greenland-travel.com
Northern Lights in Greenland
Experience the World’s best Northern Lights
”
We know a place… And we would like to
show it to you. It is the most beautiful country in the world – Greenland.
From the gentle breeze of the midnight
sun and the bright colors of late summer to the dark nights of autumn with
dancing northern lights and winter with
dogsledding and creaking snow.
Sheer, breathtaking beauty, always.
Wilders Plads 13A
DK - 1403 Copenhagen
+45 3313 1011
[email protected]
www.greenland-travel.com
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.DK
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
The town of Sisimiut, Ilulissat Icefiord, northern lights in Kangerlussuaq (Photo: Mads Pihl & David Trood – Visit Greenland)
WELCOME TO THE WORLD’S BEST NORTHERN LIGHTS
At Greenland Travel we are certain: If you want to experience northern lights, Greenland is one of the
best places in the world to do so – easily available from both Denmark and Iceland. Prices are reasonable too, from only 810 Euro, including airfare from Copenhagen and accommodation.
Explaining northern lights to someone who has not yet experienced it is very difficult. To experience
northern lights is not merely a physical encounter where you stand and stare at the sky, but also a feeling of being totally overwhelmed by the elusive and incredibly beautiful experience.
The northern lights that you are witnessing will never return, and northern lights are definitely one of the
most beautiful experiences in the polar darkness. Greenland.com offers this poetic description:
"In a way, northern lights are part of Greenland's physically visual identity, and with its Arctic touch, the
lights reach down from outer space and fill the polar night with myths, magic and bright, frosty winter
experiences".
In this inspirational guide, you can read more about
•
•
•
•
When you can experience northern lights
The myths & the science
Good places to witness northern lights
How to get there
THE IDEAL SEASON FOR WITNESSING NORTHERN LIGHTS
Northern lights appear throughout the year but can only be
seen on a dark sky. In Greenland, the stunning light show is
visible from the end of September to mid-April.
In Kangerlussuaq, Sisimiut and Ilulissat you can join guided
northern lights excursions during winter and we can almost
guarantee that you will experience northern lights when visiting Greenland in winter.
In recent years, northern lights tours to Greenland have become increasingly popular. Fly via Copenhagen, Denmark, or
Reykjavik, Iceland, to Greenland.
The ideal season for northern lights sightseeing
Northern lights appear on the sky throughout the year but are most visible from the end of September to mid-April. In Kangerlussuaq, Sisimiut and Ilulissat you can join guided northern lights
excursions during winter.
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
Northern lights above Nuuk, Greenland's capital (Photo: Mads Pihl – Visit Greenland)
THE MYTHS
Arsarnerit – the ones playing ball
The Greenlandic word for northern lights is 'Arsarnerit', which translates as 'the ones playing ball'. According to old Inuit myths, northern lights appear on the sky when the souls of the dead are playing ball
with walrus skulls. However, most people don’t take this explanation at face value anymore.
The scientific explanation of northern lights is that electrically charged particles of the sun collide with
molecules and atoms in the earth's atmosphere – at an altitude of approximately 100 kilometres. This
collision results in an incredible phenomenon where curtains of all colors flutter across the sky. Yellow,
green, red, white – depending on your location, the curtains vary in color. Nevertheless, it is a spectacular sight.
Most people obviously no longer believe the explanation with the skull. However, the Greenlanders still
whistle at the sky in an attempt to make the northern lights more vivid, which is another myth. It is surprising how often it actually works, but be careful that the northern lights do not reach down and grab
you while you are whistling. We encourage you to try it anyway – if you dare.
In certain other cultures, it is believed that children conceived below northern lights will become intelligent. Therefore, northern lights excursions are particularly wonderful for visitors from these cultures.
Play!
In connection with your trip to Greenland, there are several excursions available allowing you to experience the northern lights. If you like stories, this is an excellent way to take in this natural phenomenon
as the guide will tell you many exciting stories. Moreover, the excursions often include a hot drink.
There is also another way to keep warm below the northern lights: Play. It is great fun to play below the
colorful curtains of light. Many regard the lights with great awe – and it is indeed an awe-inspiring sight
– but, nevertheless, you should try to imitate the lights' play on the sky. Lie down on your back and
make angels in the snow or slide across it on your bum, a sled or a plastic bag.
Not everyone feels like doing this, but something wonderful happens in that moment when you let go
and play with nature. Here, you do not merely play in nature, but indeed with it. Whether you are five,
30 or 70 years old; try it!
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
Northern lights above Ilulissat, accommodation with a five-star view (Photo: Visit Greenland)
THE SCIENCE
Northern lights appear when electrically charged particles from the sun collide with our atmosphere and
create a phenomenal light show with varying colors depending on how high above the planet's surface
the particles enter the atmosphere.
