Visit Greenland!
If you are considering an Iceland vacation you should keep in mind that Greenland is right next door. Greenland is an incredibly beautiful country with an intriguing culture and lifestyle. Iceland tour operators and travel agents frequently offer Greenland tours mainly consisting of cross country skiing and hiking. These tours to Greenland range in length from 3 day tours to month long expeditions, making them best suited for tourists who will be staying in Iceland for a substantial amount of time. The reason for this is you will want to leave yourself enough time to experience both countries.
Greenland is a country within the Kingdom of Denmark that lies just south of Article Circle with an extremely cold climate. It is the largest island that is not a continent and it is the least densely populated country in the world. The topography of Greenland includes icebergs, mountains, glaciers, deep valleys, lakes, rivers, and colorful villages. If you visit Greenland you will learn that in some villages, such as Ammassalik, the local residents still follow the Intuit ways of their ancestors. This Inuit lifestyle heavily revolves around fishing which still remains to be Greenland’s main income earner to this very day. Greenland enjoys long hours of daylight during the summer allowing more time for activities such as hiking and skiing.
The name Greenland comes from Erik the Red who was a Norwegian man exiled from Iceland for murder. When he arrived there with his family and slaves, he named it Greenland in hopes of attracting other settler. This is of course misleading considering most of Greenland’s surface is covered in ice. The inhabitants of Greenland are a mixture of Icelandic immigrants, Denmark immigrants, and native Inuit people. Both Danish and Greenlandic are the official languages.
Some Iceland tour operators feature a Greenland Crossing Tour which entails a month long expedition. This is the most challenging and physical demanding tour involving up to 8 hours of walking and skiing per day. If you are an avid outdoorsman and you are up to an intense challenge then this style of tour is perfect for your time in Greenland.
Overall, if you are considering Iceland travel and you have the extra time you should also tour Greenland. Enjoy a cross country ski or hiking tour while taking in the beautiful scenery and unique Arctic culture. Whether you choose an easy 3 day tour or a month long journey you will not regret seeing the picturesque Greenland countryside and discovering the ways of the natives. Hopefully this article has provided you with helpful advice for your trip to Iceland.
