Autumn Colors in Nuuk and Ilulissat
Greenland does not ease you in gently. From the moment the plane descends over Nuuk and the tundra stretches out beneath you in shades of rust and amber, you know this is somewhere entirely unlike anywhere else. This 8-day journey from Nuuk to Ilulissat is an invitation to slow down, look further, and feel the sheer scale of the Arctic — in one of the most breathtaking seasons the island has to offer.
The adventure begins in Nuuk, Greenland's surprisingly vibrant capital, where a city sightseeing tour takes you through 17th-century colonial houses, the traditional Kalaaliaraq market, and the Greenland National Museum. After dark, a boat glides out into the fjord in search of the Northern Lights — with the engine switched off and nothing but silence and the sky above. Then a short flight north opens up an entirely different world. Ilulissat sits on the edge of a UNESCO-listed icefjord where more than 40 million tons of ice pour into Disko Bay every single day. Here, the itinerary fills with once-in-a-lifetime moments: sailing between icebergs the size of city blocks, hiking to the 4,000-year-old Inuit settlement of Sermermiut, visiting a sled dog yard, and sharing lunch inside a local family's home in the remote settlement of Ilimanaq.
The full loop — Copenhagen to Ilulissat through Nuuk and back — covers two of Greenland's most iconic destinations in just eight days, without ever feeling rushed. Every excursion is built into the package, every guide is local, and every view from your window is one you will be describing for years. Explore the full day-by-day itinerary and book your place below.
Tour Itinerary
We fly from Copenhagen to Nuuk. Ahead awaits a 4,5-hour flight and an 8-day winter adventure.
After you check in and unpack in your room at Hotel SØMA, the guide will hold an information meeting. At the meeting, you’ll get information about experiences in Nuuk, dining, and excursion options, and can confirm the excursions you’ve already booked from home. It is also possible to book excursions at the meeting.
After the meeting, it’s time to get to know Nuuk at your own pace and get ideas for what to do today and tomorrow.
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. Since it’s winter, the ski lift is a favorite spot for the city’s citizens.
Nuuk Sightseeing Tour
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.
Try one of the many wonderful restaurants Nuuk has to offer in the evening.
Hotel SØMA 3*
Today is at your own pace, and the beautifully situated capital city offers many exciting experiences.
Today’s excursion package tour is a Northern Lights tour starting at 8:00 p.m. It’s a good idea to get some dinner before you leave. Nuuk offers many places to eat, so look around, ask your guide, or visit the hotel reception.
Northern Lights Boat Tour
You’ll get a completely different experience of the Northern Lights when you see them from a boat. It’s a phenomenon that has always been fascinating, also to us people in the Arctic.
We set sail from Nuuk and head towards Akia, also known as the Northland. Here, we have a great view of the Nuuk skyline without the distracting light around us. From here, we head further into the Nuuk fjord, where the boat produces the only artificial light. We stop the boat several times, turn off the engine, and enjoy the night sky and, not least, the silence (often broken by various oohs and aahs as the Northern Lights dance above us).
The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, so it’s hard to predict if they’ll appear. We have to take our chances when the sky is clear and dark enough. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the Northern Lights will appear—it’s nature that controls life up here.
Breakfast- Hotel SØMA 3*
We now head towards Ilulissat. It is a beautiful 45-minute flight, giving you the perfect chance to really enjoy the beautiful icy landscape, the desolate expanse, and grandeur of the Arctic. During the approach to Ilulissat, the town seemingly pops up in the middle of nowhere. The coloured houses vie for attention among the snow-covered peaks and as the aircraft lands, you can look forward to the next few days full of ice, autumn colours, and sled dog – combined with cultural highlights from a very traditional, Greenlandic town.
Information Meeting
You will be picked up at the airport and driven to your hotel. Here you will meet a guide from our local tour office, who will arrange an info meeting to tell you about the town, the area and places to eat. You can book excursions at the meeting, or you can confirm the excursions you have already booked from home.
Ilulissat Sightseeing
The first excursion is a guided tour of the town. You will learn about the town’s history and experience the town’s many exciting areas. Ilulissat was founded in 1741 and, today, it is the third largest town in Greenland with more than 4,500 inhabitants.
Seeing and especially hearing some of the many thousands of sled dogs living here is unavoidable. Unless out on a trip, most of the dogs are kept outside the town in large dog areas.
There is also another excursion if you’ve purchased the excursion package.
