Arctic Spring Adventure

8 days around Nuuk and Ilulissat

Spring in Greenland is a short, intense experience. Between April to May, Greenland turns from Arctic winter to Arctic spring and the midnight sun turns the dark nights into 24-hour days. The snow is melting fast as the days turn warmer, and a summer filled with promise beckons.

If you are looking for a Greenland tour that combines spring, impressive nature, and pioneering culture, this is the tour for you.

A Different Kind of Capital

We start in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, an ever-expanding an interesting place. The hinterland boasts a fantastic fjord system with its own dramatic life and mountains.

With a population of under 20,000, Nuuk experiences minimal air pollution, and rush hour is fleeting, lasting only about 15 minutes. From the heart of Nuuk’s modern city center, it takes just a few minutes on foot to reach the shores of the expansive Nuuk Fjord – one of the largest fjord systems in the world. Alternatively, a quick 10-minute drive brings you to the base of towering mountains that lead to vast, untouched wilderness. The panoramic views are simply breathtaking.

Despite its small size, Nuuk boasts gourmet dining, trendy boutiques, award-winning architecture, and a variety of museums

The Icebergs of Ilulissat

You then continue to the town of Ilulissat in the Disko Bay. Ilulissat means “icebergs,” a name which needs no further explanation once you see the beautiful Ice Fjord and the numerous icebergs, floating majestically into the fjord, with almost magical light and the reflections from the sun.

Hiking opportunities are great in both areas, and at this time of year, there are no mosquitoes. If winter has been long and hard, you might even be able to go on a dog sled tour. At this time of year, sailing in the fjord and bay is possible, and we strongly recommend a sailing tour to the small settlements in Disko Bay and, of course, a tour among the huge icebergs.

Highlights

  • Explore the capital of Greenland, Nuuk
  • Go in search of Arctic wildlife
  • See the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ilulissat Ice Fjord up close
  • Go for walks in the charming town of Ilulissat
  • Join an unforgettable cruise among the icebergs
  • Get a feel for real life in a small settlement

Included

  • Return flight Copenhagen – Nuuk – Ilulissat with Air Greenland
  • Transfers airport-hotel b/w in Greenland
  • 2 nights at Hotel Hans Egede Express with private facilities
  • 5 nights at Hotel Arctic with private facilities
  • Breakfast
  • Welcome dinner at Hotel Arctic (beverages are not included)
  • Food and beverages onboard the Air Greenland flight Copenhagen – Nuuk
  • Welcome meetings in both towns with local English-speaking guides
  • All taxes and fees known to Greenland Travel at the time of publishing
  • 20 kg of checked baggage and 8 kg of cabin baggage

Not included

  • Lunch and dinner
  • Excursions (we recommend pre-booking our Excursion Package)
  • Travel Insurance

Day program

Fotograf: Carlo Lukassen - Visit Greenland
Carlo Lukassen - Visit Greenland
Day 1:
Flight Copenhagen-Nuuk, information meeting, and sightseeing (optional)

We fly with Air Greenland from Copenhagen to Nuuk. The flight is approximately 4½ hours and is followed by an eight-day adventure.

After you check in at Hotel Hans Egede Express, the guide will hold an information meeting. At the meeting, you’ll get information about experiences in Nuuk, dining, and excursion options, and you can confirm the excursions you’ve already booked from home. It is also possible to book excursions at the meeting.

After the meeting, it’s time to get to know Nuuk at your own pace and get ideas for what to do today and tomorrow.

Nuuk has only 19,500 inhabitants, but you’ll experience a vibrant “big city” as it is a government city with many cultural and educational institutions. Nuuk is growing constantly and is now about 10 kilometers from end to end. You’ll find concerts, theater, museums, and exhibitions. Sports are central to many, so you can go hiking, skiing, sailing, running, strength training, yoga, and even swimming. Since it’s winter, the ski lift is a favorite spot for the city’s citizens.

You can read more about Nuuk here.

If you’ve purchased the excursion package, it’s time for a sightseeing tour of Nuuk.

Sightseeing in Nuuk (part of the excursion package)

The city tour, a unique part of your excursion package, includes a visit to the Greenland National Museum. Here, you’ll have the privilege of seeing finds from all time periods and civilizations in Greenland. After about 30 minutes at the museum, we continue around the area called Kolonihavnen. This is where most of the original houses from the 17th and 18th centuries still stand. On the way we pass Hans Egede’s house, the sculpture of the Mother of the Sea and the controversial statue of Hans Egede at the Greenland Cathedral.

We then head to ‘Kalaaliaraq,’ the traditional market where locally caught fish, seals, and reindeer are sold.

