Summer in Greenland

Greenlanders love their summer so highly and rightly so. This is a sentence one could say about most people in the world, but when summer is short and explosive, it is all about enjoying it to the fullest, something we do in Greenland. And you will also come to love the Greenlandic summer!

Green Greenland

The summer offers plenty of contrasts in a country that, much of the year, is covered in white. The springs’ large meltwater waterfalls have given the winter-frozen soil a lot of life and, in most places, green bushes, grass, and flowers grow from the soil. It is especially true in South and East Greenland, but you also see it in the fjords of West Greenland. Yellow buttercups adorn the mountainsides and many of the roadside ditches of the towns. Where in other countries, you may tend to think of dandelions as annoying weeds, they are very much loved in Greenland and help to give life and colors.

Experience the contrasts of summer

It is a bit of a cliché to say that Greenland is the land of contrasts, as we did above, but clichés do not come out of the blue. Once you are here in the summer, it is fantastic to experience the lushness near the Greenland Ice Sheet. You might otherwise think that the cold from the ice would make the peripheral areas barren but, very often, that is far from true. On the contrary, the meltwater ensures that there is a buzzing life of both flora and fauna.

Read more about Greenlands nature and wildlife and get interesting information that you might not know already.

The reason Greenlanders love the summer

In Greenlands small communities you will experience that it is extra busy in the summertime. North of the Polar circle we experience midnight sun, which means that the sun is in the sky almost constantly and it is humming with life in the area. To watch the children play in the evening is not a rare sight. When they have summer vacation there is really no reason not to. “Bedtime” is not a known phrase in Greenland.

The summer months are also the time of year where the locals go out in boats and tents to enjoy natures gifts, like trout and berries. In South Greenland the equivalent to strawberries are turnips. A well loved delicacy, which is in high demand in the stores.

The picture of your life

In Greenland you are constantly reminded of natures closeness. Relax and enjoy it, that’s what it’s all about. Here you will also experience mornings with mist and fog, and we can only recommend that you go out to the Fiords, armed with your camera. There is nothing like watching the fog lifting and seeing the icebergs coming into view, and the mountaintops rise high above you, while the fog spreads letting the sun shine through.

Active vacation or relaxation

Greenland has visitors all year around. There are a lot of ways to relax and watch the wonders of nature at your own pace. Though there are many people who come here for an active holiday. There are plenty of opportunities to challenge yourself. You can try climbing, diving, hiking and running. Being the traveller you have a lot of options to create your own dream trip, especially because the different regions can offer different experiences.

What to wear in the greenlandic summer

You should always remember warm clothes, when you are in Greenland. It is often cold out on the water. With that said, the summer temperature in Greenland is normally around 5 to 15 degrees in the shade. The further south you get, the warmer it will be.

That might not sound like much, when you are used to the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. In Greenland that temperature is actually quite warm and nice, because of the strong sun and the dry winds. This is why it’s not unusual to see people in shorts and T-shirts in the summer, though in the evening most people put on warmer clothes.

Temperatures in Greenland

The temperatures vary all year around, and the arctic winter can offer some very fresh days with degrees below zero. The summers are often really nice, with very pleasant temperatures.

The air in Greenland is dry, which is why even a few degrees above zero will feel warmer in here, than in the rest of the world. In the same manner the cold doesn’t feel quite so cold in comparison.

The seasons in Greenland