Upernavik Travel Guide

City Greenlandic town and remote Arctic fishing port

Arctic archipelago town where hunting and fishing sustain Inuit life. Visitors come for boat trips among ice floes, dog-sled demonstrations, midnight sun in summer and northern lights in winter.

Main image
Wikivoyage banner
Costs
$200-400 per day (remote Arctic pricing)
Very expensive due to remoteness: air/boat transfers, tours and specialty services.
Safety
Generally safe, but environmentally hazardous
Socially safe but extreme weather and sea ice present real risks; prepare properly.
Best Time
June-August (summer), February-March (aurora)
Summer for midnight sun and boat excursions; winter for northern lights and polar conditions.
In This Guide
Local Time
2:03 AM
GMT-1
Weather
Overcast 26°F
Overcast
Population
1,129
Infrastructure & Convenience
No road links; served by Air Greenland, boats and local heliports; walkable within town.
Popularity
Niche Arctic adventure tourism: photographers, kayakers, and cultural visitors.
Known For
Arctic archipelago, Inuit culture, icebergs and fjords, hunting and fishing tradition, dog-sledding, northern lights, small-airport connections, remote expeditions, colourful wooden houses
Upernavik was founded as a Danish trading post in 1772 and serves an archipelago of dozens of inhabited and uninhabited islands.

Why Visit Upernavik? #

Scattered across a high Arctic archipelago, this Greenlandic town attracts travelers drawn to Inuit culture, sea-ice panoramas and a compact community life. Kayak tradition, dog-sled heritage and the Upernavik Museum offer insights into local craftsmanship and history, while boat trips reveal iceberg fields and remote hunting grounds. Long polar nights bring aurora viewing and daylight in summer opens endless island-hopping possibilities, combining culture with dramatic northern landscapes.

Best Things to Do in Upernavik

Upernavik Bucket List

Don't Miss
  • Upernavik Museum - Visit Upernavik Museum showcasing Inuit art, tools and the archipelago's maritime history.
  • Harbour and traditional wooden houses - Walk the harbour and traditional timber houses clustered along the fjord's shoreline.
  • Boat tours of the archipelago - Take a boat trip into the Upernavik Archipelago for ice, seals and seabird colonies.
Hidden Gems
  • Local craft workshops - Meet artisans crafting tupilaks, bone jewellery and Greenlandic handicrafts in small studios.
  • Seasonal whale and seal spotting spots - Find quiet headlands where locals watch for whales, seals and migrating seabirds.
  • Small island church visits - Visit tiny island chapels in the archipelago to see local religious history and views.
Day Trips
  • Aappilattoq and neighbouring settlements - Take a day boat to Aappilattoq to visit traditional settlements in the archipelago.
  • Explore the Upernavik Icefjord - Explore the Upernavik Icefjord for dramatic pack ice, bergs and wildlife viewing by boat.

Best Time to Visit Upernavik #

Visit in summer for the midnight sun, boat access, and the mildest weather - though temperatures remain cool. Winter is for serious Arctic adventurers seeking polar darkness and ice.

Winter (Polar Night)
November - March · -25 to -10 °C (-13 to 14 °F)
Brutally cold and dark with long nights; dramatic ice scenery and serious winter conditions - travel here only if you love Arctic extremes.
Transition
April - May · -10 to 2 °C (14 to 36 °F)
Thawing ice and unpredictable weather; rough travel conditions but fewer people and interesting wildlife movements.
Summer (Midnight Sun)
June - August · 0 to 8 °C (32 to 46 °F)
Short, cool summer with endless daylight - best time for boats, coastal hikes, and experiencing Arctic light without extreme cold.

Best Time to Visit Upernavik #

Climate

Polar climate with cold summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in March). Temperatures range from -23°C to 8°C. Very dry conditions with minimal rainfall.

Best Time to Visit
JulyJuneAugust
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
18°
Warmest Month
-38°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions

January

January is freezing with highs of -14°C and lows of -19°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

43 Poor

Comfort

-17°
Feels Like Freezing
-17°C
Temperature
-19° – -14°
86%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

11 mm
Rainfall
3.5 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.0
UV Index
Low
0.0h daylight

February

February is freezing with highs of -17°C and lows of -22°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

42 Poor

Comfort

-19°
Feels Like Freezing
-19°C
Temperature
-22° – -17°
86%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

11 mm
Rainfall
2.7 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.0
UV Index
Low
5.6h daylight

March

March is the coldest month with highs of -17°C and lows of -23°C. The driest month with just 7 mm and partly cloudy skies.

42 Poor

Comfort

-20°
Feels Like Freezing
-20°C
Temperature
-23° – -17°
87%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

7 mm
Rainfall
2.7 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.1
UV Index
Low
11.3h daylight

April

April is freezing with highs of -10°C and lows of -16°C. Light rainfall and partly cloudy skies.

43 Poor

Comfort

-13°
Feels Like Freezing
-13°C
Temperature
-16° – -10°
85%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

12 mm
Rainfall
3.0 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.4
UV Index
Low
16.6h daylight

May

May is freezing with highs of -2°C and lows of -6°C. Light rainfall and mostly overcast skies.

