The Golden Triangle of Greenland

Flight from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq. During the 4½-hour flight, you can enjoy a light meal and a movie. Catching the first glimpse of Greenland, however, will make you forget all about the movie: Nunataks pop up amid the huge expanse of ice. Stepping off the plane, the crisp air and the sight of the mountains that surround the airport in Kangerlussuaq are your first encounter with a place like no other.

A guide from our local partner welcomes you at the airport and helps you with the accommodation at Hotel Kangerlussuaq. After settling in your room, you can attend an information meeting where the guide will tell you about Kangerlussuaq and the many different excursions.

Excursion to the Greenland Ice Sheet, Point 660 

A bus will take you through beautiful scenery. Near the Ice Sheet, you will pass the Russell Glacier and a fantastic moraine landscape. At the end of your ride, you will walk to and on the Ice Sheet. It is an unforgettable experience to visit this enormous world of ice, which gives natural beauty a whole new meaning. No matter where you look, the Ice Sheet and the horizon seem boundless, and the cold from the ice below your feet offers an extra dimension to the experience.

During the tour, you will see large barren areas surrounded by hills wrapped in snow. Perhaps if you cross your fingers, you will be fortunate enough to see reindeers and musk oxen on your way.

Today we head to Sisimiut, Greenland’s second largest town with approx. 5,500 inhabitants. The town is beautifully set amid the rocky landscape with picturesque wooden houses in bright colors.

After checking in at the centrally located Hotel Sisimiut, an information meeting will be held by a guide from our local partner, who will tell you a little about the town and the many excursions. Due to the central location of the hotel, you are close to everything: the town center, the harbor, and the beautiful nature and mountains.

Sightseeing tour of Sisimiut (included)

A nice tour that will take you a bit closer to the town and its history. Hear how the town was founded and learn of the town life of today. We will pass the open fish and meat market (Brættet), the city hall and visit the old town where the original colonial buildings from the 17th century now house the fascinating and very authentic museum.

Sisimiut - Hike back in time (included)

Despite Greenland’s enormous size, people have chosen the same sites for their settlements throughout the island’s history. Tele Island, Sallinnguit, is one of those sites – where ancient meets contemporary. Several Inuit cultures have inhabited the site intermittently for the past 4,000 years. Even today, you can find artifacts from those ancient settlements side by side with modern telecommunications installations that have given the island its present, Danish name. Hear the story of the Inuit people before the arrival of the Europeans, and life in the early days of colonization. See the ruins from different periods and enjoy the beautiful views of the island and the historic hunting grounds.

The Assaqutaq Settlemet and Whales Boat Tour (included)

The Assaqutaq settlement is situated at the foot of Nasaasaaq’s south side. In summer, it is a venue for local schools and is a popular resort for the inhabitants of Sisimiut who fish for the local fish called ammassat. While strolling through the settlement, we will pass the old fish production factory, the summer camp, and the beautiful old church. The sea surrounding the settlement is also a playground for whales (humpback and fin whales). Hopefully, one of these giants will greet us with a spout.

This morning we fly up north, going from Sisimiut to Ilulissat.

Upon arrival, you transfer to and check-in at the beautifully situated Hotel Arctic in the first row to the Ice Fjord. At the following information meeting, you will hear more about the town and the many excursion options. The rest of the day you can relax and explore the scenery right outside the hotel – and in particular, take in the view across the town and the renowned Ice Fjord. If you purchased the excursion package, it is time to enjoy a guided tour.

Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for icebergs and is Greenland’s third largest town. Approximately 4,500 inhabitants and about 2,500 sled dogs are fortunate enough to live in this amazing town at the mouth of the 45 kilometer-long, and UNESCO listed Ilulissat Ice Fjord. Ilulissat’s location 300 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle means that the midnight sun rules until mid-July. It never gets pitch dark – everything is shrouded in an orange, almost magical hue.

