Winter with sun
End of February to end of April
Average temperature during winter with sun is between minus 17-minus 10 Celsius Degrees:
Winter with sun is perfect for outdoor activities like dog sledding, snowshoe hiking, cross country skiing, riding a snowmobile and overnight stay in a cabin, exploring sea ice- depending on where you are in our destination, this is what you can experience during this period of winter.
Winter with sun is very special, especially by the end of March and in April, the winter is not as harsh as you would expect, and as snow is settled, making the landscapes are bright.
Did you know, dog sledding culture has origins of Inuit of the Arctic? Read few facts about Greenlandic sleddogs below
When is the right time for dogsledding?
When it has snowed at least 5 cm and the lakes are frozen to a depth of 15 cm, dogsledding begins. On rare occasions, some start as soon as the ground is frozen. Depending on the snow and climate, dog sledding tours can be offered by the end of November, where dark sky and northern lights can be experienced.
Mostly, dog sledding tours are between January - April. If snow has been good, it can also be experienced in early May. As Qaanaaq is unique in Greenland, the dogsled season is longer, starting from January to early June.
Greenlandic Sled Dog is protected, so it's not mixed with other dog races and that is why, it is one of the oldest dog races. Dogsledding in Greenland has been practiced for generations, with the main purpose of transportation and when hunting on sea ice and inland.
Today, dogsledding is practiced as transportation, hunting, fishing on sea ice, for tourism purposes, leisure activities last and not least, for racing.
As of today sled dog population is decreasing, especially because in some living-places the sea ice is unstable, there is an increasing price of dog-food and it is easier to commute with snow-mobiles.
That is why the existence of sled dog culture is near threatened by climate changes, low profitability and modernization.
We have guidelines and advises for our guests and how to respect the mushers, read about it on the link below:
Ethics and guidelines on Sleddogs
Are you interested in experiencing the most important race in North Greenland?
Avannaata Qimussersua is a national dogsled race; an important event for both mushers and the Greenlandic culture. It’s a 40 km dogsledding race with only 12 dogs. Each year on the last Saturday of Marts, the race is held in one of the towns of North Greenland. Next year, it'll be held in Sisimiut, read more about it on the link below:
Event sled dog race 2025
Other experiences during winter:
Winter with sun is the brightest time of the year, as the sun is being reflected also from the snow. Many activities beside dogsledding are possible,
top three experiences are
1. Snowshoe hiking, and hiking
2. Go on the snowmobile
3. And of course sea ice fishing.
In some areas in North Greenland, fishing on sea ice is possible, it only depends on how cold the climate is and if the ice have formed to a safe solid ground.
BTW! Are you a runner?
You can be a part of ice marathon by 22nd of March next year 2025, read about the event on the link here: https://fb.me/e/3EaJFdW7m