Tasiilaq

Biggest town in East Greenland
Today Tasiilaq has approximately 1,700 inhabitants and is thus the biggest town in East Greenland. The town has a picturesque setting in a fjord surrounded by high mountains and bisected by a small river that flows through the town. The flower valley behind the town has a unique flora and is a popular area for both short and long hikes. Tasiilaq is on the large island of Ammassalik, which is also the name of the municipality. The Municipality of Ammassalik covers an area of approximately 250,000 km2 (95,000 square miles), which is around the size of the state of Oregon on the American west coast.



	Sunny day in Tasiilaq

Activities around Tasiilaq
During the summer, activities include hiking and climbing for people of all abilities, as well as helicopter trips to the ice sheet or glaciers. Sea kayaking and sailing on the fjord between icebergs, whale safaris and angling are all popular activities. The large amounts of snow in the winter season and the spring enable sled trips on the unique East Greenlandic dogsleds. These can be seen everywhere outside the colourful timber houses together with the chained sled dogs.

Tasiilaq then and now
As it is only just over 100 years since the first Europeans came to the area, the traditional Inuit culture still plays an important role in day-to-day life. However, Tasiilaq is also a modern society with many of the facilities that are found in the rest of the world. Computer games, the Internet and the mobile phone have all found their way to Tasiilaq.

How do I get to Tasiilaq?
Both Air Greenland and Air Iceland (from Reykjavik) fly to Tasiilaq's settlement, Kulusuk, which lies just ten minutes by helicopter (Air Greenland) from Tasiilaq. Available modes of transport in the area during the winter consist of helicopter, snowmobile and dogsled, whilst in the summer local transport takes place via supply ships to the settlements, helicopters and private boats. For more information, please contact Tasiilaq’s tourist office.

See a map of Tasiilaq and download a tourist brochure about Tasiilaq from 2008

Tasiilaq weather: