The town of Thule, also known as Qaanaaq was first established during the 1950s when the US airbase, which was originally built during the Cold War at Thule/Dundas, needed to be extended. At that time it was not considered appropriate for a civilian population to be living close to the base, so everybody was moved some 100 kilometres further north, where the new town of Qaanaaq was built in 1953.

The presence of Pituffik, as the US base is called, makes it difficult to visit the area, as permission to travel through it must be obtained from the Danish Foreign Ministry. But during the next few years a runway is to be built close to Qaanaaq, creating a direct connection between it and the other towns in the north of Greenland and improving access for both residents and tourists. There is a small hotel in Qaanaaq, and the glaciers are less than an hour's walk from town.