Frozen West
5 days exploring Disko Bay in winter incl. visit to the Greenland Ice Cap
Greenland's west coast in winter is beyond comprehension and calls with its ancient glaciers, massive icebergs, Inuit traditions and captivating northern lights any traveller seeking a true arctic adventure.
On your way to famous Disko Bay you will stop in Kangerlussuaq, providing best access to visit the massive Greenland Ice Cap. Enjoy sweeping views across an endless world of ice before continuing further north. Now, far beyond the Arctic Circle, you have time to explore Ilulissat with its icy surroundings. A heavy dose of Inuit culture seems guaranteed when joining our musher and his dogs on a short dog sled ride into the backlands of Ilulissat.
Don't forget, our fine selection of options allow to further customise this trip and make it your very own adventure.
Rough summary
Day 1:
Arrival in Kangerlussuaq - Visit to the Ice Cap
Day 2:
Flight to Ilulissat - Sermermiut Hike
Day 3:
Iceberg sailing
Day 4:
Dog sledding in Ilulissat
Day 5:
Departure from Ilulissat
Prices and dates
Price per person from:
| Package based on: | Double | Single |
|---|---|---|
| Guesthouse | 1485 | 1725 |
| 3* hotel | 1665 | 2100 |
| 4* hotel | 1760 | 2345 |
Dates:
daily departures, February 01, 2024 – April 15, 2024 (available)
Further details
Price includes:
- 5 hour sightseeing tour to the Greenland Ice Cap in Kangerlussuaq
- 1 night in Kangerlussuaq
- domestic flight from Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat
- 2 hour walk at Ilulissat Icefjord and Sermermiut (Local guide)
- 2 hour iceberg sightseeing tour by boat in Ilulissat (Local guide)
- 1.5 hour dog sledding trip in Ilulissat (Local guide)
- 3 nights in Ilulissat
- Breakfast included when staying in hotel category
- airport transfers in Ilulissat (not included when staying at guesthouse)
Type of trip:
This pre-arranged adventure is an individual trip, meaning you are discovering Greenland on your own but joining selected guided group activities during your trip. You will receive comprehensive travel information such as where and when to meet for the activities.
Minimum age:
12
Options
Flight connections
International flight to Greenland is not included. Domestic flight from Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat included. Fly to Kangerlussuaq best via Copenhagen/Denmark.
Return flight from 1290 EUR per person can be added to your package.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1:
Welcome to frosty Kangerlussuaq, where you will likely be greeted by the cool winds rolling down from the highest peaks of the Greenland Ice Cap. Arriving here feels immediately like an adventure. Our plan for you today is to take you to one of the true wonders of the world - the vast Greenland Ice Cap. A powerful 4WD-vehicle will take you along a rough track all the way to the edge of the ice. Passing through the arctic scenery featuring wide plains, semi-desert valleys and a fantastic moraine landscape you start realising how massive Greenland really is. And you have only just started this trip. After a bumpy ride it is time to set your foot onto the massive Greenland Ice Cap. This will be one of your most memorable moments of your trip in Greenland. It is hard to believe that only a few decades ago the Greenland Ice Cap was inaccessible to most people. We spend some more time exploring this endless world of ice before returning to Kangerlussuaq. Overnight in Kangerlussuaq.
By the way, Kangerlussuaq is ideally situated so be on the lookout for Northern Lights (until early April).
Day 2:
Another big day ahead. In the morning you head further north by plane to visit famous Disko Bay as you came here to see glaciers and icebergs. And you do not mean the small ones, you mean the massive ones. Well, we promise - this is what you are going to see. Standing in front of the enormous UNESCO Ilulissat Icefjord will make you feel small and humble. An endless amount of ice is pushing down from the glacier Sermeq Kujalleq towards the sea, where ice is calving constantly creating those majestic icebergs of Disko Bay. Here, at the Ilulissat Icefjord World Heritage Site, we also stop at Sermermiut, an abandoned Inuit settlement, which had been used by Saqqaq, Early Dorset and Thule cultures. Our guide will give you insights of the Inuit culture and will answer your questions. Overnight in Ilulissat.
On a clear night we recommend to browse the Arctic sky for those magic Northern Lights, also called Aurora Borealis. We will inform you before your trip how and where you can best observe the fascinating light of the Aurora Borealis.
Day 3:
Today will be pretty amazing, but also pretty cold. You will head out by boat and visit the gigantic floating icebergs, so wrap yourself up warmly and have your cameras locked and loaded. One of our experienced captains will take you out into partly frozen Disko Bay, getting you as close as safe to the fascinating icebergs. These icy giants have calved from the most productive glacier of the Northern Hemisphere, the Sermeq Kujalleq. It annually calves 35 km³ of ice into the UNESCO Icefjord - a sheer unimaginable amount.
Kick back and enjoy the rest of the day in Ilulissat. Always good to venture out and explore Ilulissat on your own a little to get a glimpse of the local life up here in the Arctic. Overnight in Ilulissat.
Day 4:
Witnessing the fascinating experience of man and dog working together in nature is something you will likely never forget. A local musher and his dogs will take you on a breathtaking dog sledding trip near Ilulissat. Depending on conditions we might go to the Brede Bay and enjoy views of Disko Bay and Disko Island along the way. Or we might explore the hinterland of Ilulissat heading to a great vantage point with views of the spectacular UNESCO Icefjord. Overnight in Ilulissat.
Day 5:
All great adventures come to an end and so is this. Still feeling like you want to use an extra day here or there? No problem, let us know in your request and we will refine this trip and make it yours.
Remark
The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, thus we cannot guarantee that you will see them during your trip. However, if you are traveling in Greenland from end of August to end of March, chances are good that you will be able to observe them, but best deep in the winter (from mid November to mid March). If you travel in April it is unlikely to see the Northern Lights as days are already too bright.
What our customers say
wahnsinnige Natureindrücke
Der Urlaub auf Grönland war sehr beeindruckend. Es waren wunderbare Erlebnisse und sind immer noch wahnsinnige Natureindrücke, die wir mit nach Hause genommen haben. Auf diesem Wege möchten wir uns für die super Organisation, sowohl vor und während des Urlaubes herzlich bedanken. Es hat alles perfekt geklappt. Auch die App ist richtig prima. Wir sind hoch motiviert Grönland noch einmal im Sommer auf einer Trekkingreise erleben zu dürfen. Vielen Dank.
Es hat alles genial geklappt
Unsere Grönlandrundreise war rundum perfekt organisiert - auf wetterbedingte Einflüße wurde schnell und gut reagiert und für einen super Ersatz gesorgt. Alle Guides waren extrem aufmerksam, freundlich und kompetent. Es hat alles genial geklappt - die Hotels waren sauber - das Essen war sehr lecker - Es war ein unvergesslicher Urlaub mit fantastischen Eindrücken - die Natur dort ist überwältigend schön. Vielen dank für eine so gute Beratung und Betreuung - immer wieder gerne.
faszinierendes und prägendes Erlebnis
Liebe Anna, liebes Team, wir bedanken uns noch einmal herzlichst für die Reiseorganisation und hoffen, zu gegebener Zeit noch einmal mit Euch eine Reise planen zu dürfen. Grönland im Winter war sicherlich ein sehr faszinierendes und prägendes Erlebnis!
All adventure trips are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Greenland Tours does not assume any responsibility for accidents which are caused by its customers or can be traced to their own actions. Participants have to sign a waiver before undertaking all trips stating that they realise that all outdoor activities carry an inherent risk.