Summer Impressions of Greenland

We fly from Copenhagen to Nuuk. Ahead of us is a 4,5-hour flight.

After you check in and unpack in your room at Hotel Hans Egede, 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 20,000 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 bought the excursion package, it’s time for a boat trip.

Boat Tour Around Sermitsiaq – Nuuk’s Iconic Landmark (add-on)

Go on a scenic boat trip around Sermitsiaq, the iconic mountain that rises from the sea like a majestic sentinel of Nuuk’s fjord. The mountain sits on an island, and its shape changes dramatically depending on your perspective. Sometimes it is sharp and rugged, and other times smooth and rounded. In summer, waterfalls cascade down its slopes, adding to the wild beauty of the landscape. In winter, they are just as beautiful, but motionless, as they have turned to ice. We glide silently through the clear Arctic waters, with the city behind us and nature ahead. We may spot humpback whales, seals, or soaring sea eagles depending on the season.

At night, the hotel offers a lovely welcome dinner (drinks excluded).

After breakfast at the hotel, we will explore the city.

City tour of Nuuk, Greenland National Museum

Nuuk has about 20,000 inhabitants, which is significantly more than just two decades ago. Entirely new neighborhoods have been added since the year 2000. Although Nuuk is a busy place in a Greenlandic context, nature is never far away. We go on a city tour in Nuuk’s old center, and the first stop is the National Museum.

Greenland’s National Museum houses many relics, but the most amazing are without comparison the famous mummies from Qilakitsoq. They were found in North Greenland outside the town of Uummannaq by two brothers who were out hunting. They found eight freeze-dried and unusually well-preserved mummies under a rocky outcrop. Four of the mummies are now at home at the National Museum and provide a fascinating insight into the ancient Inuit culture in Greenland.

We continue our round trip of the old town. We visit the statue of Hans Egede, overlooking the old colonial harbor, the fjord and the islands that separate Nuuk from the Davis Strait. Then we move on to the beautiful building of Katuaq, the Cultural Center of Greenland, whose facade is shaped like the northern lights.

Experience Nuuk on your own. Shopping and culture

The rest of the afternoon, you are on your own to explore Nuuk. There are cafés and restaurants and many shopping opportunities. You’ll find a great selection of shops offering Greenlandic handicrafts and Greenlandic design. Nuuk is the best place to look for original Greenlandic design since the selection here is greater than in the other towns in Greenland. However, you can also find unique and beautiful things in Ilulissat.

Departure by the coastal ship Sarfaq Ittuk and sailing northward

When the day draws to an end, we board the ship Sarfaq Ittuk. Ahead of us are two days aboard the ship bound for Ilulissat. The coastal ship sails up and down the west coast and is very popular among the Greenlanders. When the ship docks in coastal towns, you will experience happy reunions when the locals pick up their long-awaited friends and family.

In the morning, we dock in Maniitsoq for 30 minutes and then we  continue with the ship further up the coast of Greenland.

Ashore in Greenland’s second largest town, Sisimiut

We now go on a guided town walk of Sisimiut. Sisimiut, Greenland’s second largest town has just over 5,500 inhabitants. There is a cozy atmosphere and an authenticity that is particular to Sisimiut. The town is surrounded by steep mountains, and the view is beautiful.

At this point, we have crossed into the Arctic Circle, and we are in ‘Dogsled Country’. This means you will hear a lot of howling dogs. It’s exciting, intense, and a bit like travelling back in time when we all relied on animals to transport us around.

We do not have not a lot of time in Sisimiut, but enough time to get an idea of the town in the hilly landscape.

As Sarfaq Ittuk approaches Ilulissat, there will be many more icebergs in the water. Very large icebergs. They are significantly larger in the Disko Bay, and in the coming days, icebergs are at the core of our activities.

Accommodation at Hotel Arctic

Upon arrival in Ilulissat, we are picked up and driven downtown to Hotel Arctic.

At Hotel Arctic, we are available in the lobby, where you can ask our guide for advice about the area and available excursions. If you’re interested, you can also book local excursions at the Arctic Excursions booking stand, operated by our subsidiary company.

