Day 1Arriving in Kangerlussuaq and Point 660
Copenhagen-Kangerlussuaq. Welcome meeting and Ice Sheet excursion to Point 660.
You will fly with Air Greenland from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq. Ahead awaits a 4,5-hour flight and an unforgettable 8-day winter adventure. Your guide from the local tour office will welcome you when you arrive and assists you with the check-in at Polar Lodge which is located just next to the airport.
From the lodge, there is a nice view of both airport and maybe a little hare hiding in the landscape. The crackling sound in the snow echoes in the silence and automatically makes you forget everything about everyday life.
At the following information meeting, your guide will share some practical advice about the area of Kangerlussuaq.
After that, a four-wheel driven vehicle will bring you through an incredibly and astonishing landscape. Through mountains, plains, and semi-desert valleys. Near the Ice Cap, you will drive through the fantastic moraine landscape.
At the end of the road, you will walk to the Ice Cap and onto the vast ice sheet. You will spend time exploring before heading back to the four-wheel driven vehicle. There will be good chances of spotting animals such a reindeer, musk oxen and many species of birds and flowers - depending on the season.
Day 2Highlights of Greenlandic winter!
Today is at your disposal and their are many beautiful excursions in the hinterland the invites you. You can go on a dog sled trip and a tour where you will chase the northern lights if you travel before April. Alternatively, a tundra tour if you travel in April.
2-hour Dog sledding tour
The dog sled is one of the biggest trademarks of Greenland. An Inuit tradition, going back thousands of years. You will not find many other means of transportation that has survived for so long without changes. The experience is impossible to explain and it is something you have to try for yourself. The musher and his dogs will take you over the thick ice on the fjord so you will have a truly Greenlandic experience.
Northern lights tour
On evenings with a clear sky, the breathtaking northern lights/Aurora Borealis are likely to appear. On this tour, you will go out in the landscape where artificial light does not prevent you from seeing the amazing northern lights.
Afterward, the guide will tell you more about the phenomenon and the myths it has created throughout time. Moreover, the guide will show you how to ‘make’ northern lights while preparing warm and tasty Greenlandic coffee.
Day 3Travelling to Ilulissat
Next stop: Ilulissat. It is a 45-minute flight giving you a perfect chance of really enjoying the beautiful icy landscape.
During the approach to Ilulissat, the town seemingly occur right in the middle of nowhere. The colorful houses vie for attention among the snow-covered peaks and you can look forward to the next few days full of ice, winter, and dogsleds – combined with cultural highlights.
You will check in at the beautifully situated Hotel Arctic. Here, there will be a following information meeting where you get to hear more about Ilulissat and you itinerary for the next days to come.
Guided tour of Ilulissat
Ilulissat was founded in 1741 and is today the third largest town in Greenland with more than 4,500 inhabitants. The guide will tell you about the history of Ilulissat, and you will experience the town’s many exciting sides. Seeing and hearing some of the many thousands of sled dogs is not possible to miss out on. Most of them live on the outskirts of the town in large dog spaces.
You will visit the fishermen down at the harbor and the hunters at their trading post called “Brættet.”. Moreover, you will see the church and the birthplace of the famous Polar explorer, Knud Rasmussen. Two-hour city walk is a perfect introduction to Ilulissat!
Day 4Sailing to Ilulissat icefjord
Disko Bay is one of Greenland’s most popular tourist destinations. Firstly, due to the icebergs, but also because of its beauty and its many cultural attractions. Today you will have time to explore the town on your own and join must-do sailing tour among the icebergs!
Sailing among icebergs
Almost every person who visits Ilulissat chooses to go on this boat trip among the icebergs - at least once. Every day, more than an incredible 40 million tons of ice flow out into the fjord.
You will be sailing with a closed boat so you can enjoy crispy air autside as well as get warm in the cabin. During the 2, 5 hours tour you will enjoy incredible views. The floating icebergs are so gigantic that they sometimes measure more than 100 meters wide and long - and with a height of more than 100 meters above the water surface as well! These giants icebergs gather at the end of the fjord.
This exceptional experience is something you should not miss out on when visiting Ilulissat.
Day 5Guided walk to the UNESCO site
Today you will join a guided hike to the UNESCO area and for the rest of the day you will have time to enjoy your day in a cafe, visit museums, or go shopping.
Walk to the Sermermiut Settlement
Beautiful icebergs provide the setting for the old settlement of Sermermiut which is located 1,5 kilometers south of Ilulissat. You will see where for 4000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in the small settlement.
Hear the story about life of the indigenous people and their traditions before the Europeans arrived in Greenland. See the ruins and touch the permafrost with your own bare hands. On this hike, you will also pass by “Kællingekløften” where you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Ice Fjord before hiking back to Ilulissat. It is easy 2 hours guided hike that everyone can do!
Day 6Explore Ilulissat on your own
Spend your day by exploring Ilulissat on your own. If you want, you can visit one of the traditional arts and crafts workshops to look for souvenirs made from seal or tooth and bone.
There are also many hikes to try. You can for instance walk along the road to the airport, where you will pass by a typical Greenlandic cemetery. There are also opportunities for tours in the mountains, but it can be a little difficult to walk here because the snow can be deep. In that case, you can also go snowshoe tour which is fun to try!
Book an extra tour on this day here:
Day 7Explore Ilulissat on your own
Spend your last day in Ilulissat by experiencing the atmosphere and life in the town. Go back in time and learn about the rich history at the museum that originally was Knud Rasmussen’s place of birth. Fishermen and hunters at the open market will give you an idea of the many exciting Greenlandic food products – and it does not get any fresher than this!
At the restaurants in Ilulissat, you can try out some local specialties such as Greenlandic sushi, deep-fried “ammassats” (small fish), whale and seal, and the cafés offer freshly-baked cakes. This is highly recommended!
Book an extra tour on this day here:
Day 8Flying back to Denmark
Offering one final view of the Ice Fjord and the captivating icebergs, the flight will take you back to Kangerlussuaq and onwards to Copenhagen. You will arrive in Copenhagen in the evening.
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