Landing In Maniitsoq Is Like Arriving On A Gorgeous Alien Ice Planet

We talk a lot about the increasing strategic importance of Earth’s frigid northern latitudes, but also worth mentioning is just how gorgeous this part of the world can be. Case in point the village of Maniitsoq, located on Greenland’s western shore.

Only about 2,500 people live in Maniitsoq, but that still equals about five percent of Greenland’s total population. Although the area is thought to have been settled for nearly four millennia, it was officially “settled” in 1782 by Danish traders. Like all of Greenland, Maniitsoq is part of an autonomous state under the Danish Realm. The town’s setting, age, and the natural inlets that run through it make it one of the most picturesque in Greenland.

Air travel to the village is served primarily by Air Greenland and their short landing and takeoff (STOL) capable Bombardier Dash-8 Q200s. The video shows how amazing the approach into the airport is. The runway is just 2,621 feet long and is perched on a cliff above Maniitsoq Island’s western shore. It really doesn’t even look like this planet, at least not the one most of us are use to seeing, but more like an alien ice world or Superman’s Fortress of Solitude than anything else.

Here is another video of the area taken from a Danish C-130 Hercules:

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