Who lives fewer than 480 people, and there is only one policeman, one doctor, one school and one kindergarten and day nursery, but, nevertheless, tourists started flocking to the east greenland town of Ittoqqortoormiit, at Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord complex in the world, to get acquainted with the icy paradise on earth.
even Though it is only possible to sail to the city in the two-three months of the year, where the sea is not frozen to ice, cruise ships filled with tourists to a far greater extent begun to fall, while more and more tourists can also take helicopter rides to the city outside of high season.
– We can notice that more tourists have become aware of our small town. Far more ships are put to berth than in the past, says Mette Pike Barselajsen, which in several cases has been the need to pull the fat in the tourists, because they are moving out, where it can either be dangerous, or where it may create problems for the greenlandic hunters, who are trying to capture the family’s next meal.
– We are very, very happy for the many tourists, as it is one of our biggest resources, but we also try to keep the string in them, so they do not come in the way of our hunters, or putting itself in danger.
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Ittoqqortoormiit by helicopter. The city and its houses can be seen on the far right, way out on the tip. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
Mette Pike Barselajsen is executive director of the city’s only hotel, The Guesthouse, as the Extra Magazine issued stayed in connection with the journey to the isolated paradise, where the danes, however, in spite of the distance can feel at home, because the locals talk English.
Thus is the city’s only supermarket, which most of all looks like a good, old-fashioned Danish villa from the outside, as is also filled with Danish food.
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The local ‘supermarket’. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
You must, however, be well prepared, if you are considering a trip to the greenlandic settlement, where there was nothing less than -21 degrees the one of the november days, as the undersigned spent in the arctic city, where the nearest neighbor is Greenland’s national Park, which is the world’s largest national park and offers a rich wildlife, among other things, polar bears, musk oxen and reindeer.
Animals, which, incidentally, can also be found in Ittoqqortoormiit, which means that you must take good care of, if one moves out of the city. As late as in the summer it was one of the local namely literally attacked by a polar bear when he was run out for a ride on his snowmobile.
– He was simply going to have to push the polar bear away, as he had not his rifle with, says Mette Pike Barselajsen and continues:
– So he ran in circles around on his snowmobile until he eventually got it turned on and able to run away.
the Risk of polar bears means that the local places their dog sleds, which consists of greenlandic dogs, which are half husky and half wolf, in the outskirts of the city, as their barking, thus, warns the inhabitants, if a polar bear is approaching.
If the residents of the houses on the outskirts of the city, hear the dogs bark, they write on Facebook and warn thereby the rest of the inhabitants to stay indoors.
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the Dogs warns, if there are polar bears. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
Here is the 23-year-old Martin with his dog sled. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
Therefore, it can be also a good deal to take advantage of some of the city guides, if you want to move out of the city and try some of the all sorts of activities, you can take care in the icy snow paradise such as dog sledding, sea kayaking, hiking in the mountains or a trip down the nearby slope, which has a lift available.
If you do not want to bring your own skis on the long journey, you can in addition, for just 25 dollars rent skis at the tourist office.
You can see prices for a range of activities such as dog sledding and snowmobile as well as the prices for rent of, for example, snowshoe or kayak here. The prices are listed in Danish kroner.
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the View from the helikoperturen on the way to Greenland. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
Greenland at Scoresby Sound in Greenland. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
Greenland at Scoresby Sound in Greenland. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
despite its isolated location is Ittoqqortoormiit a well-functioning city, which most of all reminds of a small English village, only a much colder, with tons of snow and a stunning scenery with views you can only dream about.
In the city include a museum, where tourists can learn about Ittoqqortoormiit history, while on the top of the mountain is a weather station which gives information about the poles to the entire world.
There is also a regular primary school in the city, where the children learn English from the 1. class, while there is also a nursing home and a fire station with volunteers.
If you are træningsfanatiker and fears to miss to many runs on the holidays, because it is good and well, impossible to run in the snow and cold that characterizes Ittoqqortoormiit, there is even a small gym which is free for everyone – including tourists.
And it is then in the extent, also been a hit for many tourists to go far away, when they are on vacation. Thus, bookinghjemmesiden Hotels.com in the year experienced an increase of no less than 18 percent, when it comes to searches on remote hotels, while they have experienced an increase of around 37 percent, when it comes to hotels in Greenland.
Greenland is really a ‘hot’ destination of the moment, even though it is -20 degrees most of the time, says Adam Jay, who is the director of bookingportalens fire department and continues:
– It is due to the traveler in the higher-degree seeking life-affirming experiences, and this breathtaking island, where you can take in a dog sled with the wolves, kayak in the arctic ocean and maybe see the northern Lights from the room, is indeed a spectacular experience.
You can see more pictures from the fairy-tale and cold greenland vacation paradise including:
The small room. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
It is not unusual to see the locals come running on the snowmobile with the day’s catch on the back. Here are the two seals that are transported home. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
The bloody track from the seals. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
the City’s crèche and nursery with capacity for 30 children. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
To the left is the city’s only college for young students who want to move ‘home’, while the building to the right is a kind of adult education centre for the older residents, who did not complete primary school. Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
This is the city’s only hotel with seven rooms (including two doubles). Photo: Kicki Sea Bengtsen
How to reach Ittoqqortoormiit
The easiest way to get to Greenland’s most isolated town is by travelling to Reykjavik in Iceland and on to the nordislandske town of Akureyri.
from Here you fly to the greenland airport, Constable Point, where you jump on a helicopter and take the 15 minute trip to Ittoqqortoormiit .
Indenrigsflyvningerne in Iceland can be booked through Air France Connect, while helicopter tours can be booked at Air Greenland.
Services are limited, so you need to be in good time with the order.
Source: Hotels.com