Most of the townspeople are descendents of these colonists from the vessel 'Gustav Holm' and depend on hunting for their living, with motorboats, dinghies and dog sleds being their preferred means of transport. They hunt seals, walruses, narwhales, polar bears and musk oxen. The hunters sell the skins and also trade the meat for resale on the west coast of Greenland. Ittoqqortoormiit is an area of outstanding natural beauty, including the world's largest and longest fjord complexcovering a total area of about 38,000 square kilometres in all. The terrain around the various branches of the fjord is markedly mountainous with the exception of Jameson Land, an area of distinct lowlands, while elsewhere the mountains rise steeply from the shores of the fjord. One example is 'Stauning's Alps' which tower up almost 2,500 metres.
Situated as far north as it is, Ittoqqortoormiit enjoys the midnight sun from the end of May until the end of July. It also means that the sun does not rise above the horizon from around 23 November until 17 January. The first snow falls in early September and disappears again in July the following year.
In October/November, the fjord starts to freeze over again, and an edge of ice forms at the mouth of the fjord.Winters in Ittoqqortoormiit are long, harsh and cold with frequent storms. Summers are short with an average temperature of under +5°C.
Trophy hunting for musk oxen and excellent opportunities for catching seals and walruses as well as polar bear safaris are also popular tourist attractions. There is also something special about taking a trip by dog sled to the edge of the ice to observe the extremely rich animal and bird life. The area isalso good for skiing.In summer, there is every opportunity for trekking in the beautiful dales. The numerous mountain peaks offer challenges for mountaineers. Trips by motorboat, kayak or canoes into the various fjords are also an unforgettable adventure. There is also the possibility of fishing for the Arctic char.