Greenland Through the Eyes of a Polar Guide

PolarQuest guide Thomas Lund Johansen has lived and worked in Greenland and is deeply captivated by its natural beauty and rich cultural history. In this interview, he shares his personal perspective on this vast and multifaceted island, and offers insights into what to expect on our West Greenland expeditions in Disko Bay and Uummannaq, where he will be one of the guides.

 You simply cannot grow tired of travelling along the coast of Greenland. 

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your connection to Greenland?

– I lived in Greenland with my wife, in the beginning working in healthcare in remote and rural areas. Through this job, I had the opportunity to travel around the country and was completely captivated by its natural beauty and rich cultural history. So, I started guiding on the side and have kept it up ever since. This has brought me to places I never – or rather always – dreamed of. You simply cannot grow tired of travelling along the coast of Greenland. It is big, and you will never see everything. There is always something new to explore.

What do you enjoy most about being a guide?

–The expedition Gerard and I are guiding is on the wonderful 12-passenger ship Balto. The ship is almost the best part of it. With the full crew, two guides and just 12 guests, we are incredibly flexible. Waiting time is minimal, and we can go exploring without delays. That flexibility is key to the best way to experience Greenland. On these trips, we really get to know our guests. We eat, travel and experience things together – and knowledge flows both ways.

– Often, guests are very knowledgeable, and we invite them to share what they know with us. One example was last year: one of the guests was a botanist at heart, and we almost only saw his rear end the whole trip while he was taking photos of flowers! We learned a lot from him and tried to give him as much space and time as possible for his flower hunt. Again, this is something that’s only possible on a small ship.

We find landing sites that are ideal for the guests we have with us – and nobody misses out!

You’re guiding on one of our expeditions in Disko Bay this year – who is this trip best suited for?

– Last year, we had an age range from 12 to 90 years – and it wasn’t a problem. We are two guides, and in West Greenland we can divide into groups. That way, we can offer different hikes so everyone gets something out of it.

West Greenland is big. Very big. Everybody knows this. But the good thing is: we don’t need to land the Zodiacs in rough conditions just to reach a specific spot. Instead, we find landing sites that are ideal for the guests we have with us – and nobody misses out!

Despite Greenland’s vast size, traces of human culture and the legacy of our forefathers are spread throughout the land. 

– The traveller who should join us is someone who wants to explore both nature and culture. A traveller who enjoys being social in a small group and who wants to have a good time surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful scenery. Cruising through mountains of ice and witnessing a glacier calving never gets old. But it's also about the long fjords, the green valleys, and the vividness of the colours. It’s not just nature – the culture can be equally mind-boggling. 

Despite Greenland’s vast size, traces of human culture and the legacy of our forefathers are spread throughout the land. From the first Inuit, to the Vikings, World War II, the Cold War and into modern times, Greenland has been a hotspot – for survival, hunting, minerals, strategic importance – and it’s all still there to be seen. The modern state is fascinating as well. How can a nation of just 58,000 people populate and govern a country of 2,166,000 km² – while still maintaining their traditions, culture and language.

What can one expect from this expedition?

You should expect to experience spectacular nature – to sail through fjords where the ship is dwarfed by the surrounding mountains and icebergs. Hear the loud sounds of active glacier fronts, and enjoy the near-total silence while hiking in green valleys. And then there’s the calmness of travelling on Balto, where you can always step outside or simply look out your window and take it all in.