately, there is a corresponding period with midnight sun that lasts from May to August. There is an abundance of wildlife in the region, for example the world’s largest cliff-side bird colony. It is this wealth of animal life that gives the population of this town and the ten settlements in the municipality their livelihood. Greenland halibut is caught all year round with long lines, seals are shot and smaller whales are still caught from kayaks. This is where you have an opportunity to get close to the traditional hunting culture.

Take a boat trip to the ice fjord
The boat sails eastward through the skerries to the head of the fjord where calving glaciers rub shoulders and produce icebergs of huge proportions. On the way, we meet small fishing boats and dinghies where masses of Greenland halibut are pulled aboard. You could also meet tourists paddling in sea-going kayaks. The area has recently become the preferred place for experienced kayakers from all over the world – probably because of its isolation and beautiful scenery. On the way home, the boat will stop at one of the settlements. You can also visit the settlements on your own, using a combination of the cargo and passenger boats that frequently visit all the settlements. 

Long hunting trips are quite normal
If you have a week to spare, you could go with a hunter on a dog sled trip to hunt in the far north. Upernavik borders Melville Bay which is a designated national park, where only hunters from the town and settlements are allowed to hunt. The nights are spent in a tent stretched over the sled and the Primus hisses all night long, keeping the cold at bay. The hunters tie the dogs around the tent and a rifle is kept ready at the tent’s opening because polar bears don’t sleep at night. Instead they sniff round the ice, hunting for seal cubs. This is an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

Upernavik (JUV)

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Air Greenland
Phone +299 961148
Fax +299 961132
Recorded info Greenlandic +299 961288
Recorded info Danish +299 961688

Upernavik Tourist Service
Phone +299 961700
Fax +299 262096
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