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Meridiela.

Upernavik

A far northern town on a small rocky island, with an open-air museum of turf and timber buildings.

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Typetown
WhereNorth Greenland
Nearest cityUpernavik
Best seasonJune to September
Time to allowTwo days
Getting thereFlights from Ilulissat; the coastal ferry in summer
EntryFree; museum charged

Upernavik sits on a small rocky island in the far northwest, around a thousand people packed onto ground so limited that the airstrip takes up a substantial part of it. Its museum, founded in 1932, is the oldest in Greenland and occupies a group of old timber and turf buildings kept as an open-air complex. The district covers a very large archipelago of settlements strung up the coast, most reachable only by helicopter or boat.

What you actually see

  • The museum - the oldest in Greenland, in old timber and turf buildings.
  • The rocky island - a town packed onto very limited ground.
  • The archipelago - the district's settlements strung up the northern coast.
  • The midnight sun - continuous daylight through the summer months.

When to go

June to September is the season when boats run and the sea is open. Sea ice closes the coast for much of the year. Flights are weather dependent and cancelled often.

Honest expectations

Weather cancels flights routinely and being stuck for days is normal. Sea ice closes boat access for much of the year. Facilities are very limited and expensive.

Nearby

Qaanaaq is far north, and Ilulissat is south.

What to pack for Upernavik

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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