Classic The Golden Triangle of West Greenland

Itinerary

In the program of this tour you will truly experience the whole width of Greenland. Although all three cities are on the agenda of this tour, plenty of time is allowed for to experience the life of Greenland in a leisurely pace. Decide for yourself if you prefer to spend the day by yourself or add an excursion package to the biggest sights to your trip.

Day 1

Flight from Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq. During the 4.5-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 Polar Lodge, which is beautifully situated overlooking the steep mountain Køkkenfjeldet and the chain of mountains leading towards Sisimiut. After having settled in your room, you are invited to an information meeting where the guide will tell you about Kangerlussuaq and the many different excursions.

If you bought the excursion package it is time for some ice:

Excursion to the Ice Cap, point 660 (included in excursion package)

The four-wheel driven bus will take you through beautiful scenery. Near the Ice Cap, 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 Cap. 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 Cap 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.    


Please note this! The departures June 13, July 11 and August 8 have an extra day to the program presented below. On these tours, you depart on Tuesdays rather than Wednesdays. This gives you an extra overnight stay in Kangerlussuaq and in the program, day 2 becomes your day 3, etc. These trips are 11 days as opposed to the others that are 10 days. These trips also include a sightseeing tour on Tuesday where we will visit base area, the harbor and the sled dogs of the settlement.

Sightseeing in Kangerlussuaq (on tours starting June 13, July 11 and August 8)

Kangerlussuaq is a former US air base. Today, the former air base is Greenland's main airport. The guide will share exciting stories about the origins of the base – from the Second World War to the Cold War – and its transformation into a modern international airport.

The area around Kangerlussuaq has Greenland's longest road and here we will experience and see several interesting places and encounter the great Greenlandic nature. We will drive to the harbour to enjoy views of the beautiful fjord. The drive also takes us by Kellyville, a small research settlement, 12 kilometres from the airport and through the old base area. We will also visit the local kennel where you will get better acquainted with Greenlandic sled dogs. The scenic drive offers ample opportunity to take in the stunning nature.

Day 2

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 colours.

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 centre, the harbour and the beautiful nature and mountains.

Tour of the town (included in excursion package)

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.

Day 3

Sisimiut is an authentic Greelandic town with historical places, modern life and beautiful nature. The possibilities are numerous – you just have to pick out what best suits you.

The Assaqutaq settlement and whales (included in excursion package)

The Assaqutaq settlement is situated at the foot of Kællingehætten’s south side. In summer, it is being used as a venue for local schools and is a popular resort for the inhabitants of Sisimiut who fish for ammasets. 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 favourite playground for whales (humpback and fin whales) - hopefully one of these giants will greet us with a spout.

Day 4

The day is at your own disposal before we head north in the evening on board the coastal vessel Sarfaq Ittuk. Pay a visit, for instance, to one of the town’s arts and crafts workshops where the local artists produce and sell jewellery and crafts in soapstone, ivory and bone.

If you bought the excursion package, you will be taking a hike back in time:

Hike back in time (included in excursion package)

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 artefacts 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 of life in the early days of colonisation. See the ruins from different periods and enjoy the beautiful views of the island and the historic hunting grounds.

Coastal vessel cruise

Transfer from Hotel Sisimiut to the harbour where you should check in ½ -1 hour before departure at 9 o'clock in the evening. The course is set for Ilulissat further north of the west coast. Sailing in Greenland is a wonderful experience – you get to witness nature from the first row and may even be lucky enough to see whales in their very own element. So do not forget your camera and binoculars – and remember to keep your ears and nose warm.

Day 5

Breakfast can be enjoyed overlooking the stunning Disco Bay. Before arriving at Ilulissat, the coastal vessel will be calling at the beautiful town of Aasiaat, located in the southwest corner of the Disco Bay and known for its archipelago, kayaks, whales and – as everywhere else – the pretty coloured houses scattered across the hilly landscape.

As the icebergs come closer and closer, we recommend that you get on the deck. The arrival at Ilulissat is a breath-taking encounter with one of nature’s own masterpiece – the floating icebergs. This is truly an unforgettable sight.

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 guidet tour:

Cultural historic guided tour (included in excursion package)

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.

About Ilulissat

Ilulissat – Jakobshavn – 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 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. We will visit the fishermen at the harbour and the hunters at their trading post “Brættet”. We will show you the church and famous explorer Knud Rasmussen's place of birth.

Day 6

Ilulissat is the Greenlandic word for icebergs and is Greenland's third largest town. Approximately 4,500 inhabitants and just as many sled dogs are fortunate enough to be living in this amazing town at the mouth of the 50 kilometer long and UNESCO listed ice fjord Kangia. Ilulissat's location 350 kilometres 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. The stay in Ilulissat – and Greenland – ends with a lovely farewell dinner at Hotel Arctic on the last night.

Many of the sights can be reached on foot. But we highly recommend that you join some of the guided tours that require travel either by boat or helicopter.

Hiking trip to the abandoned Sermermiut settlement (included in excursion package)

Beautiful icebergs provide the setting for the old settlement of Sermermiut 1.5 kilometres 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.

Day 7

This day is at your own disposal. Today we recommend:

Day tour to Eqip Sermia – the calving glacier (included in excursion package)

Only few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi Glacier, which ends in the fjord 80 kilometres north of Ilulissat. It is possible to get very close to the glacier by boat and experience huge pieces of ice breaking off. The sounds are thunderous, and the sight of icebergs crashing into the water is astonishing.

We sail in modern and convenient boats during the excursion to Eqi. The route takes us north along the coast passing Bredebugt, the settlement of Oqaatsut and the big fjord system called Pakitsoq, where whales and seals are often spotted. Further along the route, we pass through the Ataa Strait, which is surrounded by steep mountains with bird life and waterfalls. Our boats, which are approved for sailing in icy waters, will remain in front of the glacier for approximately 2 hours and wait for the ice to calve. Meanwhile a delicious lunch will be served. This is an all-day excursion where you will have a good opportunity to immerse yourself in the experience and fully enjoy the boat trip in the ice-filled water.

Day 8

This day is at your own disposal. Perhaps it is time for a relaxing day in the town, write postcards, visit souvenir shops and take a coffee break in the café on the town "square".

One of the most popular excursions in Ilulissat is sailing on the Ice Fjord. So, if you have not had enough of sailing, this is an ideal opportunity. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours and can be done during the day or at night under the midnight sun.  

Day 9

This day is at your own disposal. A whale safari among icebergs is one of many recommendations:

Whale Safari – surrounded by icebergs in the Disco Bay (included in excursion package)

It is a great experience to get really close to large animals like whales. There are 15 species of whale in Greenland; three of these stay in Greenland during winter, the narwhal, the beluga and the bow-head whale (also known as the Greenland right whale). The blue whale and the killer whale are only rarely seen.

During summer, we usually get to see the humpback, the common minke whale and the fin whale. The whales swim the entire Disco Bay during summer – sometimes close to the town, sometimes in the Ice Fjord or up north by the island Arveprinsens Ejland. We are in constant radio contact with fishermen and hunters, who are our source of information about the whales and their whereabouts. The humpback with its characteristic fin is the most commonly witnessed on these safaris.

The day ends with a nice farewell dinner at Hotel Arctic.   

Day 10

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

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