Experiences North and South of Ilulissat Icefjord

Your journey continues to Ilulissat and the Icefjord by plane. The fact that Ilulissat means icebergs in Greenlandic is undeniably linked to the beautiful Icefjord and the number of icebergs floating around at their own pace.

Arrival and accommodation in Ilulissat

Upon arrival in Ilulissat, you will be transferred to Hotel Arctic, with the most beautiful views of Disko Bay.

At Hotel Arctic, we are available in the lobby, where you can ask our guide for advice about the area and available excursions. If you’re interested, you can also book local excursions at the Arctic Excursions booking stand, operated by our subsidiary company. They offer many excursions that will give you an impression of the town’s ideal mix of authentic culture in a modern, thriving society – and its strong connection to fascinating nature. Please ask your guide if you have any questions about excursions and activities.

Cultural-historical town tour of Ilulissat (add-on)

On our cultural-historical city walk, we go a step deeper than if you walk alone with a map in your hand. Here you can start your experiences by gaining a deeper understanding of Greenland’s culture and history, giving all your other experiences in Greenland more perspective.

Ilulissat was founded as a trading post in 1741, and today, it is Greenland’s third-largest town, with over 4,500 inhabitants. On the walking tour, your guide will tell you about the history of the place, Greenlandic culture, and modern life 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. Along the way, we pass the harbor, meet the vendors at the local food market, and pass Knud Rasmussen’s birthplace and the old wooden Zion Church.

In the evening, a lovely welcome dinner is served in the hotel restaurant (drinks not included).

Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for icebergs. The town is beautifully situated at the mouth of the long and world-famous Ilulissat Icefjord, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. The ice is stunning; you can experience it from water, land, and air.

Hike to the former Sermermiut settlement at the Icefjord (add-on)

The beautiful icebergs of the Ilulissat Icefjord form the backdrop for the ancient settlement of Sermermiut, one and a half kilometers south of the town. For 4,000 years, the different Inuit cultures lived at the settlement, and today you can still see many remains that testify to their presence.

You’ll hear the story of Greenlanders’ life and customs before the arrival of Europeans, see ruins and old kitchen middens, and feel the permafrost with your hands. On the short hike, we turn around at the viewpoint at Kællingekløften, which was made famous in the Danish TV show Borgen.

Many people find having a guide on their first hikes in the Greenlandic hills mountains reassuring.

Meet the Greenlandic Sled Dogs – A Living Arctic Tradition (add-on)

Step into the world of Greenland’s iconic sled dogs on this guided tour that brings you closer to one of the Arctic’s most enduring symbols. Learn about their deep cultural roots, their role in traditional life, and how they continue to adapt in a changing world. Led by a knowledgeable guide, you’ll hear stories and insights about how these resilient dogs have helped shape life in the Arctic, from transportation and hunting to their continued relevance in today’s remote communities. You’ll gain a meaningful understanding of the special bond between humans and sled dogs in Greenland.

The tour takes place outdoors, where the dogs thrive in their natural habitat. Their thick coats protect them against the harsh cold, making them well-suited for the open environment – not as indoor pets, but as strong, working companions. With the owner’s permission, you may approach selected dogs and experience the individual dog up close. We always prioritize your safety and the well-being of the animals, so any interaction is guided and respectful. You’ll also get a chance to explore traditional sledding gear and learn how it connects past and present practices in dog sledding culture.

This tour is ideal for families and curious travelers of all ages looking for an authentic, educational experience focused on Greenlandic wildlife and tradition. It’s an encounter that will stay with you long after your journey ends.

Please note: For the safety and comfort of guests and dogs, approaching the animals without the owner’s permission is prohibited.

Today, you have several options.

You can try your hand at kayaking in the homeland of the kayak.

Kayak Experience in Ilulissat (add-on)

Inuit have kayaked in Greenland waters for more than a thousand years, and you can do it too. As the kayak glides silently through the water, you see the huge icebergs rising around you. The midnight sun gives the ice a unique hue. In cloudy weather, the beautiful blue colors of the icebergs are especially clear. With a little luck, we may even meet whales. All tours take place in stable double kayaks, and a boat follows close by. The excursion takes about 3½-4 hours, and we will be at sea for at least two of those hours. This excursion is not included in any of the Excursion Packages but can be booked separately.

You can also experience a helicopter flight.

Ilulissat Icefjord and Glacier Seen From Above with Helicopter (add-on)

Ilulissat Ice Fjord and the Kangia Glacier are in focus on a 1½ hours helicopter ride that takes you right into the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No boat or hiking trail can get this close to the huge glacier – and you will see it all from above!

