Uummannaq, Greenland

The community of Uummannaq sits at the base of a pyramidal peak of the same name a few miles across the Uummannaq fjord from Qiklakitso on the Nuusuaq Peninsula, in western Greenland.  The peak is a good place for a fairly strenuous but rewarding hike around the base of the mountain, for those with good balance and who don’t suffer from vertigo. The reward is a visit to a hut that was constructed for a television program and became known by children throughout Scandinavia as ‘Santa’s Castle.’ Returning to the little fishing and hunting village, expect a warm welcome from the hardy villagers, who get limited visits from outsiders despite the global fame of the archaeological discoveries made just across the fjord. (See also Qilakitsoq).