We fly with Air Greenland from Copenhagen to Nuuk. Ahead of us is a 4,5-hour flight and an 8-day adventure.

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.

You can read more about Nuuk here.

After you check in and unpack in your room at Hotel Hans Egede Express, the guide will hold an welcome meeting.

If you have purchased the excursion package, you can look forward to a city tour now.

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, where our tour ends. You’re now as central as you can be, with great shopping opportunities. And many other exciting things to do.

If you’ve purchased the excursion package, there’s also a boat trip on Nuuk Fjord.

Fjord Adventure (optional)

You’ll soon experience Greenland from the sea. It’s a wonderful boat trip, and we’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the views of some of the most beautiful mountains in the Nuuk Fjord.

We sail out of Nuuk and into the large fjord system, the second largest in the world. The mountains in the Nuuk Fjord are beautiful and rugged, many towering above the sea. On our way into the fjord, we sail past the city of Nuuk itself, and from the water, you get a sense of how big Nuuk really is.

We may also pass some beautiful icebergs. In the Nuuk area, they are not as big as in Disko Bay, but they are still beautiful and impressive.

After enjoying a cup of coffee or tea, we sail on, and, who knows, we might be lucky enough to see some wildlife. Out here in the fjord, we’re also closer to Sermitsiaq, the beautiful mountain that is one of Nuuk’s most famous landmarks.

The tour continues by plane to Ilulissat. Ilulissat means “icebergs,” which makes sense once you get to see the beautiful Ice Fjord and the numerous icebergs, majestically floating around in the fjord, lit up by an almost magical light caused by reflections of the sun.

Upon arrival, you will go to Petrine’s House, located in the town center close to everything. At the following information meeting, one of our guides will inform you about Ilulissat and the wide range of excursions available. You are now prepared for the next couple of days filled with adventures.

The hometown of Polar explorer Knud Rasmussen offers many exciting experiences whether you want to go on hiking trips in the hills or merely enjoy the cozy atmosphere in town.

If you have bought the excursion package, it’s time to go sightseeing.

Cultural-historical town walk (optional)

If you are interested in history, you may want to join us on a cultural, historical walk, giving you an introduction to Greenland’s history from colonial time to today. The walk includes visits to the open market, Knud Rasmussen’s birthplace, which today is the town’s museum, and the beautiful wooden Zion Church, located right in front of the Ice Fjord.

Ilulissat lies at the mouth of the 50-kilometer long and world-famous Ilulissat Ice Fjord, which in 2004 was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The ice is enthralling and can be experienced at sea, on land, and from the air.

If you have purchased the excursion package, sailing among icebergs is included.

Sailing among icebergs (optional)

The midnight sun makes the icebergs glow in a unique play of colors that people return to experience again and again. Midnight sun in Ilulissat lasts from late May to late July.

Sailing during the night with the sun still shining is a fantastic and unusual experience. Almost every visitor to Ilulissat chooses to go on 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 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.

The icebergs are a wonderful sight in every kind of weather; in the sunshine, the contrasts are very clear, the blue shades are very beautiful when it is cloudy and the midnight sun casts a unique glow on the icebergs during the night. Taking the boat trip on a bright night is an extraordinary experience.

You should not miss out on this exceptional experience when visiting Ilulissat. Remember to bring warm clothes – otherwise, sealskin clothing is available to rent.

You can spend the day exploring Ilulissat on your own or go on yet another boat trip.

Boat trip to the calving Eqi Glacier (optional)

Only a few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi Glacier, which spills into the fjord 80 kilometers north of Ilulissat. It is possible to get very close to the glacier by boat and experience huge pieces of ice breaking off. The sounds are thunderous, and the sight of ice crashing into the water is astonishing.

We sail in modern and convenient boats during the excursion to the Eqi Glacier. The route takes us north along the coast passing Bredebugt, the settlement of Oqaatsut and the big fjord system called Pakitsoq, where whales and seals are often spotted. Further along the route, we pass through the Ataa Strait, which is surrounded by steep mountains with bird life and waterfalls. Our boats, which are reinforced for sailing in icy waters, will remain in front of the glacier for approximately two hours and wait for the ice to calve. Meanwhile, a delicious lunch will be served. This is an all-day excursion where you will have a good opportunity to immerse yourself in the experience and fully enjoy the boat trip in the ice-filled water.

Please note: The length of the boat trip to and from the glacier may last between 2 – 5 hours each direction. It depends on the boat used on the day.

Spend the day exploring Ilulissat on your own. If you have purchased the excursion package, it’s time for a hike.

Hike to the old settlement by the Ice Fjord (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 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. During the hike, there will be time to talk about flora, fauna, geology, and not least, the story behind the omnipresent ice.

Today is at your disposal. Maybe you want to walk around Ilulissat and see how life is lived in a Greenlandic town. Remember your camera, as there are always nice images to capture.

Today you also get the chance to experience kayaking in the country that invented the kayak.

Kayak Experience in Ilulissat (optional)

The Inuit have kayaked in Greenlandic waters for more than a thousand years, and you can do it, too. The kayak glides silently through the water, and 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 will be very clear. With a little luck, we also 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.

Hopefully you’ll wake up to another beautiful day in Ilulissat. If you’ve purchased the excursion package, you’re going whale watching.

Whale safari (optional)

It is a great experience to get close to large animals like whales.

There are 15 species of whale in Greenland. During summer, it is normally the humpback, the common minke whale, and the fin whale that can be seen in the area. The whales swim in the entire Disko Bay during summer – sometimes close to the town, sometimes in the Ice Fjord or further up north by the island called Arveprinsens Ejland.

We are in constant radio contact with fishers and hunters, who are our source of information about the whales and their whereabouts. The humpback with its characteristic fin is the most commonly witnessed on these safaris.

Offering one final view of the Ice Fjord and the captivating icebergs, the flight will take you back to Nuuk and onwards to Copenhagen where you will arrive in the evening.

We guarantee you that you will go home with a suitcase full of memories that will stay with you longer than any other holiday you have been on. At least that is what other travelers tell us.