Part one of the Greenland Expedition, containing a few notes for anyone thinking about going there. We collected them during ten days travelling down the west coast and perhaps they will save somebody a little head-scratching. Greenland is absolutely worth the journey, because watching icebergs drift past is quite literally priceless… although getting there is very much not.
The flag shows the sun rising above the polar ice cap, symbolising the return of light and warmth at the summer solstice. Its red and white echo the Danish flag and Greenland’s ties to Denmark and Scandinavia. In Greenland it commonly flies beside the Danish flag, and it is also recognised as Greenland’s national symbol in Denmark.
Greenland is the world’s largest island. Across its two million square kilometres lives roughly one Frýdek-Místek—about 55,000 people—plus a considerably larger population of deeply irritating mosquitoes. It is so enormous that, with only mild exaggeration, some corners have possibly never had the honour of meeting a human. It also offers the ultimate view of icebergs floating past in several convenient lighting modes: polar day, normal day and polar night. It does not matter which performance you attend. The show is always excellent.
Getting there
Two airlines flew to Greenland at the time: Air Greenland and Air Iceland. Air Greenland connected Copenhagen with Greenland’s international airport at Kangerlussuaq, with a limited service from Reykjavík as well. Air Iceland operated exclusively from Reykjavík. In our case, a return ticket from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq in the first half of July 2018 cost about CZK 16,000 per person, including 20 kg of luggage. With Air Greenland enjoying something close to a monopoly, the odds of finding a miraculous bargain fare were approximately somewhere between slim and a polar bear in central Nuuk.
Domestic transport consists mainly of flights from Kangerlussuaq to destinations farther north and south. The more populated west coast can also be travelled by ship. Our own voyage south from Ilulissat to Nuuk took a day and a half. The ferry stopped several times, and at a couple of places we had enough time for an hour or so of exploratory wandering around another Greenlandic “city”.
Entry, mosquito repellent and clothing
Greenland is formally part of the Kingdom of Denmark, which makes getting in and out fairly painless for EU citizens: no visa and no queue for a decorative passport stamp. You do, however, need a valid passport. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that Greenland and the Faroe Islands are autonomous parts of the Danish kingdom but outside both the EU and the Schengen Area; EU citizens may visit for up to 90 days without a visa, with a passport. Nobody made a great ceremony of inspecting ours, but arriving without one could add some unwanted plot twists while trying to leave Kangerlussuaq, where every international flight begins and ends.
Alongside the passport, bring something against mosquitoes. This is not a joke or a cheap Greenland stereotype. They are really there and there are heaps of them. Compared with our familiar Central European mosquitoes, the Arctic edition is several levels more committed to the profession. Head nets worked well for us, and photographers may also appreciate gloves. Greenlandic mosquitoes are fond of motionless landing pads, and hands holding a camera are not famous for their vigorous dance routines.
We visited at the beginning of July and, apart from one day in Nuuk, the weather was magnificent. Blue sky—even at night—and usually not a cloud anywhere. The temperature, mind you… During the day it sat at a friendly +5 to +7 °C; once the sun “set” (meaning it moved a little lower without actually going away), things became noticeably chillier. We never experienced a surprise plunge to -5 °C or worse. Slightly above freezing was normal. There is therefore no need to pack an expedition wardrobe designed for conquering the Moon. If you keep moving, clothes suitable for a November walk in the Krkonoše mountains will do the job.
Electrical sockets are the same as in the Czech Republic, so no adapter is needed. Some accommodation limits the amount of hot water so that later guests also get a shower. Unless you are either a complete piglet or an inconsiderate turnip, ten minutes is perfectly manageable.
One advantage of Greenland is the practical absence of polar bears—the occasional one appears far north, usually in winter—along with snakes and other animals eager to turn a stroll into a medical incident. You can therefore wander about with a peaceful mind. Water from glacial streams and lakes is drinkable, so running dry on a walk is not a disaster. We drank from streams regularly and neither my brother nor I sh— experienced any adverse technical consequences.
And what about the beer?
Beer! Greenland brews its own, both in the north at Immiaq in Ilulissat and in the capital at Godthåb Bryghus. Prices were high, much like elsewhere in the Danish kingdom. One must accept a suitable surcharge for the exotic setting and for importing brewing ingredients from the EU or the United States; draught beer in restaurants was where this was most noticeable. Bottles are readily available in supermarkets. The common chain is called Pisiffik (website), with a branch in every town. The basic selection combined beer from Godthåb Bryghus with imported—and paradoxically cheaper—Danish Tuborg in several varieties. Their unfiltered lager suited me particularly well, purely for research purposes.
In conclusion
To sum it all up, Greenland does not require any heroic special preparations. A valid passport and anti-mosquito equipment are the two things that should definitely appear in your inventory. Choose clothing according to the season and what you plan to do. During our summer visit we did not need winter jackets once in ten days; autumn clothes kept us comfortable, the sun had at least a little warmth in it, and during the day it was entirely possible to sit outside with a beer near one’s face and gently toast oneself on a terrace.
Cards were accepted normally in restaurants and supermarkets. A little cash is still useful for villages and smaller shops. All prices are in Danish kroner.