Qeqertassuaq Disko Island

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

The town has taken its Greenlandic name Qeqertarsuaq, meaning "The large island", from the island on which it is situated.

The town of Qeqertarsuaq lies at the southern end of the island of the same name, which means "the large island". The island is also called Disko, and it has characteristic, snow-covered basalt mountains that are markedly different to the mountains on the mainland. Glaciers may dominate Qeqertarsuaq, but there are also hot springs, as well as fertile mountainsides and valleys. A large percentage of Greenland's plants are represented here, and in the sea outside the town numerous playful humpback whales can be seen every summer, whilst the bowhead whale is seen during early spring.

A special summer option is traditional dog sledding on a mountain glacier - in the midnight sun or at any other time of the day. Be aware that the hike to the glacier is approx. 2-3 hours, unless of course if you take a helicopter to the top, which is a 5 minute flight.

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.

Qeqertarsuaq is the only town in Greenland in which you can drive on a dogsled during the summer months bathed in the glow of the midnight sun. This takes place on the ice sheet at a height of some 800 meters (2,600 feet) on the Lyngmark Glacier just behind the town. A hike to the top of the mountain will be rewarded with a fantastic view of Disko Bay and the gigantic icebergs at Ilulissat 100 km (60 miles) away. All in all, Qeqertarsuaq is a popular destination for hikers.

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.