Skiing in all its forms
Skiing is one of the favorite sports of Greenlanders, who are lucky enough to be able to practice it most of the year and in many different forms (downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, heli-skiing, slopes...). The Greenland Ski Federation, founded in 1969, is the country's oldest sports association. Every year, Greenland hosts theArctic Circle Race, reputed to be the world's toughest cross-country ski race. Starting in Sisimiut, north of the Arctic Circle, the race lasts several days and stretches over 160 km through steep, craggy landscapes of incredible beauty. Around a hundred skiers take part every year, most of them Greenlanders, but there are also foreigners from Scandinavia, the USA and Canada. Constantly threatened by unpredictable weather, candidates spend two nights in tents where night-time temperatures can reach -30°C.
Greenland offers many opportunities for cross-country skiing, as well as downhill skiing, ski touring and heli-skiing. The largest resort is currently in Nuuk (length 1,000 m, vertical drop 200 m), but Sisimiut has plans to become the world's largest summer ski area. You'll also find resorts in Narsaq and Tasiilaq, as well as some 30 km from Maniitsoq, where the large and magnificent 150 km² Apussuit ski area also offers heli-skiing. Helicopter skiing is still the fastest-growing sport in Greenland, despite its high cost. For cross-country skiing, you'll find tracks on the outskirts of almost every town. Raid or alpine ski touring is mostly practiced between March and May, and requires complete autonomy and, above all, a very good knowledge of the Arctic environment. The most experienced skiers attempt to cross the ice sheet with a pulka (a sledge for transporting equipment) over a period of around two weeks. Alternatively, numerous ice floe crossings are possible and easier to organize, especially in the snow-covered Tasiilaq and Tiniteqilaaq regions.
Hunting and fishing in the wilderness
Hunting. Tourist hunting has been possible in Greenland for some time now (2014) for reindeer and musk oxen, but also for seals and birds. Many tour operators offer this type of service. You will be confronted with natural hunting with wild animals (no reserves). It's important to understand that hunting in Greenland has been an integral part of the local culture for thousands of years, and is practiced in a measured, reasoned way. Moreover, the organizers will always be local hunters with a thorough knowledge of the basic techniques and strong links with the community, to whom they sometimes hand over the products of the hunt (meat, skin, wool...). Hunting in Greenland is powerful in the sense that it is in harmony with nature. It generally requires a great deal of concentration, patience and cunning. You have to walk and/or wait a long time, unlike in some countries where hunting is more brutal, intensive and automatic. Nature has taught the Inuit to remain humble. And it's quite possible to return empty-handed..
Travellers are not allowed to hunt on their own; they must do so as part of an excursion organized by a certified agency and/or accompanied by a local hunter.
The main hunting areas are: around Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut, as well as in the Nuuk fjord, for the western region; around Ivittuut, around Isortoq and on the island of Tuttuooq, for the southern region; around Disko Bay, including Qasigiannguit, as well as the Svartenhuk peninsula and Qaanaaq, for the northern region; Illoqqortoormiut for the eastern region.
Fishing. Even if you're not a fisherman at heart, we highly recommend a trip to this fish eldorado. Your main catches will be halibut, cod, salmon, trout, arctic char and catfish. You don't need to bring any modern equipment - a simple, classic fishing rod is all you need to have fun and bring home a catch!
A fishing license is required for lake and river fishing. Licenses can be purchased at post offices and tourist offices (or, failing that, at police stations). They cost around DKK 75 per day, DKK 250 per week and DKK 500 per month. Take the receipt with you on your trip. You can also fish in the fjords from a small boat (no license required).
Kayaking, the traditional sport
Kayaking is gradually coming back into fashion in Greenland, where this tradition had been gradually lost to motorboat fishing. The Greenland Kayak Association is helping to maintain the revival of this traditional practice, including : the eskimo roll technique for recovering one's initial posture after turning the kayak over (used at a time when few people knew how to swim, and especially because the water was too cold for a swimmer to survive for long), paddling techniques, kayak construction (rarely made of sealskin and driftwood these days, but rather of coated canvas, nylon or fiberglass), sealskin wetsuits(tuilik) and other cultural aspects relating to kayaking culture. Today, many towns and cities, especially on the west coast, have their own kayak clubs to promote self-respect and pride in their ancestry. The association also organizes the annualGreenland National Kayaking Competition in Nuuk in July.
