Greenland

Exploring Greenland

We haven’t logged a full Team USA training trip to Greenland yet, but we wanted this page live with genuinely useful information while our destination guides are still in progress. Greenland is one of the most remote and least-visited places on earth, with towering fjords, massive icebergs, and small, colorful towns scattered along the coast. It’s not a destination you stumble into on a whim — getting there takes planning, but the landscapes reward the effort. Most visitors connect through Iceland or Denmark, so pairing a Greenland trip with time in Reykjavik or Copenhagen is common and often more affordable than flying there on its own.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark, and the Danish krone is the official currency, though cards are widely accepted in towns like Nuuk and Ilulissat. Greenlandic and Danish are both spoken, and English is common among people who work in tourism. There are no roads connecting Greenland’s towns to each other — travel between settlements is done by plane, helicopter, or boat, which is part of what makes trip planning here different from almost anywhere else. Most towns are small enough to explore on foot once you arrive, so you generally won’t need to rent a vehicle.

Most visitors fly into Nuuk, the capital, or Ilulissat, which sits near the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord and is one of the best places in the world to see massive icebergs up close. Summer (June through August) offers the mildest weather and long daylight hours, including the midnight sun in the north, while winter brings the chance to see the northern lights but far more limited daylight and travel options. Because flights and boat tours can be affected by weather, it’s smart to build extra flexibility into any itinerary.

Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq are two other towns worth knowing about — Kangerlussuaq has Greenland’s main international airport and is a common gateway for visitors heading to Ilulissat or the ice sheet, while Sisimiut offers dog sledding and hiking depending on the season. Guided excursions, whether by boat to see icebergs or by dog sled across the ice, are the most common way to experience the landscape safely, since the terrain and weather can be unpredictable for independent travelers unfamiliar with the region.

Greenlandic cuisine leans heavily on fish and game, including cod, halibut, seal, and reindeer, though most hotels and restaurants in the larger towns also serve familiar international dishes. Tap water is safe to drink throughout Greenland. Given the remoteness, prices for food, lodging, and tours run higher than in mainland Europe or North America, so it’s worth budgeting more generously than you might for a typical trip of the same length. Layered, weatherproof clothing is essential year-round, even in summer, since temperatures can shift quickly near the coast and the ice sheet.

Because Greenland has no international land borders and very limited infrastructure outside its towns, most trips are built around a small number of bases rather than a long route between many stops. Before you travel, check the U.S. State Department’s country-specific guidance at travel.state.gov for up-to-date entry requirements and safety information.

Have you traveled to Greenland, or are you planning a trip soon? We’d love to hear your recommendations and questions in the comments below — this page will keep growing as our own Greenland stories come in.

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