Ilulissat Cultural and Historical Sightseeing (included)

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, historical 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. 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, “Brættet.” We will show you the church and the birthplace of the famous Polar explorer Knud Rasmussen. At night, we will enjoy a lovely welcome dinner at Hotel Arctic.

Hike to the Abandoned Sermermiut Settlement (included)

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 “Kællingekløften” 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.

At night, we will enjoy a lovely welcome dinner at Hotel Arctic.

In the early afternoon, you will sail to Ilimanaq and stay overnight at the fantastic cabins at Ilimanaq Lodge. The trip goes past the mouth of the Icefjord before we dock at the port of Ilimanaq approx. 45 minutes later.

The cabins at Ilimanaq Lodge are amazing. They offer two floors with beds upstairs. When you wake up in the morning, you step down into the living room, sit on the couch, and watch the small fishing boats breaking the crystal-clear water. You may enjoy a cup of coffee on the terrace and wave to a whale that blows water into the air as if to say good morning. Ilimanaq Lodge unites magnificent nature experiences with luxurious comfort.

Once you are checked into your cabin, you will hear more about the village. Ilimanaq lies 15 kilometers south of Ilulissat and has approximately 50 inhabitants. Ilimanaq’s houses are painted in many stark colors as a contrast to the surrounding landscape. Ilimanaq is a traditional Greenlandic village where the main industries still are hunting and fishing.

Afterward, you have the opportunity to relax completely and enjoy life in a quiet village and maybe relax on your terrace.

You will dine in a historic building from 1751 in one of the world’s most remote restaurants. Here, you’ll be served a delicious three-course menu created largely with delicious local ingredients.

Please note: We have booked standard cabins for this trip. It is possible to upgrade to Deluxe cabins, if available.

Breakfast is served in the restaurant the next morning. You need to check out of your cabin by 10 am, and you can leave your suitcases at the reception. Now you can have various excursions on your own – or you can buy other excursions locally. You have free reign, as lunch is a sandwich that you can enjoy wherever you like. This could be on a hike in the beautiful hinterland, in the cozy conference rooms above the reception, or something else entirely. We return to Ilulissat by boat in the evening, after an exciting excursion of glacier hiking.

Ilimanaq Glacier Adventure (included)

On this exciting trip, you will sail in a speedboat, drive off-road with ATVs, and trek on a glacier! We start by boat from Ilulissat to Ilimanaq. We then sail from Ilimanaq south to Itilliup Ilua. Here we are set off on a very wide sandy beach, and from here, we drive off-road in all-terrain ATVs to the Tasiusaq Fjord. We now sail deeper into the fjord until we reach a place with two glaciers, and the Greenland Ice Sheet can be seen.

This tour is not recommended if you have severe neck or back problems, and participants must be at least 12 years old.

This day is at your disposal. A whale safari among icebergs or a kayak tour are some of our recommendations.

Whale Safari – surrounded by icebergs in the Disko Bay (included)

It is a great experience to get close to large animals like whales. There are 15 species of whales in Greenland. During summer, we usually get to see the humpback, the common minke whale, and the fin whale. The whales swim in the entire Disco Bay during summer – sometimes close to the town, sometimes in the Ice Fjord or up north by the island called Arveprinsens Ejland. We are in constant radio contact with fishers and hunters, who are our source of information about the whales and their whereabouts. The humpback whale, with its characteristic fin, is the most commonly sighted whale on these safaris.

Today you also get the chance to experience kayaking in the country that originated kayaks.

Kayak Experience in Ilulissat (included)

Inuit have kayaked in the Greenland waters for more than a thousand years, and you can do it, also. 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.

Enjoy the last look of the Ilulissat Icefjord from the aircraft to Kangerlussuaq, before flying onwards to Copenhagen with arrival in the evening.

We guarantee you that you will go home with your mental luggage full of memories that will stay with you longer than any other holiday you have been on – at least that is what other travelers tell us.