East Greenland - A special part

of Greenland

East Greenland is one of nature’s last remaining unspoilt regions on the planet. The first Europeans did not set foot in East Greenland until just over one hundred years ago, and this distinction from the rest of the country can clearly be seen in the region’s language and culture. The language in East Greenland is therefore considerably different to that in West Greenland, both in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary. In addition, inspiration from the traditional culture’s myths and legends is vividly expressed in East Greenland’s beautiful and highly sought after arts and crafts.

East Greenland’s two towns and seven settlements

People have lived in East Greenland at different times for several thousand years. However, the long winter, where the sea is frozen and the extensive field ice belt, which drifts on the currents along the coast in the spring and summer, has resulted in East Greenland becoming very isolated from both the rest of Greenland and indeed the rest of the world. Consequently, today there are only two towns on the 2,700 km (1,700 miles) of coastline: Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit, and seven small settlements. A total  of 3.500 people live in an area larger than Great Britain, Germany, France and Italy combined. However, in spite of the sparse density of population in the region, the choice of activities and excursions is huge.

Activities in East Greenland

Activities during the summer include sailing trips amongst the icebergs, helicopter flights over glaciers or the ice sheet, kayaking, whale safaris and angling. The winter season provides good opportunities for skiing, dog sledding on trips lasting from a few hours to several days and enjoying the reflections of the northern lights on the snow-covered, rugged mountain peaks, which are highly characteristic of East Greenland. Travellers possessing a real spirit of adventure can also acquire a licence to drive a dogsled or take part in a trophy hunt for the musk ox.

The world’s biggest national park

With an area covering almost 1 million km2 (386,000 square miles), the National Park in Northeast Greenland is the biggest in the world. Its unique wildlife and rich history of expeditions mean that people without permanent residence in East Greenland’s two towns have to apply for permission to enter the unique park.

Approach routes to East Greenland

The majority of travellers to East Greenland arrive via Iceland, from where there are flights to Kulusuk Airport that return the same day. East Greenland’s biggest town, Tasiilaq, is just an eight-minute hop by helicopter from Kulusuk. Ittoqqortoormiit can be reached by flying from Reykjavik via Kulusuk, but also offers the option of arrival by sea on one of the special expedition cruises to East Greenland – a mode of travel that has become increasingly popular during recent years.