Aurora Borealis
It was the yet not widely known scientist Galileo Galilei who, in 1619, coined the expression 'aurora borealis', which roughly translates from the Latin as 'northern dawn'.
A similar phenomenon is actually found in the southern hemisphere known as 'aurora australis' or
southern lights. Rather strangely, they move simultaneously with northern lights. The collective term for
the two phenomena is polar lights ('aurora polaris'). The solar wind also creates polar lights on other
planets with a magnetic field such as Jupiter and Saturn.
The belt of light
Even Greenlanders are surprised by the fact that northern lights cannot be witnessed everywhere in
Greenland. The most densely populated regions have northern lights, and therefore it is taken for
granted that the phenomenon exists all across the northern hemisphere. However, this is not true. The
further north you go, the weaker the lights become before disappearing altogether.
The majority of visitors to Greenland arrive in Kangerlussuaq, which is located in the middle of the
northern lights belt making northern lights highly visible here. Northern lights can obviously only be
seen on dark and clear nights, and we recommend that you move away from any artificial lighting in order to get the full effects of the flickering lights.
See this wonderful film with northern lights in Greenland. Click on the link below, or visit
www.greenland-travel.com/northernlights
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
Kangerlussuaq Airport, the Old Camp, Sisimiut town (Photo: Mads Pihl and Uri Golman – Visit Greenland)
IDEAL PLACES TO EXPERIENCE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN GREENLAND
You can experience northern lights in many places in Greenland, and the incredible light show is best
seen on a clear, dark night sky in the period from September to mid-April. Depending on your location
in Greenland, the colors may vary, but it is a spectacular sight nevertheless.
Kangerlussuaq
One location is mentioned again and again when it comes to Greenland's best and most accessible northern lights destinations: The
airport village of Kangerlussuaq. Due to its unique location inland,
sheltered by mountains and ice, Kangerlussuaq has more than 300
clear nights a year, and therefore attracts many northern lights enthusiasts.
There are many opinions as to where the ideal place to see northern
lights is. Science has yet to find proof for the different claims. However, a research station is actually placed in Kangerlussuaq from
where the ionosphere and northern lights are being studied.
Moreover, Kangerlussuaq is easily accessible as the majority of all
flights to Greenland arrive at Kangerlussuaq. Thus, you will actually
land in northern lights paradise.
Our most popular tours to Greenland are the five-day winter tours to
Kangerlussuaq where you can get a first-hand experience with the
northern lights, the Ice Cap and dogsledding.
Sisimiut
In both Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut you can go on northern lights excursions that will take you out into
nature, away from all artificial lighting from houses and street lights. Of course it is not necessary to
leave the towns in order to see the northern lights, but the conditions away from artificial lighting make it
both easier to see and the sight all the more beautiful.
Sisimiut is located slightly north of the Arctic Circle, and you can get there by taking a 30-minute domestic flight from Kangerlussuaq. During winter, many of our travelers choose to combine Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut in one journey.
Sisimiut is one of the largest towns in Greenland with more than 5,500 inhabitants, and here you will
find modern Greenland side by side with the original Inuit culture. Sisimiut is a mecca for the active
traveler, and you will find a number of winter activities here, including dogsledding, snow scooters and
cross-country skiing.
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
Ilulissat Icefiord (Photo: Julien Bataillet), Ilulissat town (Photo: Visit Greenland), northern lights above Nuuk Arena (Photo: Hans Chr. Sivertsen)
Ilulissat
Also in Ilulissat in the Disco Bay, you have great opportunities to see northern lights. Ilulissat means
icebergs and the name refers to the town's location next to the Ilulissat Icefiord. Here, you are able to
see the northern lights dance above the impressive icebergs.
You will find that several of our most popular tours combine Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat, giving you the
chance to experience both the Ice Cap and the Icefiord as well as northern lights all in one.
Nuuk
Nuuk is the capital of Greenland and is actually located south of the Arctic Circle. In Nuuk, northern
lights are often quite spectacular, and although Nuuk is the most illuminated town in Greenland, due to
the many street lamps lighting up the dark Arctic night, you will find many places in which you can get
the full northern lights experience.
NORTHERN LIGHTS FORECAST
On this American website you can see a current forecast of
the expected appearance of northern lights. The site is updated every half hour and you can play a small sequence
showing the recent development.
Greenland is the large island, which is partially covered in
white. If you are wondering why the entire island is not
covered in white on the map, the reason is that clouds are
covering the ice on this particular satellite image.
www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast
Northern lights are visible from space and other planets have northern lights too.
