Greenland is the world's largest island -- but with almost 80 percent of its land covered by ice, the population is sparse. It's a nation of extremes and contrasts. As well as the huge areas of untouched wilderness, Greenland has a national culture that blends Inuit and Norse heritage influenced by a diverse natural history, both on land and sea.
With its wool undercoat and top layer of shaggy hair, the mighty muskox is ideally suited to cope with the icy Arctic winter. Greenland’s largest land mammal -- it can weigh 880 pounds -- roams the tundra in herds of about 15. Track these impressive animals in the terrain around Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland on a guided four-wheel drive tour with Wonder of Greenland Arctic Circle. More adventurous travelers can view the muskox from the water on a five-day lake kayaking trip with Greenland Outdoors. The company also operates a muskox camping safari.
Forget all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles -- in many parts of Greenland, dog sledding is still the preferred mode of transport. Originally used by Inuit hunters, sleds drawn by packs of barking huskies now take visitors skimming across the snow. Arctic Wonderland Tours offers a guided, day-long sled adventure starting in Kulusuk in southeastern Greenland. Make it a six-day tour with Greenland Explored; on its Liverpool Land Dogsled Journey, you’ll travel through the mountain passes and over the glaciers and sea ice of eastern Greenland. If you're lucky, you might see foxes, seals and polar bears.
Greenland isn’t just about the frozen tundra -- there are plenty of cities and towns to explore. With a population of 16,000, Nuuk, on the west coast, claims to be the world’s smallest capital city, but it still has plenty to offer the traveler. Nuuk is home to: the Katuaq cultural center, which hosts music, theater and art events; and the National Greenland Museum, where you can explore artifacts from the country’s Norse and Inuit heritage. In southern Greenland, Qaqortoq is another important cultural and artistic center. There, you can take a guided Sagalands City Tour to learn about Greenland’s religious history and political system. You’ll also see the Stone and Man exhibition -- a collection of more than 30 outdoor sculptures.
Icebergs aren’t the only thing to watch out for in the waters around Greenland. The seas and fjords are home to several whale species, including blue whales, minkes and acrobatic humpbacks. Hop aboard a Lyngmark Tours boat in the west coast town of Qeqertarsuaq for a six-hour trip that includes lunch. Look for whales among the icebergs in the fjords of southern Greenland on a Greenland Sagaland trip out of Qaqortoq. For east coast whales, Dines Tours of Tasiilaq will take you among the islands, where you can also see a variety of seabirds and seals.
