Tasiilaq
The main town of East Greenland, on Ammassalik Island, reached by helicopter across the water from the gravel runway at Kulusuk.
- Arrival
- Kulusuk Airport · KUS
- To the town
- About 15 minutes by helicopter
- Private jets
- Kulusuk only, on a 1,199 m gravel strip
- Best time
- June to September
The city
The east coast, by helicopter.
Tasiilaq lies on Ammassalik Island, about 106 km below the Arctic Circle, and its Greenlandic name speaks of seawater so still it looks like a lake. The old church of 1908, built from the timbers of a wrecked Danish ship, now holds the Ammassalik Museum, with a peat house beside it.
Between June and September there is sailing among the icebergs, kayaking and whale watching, and walks up the Flower Valley behind town. From February to April the snow brings dog sledding, ski touring and heliskiing under the Northern Lights. Polar bears do come ashore, so for anything beyond the edge of town a guide with a rifle goes with you.
- Ammassalik Museum Housed in the 1908 church built from shipwreck timber, with a peat house and a model of the ship.
- Sermilik Icefjord An ice fjord the tourist board counts among the most active in Greenland, toured by boat and from the air.
- Mittivakkat Glacier The glacier on the far side of the island, watched by scientists from Sermilik Station.
Arriving
Via Kulusuk.
No aircraft with wings lands at Tasiilaq. Flights come into Kulusuk, on the next island, about 24 km away, and the last stretch is a helicopter hop of a quarter of an hour, all year, or a boat ride of 30 to 45 minutes in summer.
- Dublin 3 h 10
- London 3 h 45
- Paris 4 h 10
- Lisbon 4 h 50
- Abu Dhabi 10 h 10 long-range jet
When to go
June to September.
A wet, cold coast: winter brings 100 mm or more of snow and rain a month, with highs near -5 °C. Summer is drier. July and August reach about 10 °C, and in June there are 23 hours of daylight.
- -5° J 116 -1°
- -5° F 100 -1°
- -5° M 101 -2°
- 0° A 75 -2°
- 4° M 63 -2°
- 8° J 52 -1°
- 10° J 50 2°
- 10° A 64 3°
- 6° S 81 2°
- 1° O 86 1°
- -2° N 97 1°
- -5° D 105 0°
Elsewhere in Greenland
More reasons to come.
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