Discover Greenland
Greenland is the world’s largest island. It is also the country with the lowest population density and one of the smallest capitals in the world.
It is a rugged, mountainous, contrasting land with the enormous Greenland Ice Sheet at its center and an adventurous, welcoming people at its core.
From the Arctic desert landscapes in the far north to Atlantic influences and lush sheep farms in the south, a distinct cultural and climatic diversity shapes our way of living across the geographical vastness of the island as much as it will inspire your travel experience.
Greenland rely equally on hunting, fishing, wireless internet and each other to keep the country together and moving forward. We live under the northern lights in winter and the midnight sun in summer, in a place where dogsledding and skateboarding exist side by side, where fishermen and academics come from the same families, and were we communicate wirelessly one moment and navigate between huge icebergs the next.
This makes Greenland an exciting destination for all adventure minded travelers.
Further Discover Greenland
The Land of Midnight Sun
"During the summer the small communities buzz with life until the early hours."
Midnight sun can be experienced north of the Arctic Circle."
Midnight sun in Greenland is practically a state of mind, and the traditional concept of time loses all meaning. You may as well leave your watch in your suitcase, because the day has neither a beginning nor an end.
Children on roller skates run down the street in the middle of the night with the sun hanging low in the horizon. Small motorboats chug out of the harbour and groups of people sit dotted around the hills enjoying the never-ending rays of sunshine.
During the summer the small communities buzz with life until the early hours.
Where to see the midnight sun
So where and when to see the midnigh sun. Midnight sun can be experienced north of the Arctic Circle for a period lasting from a single day to five months depending on how far north you travel.
In central Greenland the sun does not set from the end of May until the end of July. During this period, the soft, warm rays from the low-lying sun make the surrounding scenery appear almost dreamlike; icebergs and hilltops are bathed in a surrealistic palette of pink, purple, yellow and red hues.
The sun’s rays on top of the world
The unusual phenomenon is due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis in relation to its orbit round the sun.
North of the Arctic Circle it means that the sun can be seen around the clock during the summer months. In contrast, the dark polar nights are characteristic of the region during the winter.
"In the southerly regions of Greenland that do not lie within the Arctic Circle there is no midnight sun, although the nights certainly do remain light during the summer months.
"The most northerly town, Qaanaaq, has both the highest number of days with midnight sun and the most winter darkness."
Summer sunshine and winter darkness
The number of days of continuous summer sunshine and winter darkness depend on the latitude of the places you visit.
The most northerly town, Qaanaaq, has both the highest number of days with midnight sun and the most winter darkness however, reflections of moonlight in the snow and the glow from the Northern Lights help to light up the landscape during this period.
