greenland

Sarfaq Ittuk ferry – gap year Arctic trips (VIII)

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Instead of flying, we decided to travel from Ilulissat back to Nuuk aboard the Sarfaq Ittuk, a ferry operated by the Arctic Umiaq Line. In Greenlandic, “Sarfaq” refers to a current or tide, while “Ittuk” means old or great. The Sarfaq Ittuk route is the most vital transport link in Greenland. As the country’s only … Read more

Ilulissat, the hometown of icebergs – gap year Arctic trips (VII)

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Our third stop in Greenland: the Ilulissat Icefjord! Kangerlussuaq sits at 67°N while Ilulissat is roughly 69°N. Since both share the same longitude of 51°W, our flight path from Kangerlussuaq was essentially a straight shot north. The hop in the small propeller plane took less than an hour. Unlike the inland landscape of our previous … Read more

Kangerlussuaq by the ice sheet – gap year Arctic trips (VI)

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In the afternoon of our third day in Greenland, we departed Nuuk aboard a small Air Greenland plane heading for the tiny settlement of Kangerlussuaq. This village sits quietly just inside the Arctic Circle, right next to the massive Greenland Ice Sheet. A bird’s-eye view of the ice sheet and glaciers Nuuk was overcast, but … Read more

Greenland’s capital on Archean gneiss – gap year Arctic trips (V)

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Nuuk’s new international airport officially opened at the end of 2024. As a result, United Airlines announced a new direct route from New York (Newark EWR) to Greenland’s capital for June through September 2025. I excitedly bought my tickets not long after. Booking ten months in advance makes this the most “long-term” planning I have … Read more