Tunulliarfik Fjord (old spelling: ''Tunugdliarfik'') is a
fjord
In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
near
Qaqortoq
Qaqortoq, formerly Julianehåb, is a city in the Kujalleq municipalities of Greenland, municipality in southern Greenland, located near Cape Thorvaldsen. With a population of 3,050 in 2020, it is the most populous town and the municipal capital in ...
in the
Kujalleq municipality in southern
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
. It is the inner section of
Skovfjord
Tunulliarfik Fjord (old spelling: ''Tunugdliarfik'') is a fjord near Qaqortoq in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. It is the inner section of Skovfjord (Skovfjorden). In times of the Eastern Settlement, Norse settlement in southern G ...
(Skovfjorden). In times of the
Norse settlement in southern Greenland, it was known as ''Eiriksfjord''.
Geography
The fjord head at approximately is formed by the estuary of a river flowing from the glacial outflow lake in
Johan Dahl Land. At approximately , south of the
Narsarsuaq settlement, the fjord is joined by its tributary
Qooroq Fjord from the northeast, changing direction from southern into southwestern. Bounded by long peninsulas and low-lying islands from the southeast and the northwest, it has its mouth in the Skovfjord which empties in
Labrador Sea
The Labrador Sea (French: ''mer du Labrador'', Danish: ''Labradorhavet'') is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelf, continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, ...
at approximately .
[Ivittuut/Narsarsuaq/Qaqortoq, Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992]
The Narsaq Sound, between the peninsula forming the northern shore of Tunulliarfik Fjord and
Tuttutooq and
Illutaliq islands, connects with neighbouring
Bredefjord
Bredefjord is a fjord in northeastern Greenland. Administratively it is part of the Northeast Greenland National Park zone.
Tundra climate prevails in the area of the fjord, the average annual temperature in the area being -14° C . The warmest m ...
and
Nordre Sermilik
Ikersuaq, old spelling ''Ikerssuak'', ( da, Bredefjord) is a fjord in southwestern Greenland. Administratively it is part of the Kujalleq municipality.
Geography
The Ikersuaq fjord is oriented in a roughly NE/SW direction and to the southwest i ...
to the north.
Settlement
There are several small settlements near the shores of the long Tunulliarfik Fjord. Narsarsuaq and
Qassiarsuk are located on the opposite sides of the fjord near its head. Further south, the settlement of
Igaliku
Igaliku is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. The town was founded as Igaliko in 1783 by the trader and colonial administrator Anders Olsen and Greenlandic wife Tuperna. In 2020, Igaliku had 21 inhabitants. The ...
occupies the
isthmus of a peninsula bounding the fjord from the south. At the far end of Narsaq Peninsula bounding the upper reaches of the fjord from the north the town of
Narsaq occupies a wide lowland with arable ground. There are no settlements in the lower reaches of the fjord.
Transport

Narsaq is a port of call for the
Arctic Umiaq Line coastal ship in the summer season.
Arctic Umiaq Line, Timetable 2009
/ref> The southbound ferry route backtracks from Qaqortoq
Qaqortoq, formerly Julianehåb, is a city in the Kujalleq municipalities of Greenland, municipality in southern Greenland, located near Cape Thorvaldsen. With a population of 3,050 in 2020, it is the most populous town and the municipal capital in ...
until the mouth of Tunulliarfik, to then sail northeast alongside the lower part of the fjord, anchoring at Narsaq port before turning around the same day.
Narsaq Heliport
Narsaq Heliport is a heliport in the northwestern part of Narsaq, a town in the Kujalleq municipality, in southern Greenland.
The route of the Arctic Umiaq Line no longer extends to Narsarsuaq during summer, hence the need for Europe-bound pass ...
and the international Narsarsuaq Airport
Narsarsuaq Airport ( kl, Mittarfik Narsarsuaq) is an airport located in Narsarsuaq, a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. Along with Kangerlussuaq Airport, it is one of two airports in Greenland capable of serving l ...
operate year-round, with STOL
A short takeoff and landing (STOL) aircraft is a conventional fixed-wing aircraft that has short runway requirements for takeoff and landing. Many STOL-designed aircraft also feature various arrangements for use on airstrips with harsh conditio ...
connections to Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq, and Paamiut
Paamiut, formerly Frederikshåb, is a town in southwestern Greenland in the Sermersooq municipality.
Geography
Paamiut is located on the coast of Labrador Sea in the southern end of a small estuary called Kuannersooq ("Inlet").
History
Pe ...
, and helicopter connections to Alluitsup Paa
Alluitsup Paa (old spelling prior to the orthography reform in 1973: ''Agdluitsup pâ'') is a village in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. Alluitsup Paa had 202 residents in 2020. Presently, the community's religious activities tak ...
, Nanortalik
Nanortalik (), formerly Nennortalik, is a town in Nanortalik Island, Kujalleq municipality, southern Greenland. With 1,185 inhabitants as of 2020, it is the eleventh-largest town in the country. The name ''Nanortalik'' means "Place of Polar Bears ...
, and Qaqortoq.[Air Greenland, Departures and Arrivals](_blank)
Igaliku
Igaliku is a settlement in the Kujalleq municipality in southern Greenland. The town was founded as Igaliko in 1783 by the trader and colonial administrator Anders Olsen and Greenlandic wife Tuperna. In 2020, Igaliku had 21 inhabitants. The ...
and Qassiarsuk can be reached by boat.
See also
* List of fjords of Greenland
References
{{Authority control
Fjords of Greenland