A long weekend in the Arctic to remember | 5 days | Ilulissat

Arriving to Ilulissat & city walk 

Departure from Copenhagen is during the morning, and after approximately 4,5 hours of flight, you will set foot on the largest island in the world, Greenland. Following a brief stop in Kangerlussuaq, you will continue toward Ilulissat on a smaller plane. It is a beautiful 45-minute flight, which allows you to take in the magnificent Arctic landscape. 

During the approach to Ilulissat, the city will appear as a colored dot in the middle of the snowy landscape. 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 the beautiful autumn colors.

The bus from Hotel Arctic will pick you up at the airport and bring you to the hotel where you check-in. Here, you will meet one of the guides who will brief you about Ilulissat, the area, dining, and the excursions.

Guided town walk 

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

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

Walk to Sermermiut

Beautiful iceberg vistas are the setting for the old settlement of Sermermiut. It is located 1,5 kilometers south of Ilulissat. For 4,000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in the settlement. On this tour you will 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, you will also pass by “Kællingekløften” where you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Ice Fjord. During the hike, there will also be time to talk about flora, fauna, geology, and the story behind the omnipresent ice.

The rest of your day will be yours to plan! Visit Icefjors center, museum, Zions church or just relax and enjoy the views.

Sailing among the icebergs

Disko Bay is by far one of Greenland’s most popular tourist destinations - and for good reasons. The beauty of the place with all of its ice, the many cultural attractions, and the interaction between the traditional way of life and modern city life.

Sailing among icebergs

Today you will join an amazing 2-2,5 hours sailing experience, with a heated cabin.

With more than 40 million tons of ice flowing out into the fjord every day, a boat trip among the icebergs is a must at least once. The gigantic icebergs 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 unforgettable experience!

Northern Lights Safari 

Available from September 22 – December

When the sky is clear on cold nights, you can see the most beautiful northern lights over Ilulissat. It is without a doubt one of the most spectacular phenomena and you have to see them for yourself. You are going to drive away from the city lights and go to a place where the darkness is most intense. Your guide will tell you all about the causes of the phenomenon. Moreover, you will get tips and tricks to enable how to take the best pictures of the northern lights.

Ilulissat on your own and excursions by boat tour to the Eqi Glacier

On your last final day in Greenland, you can use the day on experiencing the atmosphere in Ilulissat. Rewind 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 any fresher than this.

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

If your trip starts on September 15 2022 – you can also join this optional excursion:

Day Tour to Eqi Glacier – the calving glacier 

Only a few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi Glacier, which spills into the fjord 80 kilometers north of Ilulissat. You can 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 more than breathtaking.

You will sail in modern and convenient boats on this 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. In this fjord, whales and seals are often seen. Further on, you will pass through the Ataa Strait, which is surrounded by steep mountains with bird life and waterfalls. The ice-secured boats lie approximately two hours in front of the glacier and will wait for the ice to calve, all meanwhile a delicious lunch will be served. This is a full-day excursion you will never forget.

Please note:

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

Flights from Ilulissat to Kangerlussuaq and Copenhagen

After an adventurous extended weekend, it is time to say goodbye to Ilulissat. Greenland has most likely at this point 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 during the evening.