Tunulliarfik Fjord

Farm country and backcountry all rolled into one!

A geologically gorgeous fjord full of a cultural landscape that is home to inuit farms, ice experiences, Viking ruins, part of South Greenland's UNESCO World Heritage Site, small settlements, forests and hiking or driving routes to connect them all.

And of course there are a few best-kept secret locations that you definitely need a local guide to get you there.

Sail in Qooqqut Icefjord, a side arm in the furthest reaches of Tunulliarfik Fjord, to get the ice experience you crave.

Get emotive winter feels in Tunulliarfik Fjord with sensory forest walking and other snowy delights.

The farmers are calling!

The approximately 20 sheep farms accessible from Tunulliarfik Fjord are by far a massive lifeline for the fjord.

Explore Sheep Farms.

The farmers' livelihoods center around their flocks as well as principles of self-sufficiency and sustainability. Some farms now being run by the fifth generation of inuit sheep farmers. Given that this lifestyle is so unique for the Arctic and for the world, it is half of what earned South Greenland its UNESCO World Heritage Site back in 2017.

In particular, five sheep farms in and around Qassiarsuk have banned together to offer Farm Holiday Greenland, a circuit experience of hiking, staying in farm hostels and guesthouses, and eating hyper-local at the family table.

Experience Greenland's only widespread farm country

Easy: day trip to Qassiarsuk settlement; kaffemik at a nearby farm

Medium: day hiking to outlying sheep farms near Qassiarsuk (7-15 km), or from Itilleq to Igaliku (4 km)

Medium: supported multi-day circuit trekking to stay overnight and immerse at outlying sheep farms

Hard: unsupported multi-day circuit trekking to stay overnight and immerse at outlying sheep farms

Special interest: multi-day horseback riding expeditions around Qassiarsuk

Explore KUJATAA,
South Greenland's UNESCO World Heritage Site.

KUJATAA honours Arctic agriculture across two time periods, the present day (in which the inuit sheep farmers are the living and breathing cultural heritage) and historically during the Viking era from the 10th to 15th centuries. Download the app for pre-trip learning, and then take the guided tour in both Qassiarsuk (in Tunulliarfik Fjord) and Igaliku (accessible by way of Tunulliarfik Fjord).

Download high quality topographic maps here.

For Hiking

Please remember the golden rules of hiking in our farm country:

1) leave no trace,

2) please do not ever walk through, drive on or camp on the farmers' bright green, lush grass fields,

3) leave gates as you found them (in other words, if you open a gate to pass through, please make sure to close it behind you again), and

4) please do not pet dogs or give them attention as they are working dogs and should not build bonds with other people than their farmers.

Do you want to run, not walk?
Mark your calendar for the Leif Iluanaarajooq / Leif Eriksson Marathon in Qassiarsuk!

Saturday, 16 August 2025

The Greenland Arboretum &
Qanassiassat Forest &
Itilleq Children's Forest

Tunulliarfik Fjord has not one, not two but three forests! The Greenland Arboretum is by far the largest and most accessible, and with the widest variety of species, but the Qanassiassat Forest is just the most enchanting ever, with its deep fjord location where not just anyone is suddenly passing by. And the Children's Forest has the most endearing story. In 2004, one tree was planted for every child born between 1979 and 2004.

Ice Experiences

Kiattuut Glacier

Tunulliarfik Fjord is home to the closest and easiest walking access to the Greenland Ice Sheet in the country.

Walk just 8 km from the center of Narsarsuaq, partially on paved road, until you reach what is called Hospital Valley, an old location from the former World War II airbase.

After Hospital Valley comes a beautiful and colorful farm valley, alongside the glacial runoff riverbed, up a final little rocky area and suddenly you are in the midst of Kiattuut Glacier and the only ice sheet in the northern hemisphere.

Imagine being able to do a day hike to and from the Greenland Ice Sheet!

Sermilik Icefjord

Tasiusaq Sheep Farm, and Sermilik Hostel that the farmers run on the property, have a direct view to Sermilik Icefjord that is propped full of icebergs that calved from the glacier further in at the deepest reaches of Sermilik Fjord.

The iceberg filled coastline is just 1 km from the farm and hostel along a gravel road. It makes for the most amazing post-dinner evening stroll.
Or cold dip!

There is also a longer full day hike to the Ipiutaq Lookout Point which follows the icefjord coastline all. day. long. and then ends with an incredible view directly to the glacier across the fjord.
Amazing!

Or, if you are just coming for a day visit, there are 7 km between Qassiarsuk and Tasiusaq Sheep Farm - achievable as a day hike for active persons.

Qooqqut Icefjord

Just around the corner from Narsarsuaq, a little toward the south and accessible by boat, there is a relatively short side arm of Tunulliarfik Fjord that has a marine glacier at its end. It is active and produces many blue icebergs that emerge and float freely in the fjord.

Rent a UTV or ATV in Qassiarsuk and discover Tunulliarfik Fjord in its entirety!
Or take a guided tour so you can hear all the best stories from locals.

There are 75 km of roads to discover between Narsarsuaq and Sillisit with dozens of great scenic overlooks.

Riding Greenland and Qorlortup Itinnera Guesthouse rent out these terrain vehicles and
will inform you of any particularly sensitive areas, ground rules for staying on the gravel roads and more.

Did you know that in 1941, the United States Military began building Bluie West One at what is today the settlement of Narsarsuaq? Within one year, the runway and harbour were finished and the first planes were landing.

The base closed in 1958 and Narsarsuaq went civilian. While most large stone & cement buildings remained, wooden structures were for the most part disassembled and the timber was sold to other countries.

The Chimney is the only remaining standing structure in Hospital Valley after there was a devastating fire. Other "wartime ruins" include the many upright posts at Kiattuut Sheep Farm, the transformer building at the top of Suuluaqqap Qaqqaa (Signal Hill) and the water turbine shed along The Ridge.

Today many of the actively-used buildings you see are actually original airbase buildings, like Hotel Narsarsuaq, Narsarsuaq Museum & Blue Ice Cafe, Polar-tut Flats, and the large warehouses toward Hospital Valley. Not to mention the airport runway and the harbour, of course.

Geology Lesson

Whether you are a professional geologist or just a regular rock fanatic, anyone can appreciate how breathtaking the coastline of Tunulliarfik Fjord is. Keep your eyes peeled the next time you are sailing or flying by.

The striking and significant look to Tunulliarfik Fjord's northern coastline is all thanks to a volcanic intrusion that popped through 1.3 billion years ago. It came through the pre-existing granite rock that had formed at least 400 million years prior.

South Greenland is actually one of the later parts of the country to form.

The absolute first part of Greenland to form was the Isua area in Nuuk Fjord, 3.9 billion years ago. And that is all there was of Greenland for 500 million years. Then 2.5 - 3.1 billion years ago, the majority of the west coast of Greenland and the majority of the east coast formed. But not South Greenland yet.

Then came South Greenland!

1.75 - 2.1 billion years ago, South Greenland formed.
And 950 million to 1.5 billion years ago, the volcano intrusion mentioned above came through, along with most of the northeast coast of Greenland. Last but not least, the most northern part of Greenland formed 360 - 950 million years ago.