A long weekend out of the ordinary - winter in Ilulissat!

The Disco Bay is one of Greenland's most popular tourist destinations. Primarily because of the ice, but also due to the beauty of the place, the many cultural attractions and the interaction between traditional way of life and modern town life. Racks of kayaks stand side by side with satellite dishes.

Ilulissat and the surrounding area offer excursion possibilities aplenty and perhaps the initial briefing has inspired you to make the most of your day – or perhaps you just want to take in the fantastic view across the Disco Bay and let time freeze.

Sailing among icebergs (optional)

Almost every visitor in Ilulissat choose to try this boat trip among the icebergs at least once. Every day, more than 40 million ton of ice flow out into the fjord. The floating icebergs are gigantic, sometimes measuring more than 100 metres wide and long – and with a height of more than 100 metres above the water surface as well. These giants gather at the end of the fjord providing you with a great opportunity to sail among them. You should not miss out on this exceptional experience when visiting Ilulissat.
Remember to bring warm clothes, or you can rent sealskin clothing.

Northern lights hike - February/March (optional)

When the sky is clear on winter nights you can see the most beautiful Northern Lights over Ilulissat. Aurora Borealis is without a doubt the night sky's most spectacular phenomenon. We are going to drive away from the lights of the town and go to where the darkness is most intense. The guide will tell us all about the causes of the phenomenon. You will also get tips and tricks to enable you to take the best pictures of the colored lights as they cross the night sky. The trip lasts 90 minutes and coffee and tea is served.

Hike to Sermermiut (optional) (March 31 and April)

Beautiful icebergs provide the setting for the old settlement of Sermermiut 1.5 kilometres south of Ilulissat. For 4,000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in the settlement and, today, you can still see the relics, which indicate their presence. Hear the story about the life of the Inuit people and their traditions before the Europeans came to Greenland. See the ruins and touch the permafrost with your own hands. On this hike, we will pass "kællingekløften" where you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Ice Fjord, before heading back again.

If you have purchased the excursion package, you can look forward to today's 2-hour dog sled ride:

Dog sled ride (optional)

The estuary of the Ice Fjord is an impressive sight – be it summer or winter. The trip will take you through a rolling mountain terrain and you get to experience the dogs both in front of and behind the sled where they work as a brake when riding down a steep slope. The dog sled is one the strongest icons of Greenland and a thousand-year old tradition for the Inuit. Not that many means of transportation have functioned for a period this long without changing appearance or technology: Apack of happy dogs in harnesses tied to a simple wood sled. The experience cannot be explained – you have to try it for yourself. During the ride, we take in the view of the large glacier, and we glide across the sea ice allowing you to experience riding a sled between the icebergs.  

Igloo Lodge (optional)

On days 3-4, you can experience a real igloo where you will spend the night and, from here, go on some unique excursions.

Our subsidiary in Ilulissat, World of Greenland has been very successful with their summer lodges at the Eqi Glacier and in the settlement of Ilimanaq. Now, they also offer winter lodges in the shape of igloos. You will be taken on a snowmobile to the wonderful winter landscape where we hope to see the northern lights dance in the sky in the evening.

Here, at the foot of the mountains, you will spend the night in an igloo (with the possibility of staying in a heated cabin). Igloo Lodge consists of five spacious igloos, each of which accommodates two people. Reindeer pelts and warm winter sleeping bags are covering the beds. There is also a petroleum lamp on the bedside table, which means that the temperature is around the freezing point inside the cab. It is in stark contrast to the down to minus 20 degrees Celcius/Fahrenheit outside.

The wooden cabin by the lodge is where we will eat our meals. In the wooden cabin, there is also an outhouse type restroom.

While staying at the Igloo Lodge, you are going on two excursions. The first excursion is a snowshoe trip where we head to a vantage point, overlooking the Kangia Icefjord. The second excursion is a snowmobile ride to the huts overlooking the winter fishing spots at Aattartoq in the Ilulissat hinterland.

The trip to Igloo Lodge itself is also exciting. You are driven on snowmobiles for about an hour into the Ilulissat hinterland with amazing views along the way. You will be met at the cabin with coffee and lunch. Afterwards, you will go on the above-mentioned excursions, have afternoon coffee with cake, dinner, and evening coffee followed by a look outside to see if the northern lights are out. Then you will stay overnight in an igloo, and, in the morning, breakfast is served and, finally, there’s the snowmobile trip back to civilization.

NB: If you are interested in our outdoor package, please contact us by phone or email, so we can check if there is space at the time you want to go. As mentioned, the other excursions are also included in the outdoor package. However, if you choose the outdoor package, some of these other excursions will be moved to other days than mentioned in this day-to-day program.

Use the final day to experience the atmosphere and life in the town, go back in time and feel a sense of history at the cosy museum established in Knud Rasmussen's parental home. The fishermen at 'Brættet', the local marketplace, provide you with an impression of the interesting food products of Greenland – they do not come any fresher than this.

When you have satisfied your appetite for visual experiences, it is time to pleasure your palate and fill your stomach. The restaurants in Ilulissat invite you on a journey through local specialities such as Greenlandic sushi, deep-fried ammasats (small salmonids), whale and seal – and in the cafés, freshly-baked cakes will tempt everyone with a sweet tooth. This is indeed a journey that will put all your senses to work.

And, gazing across the Ice Fjord will never get tiresome, by the way.  

After an intense extended weekend, it is time to say your goodbyes to Ilulissat and Greenland, who are likely to have 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.

Departure from Ilulissat via Kangerlussuaq, arriving in Copenhagen by evening.