Adventure North and South of Ilulissat Icefjord

8 days around Nuuk, Ilulissat, and Ilimanaq

PLEASE NOTICE: This itinerary covers Tour 7034 in 2025. If you purchased this tour with a departure in 2024, you can write to us, and we will email you the 2024 day program.

This is a variation on our summer bestseller. You experience our wonderful capital, Nuuk, with its immense fjord system. Afterward, you continue your journey to the heart of Disko Bay, the town of Ilulissat. The town is located by the famous Icefjord, where you can experience giant icebergs in the magical glow of the midnight sun.

On your journey to Greenland, you’ll get up close and personal with the amazing wonders of nature, beautifully paired with Greenland’s unique culture and traditional way of life set against the influence of modern life.

Nuuk – the exciting Arctic capital

Nuuk is the gateway to Greenland and the first stop on this trip. Nuuk is a modern Arctic capital with lots of culture, history, sailing, and nature. There are many experiences to be had both in the city center and the beautiful fjords in Nuuk’s hinterland.

Ilulissat in Disko Bay

The next stop on the journey is Ilulissat, famous worldwide for its Icefjord with the largest icebergs in Greenland. Ilulissat is also the largest dog sledding district in Greenland, where thousands of dogs make their mark on the town with a fantastic howling concert a couple of times a day.

Ilimanaq Lodge

After some days in Ilulissat, you’ll travel south of the Icefjord and spend a few nights in the lovely Ilimanaq Lodge, located in Ilimanaq, one of the oldest villages in the country.

Our skilled local guides will welcome you to all destinations, who will ensure you have the best possible stay and experience in our amazing Greenland.

Highlights

  • Discover the world’s second largest fjord system at Nuuk
  • Stay in the Town of Icebergs, Ilulissat
  • Sail among giant icebergs
  • See a dramatic, calving glacier
  • Experience the traditional Greenland in the village of Ilimanaq
  • Go in search of Arctic wildlife by boat or on foot
  • See the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ilulissat Ice Fjord up close
  • Enhance your trip with an overnight stay at Glacier Lodge Eqi

Included

  • Return flight Copenhagen – Nuuk
  • Return flight Nuuk – Ilulissat
  • Boat trip to Ilimanaq b/w
  • Transfers airport-hotel b/w in Greenland
  • 1 night at Hotel Hans Egede with a private bath/toilet
  • 4 nights at Hotel Arctic with a private bath/toilet
  • 2 nights in a private cabin at Ilimanaq Lodge with full board (drinks not included)
  • Breakfast
  • Food and beverages onboard the Air Greenland flight Copenhagen – Nuuk
  • Welcome dinner on first night at Hotel Arctic (drinks not included)
  • Information meetings with local English-speaking tour guides
  • Sightseeing walk of Ilimanaq
  • All flight/transportation taxes and fees known to Greenland Travel at the time of publishing
  • 20 kg baggage and 8 kg hand luggage

Not included

  • Lunch and dinner
  • Cancellation and travel insurance
  • Excursion packages

Day program

Rebecca Gustafsson - Visit Greenland
Day 1:
Copenhagen – Nuuk, check-in at hotel, town walk and a fjord adventure (optional)

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

After you check in and unpack in your room at Hotel Hans Egede Express, the guide will hold an welcome meeting. After the meeting, it’s time to get to know Nuuk at your own pace and get ideas for what to do today.

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.

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.

Day 2:
Flight to Ilulissat, information meeting, and a town walk

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.

Approximately one hour after check-in at the hotel, you can attend an information meeting where a guide will tell you a little about the town and the many excursion options. After this, you’ll be prepared for a fantastic stay in this amazing area.

Suggestions for excursions and activities with a guide or on your own

You will find our subsidiary, Arctic Excursions, in the hotel lobby in Ilulissat. 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 (included in excursion package)

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).

Day 3:
Ilulissat with the option to hike to Sermermiut and sailing among icebergs

As mentioned, 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 (included in excursion package)

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.