Satellites can take pictures of the aurora from Earth's orbit — and the images they get are pretty
striking. In fact, auroras are bright enough that they show up strongly on the nightside of the Earth
even if one were looking at them from another planet. Voyagers 1 and 2 were the first probes to
bring back pictures of auroras on Jupiter and Saturn, and later Uranus and Neptune. Auroras on
either Jupiter or Saturn are much larger and more powerful than on Earth, because those planets'
magnetic fields are orders of magnitude more intense. (livescience.com)
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
Sermitsiaq mountain in Nuuk, Ilulissat Icefiord (Photo: Mads Pihl & Julien Bataillet – Visit Greenland)
NEXT STEP
If we have convinced you that Greenland is not to be missed, your next step is to plan your trip. You
can find a lot more inspiration on our website and we are never further away than a phone call or an
email. We will be happy to answer all your questions.
Do you want to see the northern lights in Greenland?
It's not hard at all to go on a trip to Greenland to see the northern lights. Basically, you just have to decide on when to leave, pack your bags and be ready at Copenhagen Airport on the given date. Of
course, you also have to book the trip but that is within reach for most people.
A 5-day break to Kangerlussuaq costs from 810 Euros per person in a double room and is one of our
most popular winter trips to Greenland. Read more about the trip on www.greenland-travel.com/9009.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to travel to Greenland, how cold is it, should I choose a package trip, with or without a tour guide? In our "FAQ" we have collected the most frequently asked questions. Hopefully, you
will find the answers to your questions and, if not, please do not hesitate to contact us. You will find
questions and answers on www.greenland-travel.com/faq
Find all our Northern Lights package deals
We are the world's largest travel agency specializing in Greenland and, therefore, we offer a large selection of package tours all year round. On our website we have several trips that focus on northern
lights as part of the basic experience of your trip. The easiest way to find them is to check the list of
trips on www.greenland-travel.com/tripfinder/northernlights.
You can also use our Trip finder to see which kind of travel will suit you, e.g. regarding adventures,
modes of transportation and activities. You can also use it to see what else is available and what the
prices are. www.greenland-travel.com/tripfinder
What our customers say about us
On Trustpilot, our customers can say what they think about us. You can read their comments on
www.trustpilot.com. Search for “greenland-travel.com” in the search window.
Greenland Travel
Wilders Plads 13A
DK – 1403 Copenhagen K
Phone: +45 3313 1011
[email protected]
Danish Travel Guarantee Fond no. 351
IATA Agent no. 17 200 606
Member of the Danish Travel Association
CVR no. 32150756
GREENLAND-TRAVEL.COM
Tours to Greenland all year. Greenland Travel is the world’s largest specialist in Greenland. (Photos: Uri Golman, Mads Pihl – Visit Greenland)
GREENLAND TRAVEL
Whether you want a complete package or a customized trip, we can find the solution that will suit you.
We also arrange trips for special groups, conferences and incentive trips. Common to them all is that
we create trips that will suit your needs and give you a trip of a lifetime.
We have more than 30 employees in Denmark and Greenland and, with all due modesty, we are the
world's largest and most dedicated specialists in Greenland. We know what we are talking about.
Part of the Air Greenland Group
Greenland Travel is part of the Air Greenland Group consisting of Air Greenland, Greenland Travel, Hotel Arctic and Arctic Umiaq Line. Furthermore, we are co-owner of the tour operator World of Greenland
in Ilulissat. We take an active part in developing excursion possibilities in Greenland and work closely
with tour operators and accommodations throughout Greenland.
You will find us in Greenland and Denmark
Greenland Travel is the only travel agency that is present in several cities in Greenland. Our headquarters are situated in Copenhagen and we have three sales offices in Nuuk, Sisimiut and Ilulissat. This
means that we can serve you across more time zones. Greenland is four hours behind Europe.
Are you curious?
If you want to know who we are, visit our website and get faces on the people you have been corresponding with. You can also read more about our different backgrounds on
www.greenland-travel.com/team.
THIS IS WHY OUR CUSTOMERS PREFER TO TRAVEL WITH US
The world's largest specialist in Greenland
We are the world's largest specialist in Greenland, Iceland and the Arctic and our senior travel
consultants have many years of experience with traveling or living in our destinations. It will benefit you.
Good service
We have been there. We would never dream of selling a trip to a destination we do not know.
Things are changing rapidly in Greenland so we always stay updated .
Security
Greenland Travel is a member of the Danish Travel Agency Association and an IATA agent - your
security for a serious travel agency. Of course, we are also a member of the Danish Travel Guarantee Fund .
Version 15/02/16 - lge
Thrustworthy guidance
We have been there. We would never dream of selling a trip to a destination we do not know.
Things are changing rapidly in Greenland so we always stay updated .