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Greenland tours for seniors

Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tour in Greenland and beyond. We explore Greenland‘s incredible natural beauty, its ancient Inuit and Viking heritage, National Heritage Sites, and charming towns, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of Greenland, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people up in the Polar region.

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Crafted Tours for Mature World Travellers

Greenland Tours

Iceland church in Vik
Pre-guaranteed
From $37,917 CAD

Arctic circle tour

A 40 day small group tour for senior couples and mature solo travellers interested in exploring the Arctic circle. The group with a program leader explores Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The tour makes use of the long summer night light for your enjoyment learning about viking history and trade  and the Sami.

40 days
Denmark, Finland
Departing May
Discover Greenland’s history and culture
From $5,701 CAD

Discover Greenland | Small Group Tour for Seniors

Greenland is the largest island in the world, the majority of it lies above the Arctic Circle, and it is part of Denmark. Few places are quite so difficult to reach, we fly from Reykjavik to Nuuk. During this small group tour we have ensured that our travellers gets to this conversation-stopping land and, while we are there we obtain the most comprehensive overview of this vast landmass. We visit during the summer, experiencing the burst of seasonal flora, which caused the early voyagers to name it Greenland.

4 days
Greenland
Departing Sep, May
Tours of Europe

For a travel experience you’ll never forget consider one of our small group tours Greenland. This island of glacier, mountain and fjord will reward any traveller on a Greenland tour seeking a glimpse of the untapped wilds of the North Pole in the arctic circle . Head on an expedition cruise, and you may see a humpback whale or polar bear in their natural habitat complete with ice cap and huge icebergs released from the Greenland ice sheet– and explore Greenland‘s mix of Viking and Inuit history in Nuuk , the capital city.

If you’re intrigued about one of the world’s most remote and pristine destinations, join Odyssey Traveller as we explore the historical and natural wonders of Greenland on land, rather by cruise ship. On this small group tour we start in Reykjavik, Iceland and fly to Greenland. These small group tours Greenland focus on South Greenland and East coast. This escorted tour for mature and senior travellers includes time seeing the list for couples and solo travellers that make any expedition into the arctic circle such a great memory, from the opportunity in the Autumn to early spring of seeing the Northern light show, a polar bear on the ice sheet or musk ox and arctic fox as well the physical environment often dominated by huge icebergs, these are towering icebergs that dominate the view as well as ice fjord and glacier activity from this receding ice cap. Your small group tour in Greenland also learns about the viking settlement in the sheltered fjord of the West Greenland coast during the Medieval period. The group has time to visit these historic places unique in the Polar region on your Greenland tour.

Articles about Greenland

Nuuk Greenland

Nuuk, Greenland

3 mins read EuropeGreenland

Nuuk is an incredible city to visit, a small but cosmopolitan city with modern conveniences–gourmet dining, beautiful boutique fashion shops, apartment blocks–that still also retains its centuries-old indigenous roots.

The need to know

Touring Greenland

Getting around

Odyssey travels by coach and occasionally uses local transport, including trains and ferries. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary.

However, travel options within Greenland are very limited, and on this short tour we travel mostly by plane and helicopter.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Greenland is limited. We select good, clean, en-suited 3-4 star hotels.

Tour Guides

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Geography, Weather & environment

Greenland is an autonomous constituent country in the Kingdom of Denmark.

It lies between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, to the east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Despite its physiographical ties to the American continent, Greenland is more closely related to Europe and especially Scandinavia.

Residents of remote Greenland are majority Inuit peoples, whose ancestors migrated from mainland Canada. Greenland is considered the world’s biggest island (Antarctica and Australia are continental landmasses).

It is the world’s least populated territory in terms of density. Just over 56,000 people reside here, and they are concentrated along the ice free coast, and in cities inluding the capital Nuuk. This is because three quarters of Greenland is covered with a permanent ice sheet.

As you might expect, Greenland’s climate is cold. The average daily temperature in Muuk is -8 to 7 degrees celcius. If Greenland’s ice sheet was to melt, the world’s sea level would rise by over 7 metres.

Interestingly, the northernmost part of Greenland isn’t covered by an ice sheet because the air is too dry to produce snow.

You must prepare for extreme cold if you are travelling to Greenland.

World Heritage sites

Kujataa, Greenland is a UNESCO World Heritage site, though it is listed as part of Denmark.

It is a subarctic farming landscape where Norse farmer-hunters arrived in the 10th century. It here that Inuit farming communities developed in the 18th century. The site is preserved for its historic value, as the first site of farming in the Arctic.

Festivals & events

The most celebrated events in Greenland are Christmas and New Year, along with their National Day on June 21st. This is the longest day of the year, and is marked with songs and entertainment hosted by every settlement and town.

Greenland’s only national TV channel broadcasts reports from different locations. Many people don national costumes in order to celebrate Greenland’s history and culture.

Greenland also celebrates the Return of the Sun, the day that signals a relief from months of darkness. On the day the sun first appears on the horizon, many families celebrate with excursions to enjoy coffee and cakes. In Ilulissat, families and school groups travel to Holms Hill by dogsled and sing songs.

Reading list

  1. Journal of a Greenland Voyage by William Scoresby
  2. The Greenlanders by Jane Smiley
  3. Rethinking Greenland and the Arctic in the Era of Climate Change by Frank Sejersen
  4. Exploring Greenland: Cold War Science and Technology on Ice by Ronald E. Doel, Kristine C. Harper, and Matthias Heymann (editors)

Eating & Drinking

Farmers grow select crops in small batches on Greenland’s limited agricultural land. Despite these limitations, however, cuisine in Greenland is surprisingly exciting and innovative. Much of the produce is gleaned from the sea and land, in the form of diverse fish species and Arctic mammals.

There are very much traces of Greenland’s hunting heritage in modern cuisine. But it also reflects increasing international influences. Fish features most prominently in the home.

A greater variety of ingredients are shipped in, or delivered by plane. Some of the more obscure delicacies include seal and whale. Mattak is made from a whale’s skin and blubber and is eaten raw. Suaasat is a traditional soup made with seal meat, but whale, reindeer or seabirds can be subsituted. But for the less adventurous among us, more standard fare can usually be sourced, particularly in the cities.

As for drinking in Greenland, dinner is often followed by a warming concoction of hot coffee, whiskey, Kahlua, Grand Marnier and whipped cream, which is set aflame before serving. A brewery in Greenland pioneered Ice beer, brewed with glacial water. Homebrewing is abundant in Greenland – alcohol was heavily restricted until 1954.

Health & Safety

While much of Greenland is usually safe to travel around, it’s important to stay alert to anything unusual. As in any country, keep a close eye on your belongings at all times.

Electrical supply

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. Greenland’s power sockets are of types C, F, E and K. The standard voltage is 230V and frequency 50Hz.

FAQs

Greenland’s generalized time zone in Atlantic Time (AT) or UTC -4.00/-3.00. Greenland

If you’re on an Odyssey tour, we take care of tipping so you don’t need to give it a second thought. However, in your free time, or if travelling independently, it’s essential that you make sure you tip an appropriate amount for services, as is the case throughout much of Europe. In Greenland, prices are inclusive of tips and gratuities, however if you enjoyed the service, a tip or compliment will be greatly appreciated by staff. It’s polite to round a bill up to the nearest whole figure or leave the change when buying drinks.

Internet access is available and most hotels and many cafes should be able to offer it.

Check with your cell phone provider to see whether you’re able to make calls and use data while in Greenland. Many providers will allow you to pay a daily fee that allows you to make calls and check the internet while only being charged your regular rates. However, be certain to inform your provider that you’re heading overseas, because just like a bank they can turn off your service as a result of unusual activity.

Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, was founded in 1728 and has approximately 16,800 residents.

Greenland got its name from Erik The Red, an Icelandic murderer who was exiled to the island. He called it “Greenland” in hopes that the name would attract settlers.

June to September is considered to be the best time to visit Greenland, with long, bright, balmy days of summer and you actually see a bit of green land!

For a travel experience you’ll never forget consider one of our small group tours Greenland. This island of glacier, mountain and fjord will reward any traveller on a Greenland tour seeking a glimpse of the untapped wilds of the North Pole in the arctic circle . Head on an expedition cruise, and you may see a humpback whale or polar bear in their natural habitat complete with ice cap and huge icebergs released from the Greenland ice sheet– and explore Greenland‘s mix of Viking and Inuit history in Nuuk , the capital city.

Why take a small group tour of iceland?

If you’re intrigued about one of the world’s most remote and pristine destinations, join Odyssey Traveller as we explore the historical and natural wonders of Greenland on land, rather by cruise ship. On this small group tour we start in Reykjavik, Iceland and fly to Greenland. These small group tours Greenland focus on South Greenland and East coast. This escorted tour for mature and senior travellers includes time seeing the list for couples and solo travellers that make any expedition into the arctic circle such a great memory, from the opportunity in the Autumn to early spring of seeing the Northern light show, a polar bear on the ice sheet or musk ox and arctic fox as well the physical environment often dominated by huge icebergs, these are towering icebergs that dominate the view as well as ice fjord and glacier activity from this receding ice cap. Your small group tour in Greenland also learns about the viking settlement in the sheltered fjord of the West Greenland coast during the Medieval period. The group has time to visit these historic places unique in the Polar region on your Greenland tour.

