AT A GLANCE
Why go?
Austmannatjern is a small, remote Arctic lake set in the high wilderness east of Nuuk, in Greenland's Sermersooq municipality. Its name is Norwegian—essentially "the Eastmen's tarn," from *austmenn* (Norsemen/eastmen) and *tjern*, a word for a small mountain lake—echoing the Norse-named landscape of the surrounding valleys.↗↗
There is no village, road or visitor facility here. Austmannatjern is a destination for serious backcountry travellers rather than casual sightseers: a quiet meltwater tarn lying inland among the glacially carved terrain that Fridtjof Nansen crossed on his 1888 ski journey from the ice sheet toward the west coast.↗
A Norse name in the ice-margin wilderness
The lake sits far from the settlements, at roughly 64.17°N, 49.57°W, deep in the inland country east of the capital. That position places it within the broad glacial landscape of the Austmannadalen region—the "Valley of the Eastmen," a Norse term that recalls the medieval Greenlandic Norse whose Western Settlement was centred around modern Nuuk. To see a lake like Austmannatjern carry an old Norwegian name is to read the human history straight onto the map: this was the high ground the Norse, and centuries later Nansen's expedition, moved through on their way between the ice cap and the fjords.↗↗↗
The country around it is raw and recently born of ice—moraine fields, boulder-strewn slopes, milky glacial rivers and tundra that turns copper and gold in late summer. In autumn the same skies bring the aurora over the tent-pitches of long-distance hikers, and the valley floors are grazed by reindeer.↗
Why make the trip
Austmannatjern rewards one thing above all: solitude in true High-Arctic wilderness. It is the kind of place you reach only by putting in the kilometres, typically as part of a multi-day traverse through the valleys east of Nuuk that follow Nansen's historic route toward the village of Kapisillit. For a walker, the appeal is the landscape itself—the silence, the vast open tundra, the distant ice cap on the horizon, and the sense of standing where Norse farmers and Norwegian explorers once passed.↗
The other draw is fishing. Angling directories list Austmannatjern as a fishing water in Sermersooq, and the freshwater tarns and streams of this region are classic habitat for Arctic char, the species that gives Kapisillit—"the place of the char"—its very name. The logged reports for the lake are essentially empty, which tells its own story: this is unpressurised, almost untouched water, best regarded as a spot for the self-sufficient expedition angler rather than a confirmed hot spot.↗↗
Getting there and visiting notes
There is no road and no scheduled transport to the lake. The realistic gateway is Nuuk, reached by air from Kangerlussuaq or Iceland, from which the inland valleys are approached by a combination of boat, chartered helicopter and on-foot travel; the upper reaches of this country are commonly accessed by heli-drop expeditions that then walk out over several days. Treat the whole outing as a self-sufficient wilderness crossing: you must carry all food, fuel, navigation and cold-weather gear, and be ready to wade cold, silt-laden glacial rivers.↗
The sensible window is the short Arctic summer and early autumn, roughly late June to September, when the snow has largely gone from the valley floors and the near-continuous daylight makes long days on the water and on foot possible. Beyond that, the melt turns to freeze, the light collapses and the country closes. Because Austmannatjern has no facilities of any kind, plan, permit and safety arrangements should be made through Nuuk-based outfitters and local guidance before setting out.↗
What makes it special
A remote, roadless Arctic tarn east of Nuuk carrying an old Norwegian name—"the Eastmen's tarn."↗
Lying in the glacial country of the Austmannadalen region, the same high wilderness Nansen crossed in 1888.↗
Char-fishing potential in almost untouched water, with no logged catches yet—true expedition angling.↗
No facilities, no transport: reach it only by self-sufficient multi-day crossings from Nuuk, often by heli-drop.↗
A little planning goes a long way
- Treat a visit to Austmannatjern as a full wilderness expedition, not a day trip—there are no roads, buildings or services anywhere near the lake.
- Base yourself in Nuuk and arrange boat, chartered helicopter and local guidance before heading inland; carry all provisions, fuel and cold-weather gear.↗
- Go between late June and September for snow-free ground and long daylight; expect to ford cold glacial rivers en route.↗
- If you fish, pack for Arctic char and keep it light—this is unpressurised water whose logged reports are essentially blank.↗
About this guide
Compiled with AI assistance from the sources below; this is not a first-hand visit. Place details collected October 5, 2026. Hours, access and ratings can change; confirm with the venue before visiting.