Lonely Planet Destination Editor Amy Lynch traveled down the southwest coast of Greenland by ferry to experience the region in the same way as a local. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip.
In my role as Destination Editor for the Nordics, UK and Ireland, I’ve been lucky enough to explore some of the most beautiful landscapes on the planet. But Greenland has always been on my bucket list as one of the most extreme, unpopulated, unparalleled places to experience.
When I got the chance to take Arctic Umiaq’s ferry line down the southwest coast of Greenland, from Ilulissat to Narsaq, I was thrilled. This meant riding on the ferry that locals use to visit other villages along the coast (the interior being mostly impassable), stopping off for expeditions at a variety of gorgeous spots, along with walking tours, glamping and visiting glaciers. It was the trip of a lifetime, and I couldn’t wait.
Where did you stay? What was the vibe?
I stayed on the Sarfaq Ittuk for a week as it chugged down the southwest coast of Greenland, sleeping in one of the Umiaq Junior Suites and eating in the canteen. The cabin was spacious for a single person (admittedly it’s made for two), with its own bathroom and shower. And while the ship had a lounge area with vending machines, cinema, plus the canteen, when I wasn’t chilling in my cabin I was on the deck, astounded at the landscapes and trying to capture some of its majesty by photograph.
From the beginning we were passing glaciers, big and small. Then we slowly started to cruise by snow-topped mountains and cliffs, all uninhabited and untouched. Every so often the captain announced a whale sighting and everyone rushed out onto the decks to catch a glimpse. We could see spouts of air shooting up from the water, the rise of the whales’ backs, and then a big beautiful tail splashing down. There were three or four stops a day, from 15 minutes to up to 3 hours, the latter giving us time to hop off for a ramble around the villages and towns and get a flavor of local life.
What’s your favorite photo from the trip and where was it taken?
From our stop in Narsaq we took a boat out to visit the receding Twin Glacier with Blue Ice Explorer….
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