In Qeqqata Municipality, multi-day hikes meet museums with very different historical focuses. There are also seasonal excursions and tours in Sisimiut and Maniitsoq. When planning your trip, it is therefore worth first considering whether you want to focus on hiking, culture, or winter and water activities.
Hikes of varying durations
There are several well-marked hiking trails in the Sisimiut area, ranging from a few hours to the multi-day Arctic Circle Trail. The marked route is 160 kilometres long and runs between Sisimiut and the end of the 170-kilometre Kangerlussuaq Fjord. Hikers usually need eight to nine days to complete the whole route. Check current trail conditions before setting out, and plan for a multi-day trip.
The Arctic Circle Race may be another reason to visit: the cross-country ski race lasts three days and covers 160 kilometres through the hinterland of Sisimiut. Its distance is the same as that of the Arctic Circle Trail, but it is a race and a different activity. If you want to plan your trip around it, check the event dates.
At a regional level, a dog-sledding route also connects Sisimiut with Kangerlussuaq International Airport. It should not be confused with the Arctic Circle Trail hiking route. Before setting out, check the preparation advice and latest updates on the official trail website. Other marked hiking routes start from Maniitsoq and are mostly untracked. They are suitable for experienced hikers or guided tours. Another option in Maniitsoq is to climb 470 steps to the “Eiffel Tower” (Sakkortusaavik), which offers a 360-degree panoramic view. Check local access conditions before climbing.
Winter tours and excursions on the water
Dog-sledding and snowmobile tours are offered in Sisimiut in winter. These include rides up to the downhill runs on Mount Alanngorsuaq. Offerings and operators can vary, so it is a good idea to check current information before planning.
In summer, boat excursions from Sisimiut visit UNESCO sites and abandoned settlements, including Assaqutaq. These excursions are also seasonal, and availability from operators may change. Sailing trips explore Eternity Fjord or the nearer Sermilinnguaq Fjord. Whales can often be seen along the way. Check current operator information for these seasonal excursions. The information about summer boat excursions and sailing trips describes different offerings; the sailing trips are not limited here to a particular season.
Museums in Sisimiut, Maniitsoq and Kangerlussuaq
The Sisimiut Museum of cultural history focuses on trade, shipping and industry. Its extensive archaeological exhibition features rich finds from Saqqaq culture settlements. The museum also includes a reconstructed turf house, showing how people in Sisimiut lived around 100 years ago. The museum is housed in former colonial buildings, several of which date from the 18th century. For all three museums, it is advisable to check current visiting arrangements with the respective provider.
The Maniitsoq Museum’s exhibitions are spread across four restored, historically significant buildings. It showcases artists from the Maniitsoq area and presents the history of the town and Greenland as a whole. Topics on display include traditional clothing, art and history. The museum in Kangerlussuaq covers both the town’s history as an American base and its later development into an important transport hub for Greenland, as well as the history of aviation in Greenland before, during and after the Second World War. The museums therefore have different focuses: archaeological finds and former ways of life in Sisimiut, art and history in Maniitsoq, and local and aviation history in Kangerlussuaq.
Landscape and trip planning
Russell Glacier is near Kangerlussuaq. At Point 660, visitors can reach the Greenland Ice Sheet; access depends on local transport and conditions. These landscape destinations cannot be worked into a specific itinerary based on their names alone: for Point 660, the relevant transport and access conditions are key.
When looking for accommodation, it can help to first decide what you want to focus on: for example, hiking trails in the Sisimiut area, museums in the three towns, or tours tied to a particular season. This lets you plan your trip around the activities that matter most to you, without treating hikes, museum visits and seasonal excursions as one single programme.
Discover more destinations: Sisimiut, Uummannaq, Aasiaat, Maniitsoq, Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq, Kommuneqarfik Sermersooq, Tunu.
Back to the main travel overview: Greenland.
