Greenland

The Arctic spring, between March and May, ushers in longer hours of daylight, bearable temperatures and snowy landscapes. After a long winter, the sun and light return during the first few months of the year, and in March and April it is time to harness up the dogs and ready the sled. Dog sledging can be experienced in East Greenland in Kulusuk and Tasiilaq. 

June brings perpetual day, melting snow and ice in the fjords, and an awakening of the wildlife. As a result boat trips to glaciers, settlements and sites of historical interest are once again available all over the country. 

The summer, which often runs all the way from June into September, is Greenland’s high season. The periods just before and after the calendar summer – i.e. May and September – are two relatively overlooked months for travelling in Greenland, when the climate can be surprisingly mild in a period in which transport timetables are still offering high season services. The weather in ‘summer’ is most stable in the Disko Bay area but variable elsewhere. Sudden changes do occur, which can disrupt travel plans and flight schedules. Summer temperatures average around 11°C but can feel surprisingly warm in the sheltered fjords and valleys. It can be cooler on the coast and in the north, and by late August the cold nights start drawing in, with new snow usually arriving in mid-September.
 
Magical aurora borealis displays are arguably the most spectacular from August to mid-November, and from mid-February to early April, and are best seen just south of the Arctic Circle. 

Greenlandic winters are long, harsh and very dark; from mid-October to end of February is in our view not a good time to travel.