Thursday departure from Reykjavik
Being the largest island in the world, Greenland enjoys relatively fewer population. Towns and settlements are scattered alongside the coast, and it makes ferry an important part of the local transportation.
Arctic Umiaq Line sails from South Greenland to the Arctic Circle every summer from May to December. It is a great chance for travellers who want to explore different parts of Greenland by boat and at a relatively cheaper cost.
During this 7-day adventure in Greenland, we will spend 3 days in Ilulissat, 2 nights on the ferry, and 1 night in Nuuk. Various optional onshore excursions are listed in the detailed itinerary for you to choose from.
Hotels and flight tickets are included in this journey. Book now to enjoy the combined adventures both on land and on the boat!
Tour code: AUL7RKV
Picture credit to Leiff Josefsen – Arctic Umiaq Line
Day by day & Tour Map
Day 1 Ilulissat: City Walk & Sunset Cruise
The direct flight from Keflavi Airport (KEF) will take you to Ilulissat in around 3 hours. After luggage pickup our guide will meet and greet you.
After a smooth check-in at Hotel Arctic with our guide, you can learn the details of this itinerary and dos and don’ts in Greenland at the warm Welcome Meeting.
When you are ready, our guide will show you around Ilulissat thKeflavikrough a 1-hour long City Walk of Ilulissat. We will walk around the cosy Ilulissat and explore its main attractions - the church, old fishing harbour, the old part of town with its colonial buildings, local museum and more. An entrance ticket of the local museum is included in this excursion, you can choose to visit today or later during this journey.
Around dinnertime, you can enjoy a 2-course dinner at Hotel Arctic.
When it is about the sunset time, if you are interested, you can join our optional activity – Sunset Cruise to the Ice fjord. You will board on the boat with Arctic Adventure guide and sail out into the ocean to enjoy the breath-taking view of Arctic sunset. White and pure icebergs reveal its special pinkish charms under the glory of the sunset.
AccommodationsHotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Sunset Cruise to Ice Fjord inc Refreshment 3 hours, Difficulty 1Day 2 Glacier Eqi & Rodebay
Ilulissat means “town of icebergs” in Greenlandic. The gigantic icebergs nurture the local people year after year. Today, you can explore Ilulissat and its nature by yourself. Alternatively, you can join our 7-hour optional excursion “Glacier Eqi & Rodebay”. This excursion combines a visit to the small settlement of Rodebay with a cruise to the 5-km wide Eqi glacier. You can experience typical settlement in Greenland and enjoy the magnificent nature.
Arctic Adventure guide will pick you up at Hotel Arctic and drive to the harbour. From there, we will sail further north to Rodebay. On the way, we will sail through numerous icebergs and enjoy the beautiful view of Eqi glacier. On Rodebay, you will have time to walk around. This small settlement has only around 37 residents, but it has all the facility people needs. You will be amazed at how locals live their life in the Arctic circle.
The area of this excursion is excellent for spotting whales. If you are lucky, you may hopefully spot the appearance of the gentle giants – Whales! Lunch or dinner is included in the itinerary depending on the departure time.
AccommodationsHotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Glacier Eqi & Rodebay 7 hours, Difficulty 2Day 3 Hiking around Sermermiut, Ilimanaq & Whale Safari
Ilulissat is also the wonderland for hiking-savvies. Today, you can continue exploring corners of Ilulissat on your own or join the well-selected optional activities.
Hiking around Sermermiut and UNESCO Ice Fjord is one of the must-do activities in Ilulissat. With Arctic Adventure, we first will follow the wooden track to explore Sermermiut. Sermermiut Valley is home to Inuit Settlements and enjoys a very close view of the icebergs. Continue the hiking, we will start hiking on the rocky roads and experience the UNESCO-honoured Ice Fjord from different angles. The view changes as you hike further. Remember to have comfortable shoes and bring your camera for nice pictures! This excursion includes pick-up and transfer. Usually, it lasts around 3 hours.
