Weekend in Greenland's capital Nuuk

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Denmark

Arrive at the Danish Capital and enjoy your day in wonderful Copenhagen. Overnight at airport hotel - Comfort Hotel Copenhagen Airport or similar, as you will be having an early start tomorrow.

Day 2:  Copenhagen - Kangerlussuaq, optional Ice Sheet, arrival in Nuuk

Your journey starts in Copenhagen, and here you fly to Kangerlussuaq, where you'll land in the morning around 11:00. Later you change to a smaller plane that will fly you to Nuuk. Your stay in Kangerlussuaq may vary slightly depending on which day you travel. You should check if there is time for a trip to the Ice Sheet, point 660, while you wait.

Optional: Walk on the Greenland Ice Sheet (~ 5 hrs) - £ 115 pp

The Ice Sheet in Greenland is one of the largest sheets of Ice in the world and covers around 80% of Greenlands surface. Powerful 4×4 vehicles will take us through an incredibly beautiful landscape, through mountains, plains, and semi-desert valleys. At the end of the road, we walk to the Greenland Ice Sheet and onto the vast ice sheet. We spend some time exploring this world of ice before returning to our vehicle.

Flight to Nuuk. Once you’ve landed in Nuuk from Kangerlussuaq later in the day, it’s on to the lovely Hotel Express for accommodation. The hotel has been awarded The Green Key environmental certificate. It is located in the heart of Nuuk, allowing you to explore the nearby area on organized tours or on your own.

Day 3: Sightseeing in Nuuk & Cultural Center, Old town and the Colonial Harbor 

Nuuk has much to offer you during your five-day stay. For example, you can visit the Katuaq Cultural Center, located right in the middle of Nuuk, alongside great shopping opportunities in the shopping center, Nuuk Center. You can visit the local fish and meat market, Kalaaliaraq, and then walk to the old town and the colonial harbor.

In the evening, you can eat at one of the town’s many restaurants, and remember to keep an eye out for concerts and events in Katuaq.

Day 4: Visiting Nuuk's art museum 

During your stay, we can also recommend a visit to Nuuk’s Art Museum. The permanent exhibition includes many paintings by the famous Greenlandic painter Emanuel A. Petersen (1894-1948) ), but there are also exciting and beautiful contemporary art and changing exhibitions. Check the current opening hours, which may vary with the season.

If you’d rather be outdoors, there are plenty of great hiking opportunities around Nuuk. 

Day 5: National Museum with it's famous mummies

You have the whole day at your disposal again, and we recommend a visit to the National Museum, located in the old colonial harbor.

Here you will find the unique mummies that were found in the Uummannaq area in the 1970s. These mummies are very well-preserved. On Sundays, the National Museum is open free of charge. Check the current opening hours, which may vary with the season.

Day 6: Farewell and return trip to Copenhagen 

Five wonderful days are coming to an end, and it’s time for your trip back to Copenhagen.

Please note there is a 4-5 hour stopover in Kangerlussuaq. You can use the time to go sightseeing in the area or go on a tundra safari.

This map uses Google Maps, so you can zoom and interact with it as we hope it is familiar to you.

For a larger version of this map which opens in a new window, click here

The lines shown give you an indication of our destinations and are not the exact route used.

You'll see...

• Ilulissat Icefjord UNESCO World Heritage Site 2004 »
• Midnight Sun »
• The Big Arctic Five »

Transportation

Railway mostly serves domestic routes and is used as an easy and quick way to get from the capital to major cities of the country. There are some international routes, like to Moscow and St. Petersburg, but time spent on the way will be quite long.

Buses are one of the most convenient ways to travel between the Baltic States. Eurolines will get you between Riga, Vilnius and Tallinn. One way tickets will cost £ 15 - £ 20 and approximate travel time is 5 hours between the cities. Ticket reservations in advance are recommended.

Taxis are the quickest and most convenient way of travelling round the city. You'll find them located close to the main hotels. Usually it's quite easy to catch a taxi on the street, however, it's much better and safer to order one by phone. Taxi costs in all of the Baltic countries and Poland are approximately the same and a ride in the centre of the city will cost you approx £ 5 - £ 7.  Taxis in Finland and Russia are considerably more expensive.  It is always a good idea to get your hotel to book a taxi for you and ask approximately how much the trip will cost before you get in.

We would not recommend you to take public transportation within the city, as it's usually crowded and it may cause you unnecessary anxiety about where to stop.