Now, we head towards Greenland’s government buildings and then the Greenland’s Cultural Center Katuaq. Once we’ve seen Katuaq, we’ll visit a local family who will serve coffee and cake and tell us about life in the capital of Greenland.

We’ll then head back to the city center, where there are great shopping opportunities and many other exciting things to do.

Rebecca Gustafsson - Visit Greenland
Day 2:
Free time in Nuuk and boat tour to Qoornoq (optional)

Today is at your own pace, and the beautifully situated capital city offers many exciting experiences.

If you have purchased the excursion package, you can look forward to a boat trip to Qoornoq.

Boat trip to Qoornoq (part of the excursion package)

The Qoornoq tour is a 3-in-1 experience where we visit Qoornoq, sail through the huge Nuuk Fjord, and visit a waterfall. Qoornoq is also called Bear Island, but the risk of encountering a polar bear is minimal – the name comes from the fact that the island looks like a bear when viewed from above.

We sail out of Nuuk and well into Nuuk Fjord. Here, we come to the abandoned settlement of Qoornoq, which today serves as a cottage area for many of Nuuk’s citizens. We disembark and walk around the settlement, which includes an old fish factory with a small railway body attached.

We sail on and see the remains of old Norse ruins, after which we sail into one of the fjord system’s many other fjords to the iconic waterfall at the back of Sermitsiaq Mountain. The beautiful Sermitsiaq Mountain is one of Nuuk’s most recognizable landmarks.

Remember to bring your warm clothes, as it gets cold out on the water.

Mads Pihl - Visit Greenland
Day 3:
Flight Nuuk - Ilulissat, welcome meeting and optional guided sightseeing tour with welcome dinner in the evening

Today we head towards Ilulissat. It is a beautiful 45-minute flight, giving you a perfect chance to really enjoy the beautiful landscape, the desolate expanse, and the grandeur of the ice. During the approach to Ilulissat, the town seemingly pops up in the middle of nowhere. The colored houses vie for attention among the snow-covered peaks and as the small aircraft lands, you can look forward to the next few days full of ice, early signs of spring, and sled dogs which have been retired until next winter – combined with cultural highlights from a very traditional, Greenlandic town.

We check in at the cozy Hotel Arctic before an information meeting, where you will hear more about the town and the many optional excursions. The first adventure in the excursion package is a guided tour of the town. For those of you not joining the sightseeing, there are numerous possibilities. We recommend that you take a walk around the town and the area and breathe in the fresh air and atmosphere.

Cultural Town Walk (optional)

The best way to start your stay in Ilulissat. Learn about the town’s history and see how life is lived north of the Polar Circle. Ilulissat was founded in 1741 and, today, it is the third-largest town in Greenland with more than 4,500 inhabitants.

Seeing and especially hearing some of the many thousands of sled dogs living here is unavoidable. Unless out on a trip, most of the dogs are kept outside town in large dog areas.

In the evening we invite you for dinner at the hotel (excluding drinks).

Anders Peter Amsnæs
Day 4:
Day free at your leisure in Ilulissat. We recommend the guided hike to Sermermiut

The Disko Bay is one of Greenland’s most popular tourist destinations. First and foremost because of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ilulissat Ice Fjord, but also because of its beauty, its many cultural attractions and the interaction between the traditional lifestyle and modern urban life.

If you bought the excursion package, it is time for an easy hike promising amazing views.

Hike to the deserted Sermermiut settlement (optional)

Beautiful icebergs provide the setting for the old settlement of Sermermiut 1.5 kilometers south of Ilulissat. For 4,000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in the settlement. Hear the story about the life of the Inuit people and their traditions before the Europeans came to Greenland. Depending on the time of the year you arrive, you may be able to see the ruins and touch the permafrost with your own hands.

Anders Peter Amsnæs
Day 5:
Free time in Ilulissat and optional boat trip to the Ice Fjord

Another day in Ilulissat filled with opportunities! You can visit one of the traditional handicraft workshops and look for souvenirs in sealskin, tusk and bone. If you have bought the excursion package, you can look forward to our most popular excursion tonight.

Sailing among the icebergs (optional)

Almost every visitor to Ilulissat chooses to go on this boat trip among the icebergs at least once. Every day, more than 40 million tons of ice flow out into the fjord. The floating icebergs are gigantic, sometimes measuring more than 100 meters wide and long – and with a height of up to 100 meters 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.

The icebergs are beautiful in every type of weather; in the sunshine, the contrasts are very clear, the blue shades stunning when it is cloudy, and the midnight sun casts a unique glow on the ice sculptures during the night. The boat trip on a bright night is an extraordinary experience. Remember to bring warm clothes, or you can rent a suit of sealskin.

