Greenland is the largest island on Earth, as well as being the largest dependent territory in the world, and has a staggering 81 per cent of its landmass covered by an icecap that is some 40km thick in places. The population is sparse, with only about 56,000 people residing in the extensive area and around 15 per cent of inhabitants having been born outwith the country borders.

The indigenous and naturalized population, however, hold strong to heritage and tradition and the nation's long history is evident both on the landscape of the country and in the lives of the people. In South Greenland, the remnants of a Viking settlement that dates from more than a millennium ago stands remarkably well-preserved and travellers can also take in the remains of the first Anglican churches built on the North American continent.

Visiting the modern settlements of Greenland, visitors are treated to a vibrant, multi-coloured sprawl - now a trademark of Greenlandic architecture - that could not stand in more contrast to the relics of ancient times. Mingling with the locals reveals an intriguing culture that echoes the lifestyle of the days of yore, as a vast number of people still build their own kayaks, travel on dogsleds and hunt in much the same way as their ancestors once did.

As welcoming and interesting as the Greenlandic people and their culture are, the most memorable aspect of Greenland tours is the scenery. There is an inescapable eeriness and alluring beauty about the primordially barren wonderland and as frigid gusts of unforgiving wind thrusts wisps of shimmering frost over the precipice of a colossal, spellbinding iceberg, you come to appreciate nature and the world in a whole new light.