Hearts of the Inuit
7 days during winter in Disko Bay with Inuit settlement visit
Come and join us on an authentic journey to the very soul of Greenland, where winters are cold but the hearts of people are warm. Wander over deep frozen sea, float across the endless white joining a local musher with his dogs and experience the true culture of a tucked away settlement way, way beyond the Arctic Circle.
Meet the warm-hearted community of Oqaatsut and experience how the Inuit live a modern life while keeping traditions alive. Come to sing and play along with the Inuit as the mystic northern lights paint another work of art into the Arctic sky. A free day in Ilulissat with optional activities provides the opportunity to refine this journey making it your very own Greenland adventure.
Rough summary
Day 01:
Arrival in Ilulissat
Day 02:
Day at leisure in Ilulissat with optional activities
Day 03:
Snowmobiling to Oqaatsut - Meeting the Locals
Day 04:
Dog sledding from Oqaatsut
Day 05:
Snowmobiling back to Ilulissat
Day 06:
Day at leisure in Ilulissat with optional activities
Day 07: Departure
Prices and dates
Price per person:
| Package based on: | Double | Single |
|---|---|---|
| Guesthouse | 1305 | 1525 |
| 3* hotel with sea view | 1525 | 1785 |
| 4* hotel with sea view | 1695 | 2030 |
Dates:
February 05, 2019 – February 11, 2019 (available)
February 19, 2019 – February 25, 2019 (available)
March 05, 2019 – March 11, 2019 (available)
March 15, 2019 – March 21, 2019 (available)
Further details
Price includes:
- equipment for snowmobile activity (snowmobile, helmet, extra warm jacket and pants, mittens and boots)
- equipment for dogsledding (sled, dogs, musher, extra warm jacket and pants, mittens and boots)
- 2 nights at Bed & Breakfast in Oqaatsut incl. breakfast
- 3 meals with local food in Oqaatsut
- local English speaking guide from day 1 to day 3
- 4 nights in Ilulissat, breakfast included when staying in hotel
- airport transfer in Ilulissat (not included when staying at guesthouse)
Options:
Ilulissat: Iceberg Sailing (Jan-Dec, 2h, 95€)
Today you will head out by boat into Disko Bay and visit the gigantic floating icebergs, so have your cameras locked and loaded. These frozen 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. If we are lucky we might even spot a whale or two.
Ilulissat: Sermermiut Hike (Jan-Dec, 2h, 48€)
It is a big day today. 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 Ilulissat Icefjord will make you feel small and humble. An endless amount of ice pushing down from the glacier Sermeq Kujalleq towards the sea, where ice is calving constantly creating those majestic icebergs floating in 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.
Ilulissat: Northern Light Snowshoeing (Feb-Mar, 1.5h, 95€)
On winter evenings with clear sky, the beautiful northern lights often appear in Ilulissat. Going out to experience that natural phenomenon is a welcome break in your holiday which you shouldn't miss. Are you worried about the cold temperatures? We are mindful that in winter the conditions can be demanding. Because of that our exclusive and heated hut is only 10 minutes away from town from where we can enjoy the northern lights into the wilderness. No previous experience is required. Led by our guide and provided with a headlight and snowshoes you walk next to the gigantic icebergs, distanced enough from the city lights to enjoy the magic wonder of the northern lights. The tour follows the Ilulissat Icefjord until it meets the Disko Bay. It takes 1,5 hours including an indoor and heated break in a hut drinking coffee or tea. Once there, we also scout the northern light through the window or from outside. After the magnificent show and before the cold invades our astonished souls, we walk 10 minutes to reach the shuttle that drives us back to the center of Ilulissat.
Minimum age:
16 years (minors should always be accompanied by one adult and cannot drive).
Bring along:
Warm and waterproof outdoor clothing
Note:
Please note that due to unpredictable weather and conditions during winter, the itinerary of this tour is subject to change. While it is our goal to deliver the best tour experience possible, the safety of our clients is always our first priority
Flight connections
Flights to Greenland are not included.
Fly to Ilulissat via Reykjavík/Iceland or Copenhagen/Denmark.
Return flight from 990 EUR per person can be added to your package.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Ilulissat
Today you arrive in Ilulissat, far beyond the Arctic Circle. Make yourself comfortable and get a first glimpse of life in Greenland. Head out for a first stroll through the colourful houses of Ilulissat and feel the omnipresence of the icebergs surrounding Ilulissat. And keep your eyes open, as Northern Lights might be dancing above you in the Arctic sky. Night in Ilulissat. Night in Ilulissat.
Day 2: Day at leisure in Ilulissat
Start this adventure in Greenland by making it yours. Choose from optional activities on this free day in the town of icebergs - Ilulissat. This name promises a lot - and it does surely deliver. Use your chance to join our local guide on an optional walk to Ilulissat Icefjord World Heritage Site and Sermermiut. Standing in front of the enormous Ilulissat Icefjord with its massive icebergs will make you feel small and humble. Another recommendation instead is to follow our experienced captains on an optional boat trip out into Disko Bay, getting you as close as safe to the fascinating and gigantic icebergs. Please find details and further options below. Night in Ilulissat.
Day 3: From Ilulissat to Oqaatsut
In the afternoon we leave Ilulissat and head deeper into the Arctic. By snowmobile we drive north over the thick sea ice to experience the remote settlement of Oqaatsut, where roughly 35 locals live the traditional Greenlandic way. We will stay at a local house, now converted to a bed & breakfast, providing private rooms as well as a big living room where you can enjoy that book you always wanted to read and where we all eat together. The surroundings of our house offer amazing views of the frozen sea and mountains in the back. The meals are cooked by local families living in Oqaatsut and our guide will be assisting with translations so you can talk to your hosts and learn about their way of life in the Arctic.
After tonight's Greenlandic dinner we head out from our cozy shelter onto the frozen sea, becoming one with the Arctic night hopefully observing the natural phenomena of the Northern Lights (February - March). Night in Oqaatsut.
Day 4: Dog sledding around Oqaatsut
We spend the day in and around Oqaatsut. A local musher will take you dog sledding through the untouched surroundings of Oqaatsut. To witness the team play of man and dog working together in nature is a fascinating experience to be part of. To observe Greenland’s majestic landscapes this way feels weightless. Maybe it is the slower pace that gives plenty of time to take in all the impressions or maybe it is the combination of sled dogs panting plus the rhythmic beat of their large paws, a sound that is suddenly magnified against a backdrop of pure silence.
The evening we spend indoors and join the Inuit for a warm evening observing their traditions and participating with singing, dancing and playing as the Inuit have been doing for thousands of years. Night in Oqaatsut.
Day 5: Back to Ilulissat
Today we depart from Oqaatsut, saying goodbye to these cold and beautiful surroundings and its warm and welcoming inhabitants. We ride back with our snowmobiles to Ilulissat, a journey with great scenery, ideal as a farewell for these authentic days in the settlement. Night in Ilulissat.
Day 6: Day at leisure in Ilulissat
Choose from optional activities on this free day in Ilulissat. Please find details and further options below. Night in Ilulissat.
Day 7: Leaving Greenland
Today you will leave Greenland having met many warm hearts beating to the rhythm of life in the Arctic.
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 to bright.
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.