Top things to do in Ilulissat in Summer

Summer runs from mid-June to the end of September, and is by far the most popular season to visit Ilulissat. Visitors should arrange their flights, accommodation, and tours early as things can be booked out – sometimes several months in advance!

That said, it’s unlikely you will feel overcrowded in Ilulissat and there are plenty of ways you can head out and explore the area around the town and its famous UNESCO site. 

Visit the Ilulissat Icefjord

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ilulissat Icefjord is one of the key reasons to come to Ilulissat. There are three main ways to experience the enormous icebergs:

Join an Icefjord cruise – there are several options to choose from that vary in group size, boat type, and time of day. In summer, the “midnight” cruises offer the best lighting for photography

Join a kayaking trip – if you’d prefer to have a true waterline view of the ice towers standing above you and get a bit of exercise at the same time, you can’t beat a kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding excursion to the Icefjord. As with the sailing tours, your guide will take you as close as safely possible to the icebergs to maximize the experience.

Hike the Icefjord trails – there are 3 trails to choose from: the Sermermiut boardwalk (Red Trail) which is best done with a guide to learn more about the history of the area, why it was so important to the Inuit, and to identify archaeological structures that are overlooked by most independent hikers.

The Yellow Trail, which includes views over Disko Bay; and the Blue Trail, which follows the Icefjord to the East and returns to Ilulissat via a series of lakes and an old stone quarry.  You can find out more in our article on Ilulissat Hiking Trails.

You should also call the Ilulissat Icefjord visitor’s centre to understand more about the life cycle of ice and how it has shaped the Ilulissat area over the millenia.

Visit the Eqi Glacier

Also known as “the carving glacier” a visit to the very active Eqi Glacier is a must for all visitors. Located ~80km north of Ilulissat, you can join a full-day sailing tour that includes 2 quiet hours in front of the glacier, lunch, and a short visit to Oqaatsut on the way back.

If you have more time, plan to spend one or two nights at Glacier Lodge Eqi. Its accommodation options include 15 cabins and 5 glamping tents, and there are self-guided and guided excursions to the moraine overlooking the glacier, the glacier delta, and the Greenland Ice Sheet. Or, you can simply relax and enjoy the peace and rugged nature near the glacier.

Visit Oqaatsut

For a glimpse of what life is like in a small Greenlandic settlement – you should include a visit to Oqaatsut on your itinerary. This tiny village of only 30 people is located about 21km north of Ilulissat and contains a small local store, a church that is also used as a school for local kids, a hotel, and the H8 restaurant.

Take time out from Ilulissat’s busyness and learn more about life in the village on a “city” walk, go kayaking amidst the icebergs (and possibly whales) that are often found in front of the settlement, and enjoy a 3-course dining experience featuring traditional Greenlandic ingredients at the wonderful H8 restaurant.

You can reach Oqaatsut by boat or by hiking the well-marked, ~23km long Orange Trail during summer. It is also possible to visit by dogsled or snowmobile during winter.

Visit Iliminaq

For some of the most beautiful and eco-friendly lodgings in Greenland, sail across the mouth of the Icefjord and spend a few days enjoying the small settlement of Iliminaq. The luxury huts of Iliminaq Lodge all have balcony views over the enormous icebergs of Disko Bay and offer a perfect, private location to sit and look for whales and watch the midnight sun. 

Iliminaq has some of the best dining in the Ilulissat area and in 2022, 2023 and 2024 (at least) is home to the Michellin-starred KOKS restaurant. 

Visitors to the settlement can join a guided tour to learn more of its history, explore the area by hiking (Nordre Hus is one of the most popular hikes), or join a full-day UTV excursion to the Greenland Icesheet.

There are regular boat transfers between Ilulissat and Iliminaq several times per day.

Go whale watching

While it’s always possible to spot whales from land or from any other sailing tour, for the best chance to get up close to these magnificent creatures and maximize the time spent with them, you should join a dedicated whale watching tour.

The boat captains keep in touch with each other and the local fishermen to identify where whales have recently been spotted and will get you as close as safely possible for the best views.

There are several whale watching excursions available from Ilulissat on boats of various sizes.

Experience Greenlandic Culture

Although modern Greenland has been heavily influenced by Danish and other international cultures, traditional practices are still accessible and actively supported by government initiatives.

In Ilulissat, you can experience traditional Greenlandic hospitality at a Kaffemik with a local family, visit the local Women’s Association to learn about the National Costume and see how seal skins are processed, and meet the sled dogs to learn more about the dog sledding culture in Greenland and how the country is the only Arctic nation that continues to use dogs in the traditional manner. 

Plan your visit

To see all of the summer tours in Ilulissat available through Guide to Greenland, please visit our Ilulissat tours list and select the month(s) you will be visiting.

Read more articles from Guide to Greenland