If hiking is not your cup of tea, you can spend your day at the sea! Ilimanaq & Whale Safari will sail you to another settlement south to Ilulissat and seek for the appearance of whales in Disko bay. In summer, Disko Bay attracts various whales based on its rich resource of herring-like fish. This excursion usually takes around 5 to 6 hours. However, the sea is not a zoo, therefore we cannot guarantee that the whales will visit us for sure. Packed lunch, pick-up service and transfer are included for this excursion.
AccommodationsHotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Hiking around the UNESCO Ice Fjord and Sermermiut – 2 hours, difficulty 2 Ilimanaq and Whale Safari incl. lunch – 5-6 hours, difficulty 2Day 4 Sun: Kayak in the morning, Visit Greenlandic Dogs & Departure from Ilulissat
Ilulissat is the wonderland of various outdoor activities. Today, you can continue exploring corners of Ilulissat on your own or join the well-selected optional activities.
You may experience kayaking before, but it is not the same as the one in Greenland! Kayak in the Morning enables you kayaking with experienced guides in the ocean with the icebergs near you! You need to go to the meeting point Hotel Hvide Falk yourself. The experienced certificated kayaking guide will wait for you there. You can sail alone or group with another person on the kayak. Sailing near the iceberg and maybe spot a whale during the excursion must be a unique experience!
The Kayaking excursion usually starts at 10:00 am and lasts around 3 hours. If you have time, you can still join Visit Greenlandic Dogs excursion to experience the local culture. Ilulissat has separate sledge dog’s areas. In winter, the sledge dogs are still loyal and trustable working fellows of the locals. In this excursion, we can visit a local hunter’s sledge dogs. The owner will demonstrate the equipment and tell stories about the life of a sledge dog. You have the chance to see, feel and hear the howling of sledge dogs.
In the afternoon, Arctic Adventure guide will drive you to the harbour. From there, you will board the AUL ferry and sail towards Nuuk. The ferry departures at 17:00 from Ilulissat. Between 21:30 and 22:00, there will be a short stop in Aasiaat.
Please note there is no guide during your stay at the AUL ferry.
AccommodationsAUL, Double Cabin
Optional Activities Visit the Greenlandic Dogs – 1.5 hours, Difficulty 1 Ilulissat Kayak in the Morning – 3 hours, Difficulty 2Day 5 Sightseeing along the way
AUL is short for Arctic Umiaq Line. Sailing from South Greenland to the Arctic area, this ferry not only a way of local transportation, it is also loved by many travellers.
The AUL ferry will have short stops at three towns and settlements today. You can take advantages of the short onshore time and experience the local atmosphere.
Between 9:00 -11:00, it stops at Sisimiut.
Between 17:45 – 18:00, it stops at Kangerlussuaq
Between 21:30 – 22:00, it stops at Maniitsoq.
Along the way, you can experience the changes of views from inside and outside the Arctic circle. Maybe you can even spot some whales!
Please note there is no guide in this part of the journey.
AccommodationsAUL Double Cabin
Day 6 City tour of Nuuk, Qooqqut Nuan – Cruise and Dinner
Around 7:00 am, the ferry will arrive at Nuuk. The local guide will greet you at the pier and transfer you to Hotel Hans Egede for a comfortable stay.
After some rest, it is time to explore Nuuk! A city tour - Sightseeing in Nuuk (including museum) is the perfect choice to get to know your travel destination. The local guide will show you the Colonial Harbour, National Museum, Saviour’s church, the Parliament and more. Throughout this tour, you will have a better and deeper understanding of the nature, culture and local tradition of Nuuk.
After the sightseeing tour, you can join the Summer Hike around Quassussuaq to explore the nature in Nuuk. This excursion takes around 4 to 5 hours and is favoured by both locals and travellers. The local guide will take you to the new region of Nuuk - Qinngorput and start hiking from there. Through this route, you can enjoy the great nature of Nuuk and climb to the high peaks of Quassussuaq - there you can enjoy the view of the fjords in Nuuk and the amazing Sermitsiaq Mountain.