However, kayaking has become more of a leisure activity, particularly during local competitions or the annual national championship in Nuuk. A number of kayak clubs have been springing up around the country over the last ten years, teaching the younger generation traditional paddling techniques, as well as construction techniques, with each kayak custom-made to suit the individual's morphology for maximum manoeuvrability.
Take yourself for a musher in a dog sled
For many, Greenland is synonymous with dog sledding. In fact, this is undoubtedly the best way to discover the country in winter, with only the sound of the dogs on the snow and, in the background, the parade of majestic, immaculate landscapes... Many tour operators offer outings lasting several hours or a day, but the most authentic way is undoubtedly to go on an excursion with a hunter whose way of life you'll share (fishing, cabin, tents...). Sledges can carry loads of up to several hundred kilos. A dog team generally consists of 8 to 15 dogs, with a leader(angutivissaq the male, arniviaq the female) directed by the musher 's voice(Ili Ili Ili for the right and Iu Iu Iu for the left) who calls the dogs to order with his whip, 5 to 6 meters long! Each dog has its own place, depending on its strength and character. But don't worry, not only are Greenlandic dogs the most robust and enduring breed of sled dog, they also love it! All you have to do is observe their wild excitement and howls (these dogs howl like wolves) as they set off, and you'll understand. The strong relationship between the musher and his dogs will also transport you to another world... In some regions, sledding is only possible in winter and spring, after the first snows, while in others you have to wait for the sea to freeze over and turn into pack ice. And, in addition to tourism, Greenlanders continue to use dog sledding for leisure activities, including local competitions and the national Avannaata Qimussersua championship.
While all the regions are beautiful and interesting to visit in winter, with a different geography each time, Uummannaq remains a dogsledding paradise. In summer, however, there's only one place to go dog-sledding: Qeqertarsuaq in Disko Bay (plan an overnight stay). A must-try experience if you have the chance, and one that will leave a lasting impression. Many tour operators, such as Arctic Dream in Tasiilaq or World of Greenland in Ilulissat, organize not only dog-sledding excursions, but also tours to meet and feed the dogs.
Dream hikes
You'll be amazed by the many wilderness walks available throughout the country, where you can put your feet up against magnificent craggy rocky coastlines, fjords... or even glaciers! The four most popular tours are : the one-week hike between Igaliku and Qaqortoq in the southern farmlands; the two-week hike between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq a little further northwest; the few-hour hike to Ilulissat to skirt the ice fjord and watch the magnificent glacier calve ; the one- or two-day hike between Rodebay (Oqaatsut) and Ilulissat; the hikes in Port Victor near the Eqi glacier; the pretty "Little Malene" hike in Nuuk just behind the airport, which passes through the magnificent "Paradise Valley". While a day hike poses no problems, a multi-day excursion in Greenland is not something you can improvise (managing transport, food, equipment, weather and terrain, numerous detours to avoid rivers or wetlands, map scale errors, satellite equipment if necessary, etc.). Be even more careful if you're going alone, and always tell someone about your itinerary; the trails are unmarked (with the exception of Ilulissat) and the weather can change very quickly.
Mountain biking or diving under the ice, unique sensations... But that's not all! Greenland also offers many other incongruous activities of all kinds, such as mountain biking (mainly in Kangerlussuaq), golf, visits to ice caves, ice diving (in August in Tasiilaq or all year round in Sisimiut) to observe shipwrecks, incredible underwater fauna or icebergs from below as you'll probably never see them again! Arctic safaris are also organized to observe wild animals, the most popular of which are usually musk oxen. Finally, there's another type of safari, this time by air (by plane or helicopter): several companies offer flights - expensive, admittedly, but unforgettable - over the fjords, but also over the ice cap (possible at Tasiilaq, Kangerlussuaq and Nuuk) or the icefjord at Ilulissat, a Unesco World Heritage site! Unique.
