People rarely travel to Kangerlussuaq on purpose. For years it was the main gateway to Greenland, but since November 2024 there have been direct flights from Copenhagen to Nuuk. If you have a long layover here, don’t sit it out at the airport. I’d go hiking instead: out to the wreck of an American plane, along the Black Ridge Trail or up Sugarloaf. Lake Ferguson is a lovely spot for a picnic, but you’re not allowed to swim there.
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What is there to do in Kangerlussuaq on a longer layover? First, the name: it’s pronounced Kan-ger-loo-shoo-ak. On my way to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, I had a 10-hour layover in Kangerlussuaq. On the way back I even had to spend the night there. Here’s what to expect from this place above the Arctic Circle, which I’ll generously call a town, and how to find your way around.
Things to do and see in Kangerlussuaq
Few people come to Kangerlussuaq as a destination, but for years it was the main entry point to Greenland. Kangerlussuaq is a former military base, which is why it has a runway long enough for large aircraft from Europe.
When I changed planes here, it was the only airport where Air Greenland, the Greenlandic airline, could land its big Airbus A330.
Tip from Milan I’ve also written about what to see in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, and what to eat in Greenland.
A lot has changed since then. The new airport in Nuuk opened on 28 November 2024. Since then Air Greenland has flown direct from Copenhagen to Nuuk all year round. Direct flights from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq are now seasonal only: in 2026 they ran once a week from 10 February to 20 October. One weekly flight has been announced for 2027 as well. And since 29 October 2026, Air Greenland has also been flying from Copenhagen to Ilulissat, where a new airport opened that same day. So you no longer have to change planes in Kangerlussuaq. What I learned there will still come in handy if you fly in on the seasonal route or come to hike to the glacier.
Where to stay in Kangerlussuaq
Accommodation in Kangerlussuaq is a story in itself. When I was there, the usual sites such as Booking had nothing on offer. Today you’ll at least find the airport hotel and Polar Lodge there. I turned to Google and found that Kangerlussuaq currently has these four places to stay:
- Hotel Kangerlussuaq (the airport hotel)
- Old Camp (hostel)
- Kangerlussuaq Youth Hostel
- Polar Lodge
Hotel Kangerlussuaq is attached to the airport terminal and it’s the most expensive option. You land, get through the arrival checks, walk up the stairs and you’re at reception. It’s a funny set-up, and I’d never seen anything like it. Back then a night here cost about €150, which is fairly normal by Greenlandic standards. If you want something cheaper, Kangerlussuaq Youth Hostel has hostel-style beds for about €30 a night. But when I emailed them, they told me I’d have to bring my own sleeping bag. I get that most people come to Greenland to hike, but sadly, a sleeping bag isn’t something I travel with.
That left one last option: the Old Camp hostel, where I booked a private room through Hotels.com. It’s about a 30-minute walk from the airport, which is no problem at all. There’s also Polar Lodge, but it was fully booked.
When to book accommodation in Kangerlussuaq
If you’re thinking of booking accommodation in Kangerlussuaq at the last minute, or just turning up and hoping for the best, I have bad news. Greenland doesn’t work like that. Not many tourists come here and there are very few places to stay. My advice: book a bed as soon as you’ve bought your flight, and the same goes for activities and trips. Otherwise you’ll end up sleeping under the northern lights, which sounds like a nice idea, but at minus 30°C it’s probably not all that romantic.
What to see in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on your own or on a tour
To picture Kangerlussuaq, imagine an airport with a ‘town’ built around it: a few houses and some huts. Here’s my list of things to do in Kangerlussuaq.
- Tip from Milan Besides the sights below, there’s also a tour operator, Albatros Arctic Circle (albatros-arctic-circle.com), which runs several trips you couldn’t do on your own. They include a hike to the Russell Glacier and dog sledding on the ice.
- Hike to the plane crash site (6 km)
- Black Ridge Trail hike (8 km)
- Sugarloaf Mountain Trail
- Roklubben restaurant and Lake Ferguson (9 km)
- Russell Glacier hike and dog sledding
Hike to the US Air Force plane crash site near Kangerlussuaq
In 1968 a US Air Force plane crashed into the hills around Kangerlussuaq, reportedly because of bad weather. One of the wrecks lies a short way off the road to Lake Ferguson, on the shore of a small lake. Most of the plane has gone, but there are still plenty of remains, including crumpled pieces of the aircraft and lots of metal fragments with their markings still intact.
The route from the road to the crash site isn’t waymarked, but it’s mostly easy to see and follows a clear line across the heath. Just watch out for musk oxen, which often roam the area. It starts at the bridge over the river on the south side of town. From there, take the road to the right, which has views over the sandy delta at the head of Kangerlussuaq Fjord. Carry on along the road until you reach the Air Crash Site #2 sign. Even though the path isn’t waymarked, it’s clear and easy to follow.
Black Ridge Trail hike
The summit is right above the town and has the best view of Kangerlussuaq. From here you can see the whole town, including the airport runway it’s built around. There are also views of Kangerlussuaq Fjord and its river valley, with Sugarloaf and the ice sheet in the distance.
Beyond the ridge rising directly behind Kangerlussuaq, you can also make out parts of Aasivissuit-Nipisat, the Inuit hunting grounds on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The binoculars on the viewing platform let you see it all. Here’s a map of the route.
Sugarloaf Mountain Trail
This hike is long rather than hard. The trail itself is 2.6 km there and back and takes one to two hours. It starts about 7.5 km from town along the Ice Road, though, so on foot from town and back it’s almost 18 km. That’s roughly four to five hours of walking, and with breaks it can take up to seven hours. Here’s the route. Sugarloaf is one of the best-known day hikes from Kangerlussuaq.
On the summit you’ll find the remains of a US-era radio station. The 360-degree view takes in the whole river valley, from Kangerlussuaq at the head of the fjord all the way to the Greenland ice sheet.
If day hikes aren’t enough, the Arctic Circle Trail also starts in Kangerlussuaq. It runs for about 160 km, all the way to Sisimiut.
Roklubben restaurant and Lake Ferguson
Lake Ferguson is one of the most popular spots with both locals and visitors in Kangerlussuaq. The lake lies among the hills and is the town’s water supply, so swimming is banned. It’s a great place for a picnic, though. It’s also home to the Roklubben restaurant, said to be one of the best in Greenland.
Kangerlussuaq is a curious place at the end of the world. I’m glad my long layover gave me the chance to visit and see how people live there.
Happy travels!
A Slovak travel blogger who has been getting Slovaks out of their office chairs since 2013. Author of the book Influencer and founder of the Bez Mapy blog.
