Making the most of Nanortalik
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Ships moor or anchor at this port, so passengers make the 500 metre journey ashore by tender.
Nanortalik's tender pier is in a central position, and the walk to the town centre takes approximately 5-10 minutes.
The Nanotalik tourist bureau will establish facilities on the passenger pier and issue town maps.
Choir singing is closely identified with Nanortalik. A handful of groups in the town offer ample chances to hear this distinctive local tradition.
Greenland's southernmost town, Nanortalik, has a population of 1700 and occupies an attractive landscape of picturesque fjords, small wooded areas and steep mountain slopes. Its name translates as “place of polar bears”, referring to the animals that sometimes pass the town in summer with field ice from the Arctic Ocean. The town tends to draw independent adventurers, while organised excursions are also available.
The name Nanortalik means “place of polar bears”, a reference to polar bears that occasionally travel past the town during summer alongside field ice from the Arctic Ocean.
Getting around
No roads link Greenland's towns, so all travel between them is by plane or ship. An Arctic climate that can become extreme imposes demanding safety requirements, which Greenland's transport operators meet fully. For shorter journeys beyond town, residents use personal boats, dog sledges or snowmobiles.
Nearby places
Nanortalik is celebrated for natural “skyscrapers”: sheer cliffs and jagged, steep peaks around Tasermiut Fjord, Pamialluk and the singular Prince Christians Sound. It is a Mecca for enthusiasts of mountaineering, rock climbing, walking and kayaking. Gentler outings include boat journeys to the Sermitsiaq glacier in Tasermiut Fjord, trips to hot springs near Alluitsup Paa and visits to the Norse remains at Herjolfsnæs.
Food and shopping
Greenland's souvenirs are handmade works of art unlike anything available elsewhere in the world. Every product is shaped and designed by a Greenlandic artist who respects established tradition and custom while bringing personal ideas and skills to the piece. Visitors therefore have plenty of opportunity to discover precisely the keepsake they want.
Money
Many hotels, shops and restaurants accept credit cards. Carrying a little Danish kroner to Greenland is nevertheless advisable because some ATMs may be out of service at weekends.
Staying connected
Visitors will understand absolutely nothing when Greenlandic is spoken. The language is called ‘kalaallisut’, which itself means ‘the Greenlanders' language’.
Danish functions more or less as the second language, while English is less widely used.
A local internet café connects through a satellite antenna.
Greenland's mobile telephone network uses GSM 900/1800.
Opening Hours and
In the larger towns, supermarkets normally trade on weekdays from 10:00 – 17:30, on Fridays until 18:00 and on Saturdays from 09:00 – 13:00. Many communities also have small groceries and corner shops with longer hours, including Sunday opening.