The beauty of Nuuk is that one minute you can be in the city and the next minute you are in the great outdoors! Shot by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland, on 20 June 2014.
If there was an official “Top 10 Things To Do in Nuuk, Greenland” list, hiking Ukkusissat (a.k.a. Store Malene) would be at the top for you Nature Lovers who crave an afternoon in the mountains and who will work a bit for a good panoramic view!
Ukkusissat has a strong presence in Nuuk as its snowy top can be seen from every corner of town. Whether you are sitting on the terrace of your AirBnB in Qinngorput neighborhood or are strolling along the pedestrian walkway in city center, Ukkusissat screams, ‘Get up here already! Come look out at all of Nuuk and Nuuk Fjord and pinch yourself because you are nearly at the top of the world!’ And for those whose eyes are always like magnets to the highest point wherever you go, well, you will probably set your sights toward Ukkusissat long before the Dash-8 even hits the runway.
For more hiking inspiration and information, ready my Ultimate Greenland Hiking Guide on visitgreenland.com.
Ukkusissat beckoned to me in this way for a looong time. In fact, one could joke it was like a 5th family member at the breakfast table because every morning over a bowl of müsli and a cup of coffee, I would stare out the window to its rocky slopes and promise myself that I would get there one day…
Greenlanders live a life close to nature, so we are lucky to have views like this even at the breakfast table. Ukkusissat shot from Qinngorput on 18 September 2013.
It took a full two years but I finally hiked Ukkusissat, and how glad I was for that! In fact, I was so glad that I did the hike twice in 24 hours! Someone asked me if I did that to represent each year I missed… that’s a good idea, but no, it was just a coincidence 🙂
Being in the Greenland nature with good company makes my heart happy. Shot by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland, on 20 June 2014.
The water in Greenland is pure and delicious! Shot by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland, on 20 June 2014.
Snow at higher altitudes provides a welcome cooling effect (and hydration source) while hiking Ukkusissat. Shot by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland, on 20 June 2014.
Here’s the thing with having a professional photographer in your hiking group – he gives you great photos from the night, but he’s always working! Which means you, an unsuspecting model, are also working!
The talented (former) Visit Greenland photographer himself, Mads Pihl, still working at 760 m / 2493 ft, on top of Ukkusissat.
The sense of awe and accomplishment one feels at the top of Ukkusissat is enough to make one want to do it all over again the next day! Shot by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland, on 20 June 2014.
One can easily find pleasure in solitude in this wide and untouched land. Shot by Mads Pihl, Visit Greenland, on 20 June 2014.
Perhaps the neatest thing about hiking the very same route the following morning was seeing the stark differences in light. In the late evening, when the sun is quite low, the sky and mountains and sea are cloaked in a beautiful warm glow. In the daytime, when the sun is high overhead, everything is blue and bright! Both times of day are nice, but I think the evening light is the most magical!
When you are so high on Ukkusissat, you can scan the surrounding fjords for your next adventure! For instance, Sermitsiaq is another hiking dream of mine. Shot on 20 June 2014 at 22:40.
Toward Sermitsiaq. Shot on 21 June 2014 at 12:00.
Toward Kingittorsuaq, a delightful mountain to hike 🙂 Shot on 20 June 2014 at 22:40.
Toward Nuuk city. Shot on 20 June 2014 at 22:40.
Toward Nuuk city. Shot on 21 June 2014 at 12:00.
THE FACTS
- Name: Ukkusissat means “soapstones” in Greenlandic. Sometimes it is also written as Ukkusissaq which is just the singular form. The Danish name (more commonly used) is “Store Malene”, meaning “Big Malene”.
- Height: Ukkusissat is 760 m / 2493 ft tall.
- Location: Ukkusissat stands behind the Qinngorput neighborhood, approximately 4.8 km / 3 mi from Nuuk city center.
- Ukkusissat is the taller of two mountains in the immediate Nuuk area (Quassussuaq, a.k.a. Lille Malene, is the other at 443 m / 1453 ft).
- Access: Ukkusissat can be reached using Nuup Bussii public transportation toward Stop 41 Qarsoq/Asiarpak (15 DKK / 2.75 USD per ride). Always consult a bus schedule first. The best bus to catch is the #1, because it runs directly between city center and Qinngorput, 7 days a week. The #1A is another direct bus between city center and Qinngorput, and it runs every day but Sunday. There are 3 other buses (#3, #X1, #X3) that reach Qinngorput, but they are either less-direct, only run on weekdays, or do not go all the way to city center.
- Hiking Time: Hiking time always depends on one’s physical fitness/hiking experience, weather conditions, and ground conditions. From personal experience only, it takes approx. 1 hour 40 minutes to reach the top of Ukkusissat. The conditions were near-perfect, and I consider my hiking level to be Experienced on a scale from Novice to Experienced to Expert. For Novice hikers or for those who wish to stop and thoroughly enjoy the views, it could take nearly 3 hours to reach the top.
- Difficulty: Difficulty depends on one’s physical fitness/hiking experience, weather conditions, and ground conditions. There are areas on Ukkusissat where one must use his hands for support to make large steps up (bouldering) and where one must walk in snow. From personal experience only, Ukkusissat has Medium difficulty on a scale from Easy to Medium to Hard (and again, I consider my hiking level to be Experienced on a scale from Novice to Experienced to Expert).
- Route: Follow the route marked by Orange dots painted on rock or cairns. One can also buy detailed hiking maps for Nuuk (and other towns) in Atuagkat Bookstore.
- Seasonality: The best season to hike Ukkusissat is summer / early autumn, when there is the least snow present. One should take the utmost caution when hiking in snow because rock crevasses may be present and the snow might not be thick enough to hold body weight. Snow also limits visibility of the marked route.
WHAT TO BRING
The weather can change quickly in Greenland, and one should be prepared for many conditions! Always check the weather before you start a hiking tour.
A really nice thing about being in the nature in Greenland is that you can usually find a natural water source to drink from directly! And if there is snow, you can just eat the snow 🙂
- Water bottle
- Windproof / Waterproof layers (pants, jacket)
- Sunglasses
- Suncream
- Mosquito head net (If there is little wind, the mosquitos could be quite pesky)
- Hat
- Gloves (even if it is not cold, they can provide hand protection if you need it)
- Extra quick-dry layer
- Extra socks
- Lunch (small sandwich, fruit, chocolate bar, etc.)
- Camera
Last but not least… Don’t forget your adrenaline and sense of adventure !!!
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