Rodebay: Icebergs, Trails and History

Rodebay, the settlement of Oqaatsut, lies on a peninsula and offers views of the icebergs in Disko Bay. Hills, coastline and a long history shape the place in different ways: you can go hiking, try local specialities and learn more about Oqaatsut’s development as an Inuit settlement and whaling station. When choosing your holiday apartment, it is therefore worth first considering which aspects of the destination you want to shape your stay.

A settlement with a long history

Oqaatsut has been inhabited as an Inuit settlement and whaling station since the 18th century. In 1877, the settlement became a trading station. These historical milestones give the place a history you can also discover in a protected building: the house that now accommodates the H8 Explorer restaurant was built in the 1890s for the Royal Greenland Trading Department and is protected.

Food culture is another part of what you can experience during a visit. Tourists can try local Greenlandic specialities in Oqaatsut. The H8 Explorer restaurant prepares fresh fish and meat from the surrounding wilderness, as well as from selected regions of Greenland. The ingredients’ origins may change over time. In this way, a meal here connects you with the landscapes and traditions that shape the place, without requiring you to plan a separate activity.

Hiking, the coast and a glimpse of everyday life

Visitors can hike in the hills around Oqaatsut. In summer, you can also hike a coastal trail between Ilulissat and Oqaatsut. The two options offer different perspectives: the hill trails lead into the area around the settlement, while the coastal trail connects the two places. The full-day guided activity “Oqaatsut & Kayak Adventure” includes a kayaking trip in the bay northeast of the settlement. Availability may vary; check before making firm plans for the tour.

A visit can also offer a glimpse into a way of life shaped by fishing, seal hunting and whaling. Together with the chance to try local specialities, this gives you an impression of different aspects of the place: spending time outdoors in the landscape while learning more about the activities and traditions associated with Oqaatsut. Which of these experiences you want to focus on may also influence how you plan your days and accommodation.

Getting there and choosing a base

Travel to and from Oqaatsut is by boat, dog sled or snowmobile, mainly in the direction of Ilulissat. There is no continuous road network in the settlement; only separate, unconnected sections of roads and paths are available. Check the specific connection before travelling.

If hiking is your main interest, the hills and the summer coastal trail can help guide how you plan your stay. If you are more interested in history, local cuisine or a guided day trip, other aspects will take centre stage. A holiday apartment can serve as a base for your trip to Rodebay; choose one based on the experiences you want to include in your plans.

Greenland in a wider context

The wider destination of Greenland also encompasses a range of landscape and cultural themes. The Ilulissat Icefjord on Greenland’s west coast lies 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. The tidal fjord is covered with floating ice fragments and massive ice formations. Another cultural highlight is the Aasivissuit–Nipisat cultural landscape in central West Greenland, which preserves evidence of 4,200 years of human history and lies within the Arctic Circle.

Kujataa, a subarctic cultural landscape, lies in southern Greenland. Its farming and grazing traditions were shaped by Norse Greenlanders from the 10th to the 15th century and by Inuit farmers from the 18th century to the present day. These examples add other natural and cultural landscapes to the picture of Greenland. They can help you sort out which interests matter to you alongside a stay in Rodebay as you plan the rest of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Ilulissat

Return to the main travel overview: Qaasuitsup.