Sisimiut Guide: Greenland's Second City & Arctic Adventure Hub
Plan your trip
Sisimiut is Greenland’s second-largest town — a city of approximately 5,500 people just north of the Arctic Circle on the west coast, 350 km north of Nuuk. It has the features that define Greenlandic settlements: brightly painted houses (red, blue, yellow, green) against a backdrop of bare rock and winter snow, dog yards audible from anywhere in town, and the closeness of genuinely wild terrain that begins at the city edge.
Where Ilulissat is defined by its icefjord and is primarily a destination for the Icefjord experience, Sisimiut is defined by its diversity of activity: the Arctic Circle Trail (a 160 km wilderness hike to Kangerlussuaq), winter dog sledding on sea ice and tundra, summer hiking on the hills immediately above the town, and a year-round boat access to fjords and islands.
The Arctic Circle Trail
160 km point-to-point trail from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq | 7–12 days
The most popular multi-day trek in Greenland — a hut-to-hut route (in summer, with wooden emergency shelters spaced approximately 20 km apart) crossing the subarctic tundra between the west coast and the ice sheet inland. The trail passes through glacial valleys, over exposed ridges, across rivers (several require wading — water depths vary seasonally), and through landscapes that have no permanent human presence for the entire route.
Season: Late June through early September. The trail is snow-free for this window; outside it, the river crossings become genuinely dangerous and the emergency huts are snowed in.
Self-sufficient: No resupply is possible on the trail. Carry 7–12 days of food from Sisimiut. The huts provide sleeping platforms and, in some, wood stoves; you bring your sleeping bag and cooking equipment.
Difficulty: Moderate to demanding. The terrain is trackless in places; river crossings (knee to thigh deep at most, but cold) are the main technical challenge. No technical climbing. Good navigation skills essential (GPS track recommended as backup to map and compass).
Ending at Kangerlussuaq: The trail ends at Greenland’s main inland airport hub, from which Air Greenland connects back to Nuuk or internationally to Copenhagen.
The experience: The Arctic Circle Trail is the best accessible wilderness trekking in Greenland — genuinely remote, no other trail infrastructure, and the tundra landscape (low-growing vegetation, glacial lakes, silence) at a scale that requires multiple days to appreciate fully.
Dog Sledding
Sisimiut is the southernmost town in Greenland that actively maintains a working sled dog culture — the region north of the Arctic Circle where the sea ice reliably freezes, enabling overland travel by dogsled in winter. The dogs here are genuine working animals, not primarily tourist entertainment.
Season: January–April, when sea ice conditions permit. The best sledding is February–March when ice is thick and daylight increasing.
Day tours: 2–4 hour introductory dogsled rides on the sea ice or tundra. Available through local operators. Price: approximately DKK 700–1,000/person.
Multi-day expeditions: Some operators offer 2–3 day wilderness dogsled trips camping on the sea ice. The experience of sleeping in a snow camp, waking to the sound of the dogs, and traveling across frozen Greenland is one of the most complete Arctic experiences available. Price: DKK 3,000–5,000/person for a 3-day expedition.
Hiking from Sisimiut
The hills immediately surrounding Sisimiut provide hiking directly from the town, without transport:
Palasip Qaqqaa (the Priest’s Mountain): The most visible summit above the town — 784m, 3–4 hours round trip from the edge of Sisimiut. The route is unmarked but clear in dry conditions; the summit provides panoramic views over the fjord system and, on clear days, to the sea ice offshore.
The Old Town (Nipisa): The original settlement site above modern Sisimiut — ruins of the early trading post and church, accessible by 30-minute walk from the harbor. Good views over the modern town.
Coastal walks: The rocky coastline north of Sisimiut has accessible walking terrain with sea views and, in summer, sea bird colonies.
The Town
Sisimiut’s colorful houses spread across a hillside of bare rock — the density of color against stone and sea makes it the most photogenic Greenlandic town from a distance. At street level, the town functions as a regional service center: a hospital, a high school (students from the surrounding region live here to attend), workshops, the fish processing factory, and the small but well-run Sisimiut Museum.
Sisimiut Museum: Covers Greenlandic history from the earliest Palaeo-Eskimo cultures through the Thule Inuit to the present, with particular focus on the local Sisimiut area. Good exhibits on the kayak and hunting culture; the outdoor section has historic boats and equipment.
The Old Church: A red-painted wooden church from the Danish colonial period (1775), the oldest building in Sisimiut and one of the oldest in Greenland. Still in use; visitors welcome outside service times.
Practical Notes
Getting there: Air Greenland from Nuuk (45 minutes) or from Kangerlussuaq (20 minutes). Multiple daily flights. The helicopter service from Nuuk is cheaper but weather-dependent.
Best season:
- Summer (June–August): Midnight sun, Arctic Circle Trail, hiking
- Winter (January–April): Dog sledding, Northern Lights (September–February), sea ice
Accommodation: Hotel Sisimiut is the main option (mid-range, harbor views). Several smaller guesthouses and the hostel (Sisimiut Vandrerhjem) for budget travelers. Book in advance for July–August and February–March.
Combining with the Arctic Circle Trail: Most trail hikers start in Sisimiut and end at Kangerlussuaq. This requires arriving in Sisimiut with full food supplies for 7–10 days (shop in Sisimiut, as Kangerlussuaq has limited supply).
Plan your trip
