Ilulissat is widely considered Greenland’s premier gateway and an ideal first-time destination. It strikes a rare balance: it showcases the country’s most iconic, jaw-dropping Arctic landscapes while offering the tourism infrastructure needed for a seamless journey.
Several key factors make Ilulissat the standout choice for your first trip to Greenland:
1. Home to the World-Famous Ilulissat Icefjord
Ilulissat is home to the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier—one of the world’s most active and fastest-moving glaciers. It produces massive, cathedral-sized icebergs that drift out into Disko Bay. Seeing these colossal ice formations up close (via boat cruise or the Sermermiut hiking trails) provides the quintessential Greenlandic experience that you cannot get anywhere else on earth.
2. Exceptional Accessibility
Reaching remote parts of the Arctic often involves multiple complicated internal hops. However, Ilulissat’s major airport and direct, nonstop flights from international hubs like Keflavík (KEF) make it much easier to reach than many of Greenland’s more isolated settlements. This saves days of transit time, letting you make the most of your vacation.
3. A Perfect Blend of Wilderness and Comfort
For a first-timer, Ilulissat offers a gentle introduction to Arctic travel. It features a welcoming town with modern amenities, world-class architecture (like the Ilulissat Isfjords center), comfortable hotels, and excellent restaurants, alongside true wilderness. From town, you can instantly transition into backcountry tundra, remote fjord boat tours, or luxury eco-lodges like Ilimanaq and Glacier Lodge Eqi.
4. Maximum Wildlife and Outdoor Variety
In a single week based out of or around Ilulissat, you can experience an unmatched variety of Arctic activities:
- Whale watching among floating icebergs.
- Dog sledding (in winter/spring) or hiking ancient Inuit settlement valleys (in summer).
- Glacier trekking and boat safaris to active calving ice walls.
Ilulissat 7-day itinerary for first-time visitors
Below is a 1-week summer itinerary of our recent trip to Ilulissat, anchored by nonstop flights from Keflavík International Airport (KEF) to Ilulissat Airport (JAV) along with stays at Hotel Arctic, Ilimanaq Lodge, and Glacier Lodge Eqi.
| Day | Itinerary & Activity Details |
| Day 1: Nonstop Flight from KEF to Ilulissat & Evening Icefjord Cruise | • Flight: Board a morning nonstop flight from Keflavík (KEF) to Ilulissat (JAV) (~3.5 hours). • Afternoon: Check into Hotel Arctic and stroll through the town or visit Zion’s Church. • Evening: Icefjord Boat Cruise out into Disko Bay to sail among massive, glowing midnight-sun icebergs. |
| Day 2: Sermermiut Valley Hike & Cultural Exploration | • Morning: Hike the wooden boardwalk trail through the ancient settlement of Sermermiut for dramatic views over the ice-choked Ilulissat Icefjord. • Afternoon: Explore the world-class architecture and exhibitions at the Ilulissat Isfjordscenter. • Late Afternoon: Visit the Ilulissat History Museum to learn about Knud Rasmussen and local Arctic expeditions. • Night: Stay at Hotel Arctic |
| Day 3: Overnight Excursion to Ilimanaq Lodge & Tundra Hikes | • Morning: Take a scenic boat transfer south across the icefjord to Ilimanaq Lodge. • Afternoon: Embark on a guided coastal or backcountry tundra hike behind the settlement to view floating bergs and local wildlife. • Night: Stay in an eco-luxury cabin overlooking Disko Bay under the midnight sun. |
| Day 4: Return to Ilulissat & Whale Watching Safari | • Morning: Enjoy breakfast in Ilimanaq, explore the historic village, and take the afternoon boat back to Ilulissat mainland. • Afternoon/Evening: Head out on a whale watching safari in Disko Bay to search for humpback and minke whales feeding near the ice shelf. • Night: Stay at Hotel Arctic. |
| Day 5: Expedition North to Glacier Lodge Eqi | • Morning: Board a specialized excursion boat north along the coast toward the “Calving Glacier” at Eqi. • Afternoon: Check into Glacier Lodge Eqi, situated right facing the active glacier wall. Embark on a guided hike up the nearby moraine for sweeping panoramic views of the ice sheet. |
| Day 6: Full-Day Eqi Glacier Hike & Return to Ilulissat | • Morning: Take a longer, full-day trek toward the margin of the Inland Ice Cap (weather and guide permitting). • Late Afternoon: Board the afternoon boat back down the coast to Ilulissat town. Night: Stay at Hotel Arctic. |
| Day 7: Souvenir Shopping & Nonstop Flight back to KEF | • Morning: Spend your final hours browsing local artisan shops for traditional handicrafts, Dorset/Thule artifacts, or local qiviut wool items. • Afternoon: Transfer to Ilulissat Airport (JAV) for your nonstop return flight back to Keflavík (KEF). |
Why choose flights from Keflavik?
For US-based travelers, Keflavik (KEF) is the best option to take a nonstop flight to Ilulissat (JAV). We stayed one night at the KEF airport hotel each way to build in enough buffer time for possible flight delays. We booked these flights almost a year in advance and paid $500 extra for Economy Flex (see images below).
Why stay at Hotel Arctic?
We chose Hotel Arctic because the same company owns both Glacier Lodge Eqi and Ilimanaq Lodge, and the shuttles leave from Hotel Arctic.
Ilulissat Scenery
Conclusion
The Ilulissat trip is one of the most expensive trips of our lifetime (after Antarctica), and we enjoyed our stay at Glacier Lodge Eqi and Ilimanaq Lodge more than we did on a cruise trip. Both lodges had very memorable hikes on days when the weather permitted.