Sisimiut

Sisimiut is Greenland’s finest winter sports destination, with fantastic conditions for every kind of winter sport. In summer, hiking, boat trips to fjords and abandoned settlements, and culture take centre stage.

With a population of more than 5,600, Sisimiut is Greenland’s second-largest town. Sisimiut lies 40 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and is an Arctic adventure with a wealth of experiences just waiting to be explored. The town is one of the busiest harbour towns and a starting point for many cruises in the Arctic region. The climate in Sisimiut is cold all year round, but from June to September temperatures are above freezing and quite pleasant. In Danish, Sisimiut was formerly also known as Holsteinsborg.

Dog sledding, boat trips, skiing, Inuit culture and hiking

In Sisimiut you have plenty of opportunities for exciting experiences that are quite out of the ordinary, even by Greenlandic standards. If you are looking for an adventure destination where there are no limits to adventure, Sisimiut is the town for you. Here you will find a wide range of ways to be active in nature. Try relaxed hikes that the more adventurous love too. In summer you can hike and sail, while in winter you can enjoy the snow on skis, by dog sled, snowmobile or snowshoes.

Hiking

In Sisimiut you will find hiking routes of every level of difficulty. There are easier hikes both in town and on its outskirts. You can also head up into the mountains, into the higher altitudes, and enjoy the most spectacular views.

The hike between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq is called The Arctic Circle Trail and is equally popular with tourists and Greenlanders. The route is 166 kilometres long and is considered the most epic and classic hiking route in Greenland.

There are many ways to do the route. In summer there are both hikers and runners, while in winter you can do the trip on skis, by snowmobile or by dog sled. Along the long route there are huts where you can spend the night. Here you often meet other hikers and share a cosy evening with them by the fire at dusk. In 2021 an ATV track between Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq was also opened. Sisimiut also offers many beautiful day hikes, for example to Palasip Qaqqaa, a popular hike of 3-5 hours. You end up at the summit with a 360-degree panoramic view of the sea, the fjords and the landscape around the town.

Sisimiut has marketed itself with the words “Rough. Real. Remote.”, which reflects the many opportunities to throw yourself into things here.

Summer sailing

Sisimiut is an important fishing town in Greenland, so the harbour is full of life all year round. In fact, fishing is the town’s largest industry, although other businesses have begun to spring up. In summer you notice not only the bustle of the fishermen but also the many leisure sailors getting their boats ready for weekend or evening trips. You can join a boat trip yourself here, as several operators offer sailing for tourists, among them our good partners at Hotel Sisimiut.

Winter sports

Sisimiut is known as a town that loves winter, so there is no hibernation here in winter. The Arctic Circle Race is known as the world’s toughest cross-country ski race. It is an event where locals and visitors alike push the limits of their personal goals while having fun. The race runs over three days, and when you cross the finish line you have covered 160 kilometres on two skis, so it is not something everyone can just jump into. But there are plenty of other opportunities for experiences in the snow.

In Sisimiut’s hinterland there is a lift for alpine skiing, and of course there are a great many cross-country ski trails. Sisimiut is the southernmost town in West Greenland where sled dogs are permitted, so there is a buzz of dog sleds both in and especially outside the town. There are also a great many locals who love to jump on their snowmobiles and head out across the plains. Then it quickly becomes possible to go off-piste with a wonderful view.

A modern city

Sisimiut is Greenland’s second-largest town and therefore a modern city by Greenlandic standards. Sisimiutter, as the locals call themselves, have a supreme self-confidence that makes them strut a little more than others. For the same reason there is a really good atmosphere in town, and there are plenty of opportunities to go out and have a fun evening, and Hotel Sisimiut serves really delicious food. Sisimiut grows by 8% a year, making it the third fastest-growing town in Greenland. Several of the country’s large organisations and businesses have their head office in Sisimiut, which provides a good basis for entertainment. It is also a town of education, where more than 10% of the population live in student halls, so there are many young people in town.

The museum and the culture

The museum in Sisimiut offers local history but also cultural-historical gems that give you a sense of what life was once like throughout Greenland. There are also several places where you can see Greenlandic crafts being made and sold.

The people of Sisimiut like doing new things, and you will find exciting shops selling everything under the sun. This is also where you will find the country’s only outdoor swimming pool. A special place is Qiviut, which produces and exports lots of musk ox wool that (once knitted) becomes some of the warmest and softest wool products.

At the Taseralik cultural centre you can enjoy concerts, theatre performances, cinema and much more, and the café in the beautiful building has a really fine view.