After a final breakfast in the lovely camp, we help each other clean up so it’s neat for the next batch of lucky guests.
We are then picked up by boat and sail to Ilulissat. It is a boat trip of about 1-1½ hours. However, there is also the option of purchasing an exciting excursion, Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure.
Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure
On this exciting trip, you will sail in a speedboat, drive off-road with ATVs, and trek on a glacier! We sail south from Ilimanaq to Itilliup Ilua. Here we are set off on a very wide sandy beach, and from here, we drive off-road in all-terrain ATVs to the Tasiusaq Fjord. We now sail deeper into the fjord until we reach a place with two glaciers, and the Greenland Ice Sheet can be seen.
We go ashore and enjoy a packed lunch and the great view. After this, we trek a bit and finally climb onto the huge ice sheet.
If you choose to join the Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure – a popular excursion – be aware that you will miss the guided town tour in Ilulissat. However, you can do this on your own later with the help of a map. If you choose to go on the Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure, you will arrive in Ilulissat before dinner.
Ilulissat Icefjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
If you’re not joining the Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure, we’ll sail on from the quaint little town of Ilimanaq before reaching the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord. Here we’ll see the amazing giant icebergs that lie aground there.
If you’ve seen pictures from Greenland of huge icebergs, it’s likely to have been from the Ilulissat Icefjord. During the boat trip, we pass these giant icebergs. Every year, more than 48 cubic kilometers of ice flow from the Ilulissat Glacier into the fjord. The result is enormous icebergs that can be hundreds of meters long and stretch high above sea level.
On the way to the harbor, we pass the town and can see our hotel, Hotel Arctic.
Arrival in Ilulissat with check-in and subsequent city tour
In Ilulissat, we drive to Hotel Arctic, where there is an information meeting. The hotel offers another excellent view, with all rooms having partial or full views of Disko Bay. We deposit our luggage at the hotel and then take a town tour.
A guided walk around Ilulissat
Ilulissat is Greenlandic for “the icebergs,” and the town is located right next to the Ilulissat Ice Fjord, which is essential to life in the town. It is Greenland’s largest town with approximately 4,500 people – or 7,000 souls if you include all the sled dogs. Ilulissat is a busy town throughout the year.
The town was founded in 1741 by Jacob Severin, and the Danish name used to be Jakobshavn. Today, Ilulissat is the tourism and business center of Disko Bay. During summer, Ilulissat is the most visited tourist destination in Greenland. Many of the tourists come from cruise ships and spend a day here.
In Ilulissat, tourism forms the basis for the many activities offered and the large supply of quality handmade arts and crafts. Moreover, Ilulissat is home to several exceptional restaurants.
During the town tour, we will visit the central part of town. The guide will tell you about the town’s history and the way of life in a modern Greenlandic town 300 kilometers north of the Polar Circle. We will make several stops along the way – for instance, at the harbor and the market where the catch of the day is sold.
At night there is a welcome dinner at Hotel Arctic.