Qaanaaq (dead link: January 2023), formerly known as Thule, in northern Greenland is one of the world's northernmost civilian settlements, topped only by Longyearbyen on Svalbard and a few military bases. Getting here will be a challenge, as permits may be required for use of the nearby Thule Airbase, under U.S. control.
The alternative name for this settlement is Thule, a name still used by the nearby airbase. The word comes from the Latin "Ultima Thule", meaning the Far North Land.
A permission to enter or travel through Thule Air Base could as of April 2007 be obtained by sending an application to the foreign affairs department in Denmark. Details can be found (only in Danish) at the national ombudsman's homepage (dead link: January 2023).
If you live outside Greenland or do not have Danish citizenship then you must provide the following information:
Applications can be sent or faxed to:
Udenrigsministeriet Asiatisk Plads 2 1448 København K Denmark Telefax: +45 33 92 01 70
Qaanaaq Airport (IATA: NAQ), 77.488611°, -69.388611°. Air Greenland flies twice per week from Upernavik, which has flights from Ilulissat. These flights are very expensive.
The town's pretty small, and you should be able to get around it on foot.
The Northeast Greenland National Park is the obvious next destination.
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