Tour type: Self-guided adventure in Ilulissat.
What’s included: Flight from/to Reykjavík and Ilulissat, accommodation during trip, evening boat tour in the ice fjord, maps and walking itinerary descriptions.
Departures: July and August: Every day*
Duration: 2 days
Accommodation: Hostel, Guesthouse, Hotel
Language: English.
You bring: Bring good hiking shoes and warm clothes.
A short visit to one of the world’s most amazing places!
Visit Ilulissat to enjoy some light hiking and an amazing boat tour among the icebergs. Once here, you’ll be able to witness an indescribable experience at close range. You will take a short walk to the site of one of the oldest settlements in the area, dating back over 2000 years. If you look closely, you will find remains from past centuries still hidden in the low arctic landscape. In the evening, you will embark on boat tour in the famous Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO’s World Heritage site since 2004. Then set sail on a magical experience between icebergs and witness the dramatic sounds of ice, creating an experience you surely won’t forget. On the final day you will make time to visit the town of Ilulissat, specifically its old church and the Knud Rasmussen museum.
This is a self guided tour allowing you to enjoy the freedom of travelling on your own while we take care of your hectic travel plans. We arranged transfers and accommodations just for you! Plus, you get a day-to-day itinerary, maps and a detailed road book where we’ll even throw in some great tips that only our certified professional guides know!
Included in tour: Flight from Reykjavík to Ilulissat and back to Reykjavík, accommodation during trip, evening boat tour in the ice fjord, maps and walking itinerary descriptions.
Airport transfer in Ilulissat is only included in hotel package.
Departures: In July and August: Every day*. Please contact our office for more information.
If you have more questions, please check our FAQs. If you do not find the answer please contact us: booking@greenland.is
OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
It is possible to extend the trip if you want more time in Ilulissat and surroundings. In that case – or if you just want to add activities to the current program – here are examples of other possible activities:
Thanks for your interest in this tour! However, we need to verify flight availability on your selected dates. Please indicate your preferred dates below and we’ll contact you with verification within 48 hours.
Day 1
Late morning flight from Reykjavík to Ilulissat. Arriving to Ilulissat early noon. Transport to Hotel. We recommend you go hiking to Sermermiut Inuit settlement. This area is a classified UNESCO World Heritage site and the view is unlike many other places. In the distance you see the icebergs float by and if you are really lucky, you might spot an iceberg turning. Before going on your boat tour we also recommend you go check out some of the locally brewed beers or enjoy a warm cup of coffee in one of the downtown cafes. Evening boat tour at the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage site – Ilulissat Icefjord. Feel the chill of the icebergs from a safe distance in a boat and even on a sunny or cloudy day you can enjoy the sight of the amazingly huge icebergs. Night in Hotel
Day 2
We recommend that you start the day by exploring what both the town of Ilulissat and its surroundings has to offer. You can enjoy a peaceful moment sitting by the shore looking over the icebergs floating in the Disko Bay over to Greenland’s biggest island – Disko Island or visit the museum and the old church 10 minute walk from the city center, go souvenir shopping and enjoy a coffee at one of the downtown cafés. Noon flight back to Reykjavik.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES IN THE ILULISSAT AREA
There is no need to be bored in and around Ilulissat. There are so many interesting activities to choose from if you wish to add a day, fill a free day or just exchange one tour out for another. We have getherd our favorites that we believe could fit well. Contact us with your ideas: booking@greenland.is
BOAT TOURS
When visiting Disko Bay, a boat tour is a must! Cruising between the huge icebergs that have calved from the glacier in the area is an extraordinary experience. Choose your experience on your boating tour; go to the Eqi glacier, visit a charming hunter’s village, go whale watching or spice up the experience on an icefjord cruise in the midnight sun.
Available from June to September.
2-8 hours
Price from 110 Euro per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
WHALE WHATCHING
If you want to increase your chances of spotting a whale while being in Greenland this would be the ideal trip for you. While looking for the whales, you can enjoy the beautiful sight of the breathtaking icebergs. When we spot a whale we cut the engine so we can enjoy the sight of the whale in silence. That way it’s also easier to spot the whale again when it comes up for air. The whales you might spot are: Humpback, fin and mink whales. Just be aweare that whales are wild animals, therefore sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Available from Ilulissat and Rodebay from June to September.
Sailing (3-5 hours)
Price from: 200 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
KAYAKING
Did you know that kayaking is an Inuit invention? It is! You will see why when you experience the tranquility and closeness to the icebergs when you navigate among the icebergs in the UNESCO Kangia Icefjord. A local guide will teach you the basic paddle techniques so that you can navigate and explore. You can paddle from 2 hours in the sunset, up to a full day… all after how much time and energy you have.
Available from Ilulissat and Ilimanaq in July and August.
Guided kayaking tour 2-8 hours
Price from: 215 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
OQAATUST VILLAGE LIFE
The settlement of Oqaatsut – the name means cormorants and it used to be a popular spot for cormorants and later on it was known as a whaling station – that’s where the Danish name Rodebay comes from – meaning “red bay”. This insightful tour includes a bit of every aspect of Inuit life; fishing, processing, eating and dogsledding.
Available from June to September
Sightseeing and culture tour (7 hours)
Price from: 300 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
DOG SLEDDING ON DISKO ISLAND
Even though dogsledding is a winter activity, there is a change to try it during the summer as well. You can visit Disko Island, hike up to the glacier (with our without a guide) and go on the sleds on the ice. Imagine it being -30°C cold, and you were an Inuit hunter, but enjoy the summer view from the top. If you are even more adventurous than this, you can stay at a cabin up in the mountains before going back to Ilulissat.
Available from Disko Island, Qeqertarsuaq, in June to August.
Dogsledding tour and more (2- 24 hours)
Price from: 175 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
HELICOPTER AND FLIGHT-SEEING
Get a birds eye view… and even land on the Greenland Ice Cap.
Available from Ilulissat from June to August
1-2 hours
Price from: 450 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
HIKING
There are endless hiking possibilities in and around Ilulissat. Most of them you can do by yourself, but if you prefer to have a guide, that is also a possibility.
Available from Ilulissat and Ilimanaq all summer.
Price from: 80 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
CITY WALK, MEET THE LOCALS, AND THEIR DOGS
Greenland is called Kalaallit Nunaat, the land of the people. While the majority of the activities in Greenland are based on the idea of going out into the sublime nature, but there is no reason to leave the people and the city out… nor the dogs. You can get a guided city walk, meet the locals at their homes or meet a dog musher and learn how they keep the sled dogs… or combine all three.
Available from Ilulissat all year.
2-6 hours
Price from: 40 Euros per person
Contact us to set it up: booking@greenland.is