Cultural town walk 

After the information meeting with the tour guide, we go on a town walk where you get the opportunity to get to know Ilulissat. The tour guide gives you an introduction to the history and culture of the area. We also pass by the town’s museum which is housed in the world-famous polar explorer Knud Rasmussen’s birthplace. We see the old colonial houses, the almost 250 years old Zion Church and the city’s iconic and vibrant harbor.

At night, you can find several restaurants in town.

Enjoy Ilulissat on your own. There is a reason why this beautiful town is one of the most visited places in Greenland: The impressive Ice Fjord. The icebergs can be experienced by sea, by land, and from the air.

Hike to the former settlement at the Ice Fjord, and walks in the town

Consider joining a hike to Sermermiut, an old settlement right at the mouth of the Ice Fjord where giant icebergs have stranded on an old moraine. We will also visit the beautiful Ice Fjord Centre.

Alternatively, wander about on your own, drink a caffé latte at a cozy café, and find a quiet place where you can enjoy the view.

Sailing among the icebergs (add-on)

In the evening, you can take a lovely cruise between the icebergs that – regardless of the weather – are guaranteed to take your breath away. The midnight sun is low on the horizon, and it can be difficult to tell night from day. Reflections from the soft, warm light give the icebergs and mountain tops an orange tinge, and the water becomes almost purple.

Today or on one of the coming days, there’s an opportunity to join an incredibly beautiful helicopter tour.

Ilulissat Icefjord and Glacier Seen From Above (add-on)

Ilulissat Ice Fjord and the Kangia Glacier are in focus on a 1½ hours helicopter ride that takes you right into the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. No boat or hiking trail can get this close to the huge glacier – and you will 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 ice sheet’s edge. 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.

Today, you can explore Ilulissat on your own or join one or two excursions. Join a trip to Ilimanaq or try a kayaking tour among the incredible icebergs. And you can start the day with a visit to the museum.

Ilulissat Museum

Ilulissat Museum tells the story of life over 4,000 years along the edge of the Icefjord. The museum is located in the birthplace of the great polar explorer Knud Rasmussen, and there is an excellent exhibition about his life and achievements. In addition, there is a beautiful exhibition featuring Knud Rasmussen’s works and Jette Bang’s photographs. Jette Bang took many pictures in Greenland and documented Greenlandic life in photographs before it changed radically in the 20th century.

You could consider a boat trip to Oqaatsut today.

Boat trip with lunch at Restaurant H8 in the settlement of Oqaatsut (add-on)

Today, you take a day trip to the quiet and undisturbed settlement of Oqaatsut, located in beautiful surroundings 20 kilometers north of Ilulissat.

To get there, we sail from Ilulissat on a 30-minute boat trip among the large icebergs of the Ilulissat Icefjord, which also drifts around north of the town, although the Icefjord lies south of Ilulissat. When we arrive in Oqaatsut, the guide will take you on a tour of the settlement, where you’ll see the village church, school and the small fish factory. You’ll learn about life in a small settlement, a small community and Oqaatsut’s history as a former Dutch whaling village (hence its other name, Rodebay).

The settlement tour ends at Restaurant H8 Explorer, where we serve lunch made from local ingredients. After lunch, there are plenty of opportunities for hiking in the area. If, on the other hand, you want to sit and enjoy the silence in the magical, unforgettable surroundings, there are plenty of opportunities to do so before the boat returns to Ilulissat.

Spend the day in Ilulissat as you wish. You could, for example, take a boat trip to the Eqi Glacier.

Day tour to Eqi Glacier – the calving glacier (add-on)

Only a few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi Glacier, which spills into in the fjord 80 kilometres 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 full-day excursion where you will have a great 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 the given day.

Today, you will have the opportunity to visit another museum in Ilulissat.

Also, you get the chance to experience kayaking in the country that invented the kayak.

Kayak Experience in Ilulissat (add-on)

Inuit have kayaked in the Greenland 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.

There is a farewell dinner (drinks not included) at your hotel in the evening.

With your luggage filled with unforgettable memories from this remarkable country, you’ll fly back to Copenhagen, arriving in the evening.

Perhaps you’ve already discovered that you never truly finish exploring Greenland. The landscapes are constantly changing, the light is never quite the same, and there is always another place waiting to be experienced.

You are always welcome to return; perhaps in another season, when Greenland reveals an entirely different side of itself.