41 Poor

Comfort

-4°
Feels Like Freezing
-4°C
Temperature
-6° – -2°
84%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

10 mm
Rainfall
3.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.8
UV Index
Moderate
23.2h daylight

June

June is cold with highs of 4°C and lows of 0°C. Light rainfall and mostly overcast skies.

51 Acceptable

Comfort

2°
Feels Like Cold
2°C
Temperature
0° – 4°
82%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

14 mm
Rainfall
2.9 m/s
Wind
Calm
0.9
UV Index
Moderate
24.0h daylight

July

July is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of 3°C. Light rainfall and mostly overcast skies.

52 Acceptable

Comfort

5°
Feels Like Cold
5°C
Temperature
3° – 8°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

24 mm
Rainfall
3.0 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.8
UV Index
Moderate
24.0h daylight

August

August is cold with highs of 7°C and lows of 3°C. Light rainfall and mostly overcast skies.

50 Acceptable

Comfort

5°
Feels Like Cold
5°C
Temperature
3° – 7°
79%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

28 mm
Rainfall
3.2 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.5
UV Index
Low
19.2h daylight

September

September is cold with highs of 3°C and lows of -1°C. The wettest month with 36 mm of rain and mostly overcast skies.

46 Poor

Comfort

1°
Feels Like Cold
1°C
Temperature
-1° – 3°
76%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

36 mm
Rainfall
3.7 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.1
UV Index
Low
13.2h daylight

October

October is freezing with highs of -2°C and lows of -5°C. Light rainfall and mostly overcast skies.

39 Poor

Comfort

-4°
Feels Like Freezing
-4°C
Temperature
-5° – -2°
77%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

29 mm
Rainfall
4.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.0
UV Index
Low
8.0h daylight

November

November is freezing with highs of -6°C and lows of -9°C. Moderate rainfall (31 mm) and mostly overcast skies.

33 Poor

Comfort

-7°
Feels Like Freezing
-7°C
Temperature
-9° – -6°
80%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

31 mm
Rainfall
5.5 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.0
UV Index
Low
1.1h daylight

December

December is freezing with highs of -10°C and lows of -14°C. Light rainfall.

Comfort

-12°
Feels Like Freezing
-12°C
Temperature
-14° – -10°
85%
Humidity
Very Humid

Weather

20 mm
Rainfall
4.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze
0.0
UV Index
Low
0.0h daylight

How to Get to Upernavik

Upernavik (Avannaata, Greenland) is reached primarily by scheduled Air Greenland flights to Upernavik Airport (JUV) from other Greenlandic hubs. There is no rail network and local inter-settlement transport often uses boats or helicopters; plan connections carefully and expect seasonal timetables.

By Air

Upernavik Airport (JUV): Upernavik has an airport (ICAO/IATA code JUV) served by Air Greenland with scheduled connections to other Greenlandic hubs. Flights are the main way in - schedules vary seasonally and flights often operate via regional hops.

Ilulissat / Sisimiut / Nuuk (via connecting flights): If you’re arriving from outside Greenland you will typically connect via Nuuk (GOH), Ilulissat (JAV) or other regional airports. Connections to Upernavik are operated by Air Greenland with multiple short hops; total travel time depends on routing and can include overnight connections.

By Train & Bus

Train: Greenland has no rail network.

Bus / Boat / Helicopter: Within Greenland, many coastal communities are linked by boat or helicopter rather than roads. In Upernavik region, transfers may include small plane or helicopter legs and boat services; local transport arrangements are coordinated with Air Greenland and local operators, and timetables change seasonally.

How to Get Around Upernavik #

Upernavik is an island town with no road links to other settlements; most travel is by Air Greenland flights into Upernavik Airport or by boat during the navigation season. Within town you can walk between most points, and small local snowmobiles or ATVs are used seasonally. Plan travel carefully: schedules can change with weather and flights/boats are relatively costly compared with road travel in other countries.

Where to Stay in Upernavik #

Budget
Upernavik town centre - DKK 600-1,200/night
Upernavik is remote with a few guesthouses and simple hotels; expect basic facilities, high seasonal prices, and limited availability.
Mid-Range
Upernavik harbour area - DKK 1,200-2,500/night
Mid-range choices are modest, locally run guesthouses with good local hospitality; don't expect international hotel chains or lavish amenities.
Luxury
Region-wide / charter lodges - DKK 3,000+/night
There are no conventional luxury hotels; wealthy travellers book private lodges or expedition-charter packages for a high-end Greenland experience.

Where to Eat in Upernavik #

Nightlife in Upernavik #

Nightlife is very modest and community-focused - a few cafés or local bars and scheduled cultural events are the main evening options. Don’t expect a tourist nightlife scene; social life often revolves around community gatherings and seasonal events.

Shopping in Upernavik #

Shopping is limited to a small selection of general stores and co‑operative shops providing essentials. You can also find locally made handicrafts and practical outdoor gear, but selection is much smaller than in larger Greenlandic towns. For specialised purchases you’ll need to order in advance or travel to a larger hub.