Sermiligaaq, on the east coast of Greenland, the door to the Knud Rasmussen glacier

The Ammassalik Fjord area in East Greenland is not only one of the most stunning Arctic sceneries but also the location of several fascinating settlements.
I have told here in U.T. about Tasiilaq, the main town, Kulusuk, Kuummiuut. And north of Kuummiuut, on its own fiord, Sermiligaaq comes next.

The village of Sermiligaaq may be the smallest in Ammassalik  - but it is the door to spectacular inland glaciers.

Sermiligaaq, meaning "the beautiful glacier fiord", is situated on a peninsula facing the fiord of the same name, about 100 km north of Tasiilaq.

Population:  ~ 220
Coordinates: 65°54′ N, 36°22′ W
                 - just north of the arctic circle

The little group of colourful wooden houses lies on the southern slope of a large rocky promontory.

Houses are scattered uphill and linked by wooden staircases and boardwalks - no roads here, of course.

Red and blue are the dominant colours, with a few houses in yellow and green.

Sermiligaaq has a small store, a school and a community center. Because of the area's incredible beauty, several tour operators offer kayak tours of the bay.

With just over 200 inhabitants, this is still an active hunting and fishing village. As the settlement does not have a production facility, fishing and catch is sent to the factory in the nearby Kuummiut.

The Fiord and the Glaciers

At the bottom of the deep Sermiligaaq Fjord, two glaciers calve into its waters: the large Knud Rasmussen, and the smaller Karale glacier (top right).

Both can also be seen in this aerial view.

The water in the Sermiligaaq Fiord is coloured by the sediment from the activity of the glaciers, a characteristic milky-blue colour.

The Knud Rasmussen glacier

About 3 km long, with a 1000 m wide and 40 m high water front.

Arctic lovers on kayaks often visit the Knud Rasmussen.