Bestseller: Zoom in on snow and ice in Greenland - Inland Ice & UNESCO site Ilulissat Icefiord

You never forget the first time you breathe the frosty fresh air the moment you step off the plane in Kangerlussuaq. It is a unique experience that is reinforced by the sight of the snow covered rocky landscape – this is a new sensation which blows you away.

The ideal months for a winter vacation are from late January to early May. The cold is inevitable at these latitudes. Temperatures range from approx. 5-30 degrees below zero, but because of the dry air it doesn’t feel so penetrating cold. Another tempting winter feature is the northern lights - lie in the snow, listen to the silence and enjoy the northern lights’ greenish nuances.

Kangerlussuaq is the gateway to Greenland. The hinterland hides a fantastic nature where the huge ice cap with its own life, sounds and cold is impossible to ignore. Are you looking for a trip that combines winter, great nature and culture you have chosen the right travel - and if you are also looking for a trip that gives you endless beautiful camera shots, you can be sure of getting full value in Ilulissat. Here you will get ample opportunity to focus on icebergs, the fascinating ice fjord and thousands of sled dogs.

Day program
Day 1 Copenhagen-Kangerlussuaq-accommodation-welcome meeting
Day 2 Kangerlussuaq on your own
Day 3 Kangerlussuaq-Ilulissat-accommodation-welcome meeting
Day 4-7 On your own in Ilulissat - a wealth of excursions
Day 8 Ilulissat-Kangerlussuaq-Copenhagen

Day 1 Copenhagen-Kangerlussuaq-accommodation-welcome meeting
We fly with Air Greenland from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq. Ahead lies an approximately 4 hour flight and an 8 day winter adventure.

A guide from our local tour office World of Greenland  Arctic Circle welcomes you upon arrival and assists you  with the check in at Polar Lodge. Polar Lodge is a stone's throw from the airport and is a relaxed accommodation with kitchen facilities, a ‘living room’ and souvenir shop. From the lodge there is a direct view of both aircrafts and maybe a little hare hiding in the gray-brown rocks. The crackling sound in the snow echoes in the silence and automatically makes you forget the everyday life.

At the following information meeting the guide will give you practical advice about the area and the optional excursions. It is now time to experience Kangerlussuaq in your own pace and get ideas to what tomorrow should offer.

Day 2 Kangerlussuaq on your own
Today is at your own disposal and the beautiful hinterland invites to various excursions.

It is for example almost obligatory to go on a musk ox safari by bus. The large hairballs can be a little difficult to spot. From a distance they look like big stones - and sometimes they actually are stones. Today there are living around 10,000 musk oxen in the area between the icecap and Sisimiut, but they decide themselves when they want to model! We may also be lucky to see reindeer and arctic foxes.

Another attraction in Kangerlussuaq is the ice cap. Go on a guided tour to the giant cap, which is the size of Western Europe. On the way you can from a distance see the Russell glacier - a 30-80 meter high wall of ice. Here nature has really played with its muscles!

At night the northern lights call for an adventure.  If the night sky is clear and full of stars, the conditions are ideal to experience the magical curtains in changing colors.

Day 3 Kangerlussuaq Ilulissat-accommodation-welcome meeting
We now head towards Ilulissat. It's a beautiful 45 minutes flight giving you a perfect chance of really enjoying the beautiful icy landscape, the desolate expanse and grandeur.

During the approach to Ilulissat the town pops up in the middle of nowhere. The colored houses vie for attention with the snow covered peaks and at the bump of the Dash aircraft landing you can look forward to the next few days full of ice, winter and dogsleds - combined with cultural highlights from a very traditional Greenlandic town.

We check in at the cozy Hotel Icefiord and can on the following information meeting hear more about the town and the many optional excursions. It’s now time to relax and settle and enjoy the fantastic view over the town and the world famous ice fjord.

Day 4-7 On your own in Ilulissat
The Disko Bay is one of Greenland's most popular tourist destinations. First and foremost because of the ice, but also because of its beauty, its many cultural attractions and the interaction between the traditional lifestyle and modern urban life. Racks with kayaks jostle for space with satellite dishes.

We suggest that you start with a guided town tour. You hear about the town’s history and experience the many exciting facets. You cannot avoid seeing and especially hearing some of the many thousands of sled dogs. Most of them live in the outskirts of the town on large dog spaces – loose puppies play surveyed by the mother and the rest of the gang cannot wait to take you on a sled trip.

There are numerous excursions to choose from.  We recommend an easy hike to Sermermiut. This trip can be done either with or without a guide.

A ride on a dogsled is also a magnificent experience. There are many levels - from trips of one hour - just to try it - or trips of several days duration. It's a good idea to hire a sealskin outfit  so that you can enjoy the ride and the adventurous white landscape to the full without freezing – pay attention to the silence which is unique and overwhelming.

Experience the atmosphere and life in the town, go back on the wings of history and learn something about the rich history at the museum that is Knud Rasmussen's birthplace. Fishermen and hunters at the open market (brættet) give you an idea of the exciting Greenlandic food products – it doesn’t get any fresher. Visit one of the traditional handicraft workshops and look for souvenirs in seal or tooth and bone.

The restaurants in Ilulissat take you on a journey  rich in tastes with local specialties - such as Greenland sushi, deep fried ammasats, whale and seal and in the cafes freshly baked cakes tempt.

Day 8 Ilulissat-Kangerlussuaq-Copenhagen
Enjoy the last view of the Ilulissat ice fjord from the plane on the way to Kangerlussuaq, where the Airbus fly to Copenhagen with arrival in the evening.

Other winter tours in Greenland

Dogsledding in the Disco Bay

4 days dogsledge 
8 days total, DKK 23,950

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Weekend break in Greenland

Explore the Ice Cap!
5 days, DKK 6,495 only

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Get a dog sledge license!

3 days sledge expedition
10 days total, DKK 23,950

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