An armada of towering icebergs has arrived along the coastline of Qaanaaq, Greenland.
They seem to have appeared in the blink of an eye as if summoned from the depths of Inglefield Bay. The floating sentinels—some the size of a city block—sit scattered casually across the coast.
With an average drift speed of .4 miles per hour (and higher speeds of two miles per hour), icebergs can appear quite quickly, rendering vital shipping lanes into impenetrable blockades in just a matter of hours. Both icebergs and floating ice sheets have been known to halt maritime traffic in towns like Qaanaaq for days (and occasionally weeks) at a time. I know I won’t be leaving Qaanaaq by boat anytime soon.
The area above the Arctic Circle known collectively as the High Arctic is one of the few places on the planet where the traditional rhythms of wind, tide, and animal movements still direct one’s schedule.
With a current population of 646, Qaanaaq is the central town in northwestern Greenland’s Avanersuaq district, one of the world’s least densely populated administrative zones. It is home to a community of Inughuit, historically known as Smith Sound Inuit or Arctic Highlanders.
Until the last century, Inughuit peoples survived primarily by utilizing every part of their sea mammal prey. In this land without trees, everything—clothing, sleds, tools, weapons, fuel, kayaks, and even parts of structural dwellings—came from sea mammals. The villages of northwestern Greenland are one of the last remaining places to experience the remnants of ancient Arctic life.
Despite modernization and imported goods, elements of the traditional diet still hold firm. I’m here to learn more about these fascinating old foodways—and taste some of the delicacies myself, from fermented seabird to fresh narwhal.
(Learn about the art of chasing icebergs in Newfoundland.)
“Would you like to try some kiviak? It has a strong smell, so we have to eat it outside,” says Birthe Jenson, one of the chefs at Hotel Qaanaaq. The hotel has long been one of the few places in town where travelers can rent a room. [It is currently closed as it changes management.] It’s the last comfort stop for many travelers venturing farther north into the vast Arctic wilderness. And while there are no conventional restaurants in town, some local families are more than happy to accommodate travelers with home-cooked local fare.
Kiviak is an Arctic delicacy made by stuffing hundreds of birds, most commonly little auks (Alle alle), also known as dovekies, a small black-and-white seabird, inside of a fresh seal skin. Once full, the carcass is stitched closed and placed under a mound of heavy rocks to ensure the sunlight does not hit the package. Months later, the fermented birds
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For mountain travelers, nothing signifies legitimacy and belonging moreso than a good puffy jacket. Puffers are as stylish among those in the outdoors community as they are functional, but buying the right puffer is tricky. Lightly filled puffers often fall into the dreaded “athleisure” category, and therefore aren’t functional for much beyond trips to the grocery store and happy hour at the local pub. On the other hand, heavily-filled options often leave the wearer waddling down the trail like a displaced penguin, swishing their arms T-Rex style even as the lower half of their body struggles to maintain its composure. The key to the perfect everyday puffer is finding an ideal balance between the two. That balance lies in the Cotopaxi Fuego down jacket.
These long evenings at the year’s turn, when dusk seems to fall just after lunch, take me back to the extreme polar night I spent on a small, rocky island off the west coast of Greenland a few winters ago. The inhabitants of the Upernavik archipelago have no sight of the sun from late November to January. When I received the email inviting me to work in the artist’s “refuge” at the island museum – described as the most northerly in the world – I was offered a choice of summer or winter. “Contrary to the summertime,” wrote the museum director, “the darkness of the winter to many southerners seems like a terrible and nasty time lying in wait. But when one gets accustomed to the darkness it allows an interlude for thought that one usually lacks.”
Ever had a hard time deciding where to go on vacation? Now, you don’t need to worry. A new breed of travel companies is revolutionizing vacation planning with secret trips. The concept: They do all the planning and booking for you, and add an element of excitement by keeping the destination a secret until the last minute.
As midnight approaches, dark groups huddle on the freezing slope of one of the seven hills overlooking the soft yellow lights of the city of Edinburgh.
What are the safest places to visit in 2024? A new report from International SOS—a medical and travel security risk services company—offers invaluable insights for travelers.
Sustainable travel in the Nordics embodies a commitment to environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and responsible tourism practices, making the region a frontrunner in eco-friendly and mindful exploration.
According to professional travel organisation, European Best Destinations, the Portuguese island of Madeira is the best place to see the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display. The travel experts polled a panel of 11,963 travellers from 112 countries, mainly from the United Kingdom (22,42%) and the United States (18,91%) and found the top destination to count down the 2024 New Year is Madeira, followed by Marbella (Spain) with London ranking number three. Here are the top ten.
The cruise industry is seeing a surge in demand for expeditions that bring us closer to the diversity of wildlife inhabiting some of the most pristine parts of our natural world. From journeys through Arctic waters, expeditions in the Amazon rainforest and island-hopping in the volcanic Galápagos archipelago, we round up 11 of our favourites for the year ahead.
British skies dazzle when the sun sinks, and there are a handful of dark sky reserves and discovery sites where the lack of light pollution can help stargazing enthusiasts feel that bit closer to the universe. Take a winter stomp across freezing moors or a late-night summer drive up to a remote hilltop to find a sky full of stars with distant planets glittering overhead on clear nights. Often, there’s no need for a telescope either — star clusters such as Pleiades and Hyades, the Milky Way, nebulae and shooting stars can often be seen with the naked eye or with the help of a pair of cheap binoculars and stargazing apps such as Stellarium Mobile.
Ravinder Bhogal was born in Nairobi, is of Indian descent, and lives in London. Rather aptly, the chef and writer refers to Jikoni, her Marylebone restaurant, as a “no-borders kitchen.” The ingredients at Jikoni, which means kitchen in Kiswahili, are seasonal British and the inspiration, global—a happy amalgam of the food memories Bhogal has amassed across many geographies. Here, a crispy aubergine in Sichuan sauce sits comfortably alongside a kale chaat or hummus with sheermal. “Borders don’t belong in kitchens,” she says.
Experiencing the Northern Lights in all their majesty is a dream for most travellers. Caused by solar-charged particles reacting with the Earth’s atmosphere, the mostly green dancing lights of this natural phenomenon are often spectacular. Seeing auroras is a thrill in itself, but getting a great photo might just be the crowning glory. Given their ethereality, this takes patience, the right kit and a fair bit of forward planning. And, with 2024 expected to bring some of the brightest Northern Lights displays in over 20 years, thanks to the approaching ‘solar maximum’ (a peak in the Sun’s activity), there’s never been a better time to try to capture them.
Wellness travel is hotter than ever, and the Nordics are a fantastic region in which to explore travel while also giving back to your personal well-being and recharging. Here are some specifics to explore.