Arctic Autumn Adventure

8 days around Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut

The Arctic world is a beautiful and unforgettable experience. On this trip to Greenland, you enjoy three days on the edge of the inland ice in Kangerlussuaq and four days in the lovely town of Sisimiut, which promises a wealth of experiences.

Kangerlussuaq – the great fjord

Kangerlussuaq, with its Atlantic airport, is known as one of the gateways to Greenland. It is especially well known for its herds of musk oxen and reindeer and, last but not least, the impressive Ice Sheet, which, located in its “backyard,” is easily accessible to visitors to the area. You can even climb up onto it under the watchful eye of a skilled, informative guide. We spend three nights in Kangerlussuaq at Hotel Kangerlussuaq, which is centrally located at the airport.

Northern Lights

Autumn and winter are northern lights season, so whenever there’s a cloudless evening on your trip, you can venture outside to experience the unique and incredibly beautiful phenomenon.

Sisimiut – “the people at the foxholes”

Today, Sisimiut has 5,500 inhabitants and is the second-largest town in Greenland. As a town, it is vibrant, yet traditional in the best sense of the word. Here, you will find sled dogs galore, beautiful colored buildings, and an interesting museum area, which, among other things, is home to Greenland’s oldest church. Located just north of the Arctic Circle, Sisimiut is the northernmost “open water” town and the southernmost dog sled town in Greenland. So visitors can both go sailing on the deep fjords and dog sledding if the snow has fallen.

Highlights

  • Travel through the tundra landscape
  • Marvel at the Inland Ice Cap
  • Go in search of Arctic wildlife
  • See the Northern Lights
  • Get up close to the Russel Glacier
  • Experience town life and the colorful houses
  • Join a leisurely sea cruise

Included

  • Return flight Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq – Sisimiut with Air Greenland
  • Transfers
  • 3 nights at Hotel Kangerlussuaq (private bath/toilet)
  • 4 nights at Hotel Sisimiut (private bath/toilet)
  • Breakfast
  • Welcome dinner at Hotel Sisimiut (excl. beverages)
  • Food and beverages onboard the Air Greenland flight Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq
  • Welcome meetings in Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut with local English-speaking guides
  • All flight/transportation 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
  • Dinner
  • Excursions (we recommend booking our Excursions Package)
  • Travel Insurance

Day program

Day 1:
Flight Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq, welcome meeting and optional sightseeing

Air Greenland flies you from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq – ahead of you is a 4½-hour relaxing flight and an eight-day autumn adventure. A guide from the local excursion office greets you on arrival and helps with your transfer and check-in at Hotel Kangerlussuaq which is situated right in the airport.

After check-in, the guide is in charge of an information meeting. At the meeting, you receive information about the town, the area, dining, and excursion options, and you can have any excursions you have pre-booked confirmed. It is also possible to book excursions at the meeting.

After the meeting, it is time for the first excursion of the excursion package.

Sightseeing in Kangerlussuaq (optional)

Experience the settlement and the area around the town. Kangerlussuaq is a former American airbase. We learn all about its exciting history, from World War II, through the Cold War, to a modern international airport. The area around Kangerlussuaq has Greenland’s longest road network, and we make our way around to several interesting places and encounter the amazing Greenlandic nature.

We drive to the harbor and take in the fjord, we pass Kellyville, a small science park 12 kilometers from the airport, and we are given a tour of the old base area. Naturally, we visit the settlement’s kennel, where we come face-to-face with the Greenlandic sled dog. This tour allows you to gain a quick overview of the town and the surrounding area.

Aningaaq Rosing Carlsen - Visit Greenland
Day 2:
Kangerlussuaq on your own or optional excursions to the Ice Sheet and a northern lights trip

Today, you are on your own, and the beautiful hinterland is just asking to be explored. If you have purchased the optional excursion package, the first stop on the program is Point 660.

The Greenland Ice Sheet, Point 660 (optional)

Kangerlussuaq is known for its proximity to the Ice Sheet, and this is a guided tour to the giant Greenland Ice Sheet that is the size of Western Europe.

In a 4×4 bus, we make our way through a beautifully diverse area, and close to the inland ice, we pass the Russell Glacier and a fantastic moraine landscape. At the end of the road, we walk over to the Ice Sheet and climb up onto it, which is a unique experience. You spend some time in this vast icy universe before returning to the vehicle. During the trip, there is a good chance of spotting reindeer and musk oxen.

Northern lights tour (optional)

On clear evenings, we often have the most beautiful northern lights in Kangerlussuaq. We drive out into the countryside, away from all artificial lighting, and let nature begin her show.

Later, we drive back and gather in a cozy atmosphere while the guide tells you all about the northern lights and the many Greenlandic myths created about the northern lights through the ages. A delicious cup of “Greenlandic coffee” will also be served.

Humbert Entress - Visit Greenland
Day 3:
Kangerlussuaq on your own or an optional excursion to the Russell Glacier

Today, you have time to yourself and, if you have purchased the excursion package, you’ll be heading out to the Russell Glacier.

The Russell Glacier (optional)

Across partially off-road terrain, we drive the exciting route to the spectacular Russell Glacier. With its vertical walls of ice up to 40 meters high, the glacier is an impressive sight. The surroundings are spectacular, and there is a good chance of spotting musk oxen, reindeer, and maybe even rock ptarmigan and snow hares.