The helicopter takes off from Ilulissat Airport and flies as low as safety and laws allow over mountains, lakes, rivers, and the Icefjord until we reach a mountain at the ice sheet’s edge. Here we have about half an hour to enjoy the view. Then, we fly over the glacier front and follow the Icefjord for 70 kilometers on our way back.

At night you get to see the icebergs from the sea.

Sailing among Icebergs (add-on)

The rays of the midnight sun give the icebergs a unique color that some people return to Ilulissat to experience again and again. Almost every visitor to Ilulissat chooses to try this iceberg cruise at least once. More than 40 million tons of ice flow daily from the Ilulissat Glacier into the Icefjord.

The result is enormous icebergs that can be hundreds of meters on each side and extend up to 70 meters above sea level. These giants are stranded at the mouth of the Icefjord, and here you have the opportunity to sail among them. Bring warm clothes for the trip or rent a sealskin suit because even in summer, it’s cold out here on the water between the icebergs.

Today you have the opportunity for more water adventures.

Whale watching (add-on)

Most people are surprised by what a great experience it is to get close to animals as large as whales. Once you’ve experienced it, it’s a thrill of a lifetime and an experience you’ll never forget. In Greenlandic waters, you can encounter around 15 species of whales.

During the summer months, you’ll usually see humpback, minke, and fin whales. The whales swim around the entire Disko Bay in the summer, sometimes close to the towns, sometimes in the Icefjord or up north at Arveprinsens Ejland.

We use the fast Targa boat type to cover a lot of ground. In addition, the skippers are in contact with the fishermen, so they know where to find the whales.

Today, we sail south of the Icefjord to Ilimanaq, where you will stay two nights in the fantastic cabins at Ilimanaq Lodge.

Ilimanaq Lodge

We depart in the morning and sail past the mouth of the Icefjord before docking at the harbor in Ilimanaq about 45 minutes later.

The cabins at Ilimanaq Lodge are amazing: They have two floors with sleeping spaces upstairs. When you wake up in the morning, you can step down to the living room, sit on the sofa and watch the small fishing boats chug by on the crystal clear water. You may enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace and wave to a passing whale, blowing you a “good morning water” with water from its blowhole. Ilimanaq Lodge combines magnificent nature experiences with luxurious comfort.

Once you’ve checked into your cabin, you’ll learn more about the village and go on a short tour.

Village walk

Ilimanaq is located 15 kilometers south of Ilulissat and has about 50 inhabitants. Ilimanaq offers the entire color palette, from the brightly colored village houses to the landscape’s seasonal changing shades. Ilimanaq is a traditional Greenlandic settlement where the main industries are still hunting and fishing.

Afterward, you can relax, enjoy life in a quiet village, and perhaps laze on the terrace.

In the evening, dinner is served in a restored colonial building.

This morning, there are more treats at the delicious breakfast.

Today, you have the day on your own in Ilimanaq and can enjoy a nice lunch and dinner (drinks excluded). You can spend more time in the village, or alternatively, you can go hiking in the area.

You can also book the excursion describes below. It starts early in the morning – just after breakfast.

Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure (add-on)

On this exciting tour, you’ll go speedboating, off-road with ATVs, and trekking on a glacier! Then you sail from Ilimanaq south to Itilliup Ilua. Here, you get off the boat on a very wide sandy beach, and now we drive off-road in ATVs to Tasiusaq Fjord. We board another boat and sail deeper into the fjord between the icebergs until we see two glaciers and the ice sheet.

We go ashore and enjoy a packed lunch and the view. Then we hike a bit and finally climb onto the huge ice sheet.

This tour is not recommended if you have severe neck or back problems; participants must be 12 years old.

In the morning, there is an early departure from Ilimanaq. Enjoy your last day in Ilulissat: shopping, lounging in a cafe, and enjoying the magnificent views. You can also choose to take a boat trip to Eqi Glacier.

Day trip to Eqi Glacier (add-on)

We set out in the morning from Ilulissat. The Eqi Glacier flows into the fjord 80 kilometers north of Ilulissat. By boat, getting relatively close to the glacier’s edge and watching it calve large chunks of ice from a safe distance is possible. Our ice-safe ship lies in the water near the glacier for about two hours, waiting for the ice to calve. A good lunch is also served here.

The length of the trip to and from Eqi Glacier can vary between two and five hours each way, depending on the type of boat used that day. At 2:00 PM, the ship arrives at Port Victor, the ‘port’ of Glacier Lodge Eqi, where some passengers disembark and others board. Then it’s time to go back to Ilulissat.

With a view of the Icefjord and your last view of the icebergs, you journey back home again after many eventful and intense days. You take off from Ilulissat to Copenhagen, where you arrive in the evening.

We guarantee you will return home with your mental luggage filled with memories that will linger with you longer than other vacation memories. At least, that’s what our visitors tell us.