Helicopter trip to the Ilulissat glacier
This excursionis the only option to get all the way to the heart of the UNESCO-area. Neither by boat nor by foot is it possible to get this close to the gigantic glacier.
Ilulissat Glacier is the most productive glacier, not only in Greenland, but in the northern hemisphere. The glacier is 7 kilometers wide and more than 1 kilometer steep. It produces 43 million tons of ice and moves about 50 meters a day. It is an amazing sight to see this infinite amount of ice and experience the enormous power of nature.
The helicopter takes off from Ilulissat Airport and flies, as low as safety and the preservation permit, crossing hills, lakes and ice fiords.
We land on the mountain at Kangia, in the middle of the preserved area, and for half an hour we are going to enjoy the greatness of the wonderful nature surrounding us.
We fly above the edge of the glacier and the icebergs in the fiord on the ride back to Ilulissat. Some of the biggest icebergs strand on a moraine underneath the water just outside the town, and it makes a wonderful finale to this excursion.
A helicopter flight is per definition a great experience, and combined with the scenery in these surroundings, the excursion is an absolute winner.
Duration 55 min. Expect 15 min. transport to/from airport.
Difficulty Everybody can join.
Min/Max Depends on size of helicopter. Please ask.
Sailing among icebergs
Almost every visitor in Ilulissat chooses to try this boat trip among the icebergs at least once.
More than 40 million ton of ice ice flow out into the fiord 24 hours a day. The result is gigantic icebergs, which can be more than 100 meters on each side and with a height on more than 100 meters above the water surface. These giants strand at the end of the fiord, and that gives a good opportunity to sail among them. An exceptional experience, you do not want to be without, while visiting Ilulissat.
The icebergs are beautiful every kind of weather; in the sunshine the contrasts are very clear, the blue shades are very beautiful, when it is cloudy and the midnight sun casts a unique glow on the icebergs during the night. The boat trip at bright night is definitely an extraordinary experience.
Duration 2 hours.
Difficulty Everybody can join.
Min/Max We have several boats available. It also depends on how long the ship is in port. If ship is in port all day we should be able to take 400 pax sailing.
Important Remember warm clothes – just in case.
The old settlement at the Ice fiord
The beautiful icebergs of Ilulissat create the wing for the abandoned settlement Sermermiut, which is situated one and a half kilometer south of the city. The different Inuit cultures have lived here during the last 4000 years, and today you can still find artifacts, which witness their presence. Hear the story about the life and the customs of the Greenlanders before the Europeans´ arrival; see the ruins, the kitchen mitten, and fell the permafrost with your own hands.
Visitors often ask, if they cannot walk these treks themselves? And the answer is yes. But our experience is that most people find it safe having a guide the first time, they hike in the Greenlandic mountains.
Furthermore the historic places will be pointed out, which can be difficult to find and it is always nice to share the experience with somebody.
On the short trek we turn back by the view at the Kællingekløft.
Duration 2 hours.
Difficulty Fairly easy hike. Not too demanding. For people not used to hike it may be a little difficult some places. Normally there are no problems.
Min/Max 4/200
Important Remember warm clothes and hiking boots.
Eqip sermia – Eqi the calving glacier
Eqi is located about 80 km north of Ilulissat
It is possible to sail up to the wall of the glacier – it is however very dangerous because the glacier is moving.
Passengers can go ashore and enter the helicopter from a safe distance
Passengers can experience the glacier from a close distance as well as seeing a big lake that has been drained leaving icebergs tall as 30 m.
The glacier and the drained lake is only a short flight away so it is a short flight and therefore a cheaper flight than the ‘normal’ Ilulissat Kangia helicopter tour but still an incredible experience because you come so close to the ice.
The helicopter is a 5 person helicopter which is very comfortable and everybody has a window seat
