Uummannaq Island, West Greenland
Geraldine Westrupp, 20. July 2026
Greetings fellow photographers. Many of our guests know that WPH was created while Martin and I were living in Iceland. We’ve both been connected to this incredible island since the early 90s, and it’s always held a special place in our hearts. Since there were flights twice a week from Reykjavik to Ilulissat in Greenland, it was only a matter of time before we made the journey over there. Our first WPH trips started in 2015, and we always tried to visit during the early autumn when the Tundra was at its peak and the icebergs from the Ilulissat Ice Fjord were flowing free in the un-frozen sea. By 2017, we were also running winter departures, always making sure to include at least one Inuit settlement in our various itineraries, even though it wasn’t always easy to arrange accommodation and transportation!
One dark winter’s evening while researching remote Inuit settlements in Greenland, I stumbled upon an image that sent shivers down my spine. It was a dramatic heart-shaped granite mountain covered in snow and ice, rising majestically from a frozen fjord. Scattered around the mountain’s base were colourful wooden houses that made up the large Inuit settlement of Uummannaq, meaning “heart-shaped” in Kalaallisut (West Greenlandic). This remote island settlement was not easy to reach. There is a flight from Copenhagen or Reykjavík to Ilulissat, the home of the UNESCO Ice Fjord, then onwards by small plane to the small Inuit settlement of Qaarsut. As a regular traveler to remote parts of the world, I have to say that the remarkable helicopter flight from Qaarsut to Uummannaq was one of the most surreal and magical experiences I’ve ever had.
The settlement itself is a photographer’s dream! We saw huge icebergs stuck in the frozen sea, walked and snowmobiled out onto the sea ice for some unique photography, looking back at the colourful settlement houses and the heart-shaped mountain. We enjoyed close encounters with packs of sled dogs and their mushers returning from hunting trips. We also marvelled at the lovely and often clear ice lake behind the settlement at the base of the mountain, rather like a mini Lake Baikal. It was the magical ‘aurora time’ of year and what a wonderful experience to wander around capturing this incredible phenomena dancing in the sky over the settlement and the surrounding jagged mountains and icebergs. Last but not least was the constant Arctic light, a gorgeous palette of soft pale blues and pinks, quite simply the best!
Martin and myself are super excited to go back to Greenland in 2027 to lead this very special adventure. We hope you’ll be able to join us!
Find out more: Greenland Ultimate Winter Adventure in Uummannaq & Ilulissat