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

Sailing among Icebergs (included in excursion package)

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.

Jesper Kunuk Egede
Day 4:
Ilulissat on your own or a day trip to Eqi Glacier

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 (optional excursion)

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.

Day 5:
Sailing to Ilimanaq Lodge

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.

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.

Day 6:
Experiences in Ilimanaq

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 (optional excursion)

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.

Jette Schwarz
Day 7:
Ilulissat on your own or a day of whale watching or kayaking among icebergs in Disko Bay

Today you have the opportunity for more water adventures.

Whale watching (included in excursion package)

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

Kayak Experience in Ilulissat (optional excursion)

The Inuit have been kayaking in Greenlandic waters for over a thousand years, and you can try it, too. The kayak glides silently through the water, and you’ll experience paddling among ice floes and icebergs.

The sun gives the ice a unique play of colors, and the ice can range from chalky white to golden hues. In cloudy weather, the beautiful blue colors of the icebergs will stand out. With a bit of luck, you may also encounter whales. The tours take place in stable double kayaks, and you are accompanied by a support boat. The excursion lasts 3½-4 hours, and you’ll be on the water for at least two hours.

Day 8:
Flight from Ilulissat via Nuuk to Copenhagen

With a view of the Icefjord and your last view of the icebergs, you journey back home again after many eventful and intense days. Air Greenland brings you from Ilulissat via Nuuk 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.

Map

Nuuk

Ilulissat

Ilimanaq

Nuuk

Hotels on this tour

Hotel Hans Egede

Hotel Hans Egede

Right in the middle of Nuuk, you find the completely renovated, 4-star Hotel Hans Egede. From the Sarfalik restaurant on the fifth floor, you have a totally beautiful view. From here, you can see all of Downtown Nuuk, the nearby mountains, and the fjord.

Hotel Hans Egede is one of the largest hotels in Greenland, and there is an endless stream of people from all over the world visiting Greenland on business or leisure trips. The hotel has no less than two restaurants and a café and hosts larger parties and receptions in the conference department.

There are 140 modern rooms with private baths and toilets. The rooms have TVs with 12 channels. There are also ten well-equipped hotel apartments with their kitchenette, bath, and laundry facilities.

On the hotel’s top floor, you find the well-known restaurant A Hereford Beefstow, the Sarfalik restaurant, and the Skyline Bar. On the ground floor, there is a cafe, and here you also find Greenland Travel, which is situated right next door to the reception area.

Hotel Hans Egede

Aqqusinersuaq

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

Ilimanaq Lodge

Ilimanaq Lodge consists of 15 cabins and opened in 2017. The cabins are operated by World of Greenland, which also operates the cabins at Glacier Lodge in Eqi north of Ilulissat. Near the cabins, you find two central, protected houses from the colonial era. They contain the reception and a restaurant respectively, but also a museum and conference facilities. These are some of the oldest buildings in Greenland.
The 15 cabins all have direct views of Disco Bay. Each cottage can accommodate 1 to 4 people, and each has a private bathroom and toilet. The cabins are a little more than 40 square meters (430 square feet) and furnished with modern furniture in a rustic, Nordic look. Also, all cabins have a private terrace where you can enjoy the view and enjoy the sound of the waves against the rocks.

Ilimanaq Lodge
Kussangajaannguaq 7
3952 Ilulissat

Excursions (Optional purchases)

Practical information

Flight schedule (local times)

  • Departure from Copenhagen 8:20 am.
  • Return flights arrive in 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
  • 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.

Adventure North and South of Ilulissat Icefjord

8 days around Nuuk, Ilulissat, and Ilimanaq

Our summer bestseller to Nuuk and Ilulissat, spiced up with two days in Ilimanaq! Experience the boat trips, icebergs, summer sun, and wildlife and immerse yourself in the silence.

From
3.445 EUR
per person in double room
June - September  | 8 days  | 7 nights Travel id: 7034 Departure from Copenhagen
Optional experiences
IcebergsWhale SafariCulture

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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