Christine Myhre
Day 4:
Flight from Kangerlussuaq to Sisimiut and welcome meeting. Optional city sightseeing

Your journey now takes you to the coastal town of Sisimiut, around half an hour west of Kangerlussuaq. The hotel bus picks you up at the airport, and you check in at the four-star Hotel Sisimiut, which will be your comfortable base for the next four nights. After check-in, there is an information meeting with the local guide. As in Kangerlussuaq, you receive information about the town, the area, dining, and excursion options, and have any excursions you have pre-booked confirmed. It is also possible to book excursions at this meeting.

If you have booked the excursion package, there is a culture-historical tour of the town by bus after the meeting.

Guided bus tour of the town (optional)

The bus tour of Sisimiut is a good introduction to the town and local life. The tour starts at the old heliport, which was the only airborne way into Sisimiut until 1998. The site is currently used as a dog kennel and the building as a youth club.

On the way through town, we stop at the fish and meat market, where today’s freshly caught fish and animals are to be found. We drive up to the highest vantage point of the town, offering impressive views to the south. We pass the town hall on the way to the south of the city, where many of the original hunting and fishing houses can still be seen. Finally, we visit the old part of the town in the center, where the original buildings from colonial times in the 1700s today house the museum.

Mads Pihl - Visit Greenland
Day 5:
Sisimiut on your own or an optional sea safari

This day in Sisimiut is spent at your leisure. There are many ways to amuse yourself with nature in the mountains and culture in the towns and, at Hotel Sisimiut, there are various excursions available to purchase.

Sea safari in Sisimiut (optional)

We sail out into the archipelago and fjords around Sisimiut and enjoy the stunning views of the mainland and Mount Nasaasaaq behind Sisimiut. Out here, we also get a glimpse of sea life with all the sea birds. If we’re lucky, we might also see seals and whales.

There is a minimum of six participants. We recommend that you book this excursion in advance. Final information regarding completion will be given at the information meeting in Sisimiut. You will off course get a full refund if the excursion cannot be completed.

Aningaaq Rosing Carlsen - Visit Greenland
Day 6:
Sisimiut on your own or an optional cultural-historical walk

Another lovely day to explore Sisimiut. If you have purchased the excursion package, a culture-historical walk is on the agenda today.

Cultural-historical walk (optional)

In spite of the vastness of Greenland, people have chosen to settle in the same areas through the ages. Tele Island, Sallinnguit, is one of those places where past and present meet. Various Inuit cultures have inhabited the area for the past 4,000 years. Objects can still be found here today that testify to this, side-by-side telecommunications installations that have given the town its modern name, Tele Island.

Learn about the Inuit before the arrival of the Europeans. See the ruins and enjoy the beautiful views of the town and the ancient hunting grounds.

Aningaaq Rosing Carlsen - Visit Greenland
Day 7:
Explore Sisimiut on your own

On this, your last day in Sisimiut, you can do whatever takes your fancy. You could pay a visit to the museum which offers local history but also cultural, historical treats that give you a real sense of what life used to be like in all parts of Greenland.

You can revisit the places you found most interesting, or you can dawdle about the town, soaking in the atmosphere, and buy the last souvenirs – or perhaps something else entirely. You can even enjoy outdoor hot tubs at the hotel!

Day 8:
Flights from Sisimiut to Kangerlussuaq and Copenhagen

And so your Greenland adventure comes to an end. It’s back to Denmark, and forward with the clocks, so it’s early evening when we arrive back in Copenhagen with our bags full of memories.

Map

Kangerlussuaq

Sisimiut

Kangerlussuaq

Hotels on this tour

Hotel Kangerlussuaq

The Hotel Kangerlussuaq is located as centrally as possible, in the airport building itself, so you have to pick up your luggage and carry it to the reception to check in. All rooms are spacious and have a view of the so-called Kitchen Mountain or views of the town and the surroundings.

The hotel has a restaurant and a very famous cafeteria, which is the meeting place for all the inhabitants of the area and the 220,000 passengers who pass through Kangerlussuaq every year.

Hotel Kangerlussuaq
Tankeqarfiup aqq.
3910 Kangerlussuaq

Photo by Raven Eye Photography - Visit Greenland

Hotel Sisimiut

Hotel Sisimiut is a cornerstone of Greenland’s second-largest town. You find the hotel at one end of the town’s main street, and the hotel is so close to the splendid nature you find in Sisimiut’s hinterland. Especially in winter, it is a paradise for sports enthusiasts, with good paths for alpine activities and, of course, dog sledding.

The hotel offers cozy accommodation and a delicious eatery, Brasserie & Restaurant Nasaasaaq. There is also a delicious spa with two outdoor hot tubs so you can enjoy the warm water after a good hike or skiing trip. Hotel Sisimiut is the ideal home away from home if you want to experience one of Greenland’s most exciting towns.

The hotel has a French-inspired à la carte restaurant.

Hotel Sisimiut

Aqqusinersuaq 86

3911 Sisimiut

Excursions (Optional purchases)

Practical information

Flight times (local times)

  • Departure from Copenhagen 10.00 am
  • Arrival at Copenhagen 9:00 pm

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

Packing Lists

August to October

Find the packing list for your trip here.

November

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 Autumn Adventure

8 days around Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut

Visit two classical yet very different places in Greenland. First, we explore the Greenland Ice Sheet in Kangerlussuaq, and then we fly to Sisimiut, one of the most authentic and beautiful places in Greenland.

From
2.025 EUR
per person in double room
August to November  | 8 days  | 7 nights Travel id: 7052 Departure from Copenhagen
Optional experiences
Ice SheetNorthern lightsCulture

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Can we help you?

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