Kangerlussuaq

As ships are moored or anchored in this port, you will be tendered ashore.

Printable map to take along.

Kangaatsiaq means "the little promontory". The town is Greenland's youngest, and only received the status of a town in 1986, but the settlement is of course much older. Kangaatsiaq is an unspoilt little town without large hotels or tourist offices – in fact only private accommodation and an internet café. Here amongst the many colored houses, you can drop a line to friends and family and tell the story of an authentic and almost untouched town in Greenland.

Kangaatsiaq is Greenland's main air transport hub and the site of Greenland's largest commercial airport. The airport dates from American settlement during and after World War II, when the site was known as Bluie West-8 and Sondrestrom Air Base

Thousands of musk oxen live in the mountains around town, and a dirt road connects directly with the ice cap for an half day guided drive.

In Greenland there are no roads connecting the towns, so all transport takes place by plane or by ship. The Arctic climate, which at times can be extreme, places great demands on safety during transport, demands which Greenland's transport companies satisfy in full. When travelling over shorter distances outside the towns the local population use their own boats, dogsleds or snowmobiles.

East of Kangaatsiaq a 150 km (95 mile) large fjord system opens up with countless islands, coves and bays, and there are good opportunities to explore the protected waters by boat, canoe or sea kayak. There are plenty of opportunities to see the wildlife en route, including reindeer, fox and hare as well as many different species of bird. The sea around Kangaatsiaq is the natural habitat for many species of Greenland's sea mammals such as Greenland seals, humpback whales and minke whales.

Souvenirs from Greenland are unique, handmade works of art the like of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Each product is shaped and designed by a Greenlandic artist, who manages to follow tradition and custom, whilst at the same time creating unique works incorporating his or her own ideas and skills. As a visitor, you will have plenty of opportunity to find precisely what you are looking for.

Credit cards can be used at many hotels, restaurants and shops, but it is recommended that you bring a small amount of Danish kroner with you to Greenland, as some ATMs may not be in service at the weekend.

As a visitor to Greenland you will find that you understand absolutely nothing when Greenlandic is spoken – or ‘kalaallisut', as it is called, which actually means ‘the Greenlanders' language'.

Danish is more or less the second language. English less so.

Internet and e-mail – take your laptop with you Hotspots have been established in most major hotels so that you can access the Internet. There are Internet cafés in a number of the bigger towns and at several tourist offices it is also possible to check your web mail.

The mobile phone system in Greenland is GSM 900/1800

In the major towns supermarkets are typically open on weekdays from 10:00 – 17:30, on Fridays until 18:00 and Saturdays from 09:00 – 13:00. In many towns, however, there are corner shops and grocer's shops that have longer opening hours and which are also open on Sundays.