1) Spectacular frozen landscapes
These photos speak for themselves. This is the Nalluarsuk, approximately 12 miles from Ilulissat. This glorious spectacle is frozen sea ice, and only accessible in the winter months. To get to see these views, I was standing a mile out on to the ice, that would return to being sea in the coming summer months. Amazing and unique frozen worlds are formed each year and you really have an incredible opportunity to see them.
2) Wonderful Wildlife
Greenland’s wildlife uses the space of the world’s largest island to their advantage. As a rule, they avoid the areas of civilisation, but they do stray close, and it is these opportunities that allow you to see some wonderful creatures in their natural habitat. I saw Musk Ox, Reindeer and Arctic Hares, check out this blog to see where I saw the most wildlife. Polar bears mainly reside north of Ilulissat, comfortably in the arctic circle and down the east coast. They avoid civilisation but every now and again, they do stray in to find food. After returning from a day hike in Kangerlussuaq, I was speaking to a local who casually mentioned that the day before had been the first Polar Bear sighting in 7 years, and it was in the hills from which I had just returned. I am still in the cold sweat that I felt hearing that news. I found this information really helpful as part of my research, how to keep safe and treat wildlife with respect.
3) You can see a plane wreck
This is not as morbid as it sounds and first things first, all of the pilots survived and ejected prior to impact. There are the remains of three Lockhead T-33 fighter jets that crashed in 1968 by the roadside near Kangerlussuaq. Strewn across the hillside, the wreckage is remarkably well preserved considering it has been exposed to the elements for over 50 years.
4) You can post a letter to Santa
This very large post box is available all year round for children of all ages to post their letter to Santa.
5) You never know what you will find...
One of my lasting memories of Greenland are some of the completely random things that I never expected to see on such a remote largely uninhabited island.
When hiking up a hill in Kangerlussuaq, I came across an abandoned shopping trolley. Normally this sort of fly tipping would be distressing but there was no other litter around, it was simply an abandoned trolley. The strangest thing was that I didn’t see any trolleys anywhere else… none at the shops or airports… where did it come from, almost 6 miles from civilisation resting on 2ft of snow? The approach that was taken on this discovery was mature as you can see…
Finding a single copy of a Baywatch (2017 film) DVD for sale in a food shop in Ilulissat but seeing no other DVDs (or players) in any accommodation or shops during our stay.
Seeing two people standing on a corner, handing out religious leaflets from a rack that they had dragged through the snow in -10°C.
Greenland is vast with a challenging climate but in every community, there is still the same wonderfully vibrant life that you find everywhere else in the world.
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