Air Greenland welcomes you to Tasiilaq

Tasiilaq is the largest town on Greenland’s east coast and it has an awesome location on a mountainside which slopes down to the ice-filled fjord. The town is different from many of the other towns on the west coast because there are no high, long blocks of apartments, but instead small wooden houses painted in bright colours. This is – like many of the settlements in the municipality – a typical hunting community, where seals, narwhals, walrus and polar bear are hunted. Many of the old traditions are still practiced. For example, a polar bear skin doesn’t belong to the person who kills the bear, but to the person who saw it first.

This is where you find the finest Greenlandic handicraft products
It is only 140 years since the first Europeans came to East Greenland and this may be one of the reasons why many of the old traditions are still alive. One of the most well-known types of handicraft is the small figure called the tupilak. It is only in recent times, that tupilaks are elaborately fashioned out of materials such as wood, bone, ivory and antlers from reindeer. Previously, the small spirit-beings were fashioned out of hair, bits of fur, twigs or whatever else was available. Tasiilaq’s artists are also known for their soapstone figures and fantastic masks carved in wood.

Enjoy nature all year round
In the summer, Tasiilaq can provide plenty of good walks through lush landscapes characterized by high, steep mountains succeeded by valleys with sparkling streams and strings of lakes. It is possible to spend the night in cabins on the way and the possibilities are described in detail on hiking maps and guides. A visit to a settlement by boat is also an obvious choice. The swell may seem somewhat heavy in the beginning, but you soon get used to it and then you can enjoy the view while the boat zigzags around the many icebergs. When the fjord has frozen over and the countryside is covered in snow, it’s time for dog sledding. You can take a two-day course in dog sledding in Tasiilaq – and go home with a driver’s licence for dog sledding with the right to drive up to eight dogs harnessed to the sled.

For the really tough
SIKU Extreme Arctic Challenge is one of the world’s toughest adventure races and it takes place each year in August. Five days, where the disciplines are mountain-biking, canoeing in ice-filled fjords, running and trekking on glaciers and orienteering with built-in mountain climbing – all against the clock. The race attracts teams of experienced adventure racers from most of the world and no-one has yet proclaimed that the five days were easy.

Tasiilaq (AGM)

Serviced by helicopter
Arrivals & departures > >

Air Greenland
Phone: +299 98 16 89
Fax: +299 98 12 42

Hotel Angmagssalik
Phone: +299 98 12 93
Fax: +299 98 13 93
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Hotel Nansen
Phone: +299 98 21 01
Fax: +299 98 22 01
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Hotel The Red House
Phone: +299 98 16 50
Fax: +299 98 10 24
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Destination East Greenland / Ammassalik Office
Phone: +299 98 22 43
Fax: +299 98 12 43
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Taxa
Phone: +299 98 23 13