Greenland
Photo Credit: Rebecca Gustafsson, Visit GreenlandExplore Ilulissat - Winter
From $4133 Per Person Double Occupancy
Partially Guided, 7 days, 6 nights
Dates: Monday departures February 11 - April 8, 2019
Enjoy five fantastic days with adventurous excursions in our Arctic Paradise, Ilulissat in Greenland. Located 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, you will find the “town of the icebergs" - Ilulissat – with its endless masses of ice and snow. At the same time, Ilulissat is a great spot for viewing the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) all winter due to the cold and dry climate in Greenland with lots of clear skies which is required to enjoy this spectacular natural phenomenon.
Included in the trip are guide services, a cultural historic walk around town, a cruise among the icebergs of Ilulissat Icefjord and a hike to the abandoned settlement of Sermermiut, situated at the estuary of the Ice Fjord. You will also get the chance to ride a real dogsled and join us on an optional northern lights guided tour.
Pre and post nights in Reykjavik are included in this package.
Or, call us at 1 844 405 0219 to get started.
Dates: Mondays - February 11 - April 8, 2019
Day 1: Arrive Keflavik - Reykjavik
Upon arrival, airport bus transfer to your hotel near the airport. Relax and enjoy the Icelandic landscape.
Optional excursion: The Blue Lagoon
Accommodation at Reykjavik Natura or similar
Day 2: Reykjavik - Ilulissat
You will leave Reykjavik Domestic Airport (Iceland) late in the morning and arrive in Ilulissat at either 12 or 13. During the approach to Ilulissat, the town seemingly pops up in the middle of nowhere. The colored houses vie for attention among the snow-covered hills, and at the bump of the Dash aircraft landing, you can look forward to the next few days full of ice, winter and dog sleds - combined with cultural highlights from a very traditional Greenlandic town.
Check in at the excellent 4-star Hotel Arctic and at the following information meeting, you get to hear more about the town and the many excursions available. After the information meeting, will go on your first excursion.
Cultural history walk in Ilulissat
Some people might think: “we can just take a walk around the town on our own.” And yes, you probably could, but with the guided cultural historic tour you will get an enhanced understanding of the Greenlandic culture and history, which will give all your other experiences in Greenland a new perspective.
Ilulissat was founded in 1741 and, today, it is the third largest town in Greenland with more than 4,500 inhabitants. The guide will tell you about the history of the town, the Greenlandic culture and contemporary life 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle. We will visit the fishermen at the harbor and the hunters at their trading post. We will show you the church and famous explorer Knud Rasmussen's place of birth. This cultural historic walk is a great shortcut to a lot of knowledge.
At night we will have a wonderful welcome dinner at Restaurant Ulo at Hotel Arctic.
Accommodation in Hotel Arctic
Day 3: Illulissat - Hike to Sermermiut
After breakfast, depart on your hike to Sermermiut, the abandoned settlement
Beautiful icebergs provide the setting for the old settlement of Sermermiut 1.5 kilometers south of Ilulissat. For 4,000 years, different Inuit cultures lived in the settlement and, today, you can still see the relics, which indicate their presence. Hear the story about the life of the Inuit people and their traditions before the Europeans came to Greenland. See the ruins and touch the permafrost with your own hands. On this hike, we will pass “Kaellingekloften” where you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Ice Fjord, before heading back again. During the hike, there will be time to talk about flora, fauna, geology and not least the story behind the omnipresent ice.
Optional excursion: Northern Lights Safari - Tonight, if the sky is clear you can go on a tour outside Ilulissat to see the beautiful northern lights above Ilulissat. Drive away from the lights of the town and go out where the darkness is intense. Your guide will tell you all about what causes the phenomenon and give you tips and tricks so that you can take the best pictures of the colors as they wander across the night sky. We will warm ourselves with coffee or tea. This optional excursion is only available until March 21.
Accommodation and dinner at Hotel Arctic.
Day 4: Ilulissat
Today, you can go around town and soak up the atmosphere.
Optional excursion: 2-hour dog sledding excursion- If you have purchased the dog sledding trip, you can look forward to a two-hour dogsled ride. The Icefjord estuary is an impressive sight both summer and winter. On this sled ride, we will cross the Little Akinnaq rock, and after seven kilometers, we will reach a great vantage point. Because the trip takes place in undulating hilly terrain, you will get to experience the dogs working not only in front of the sled but also behind it where they act as brakes on steep slopes. Besides the driver, the sleds in Ilulissat will hold two persons.
Accommodation and dinner at Hotel Arctic
Day 5: Ilulissat
Cruise among the Icebergs in Ilulissat Icefjord
On your last afternoon in Ilulissat, you will get to see the icebergs up close.
Almost every visitor to Ilulissat chooses to go on this boat trip among the icebergs at least once. Every day, more than 40 million ton of ice flow out into the fjord. The floating icebergs are gigantic, sometimes measuring more than 100 meters wide and long – and with a height of more than 100 meters above the water surface as well. These giants gather at the end of the fjord providing you with a great opportunity to sail among them. The icebergs are a wonderful sight in every kind of weather; in the sunshine the contrasts are very clear, the blue shades are very beautiful when it is cloudy. Definitely an extraordinary experience. Remember to bring warm clothes – otherwise sealskin clothing is available for rent.
Accommodation at Hotel Arctic
Day 6: Ilulissat - Reykjavik
You have the morning to enjoy the beautiful town and the icebergs. This afternoon, departs from Ilulissat to Reykjavik. The flight takes approx. 3 hours but due to time difference between Greenland and Iceland you arrive in the evening local time at around 7 pm. Independent transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation at Reykjavik Natura or similar
Day 7: Reykjavik - Keflavik
Airport bus transfer from your hotel to Keflavik airport.
Or, extend your stay in Iceland!
You Trip includes the following:
- 2 nights Reykjavik hotel including breakfast and taxes.
- Round trip flight Keflavik - Illulisat including 1 checked suitcase, lite meal onboard and taxes
- Transfers in Greenland
- 4 night at Hotel Arctic with breakfast and dinner daily
- Welcome meeting
- Guide service
- Town Walk
- Cruise to Ilulissat Icefjord
- Hike to the Sermermiut Valley at the icefjord
- All taxes
Not included:
- Airfare to and from Keflavik to start and end the tour
- Optional tours listed. Can be pre-purchased as a full optional excursion package.
- Travel Insurance
- Meals not listed above
Single Supplement on request. If interested, please inquire
This package is priced LAND ONLY from Iceland. If you need assistance with booking your airfare from the US/Canada, let us know and we will be happy to help you.