 

In addition to your regular clothes, we recommend:

  • Hiking shoes or boots (water-proof and profiled soles)
  • Wind- and waterproof outerwear (lightweight)
  • Fleece jacket/vest.
  • Thermal underwear.
  • T-shirts, both short and long-sleeved.
  • Jeans.
  • Hat and gloves for sailing trips.

 

Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), which is part of the Inuit languages spoken in Alaska, Canada and Greenland, is divided into three dialects. West Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), East Greenlandic (Tunumiit oraasiat) and the Thule Greenlandic (Inuktun).

Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tours across Greenland and beyond to Iceland. We explore Greenland’s fairy-tale natural beauty, and famous city, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of Greenland, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people.

The total flight duration from Iceland to Greenland is around 2-3 hours.

 

A visa is not required for Greenland for a stay of up to 90 days. Please keep in mind that while a visa is not required, you must: Hold a passport valid for at least six months beyond your date of country exit and with one blank visa page.

 

The safety of our travellers, tour leader, local guide and support staff has always been our top priority and with the new guidelines for public health and safety for keeping safe for destinations around the world, we’ve developed our plan to give you peace of mind when travelling with us.

Odyssey’s Discover Greenland small group tour lets travellers experience one of the world’s most picturesque landscape. Greenland is the largest island in the world, with the vast majority of its landmass lying above the Arctic Circle. Few places are quite so difficult to reach. Our Discover Greenland is a short tour. We have been at great pains to ensure that our travellers get to experience this breathtaking island. The tour includes a day exploring the archaeological sites of the Vikings led by Ethel the Red.

On this short tour, travellers receive the most comprehensive overview of this vast landmass, an autonomous region of Denmark. To maximise the learning experience and to Discover Greenland’s history and culture, the tour includes a visit to the astonishingly picturesque capital of Nuuk. From there, we experience amazing views from a fjord adventure of Nuup Kangerlua (Godthaab Fjord); a full day of beautiful nature, fascinating stories and delicious food in one of the worlds most remote restaurants. The next day we will explore and learn about the capital with it’s colonial harbour. This tour is perfect introduction to Nuuk and will help you understand more of the people and the history of Greenland.

We visit during the summer months and can thus experience the burst of seasonal flora that caused the early voyagers to name it Greenland.

You can learn more about Greenland with our profile. For more details about how you might like to Discover Greenland’s history and culture then please click the ‘Top 5’ or ‘Itinerary’ buttons above! If you’re keen to experience this tour, please call or send an email. Or, to book, simply fill in the form on the right hand side of this page.

There is also the possibility of adding an additional Extension to Iceland on to this tour. This article shares a commentary with you about Iceland as destination.

Articles about Greenland published by Odyssey Traveller:

Understanding Greenland

Viking’s Woolen Sails

Discover Scandinavia: Denmark’s Viking Past

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature aged and senior travellers, click through on this link.

 

External articles to assist you on your visit to Greenland:

Visit Greenland

Ten Enchanting Travel Experiences in Greenland

Cool Nuuk: Greenland’s burgeoning capital city

Responsible travel tips for Greenland:

  • Learn at least the local greetings to break the ice. Although many locals speak English, the more you know of the native language, the greater your experience of the country will be.
  • Carry a business card in your wallet or purse from your local hotel, to assist you with the return journey if you do become lost.
  • Always ensure that you are covered by travel insurance. If you need advice on this feel free to contact Odyssey and we’ll be able to help.
  • When travelling independently, make sure you check the opening hours of shops and museums so that you don’t miss out! Museums and galleries are often closed on Mondays. Also be certain to check whether your trip coincides with any public holidays, so you can plan accordingly.
  • Consider contacting your bank to inform them that you may be making purchases overseas. Otherwise, they may flag any activity on your account as suspicious. Also, check which ATMs and banks are compatible with your cards, to ensure you can withdraw cash with minimal fees.
  • Before departing, make sure you have on hand the local currency in a range of denominations. In Greenland, this is the Danish krone. You don’t want to be carrying around enormous amounts of cash, but take enough to make it easy to pay in locations that might not accept credit card. It will also help you avoid card transaction fees, and it makes tipping a breeze.
  • If sightseeing in rural areas, remember to be respectful of residents and locals.

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