Visit Greenlandic Dogs
No matter where you are in Ilulissat, you can’t help but see and hear some of the many sled dogs that live here. Today, you’ll go on an excursion where a local dog owner invites you to the feeding of a bucket of dogs, where you can see and hear the many dogs barking in unison. The dog owner will demonstrate the sled, harnesses, whip and talk about life as a sled dog.
At night, you will have a lovely welcome dinner in the hotel’s amazing restaurant (drinks not included).
- Breakfast / Dinner
- Hotel Arctic 4*
Disko Bay is one of Greenland’s most popular tourist destinations, first and foremost because of the ice but also because of the beauty of the place, the many cultural attractions, and the interplay between the traditional way of life and modern city life. Don’t miss visiting the sewing shop where they make souvenirs in sealskin or the shops with handicrafts such as teeth and bones.
If you’ve bought the excursion package, you’re going sailing.
Sailing on the Icefjord
Almost all visitors to Ilulissat choose to try this boat trip between icebergs at least once—more than 40 million tons of ice flow from the Ilulissat Ice Bridge into the Icefjord daily. The result is enormous icebergs that can be several hundred meters long and extend up to 100 meters above sea level. These giants are stranded at the mouth of the Icefjord, and here we have the opportunity to sail among them. An incredible nature experience you should not miss out on when you visit Ilulissat.
Northern Lights Safari
In the evening, join us on an atmospheric evening excursion and experience one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena – the Northern Lights! On clear, polar nights, we have the opportunity to see the dancing green waves light up the sky above Ilulissat.
We drive out to a place away from the city lights where we enjoy the view of the starry sky and listen to stories about the Northern Lights, old legends, and Arctic myths.
The tour is only conducted in clear weather. We will cancel the same day if clouds cover the sky and find a new date. We will refund the full amount if you can’t join us on another day. Even if the weather is clear, the Northern Lights can be unpredictable.
- Breakfast
- Hotel Arctic 4*
Another day filled with opportunities on your own. If you’ve purchased the excursion package, you’ll hike to Sermermiut today.
Hike to the Abandoned Settlement of Sermermiut
Ilulissat’s beautiful icebergs form the backdrop to the ancient settlement of Sermermiut, one and a half kilometers south of the city. For 4,000 years, the various Inuit cultures lived at the settlement, and today, you can still see many remains that testify to their presence. Hear the story of Greenlandic life and customs before the arrival of Europeans. Depending on when you arrive, you can see ruins and kitchen midden and feel the permafrost with your own hands.
Then, it’s time to visit the beautiful Icefjord Center next to Sermermiut.
Icefjord Center
The Icefjord Center is a beautiful building that opened in the summer of 2021 and was designed by Dorthe Mandrup. It houses exciting exhibitions about the Icefjord area and the Arctic.
- Breakfast
- Hotel Arctic 4*
Visit Ilimanaq Settlement
Go on an unforgettable day trip to the beautiful and authentic settlement of Ilimanaq, located south of Ilulissat Icefjord. The tour starts with an atmospheric sail across the mouth of the fjord, where we enjoy the sight of the majestic icebergs drifting out into Disko Bay.
Upon arrival, you will explore the small settlement, where the guide will tell you about the history of Ilimanaq – from before colonization to the present day. You’ll get a unique insight into everyday life in a Greenlandic village where old traditions and modern lifestyles meet.
During the visit, we’ll be invited into the home of a local family, where we’ll enjoy a light lunch and a hot cup of coffee or tea. There is time to experience Greenlandic hospitality and hear about life in the Arctic directly from the people who live here.
After an eventful day, we sail back to Ilulissat, enjoying the spectacular scenery along the coast.
- Breakfast / Lunch
- Hotel Arctic 4*
Spend the last day in Ilulissat experiencing the atmosphere and life in the town. Step back in the footsteps of history and learn about the rich history at the museum that was Knud Rasmussen’s place of birth. Fishermen and hunters at the open market give you an idea of the exciting Greenlandic food products – it does not get any fresher than this.
The sight of all the fresh produce has probably made your belly rumble! At the restaurants in Ilulissat, you can try local specialties such as Greenlandic sushi, deep-fried “ammassats” (small fish), whale and seal, and the cafés offer freshly-baked cakes. All your senses will get a work-out on this trip!
And you will never get tired of looking out across the Ice Fjord.
- Breakfast
- Hotel Arctic 4*
Enjoy one final view of Ilulissat’s Ice Fjord and the captivating icebergs, as the small aircraft take you back to Nuuk where you change plane and go onwards to Copenhagen where you will arrive in the evening.
- Breakfast
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