Top 10 Glaciers in Greenland
Greenland is, in surface area, about 80% ice. Roughly half the planet's total sea-level rise from glaciers in the last 30 years has come from this island. Most of that mass leaves the ice sheet through a few dozen large outlet glaciers — and a handful are realistic for visitors on a normal trip.
1. Sermeq Kujalleq (Jakobshavn Isbrae)
The fastest-flowing glacier on Earth, near Ilulissat. UNESCO World Heritage. Visitor walkways from Ilulissat town to the icefjord are the single most spectacular glacier viewpoint in the country.
2. Helheim
A major east-coast outlet draining into Sermilik Fjord, near Tasiilaq. Boat-and-helicopter day tours from Kulusuk reach the calving front.
3. Eqi Sermia
Smaller than Jakobshavn but much easier to approach. Day boats from Ilulissat anchor a kilometre from the calving face.
4. Petermann
Far-north outlet that has lost several massive ice islands since 2010. Visited only on expedition cruises out of Qaanaaq.
5. Kangerlussuaq
The largest east-coast outlet, near the abandoned settlement of the same name. Heavy-iceberg waters mean it is seen mostly from cruise ships.
6. Russell
A land-terminating outlet near Kangerlussuaq airport. A short overland drive lets visitors stand on bare ice — the simplest "step onto the ice sheet" trip in Greenland.
7. 79N (Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden)
A floating-tongue outlet in the northeast that holds back a vast catchment. Scientifically critical, visited almost only by research parties.
8. Rink
A west-coast outlet north of Uummannaq, with one of the highest fluxes of any non-Jakobshavn glacier. Reachable by boat from Uummannaq.
9. Store Gletscher
Another Uummannaq-area outlet, smaller but with very photogenic proglacial scenery.
10. Kong Oscar
Northwest-coast outlet with stunning iceberg congestion in its mouth. Best seen from cruise ships routing along the Baffin Bay coast.
When to go
Late May to early September. Cruises operate July through early September. Ilulissat and Eqi Sermia have boat access from June. Kangerlussuaq overland trips to Russell run year-round, weather permitting.
From reading to planning
Filter to Greenland on the interactive map. Toggle the ice-sheet outline layer to see how the named outlets fit into the larger flow network.