AccommodationsHotel Hans Egede: Standard Room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Summer Hike around Quassussuaq - 4 to 5 hours, difficulty 3Day 7 Fly Back to Reykjavik
All good things have to come to an end. This morning, the local guide will meet you at the hotel and drive you to the airport. You will then board on the Air Greenland plane to fly back to Reykjavik. The airport you will land is Keflavik International Airport (KEF). We hope the adventures in Greenland has left you a lifetime memory.
See you next time!
Day 1 Ilulissat: City Walk & Sunset Cruise
The direct flight from Keflavi Airport (KEF) will take you to Ilulissat in around 3 hours. After luggage pickup our guide will meet and greet you.
After a smooth check-in at Hotel Arctic with our guide, you can learn the details of this itinerary and dos and don’ts in Greenland at the warm Welcome Meeting.
When you are ready, our guide will show you around Ilulissat thKeflavikrough a 1-hour long City Walk of Ilulissat. We will walk around the cosy Ilulissat and explore its main attractions - the church, old fishing harbour, the old part of town with its colonial buildings, local museum and more. An entrance ticket of the local museum is included in this excursion, you can choose to visit today or later during this journey.
Around dinnertime, you can enjoy a 2-course dinner at Hotel Arctic.
When it is about the sunset time, if you are interested, you can join our optional activity – Sunset Cruise to the Ice fjord. You will board on the boat with Arctic Adventure guide and sail out into the ocean to enjoy the breath-taking view of Arctic sunset. White and pure icebergs reveal its special pinkish charms under the glory of the sunset.
AccommodationsHotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Sunset Cruise to Ice Fjord inc Refreshment 3 hours, Difficulty 1Day 2 Glacier Eqi & Rodebay
Ilulissat means “town of icebergs” in Greenlandic. The gigantic icebergs nurture the local people year after year. Today, you can explore Ilulissat and its nature by yourself. Alternatively, you can join our 7-hour optional excursion “Glacier Eqi & Rodebay”. This excursion combines a visit to the small settlement of Rodebay with a cruise to the 5-km wide Eqi glacier. You can experience typical settlement in Greenland and enjoy the magnificent nature.
Arctic Adventure guide will pick you up at Hotel Arctic and drive to the harbour. From there, we will sail further north to Rodebay. On the way, we will sail through numerous icebergs and enjoy the beautiful view of Eqi glacier. On Rodebay, you will have time to walk around. This small settlement has only around 37 residents, but it has all the facility people needs. You will be amazed at how locals live their life in the Arctic circle.
The area of this excursion is excellent for spotting whales. If you are lucky, you may hopefully spot the appearance of the gentle giants – Whales! Lunch or dinner is included in the itinerary depending on the departure time.
AccommodationsHotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Glacier Eqi & Rodebay 7 hours, Difficulty 2Day 3 Hiking around Sermermiut, Ilimanaq & Whale Safari
Ilulissat is also the wonderland for hiking-savvies. Today, you can continue exploring corners of Ilulissat on your own or join the well-selected optional activities.
Hiking around Sermermiut and UNESCO Ice Fjord is one of the must-do activities in Ilulissat. With Arctic Adventure, we first will follow the wooden track to explore Sermermiut. Sermermiut Valley is home to Inuit Settlements and enjoys a very close view of the icebergs. Continue the hiking, we will start hiking on the rocky roads and experience the UNESCO-honoured Ice Fjord from different angles. The view changes as you hike further. Remember to have comfortable shoes and bring your camera for nice pictures! This excursion includes pick-up and transfer. Usually, it lasts around 3 hours.
If hiking is not your cup of tea, you can spend your day at the sea! Ilimanaq & Whale Safari will sail you to another settlement south to Ilulissat and seek for the appearance of whales in Disko bay. In summer, Disko Bay attracts various whales based on its rich resource of herring-like fish. This excursion usually takes around 5 to 6 hours. However, the sea is not a zoo, therefore we cannot guarantee that the whales will visit us for sure. Packed lunch, pick-up service and transfer are included for this excursion.
AccommodationsHotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Hiking around the UNESCO Ice Fjord and Sermermiut – 2 hours, difficulty 2 Ilimanaq and Whale Safari incl. lunch – 5-6 hours, difficulty 2Day 4 Sun: Kayak in the morning, Visit Greenlandic Dogs & Departure from Ilulissat
Ilulissat is the wonderland of various outdoor activities. Today, you can continue exploring corners of Ilulissat on your own or join the well-selected optional activities.
You may experience kayaking before, but it is not the same as the one in Greenland! Kayak in the Morning enables you kayaking with experienced guides in the ocean with the icebergs near you! You need to go to the meeting point Hotel Hvide Falk yourself. The experienced certificated kayaking guide will wait for you there. You can sail alone or group with another person on the kayak. Sailing near the iceberg and maybe spot a whale during the excursion must be a unique experience!
The Kayaking excursion usually starts at 10:00 am and lasts around 3 hours. If you have time, you can still join Visit Greenlandic Dogs excursion to experience the local culture. Ilulissat has separate sledge dog’s areas. In winter, the sledge dogs are still loyal and trustable working fellows of the locals. In this excursion, we can visit a local hunter’s sledge dogs. The owner will demonstrate the equipment and tell stories about the life of a sledge dog. You have the chance to see, feel and hear the howling of sledge dogs.
In the afternoon, Arctic Adventure guide will drive you to the harbour. From there, you will board the AUL ferry and sail towards Nuuk. The ferry departures at 17:00 from Ilulissat. Between 21:30 and 22:00, there will be a short stop in Aasiaat.
Please note there is no guide during your stay at the AUL ferry.
AccommodationsAUL, Double Cabin
Optional Activities Visit the Greenlandic Dogs – 1.5 hours, Difficulty 1 Ilulissat Kayak in the Morning – 3 hours, Difficulty 2Day 5 Sightseeing along the way
AUL is short for Arctic Umiaq Line. Sailing from South Greenland to the Arctic area, this ferry not only a way of local transportation, it is also loved by many travellers.
The AUL ferry will have short stops at three towns and settlements today. You can take advantages of the short onshore time and experience the local atmosphere.
Between 9:00 -11:00, it stops at Sisimiut.
Between 17:45 – 18:00, it stops at Kangerlussuaq
Between 21:30 – 22:00, it stops at Maniitsoq.
Along the way, you can experience the changes of views from inside and outside the Arctic circle. Maybe you can even spot some whales!
Please note there is no guide in this part of the journey.
AccommodationsAUL Double Cabin
Day 6 City tour of Nuuk, Qooqqut Nuan – Cruise and Dinner
Around 7:00 am, the ferry will arrive at Nuuk. The local guide will greet you at the pier and transfer you to Hotel Hans Egede for a comfortable stay.
After some rest, it is time to explore Nuuk! A city tour - Sightseeing in Nuuk (including museum) is the perfect choice to get to know your travel destination. The local guide will show you the Colonial Harbour, National Museum, Saviour’s church, the Parliament and more. Throughout this tour, you will have a better and deeper understanding of the nature, culture and local tradition of Nuuk.
After the sightseeing tour, you can join the Summer Hike around Quassussuaq to explore the nature in Nuuk. This excursion takes around 4 to 5 hours and is favoured by both locals and travellers. The local guide will take you to the new region of Nuuk - Qinngorput and start hiking from there. Through this route, you can enjoy the great nature of Nuuk and climb to the high peaks of Quassussuaq - there you can enjoy the view of the fjords in Nuuk and the amazing Sermitsiaq Mountain.
AccommodationsHotel Hans Egede: Standard Room incl. Breakfast
Optional Activities Summer Hike around Quassussuaq - 4 to 5 hours, difficulty 3Day 7 Fly Back to Reykjavik
All good things have to come to an end. This morning, the local guide will meet you at the hotel and drive you to the airport. You will then board on the Air Greenland plane to fly back to Reykjavik. The airport you will land is Keflavik International Airport (KEF). We hope the adventures in Greenland has left you a lifetime memory.
