Making the most of Uummannaq
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
Vessels moor or anchor here, and tender boats carry passengers to shore.
Uummannaq sits on an island below the heart-shaped mountain that gave the town its name, which literally means "the heart-shaped". Its inhabitants are known for great hospitality and kindness and live 600 km (375 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. The midnight sun lasts from mid-May to mid-August, providing many summer daylight hours for discovering the distinctive scenery and culture of one of Greenland's northernmost and perhaps most beautiful municipalities.
Activities in Uummannaq's natural setting include seeing many enormous icebergs from one of seven nearby glaciers; testing your ability against enthusiasts at the spectacular World Ice Golf Championship; or visiting the local museum and Santa's workshop. Winter brings dogsled trips. During the remaining ice-free periods, excursions to settlements go by boat or helicopter, and whale safaris focus on fin whales.
Getting around
There are no roads between Greenlandic towns, leaving plane and ship as the transport options. The Arctic climate can be extreme at times and creates demanding safety requirements, all of which Greenland's transport operators satisfy. Local residents use their own boats, dogsleds or snowmobiles for shorter journeys beyond town.
Food and shopping
Greenland offers distinctive, handmade artworks that cannot be obtained anywhere else in the world. A Greenlandic artist shapes and designs every product, observing established traditions and customs while creating an individual piece that incorporates his or her own ideas, techniques and skills. Visitors will have plenty of opportunities to browse these unique works and find precisely what they are seeking.
Money
Many hotels, restaurants and shops take credit cards, but visitors are advised to carry a small sum of Danish kroner in Greenland because certain ATMs may be unavailable at weekends.
Staying connected
Visitors to Greenland will understand absolutely nothing when they hear Greenlandic, known as ‘kalaallisut', a name that actually means ‘the Greenlanders' language'.
Danish is broadly the second language; English is less so.
For internet and e-mail, take a laptop. Most large hotels have Hotspots providing access. Internet cafés operate in several bigger towns, and web mail can also be checked at a number of tourist offices.
The Greenland mobile phone network uses GSM 900/1800.
Opening Hours and
Major-town supermarkets typically open on weekdays from 10:00 – 17:30, remain open on Fridays until 18:00 and trade Saturdays from 09:00 – 13:00. Corner shops and grocers in many towns keep longer hours and also open on Sundays.