Jette Schwarz
Day 6:
Day free at your leisure in Ilulissat

Today you may want to walk in the footsteps of history and learn about the rich past at the museum that was Knud Rasmussen’s place of birth. Fishers and hunters at the open market can show you a variety of exciting Greenlandic food products – it does not get any fresher than this.

Once your eyes have feasted on the many views and impressions, it is time to enjoy lunch! At the restaurants in Ilulissat, you can try local specialties such as Greenlandic sushi, deep-fried “ammassats” (small fish), whale and seal, and the cafés offer freshly-baked cakes. All your senses will get a work-out on this trip!

There is also another option:

Helicopter tour (additional purchase)

The Icefjord and Kangia Glacier are the focus of this helicopter tour, flying you into the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can’t get this close to the huge glacier by boat or on foot – and you’ll 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 edge of the glacier. 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.

Day 7:
On your own in Ilulissat or optional boat trip to the settlement of Oqaatsut

If you bought the excursion package, you will visit a small settlement today.

Daytrip to Oqaatsut

This excursion departs from the port of Ilulissat, and about half an hour later, you arrive in Oqaatsut. There’s time for a settlement walk, and then you’ll be served a delicious lunch at Restaurant H8. Afterward, you’ll have time to wander around the village or the surrounding area on your own before returning home.

Keld Ravn
Day 8:
Flight from Ilulissat to Copenhagen via Nuuk

Enjoy the last view of the Ilulissat Ice Fjord from the plane on the way to Nuuk, where the Airbus will fly you to Copenhagen with arrival in the evening.

Map

Nuuk

Ilulissat

Nuuk

Hotels on this tour

Hotel HHE Express

Hotel HHE Express is located in the heart of Nuuk, in the area called Tuujuk. The Hotel is close to a shopping area and sightseeing options. The Hotel is a sister hotel to Hotel Hans Egede, which is also located in the central part of Nuuk. There is access to wifi in all areas of the hotel, the reception will be open 24 hours a day, and there is a café/coffee shop, where you can sit down and enjoy good food and get something to drink.

Please note: It is not possible to have two twin beds at Hotel Hans Egede Express.

Hotel HHE Express
Aqqusinersuaq 16
3900 Nuuk

Hotel Arctic

Greenland’s most famous hotel is Hotel Arctic in Ilulissat. It is located with a fantastic view of Ilulissat town, Ilulissat Ice Fjord, and Disko Bay. Hotel Arctic is the world’s northernmost 4-star hotel, and on top of that, the hotel features a 5-star conference center. The hotel is located just outside the town, approximately a 15-minute walk from the town center (app. 1.5 km from the central intersection in town).

The hotel has two great restaurants, and the large terrace outside the restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine while the sun shines its golden glow at midnight over the icebergs at Ilulissat Ice Fjord.

NOTE: The hotel offers airport transfers, but there are not transfers in connection with excursions or such.

Hotel Arctic
Mittarfimmut Aqq. B-1128
3952 Ilulissat

Excursions (Optional purchases)

Practical information

Flight schedule: (local times)

  • Departure from Copenhagen 8:20 am
  • Return to Copenhagen 7:40 pm

Please note that departure times are subject to change by the airline.

Packing list

Find the packing list for your trip here.

Baggage included

20 kilos of checked baggage and 8 kilos of cabin baggage (max. dimensions of cabin baggage: 55 x 40 x 23 cm).

Travelers with reduced mobility and wheelchair users

We do not recommend this tour for people with reduced mobility and wheelchair users. Greenland Travel’s advice regarding difficulty levels on our excursions is intended for travelers who are not disabled. We are always happy to provide you with information on the suitability of the trip, taking into account the specific needs you may have. Please note that our advice is not based on medical knowledge, and ultimately it is YOUR responsibility to decide if a tour is right for you.

Arctic Spring Adventure

8 days around Nuuk and Ilulissat

Do you want to experience the icebergs of Ilulissat and stop over in Nuuk with beautiful nature and an exciting cultural life? Enjoy Arctic spring and huge icebergs bathed in golden sun in Disko Bay.

From
2.450 EUR
per person in double room
April-May  | 8 days  | 7 nights Travel id: 7041 Departure from Copenhagen
Optional experiences
CultureIcebergsWhales

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Do you need help?

You are always welcome to contact us if you have any questions regarding your trip or if you need advice or guidance.

We strive to respond to inquiries within 24 hours on weekdays.

You can call us at: +45 3313 1011