See you next time!
Optional Activities
What’s Included
- Air Iceland Connect Flight from Reykjavik to Ilulissat
- Air Greenland Flight from Nuuk to Keflavik Airport
- Transfers between hotel and airport
- Welcome meeting at Hotel Arctic
- Guided City walk of Ilulissat in English
- Guided City walk of Nuuk in English
What’s Included
- Hotel Arctic, Qajaq Superior room for 3 nights
- Hotel Hans Egede, standard room for 1 night
- Arctic Umiaq Line Ferry ticket
- Arctic Umiaq Line Double Cabin for 2 nights
- 2-course dinner on Day 1
- Breakfast at Hotel Arctic and Hotel Hans Edege
Not Included
- Optional activities
- Daily Meals (apart from the ones mentioned above)
- Clothing
- Travel Cancellation Insurance
- Meals on AUL
Practical Information
FAQ
For this multi-day tour, we receive booking till the 10 weeks prior to the departure time of the excursion. However, please note that limited seats are provided. Late booking may be unavailable.
Weather in Greenland can be quite unpredictable, thus, cancellations and reschedule may occur.
If the excursion is cancelled due to weather conditions, failure to reach the minimum number of participants or other unpredictable situations, Arctic Adventure ApS reserves the right to cancel the excursion. For excursions cancelled by Arctic Adventure ApS under this situation, our customers will get a 100% refund.
Please go to “Practical Information” –>” Terms and Conditions” to view the detailed cancellation policy.
For excursions in Kangerlussuaq, transfers from and to Hotel Kangerlussuaq are included.
For excursions in Ilulissat and Nuuk, please refer to the “Included” and “Not Included” section for detailed information.
For excursions in Sisimiut, transfers starting from Hotel Sisimiut are included.
For excursions and tours in Iceland (apart from Whale Watching), pick-up and transfer from the nearest pick-up spot are included. Please check with the reception for detailed pick-up spot.
We strongly advise you to read the “Included” and “Not included” section for detailed information. If there should be any discrepancies about the transfer, the information under “included” and “not included” shall prevail.
If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us.
Please Note
Please read carefully before booking
- 1. Please note the departure airport on day 1 is Reykjavik Airport (RKV) with Air Iceland and the airport you will arrive on day 7 is Keflavik International Airport (KEF) with Air Greenland.
- 2. Please follow safety regulations and the guidelines of tour guides throughout the journey.
- 3. We suggest you book the optional activities when booking this tour since a limited number of seats are provided.
- 4. For pick-up and transfer services, Arctic Adventure guide and the local tour guide will contact you through the contact information and mobile phone. Please make sure that you are reachable through phone in Greenland.
- 5. If the tour is cancelled due to weather conditions, failure to reach the minimum number of participants or other unpredictable situations, Arctic Adventure ApS reserves the right to cancel the tour. For tours cancelled by Arctic Adventure ApS under this situation, our customers will get a 100% refund.
- 6. If participants fail to participant the excursions based on their personal reasons (e.g. no show), Arctic Adventure ApS will not provide any refund.
- 7. Please note the decision to cancel is made through evaluation of actual weather situation, number of participants, and other unpredictable factors, not the customer.
- 8. Detailed Terms and Conditions
EQUIPMENT LIST
- Other clothing should be picked according to weather that day, you will not get much colder on the glacier as on the ground.
- Sturdy Hiking Boots – waterproof with good ankle support.
- Shirts, both short and long sleeves
- Mosquito Masks and Mosquito repellent. Mosquito season in Greenland runs from mid-June to mid-August
- Sunscream with high SPF
- Lip balm, cream and moisturizer
- Woollen/or thermal windproof hat, which covers your neck (alternatively, thermal face mask);
- Woollen/or thermal gloves (ideal as a base layer under waterproof gloves or mittens);
- Woollen/or thermal socks
- Warm, insulated winter jacket
