Ilulissat, The Town of Icebergs

Departure from Copenhagen is in the morning, and after approximately 4 1⁄2 hours' flight, you will set foot on the world’s largest island. Following a brief stop in Kangerlussuaq, we continue toward Ilulissat on a smaller plane. It is a beautiful 45-minute flight, which allows you to take in the magnificent Arctic landscape, the barren wilderness, and the magnitude of the Inland Ice Cape. During our approach to Ilulissat, the city will appear as a colorful dot in the middle of nowhere. The colored houses stand in stark contrast to the rugged mountains, and you can look forward to the next days filled with icebergs, nature clad in autumn colors, and cultural impressions from a highly traditional Greenland town.

The bus of Hotel Arctic will pick you up at the airport, and you check in at the wonderfully situated four-star hotel. Here you will meet one of our guides who will brief you about the city, the area, dining, and excursion possibilities. You can book excursions at the meeting, or have your pre-booked excursions confirmed.

Guided town walk (optional)

The first excursion in the excursion package is a guided tour of the town. You will learn about the history of the Ilulissat and experience its many interesting aspects. One of them is the many sled dogs that live here. Most of the dogs stay outside of the town at a large dog site if they are not roaming the terrain.

This evening, you will have a lovely welcome dinner in the hotel’s amazing restaurant (drinks not included).

Optional : Northern Light Safari Price Per Person 48,- EUR 

(Available from September 22 – December)

Beautiful iceberg vistas are the setting for the old settlement of the Sermermiut 1 1⁄2 kilometers south of Ilulissat. For 4,000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in the settlement. Hear the story about the Inuit people’s life and traditions before the Europeans came to Greenland, see the ruins and touch the permafrost with your own hands.

On this hike, we will pass “Kællingekløften” where you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Ice Fjord, before heading back again. During the hike, there will be time to talk about flora, fauna, geology, and not least, the story behind the omnipresent ice.

Optional: Northern Light Safari Price Per Person 48,- EUR 

Available from September 22 – December
 

Optional Excursion Package with 3 excursions-This excursion package offers you the fantastic opportunity to enjoy great arctic nature by the Icefjord, hiking, and getting close to cultural history in Ilulissat. Price: Per Person 204,- EUR

• City walk in Ilulissat (2 hours)
• Sailing at Ilulissat Ice Fjord (2½ hours)
• Hike to Sermermiut by Ilulissat Ice Fjord (2 hours)

Disko Bay is one of Greenland’s most popular tourist destinations. Primarily because of the ice, but also due to the beauty of the place, the many cultural attractions and the interaction between the traditional way of life and modern city life.

Ilulissat and the surrounding area offer excursion possibilities aplenty, and perhaps the initial briefing has inspired you to make the best use of your day, alternatively, you may want to take in the fantastic view across Disko Bay and let time stand still for a little while…

Sailing among icebergs (optional)

Almost every visitor in Ilulissat chooses to try a boat trip among the icebergs at least once.

More than 40 million tons of ice flows out into the fjord every day. The result is gigantic icebergs, which can be more than 100 meters on each side and with a height of up to 100 meters above the water's surface. These giants strand at the end of the fjord, and that gives you a good opportunity to sail among them. An exceptional experience, you do not want to be without while visiting Ilulissat.

Remember to bring warm clothes, or you can rent a suit of sealskin.

Optional: Northern Light Safari Price Per Person 48,- EUR 

(Available from September 22 – December)

When the sky is clear on cold nights, you can see the most beautiful northern lights over Ilulissat. Aurora Borealis is, without a doubt, the night sky’s most spectacular phenomenon. We are going to drive away from the lights of the town and go to where the darkness is most intense. The guide will tell us all about the causes of the phenomenon. You will also get tips and tricks to enable you to take the best pictures of the colored lights as they cross the night sky.

Optional: Day cruise to Eqi Glacier Price Per Person: 396,- EUR

Use your final full day in Greenland to experience the atmosphere and life in the town. Go back in time and get a sense of history at the cozy museum established in Knud Rasmussen’s birthplace. The fishermen at “Brættet,” the local marketplace, provide you with an impression of the interesting food products of Greenland that do not come fresher than this.

When you have satisfied your appetite for visual experiences, it is time to treat your tastebuds and fill your stomach. The restaurants in Ilulissat invite you on a journey of discovery through local specialties such as Greenland sushi, deep-fried ammassats (small fish), whale and seal – and in the cafés, freshly baked cakes will tempt your sweet tooth. This is indeed a holiday that will impress all your senses.

Day Tour to Eqi Glacier – the calving glacier (optional)

Only a few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi Glacier, which spills into the fjord 80 kilometers north of Ilulissat. It is possible to get close to the glacier by boat and experience huge pieces of ice breaking off. The sounds are loud, and the sight of the ice crashing into the water is breathtaking.

We sail in modern and convenient boats at the excursion to the Eqi Glacier. The route goes north along the coast passing Bredebugt, the settlement of Oqaatsut and the big fjord system called Pakitsoq, where whales and seals often are seen. Further on, we pass through the Ataa Strait, which is surrounded by steep mountains with bird life and waterfalls. Our ice-secured boats lie approximately two hours in front of the glacier and wait for the ice to calve, while a delicious lunch is served. This is a full-day excursion, where you will have a good opportunity to be immersed in the experience and the boat trip in the ice-filled water.

Please note:

The length of the boat trip to and from the glacier can last between 2 – 5 hours each way. It depends on the boat used on the given day.

Travel season: June - September

80 kilometers north of Ilulissat you can visit the calving glacier Eqi. It is possible by boat to get very close to the glacier and experience huge pieces of ice breaking off. The sounds are enormous, and the sight of the icebergs, crashing into the water, is breathtaking.

Boat tour to Eqi (return trip)

Lunch on board

2-hour stay in front of the glacier on board

Transfer between hotel and harbor b/w

The duration of the trip depends on which boat is used on the day.

Duration: 6-12 hours
 

Optional: Northern Light Safari Price Per Person 48,- EUR

(Available from September 22 – December)

After an adventurous, extended weekend, it is time to say your goodbyes to Ilulissat. Greenland is likely to have made quite an impression on you that will spark a special feeling and flash a series of indelible mental images whenever you hear the word Greenland mentioned in the future.

You depart from Ilulissat via Kangerlussuaq, arriving in Copenhagen in the evening.