Qeqertarsuaq

Qeqertarsuaq is the name of Greenland’s largest island and of the beautiful town that lies on it. Here you will find the most fantastic basalt formations, whales and 250 different plant species.

Founded in 1773, Qeqertarsuaq is both one of Greenland’s oldest and one of its smallest towns, with only just over 1,000 inhabitants. The town is surrounded by red basalt mountains on the south side of Disko Island, which in Greenlandic is also called Qeqertarsuaq. The whales love this corner of Disko Bay, and so do the tourists. There are many hikes of varying difficulty, and above the town lies the Lyngmarksbræen glacier with a fantastic view.

The whales

There is exceptional marine life in the sea around Qeqertarsuaq, and here you have the chance to get really close to many of Greenland’s whales, not least the bowhead whale, which comes to the area in spring. The bowhead whale can live up to 250 years, making it the longest-living mammal. When the bowhead whales move on, the humpback whales arrive for their summer holidays, so there is every chance of seeing whales here in summer too.

Life in the town

Because of its distinctive octagonal shape, the church in Qeqertarsuaq is called “God’s Inkpot”, and it is definitely worth a visit. You should also visit the museum, which is housed in the old doctor’s residence and in the former home of the Governor of North Greenland, as the post was called in days gone by. A very special sight, which you only experience in such a spectacular way in Qeqertarsuaq, is football played on a pitch that runs down to the water. It is an incredible sight to watch the young people throw themselves after the ball while enormous icebergs drift past right behind them.

Lyngmarksbræen

At the top of the island lies the Lyngmarksbræen glacier. At an altitude of 700 metres you can experience a glacier that stretches up to 10 kilometres into the island. It is a popular place to go in summer, as the snow lies here all summer long. The view up here is also absolutely fantastic, not least if you have chosen to go up and experience it in the glow of the midnight sun.

Traditional life

Qeqertarsuaq was originally established as a whaling station, and today there is still a little whaling, now supplemented by both seal hunting and fishing for Greenland halibut. There is still plenty going on at the quay when the day’s catch is brought home.

The surroundings

Qeqertarsuaq is surrounded by beautiful basalt mountains that set it apart from the surroundings of many other Greenlandic towns. The red glow of the mountains goes beautifully with the great lushness of the island in summer. There are hot springs on the island, which means you can find more than half of Greenland’s 500 plant species here. All in all, the island is made for hiking among the most fantastic rock formations. Here you will find rocks that resemble both elephants and camels, shaped from the volcanic rock. Nearby lies the Kuannit area, a lush area full of angelica, a plant that everyone in Greenland loves. On the way there you cross the Red River (Røde Elv).

The legend

The old legends tell that two hunters, who were hunting seals in South Greenland, grew tired of the island being in their way, so they towed it up towards North Greenland. They rowed in their kayaks and, with the help of a single and evidently very strong hair from a baby, they moved the island! A witch in Ilulissat grew rather tired of seeing the island approach, so she cast a spell on it that made it run aground. And that is why Disko Island lies where it lies today. And it is called Disko because it is round, not because this is where the Vaigat music so popular in Greenland comes from.

Qullissat

From Qeqertarsuaq it is strange, but also exciting, to sail north along the coast and experience the ghost town of Qullissat. Qullissat was originally one of the largest towns in Greenland, but when the coal mine the town had been built around ran out of coal, the town itself was closed as well. The inhabitants who had stayed behind were forcibly relocated to other towns.

This, if anything, left a wound in the Greenlandic soul that has still not healed today, and the memory of Qullissat resurfaces every time the closure of settlements is discussed. To rub salt in the wound, Qullissat was hit by a tsunami in 2000 that destroyed a number of houses near the water.

Today Qullissat is slowly becoming a favourite summer spot, where many people go to their summer houses.