Long Summer Weekend by Disco Bay
Are you dreaming of shorter but intense experiences where you can do a lot in fewer days? This summer trip is where you taste the best Greenland offers in just a few days.
Fly to Ilulissat, the town of icebergs, where big impressions and experiences are found on the doorstep of 4-star Hotel Arctic which is your base. With its exceptional location, spectacular view, and the opportunity to indulge yourself in the hotel restaurant, Hotel Arctic is the perfect starting point for this unique extended weekend.
You’ll experience ice in all shapes and colors wherever you go on your trip – on land, sea, and air. The Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is guaranteed to leave a deep impression. Set aside a few days to recharge and pamper yourself on this exclusive summer tour to Greenland!
Our daily program is based on the excursion packages we offer. We always recommend that you buy one of the excursion packages as we have put together the best experiences in these, but you can also opt out of the excursion package and create your own program.
Tour Itinerary
Departure from Copenhagen is in the morning, and after approximately 4½ hours’ flight, you will set foot on the world’s largest island. Following a brief stop in Kangerlussuaq, we continue toward Ilulissat on a smaller plane. It is a beautiful 45-minute flight, which allows you to take in the magnificent Arctic landscape, the barren wilderness, and the magnitude of the Inland Ice Cape. During our approach to Ilulissat, the city will appear as a colorful dot in the middle of nowhere. The colored houses stand in stark contrast to the rugged mountains, and you can look forward to the next days filled with icebergs, nature clad in autumn colors, and cultural impressions from a highly traditional Greenland town.
The bus of Hotel Arctic will pick you up at the airport, and you check in at the wonderfully situated four-star hotel. Here you will meet one of our guides who will brief you about the city, the area, dining, and excursions.
We continue with a guided town walk. You will learn about the history of the Ilulissat and experience its many interesting aspects. One of them is the many sled dogs that live here. Most of the dogs stay outside of the town at a large dog site if they are not roaming the terrain.
Guided Town Walk
On a guided tour of the town, you can explore Ilulissat, the third-largest town in Greenland. Founded in 1741, the town has a fascinating history and features charming buildings such as Knud Rasmussen’s birthplace, which now serves as a museum. Discover the sled dog pitches where the dogs stay in the summer and get an insight into traditional Greenlandic city life combined with modern facilities.
This evening, you will have a lovely welcome dinner in the hotel’s amazing restaurant (drinks not included).
Transfer
Hotel Arctic 4*
Welcome dinner in the hotel
Exciting day with many different activities where you can really see ice in different ways.
The Abandoned Settlement of Sermermiut by the Icefjord
This hike takes you through green landscapes to the ancient settlement of Sermermiut, where Inuit cultures have lived for 4,000 years. In the summer you can experience the blooming mountainsides while the guide explains the history and ancient customs of the area. You’ll see the ruins of some of the old peat houses. From the historically significant site of Nakkaavik (Old Women’s Gorge), you’ll have a fantastic panoramic view of the Icefjord and its huge icebergs.
Visit Sled Dogs in Ilulissat
Next, get up close and personal with Greenland’s iconic sled dogs and get a unique insight into their importance to the traditional Greenlandic lifestyle. During this experience, you’ll meet hard-working dogs and hear exciting stories about their role as indispensable helpers in the Arctic landscape. You’ll learn about their training, how they thrive in summer and winter (hint: they like winter best), and their impressive strength and endurance in winter. The visit includes asking an experienced dog owner questions and taking photos of the dogs in their natural environment. It is an unforgettable experience that showcases an important part of North and East Greenland’s cultural heritage.
Sailing Among Icebergs
Almost every visitor in Ilulissat chooses to try a boat trip among the icebergs at least once. More than 40 million ton of ice flows out into the fjord every day. The result is gigantic icebergs, which can be more than 100 meters on each side and with a height of up to 100 meters above the water surface. These giants strand at the end of the fjord, and that gives you a good opportunity to sail among them. An exceptional experience, you do not want to be without while visiting Ilulissat. Remember to bring warm clothes.
Breakfast- Hotel Arctic 4*
Sailing to Egi Glacier (Eqip Sermia)
We board our boat and head north towards the impressive Eqi Glacier, which calves ice into the fjord about 80 kilometers north of Ilulissat. The boat trip offers stunning views of the fjord’s icebergs and the raw beauty of the landscape. As we approach the glacier, we dock at a safe distance and spend about two hours in front of the mighty glacier, waiting to experience calving – a sight and sound you’ll never forget. Lunch is served on board while we enjoy the drama of nature. The cruise can vary between two and five hours each way, depending on the type of boat.
Two Optional Variations:
Overnight stay in Glacier Lodge Eqi
Glacier Lodge Eqi consists of a charming collection of cabins with outstanding views of the active glacier. The cabins are cozy in rustic log cabin style and offer a unique base for relaxation and adventure. Walkways and ramps have been built between the cabins for easy access, but Glacier Lodge Eqi is not suitable for people with walking difficulties. This is mainly because the ascent from the port facility to the lodges is quite steep, and you must carry your luggage to your lodge. Your stay includes dinner, breakfast, and lunch served in the cozy Café Victor. Here you can also buy drinks and sweets while enjoying the view of one of Greenland’s most impressive nature areas.
Sail to and stay overnight at Ilimanaq Lodge
We depart in the morning and sail past the mouth of the Icefjord before docking at Ilimanaq Harbor approximately 45 minutes later. The cabins at Ilimanaq Lodge are fantastic: They are on two floors with sleeping areas upstairs. When you wake up in the morning, you can go to the living room, sit on the couch, and watch the small fishing boats chug past on the crystal clear water. You enjoy a cup of coffee on the deck and wave to a whale blowing good morning through its blowhole. Ilimanaq Lodge combines magnificent nature experiences with luxurious comfort.
Once you’ve checked into your cabin, you’ll learn more about the settlement and go on a short tour.
Ilimanaq is located 15 kilometers south of Ilulissat and has approximately 50 inhabitants. Ilimanaq offers a full-color palette, from the brightly colored settlement houses to the changing hues of the surrounding landscape according to the seasons. Ilimanaq is a traditional Greenlandic settlement where the main occupations are still hunting and fishing.
Afterward, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy life in a quiet settlement, perhaps lounging on the terrace.
In the evening, dinner is served in a restored colonial building.
- Breakfast
- Hotel Arctic 4*
Free day for optional activities
- Breakfast
Hotel Arctic 4*
After an adventurous, extended weekend, it is time to say your goodbyes to Ilulissat. Greenland is likely to have made quite an impressions on you that will spark a special feeling and flash a series of indelible mental images whenever you hear the word Greenland mentioned in the future.
You depart from Ilulissat via Kangerlussuaq, arriving in Copenhagen in the evening.
- Breakfast
- Transfer to the Airport
Customer reviews
Coren Vestwall
Aron Pastor
