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Ilulissat
A colourful Arctic town on Disko Bay, beside the UNESCO-listed Icefjord and its towering icebergs
A colourful Arctic town on Disko Bay, beside the UNESCO-listed Icefjord and its towering icebergs
Walk the boardwalk and trails from the Icefjord Centre to the old settlement site of Sermermiut, with views across a fjord packed with ice.
Go in the evening in summer for low golden light on the ice.
Photo: Marcus Engdahl, CC BY-SA 4.0
Boat trips sail among the icebergs at the mouth of the fjord, including popular midnight-sun cruises and whale-watching trips in summer.
Photo: Buiobuione, CC BY-SA 4.0
Colourful wooden houses, a busy harbour and the Knud Rasmussen Museum in the birthplace of the famous polar explorer.
Photo: Buiobuione, CC BY-SA 4.0
Scenic flights and boat trips to the Eqi glacier show the ice sheet meeting the sea; the glacier front itself is far up the fjord.
Photo: Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0
Try local Arctic produce: musk ox, reindeer, halibut, snow crab and shrimp from Disko Bay. Some hotel restaurants offer Greenlandic tasting menus.
Supermarkets are the budget option, but prices are high because most food is shipped in.
Ilulissat is reached by Air Greenland domestic flights, usually via Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, and by seasonal Icelandair flights from Reykjavík. A lengthened runway allowing direct jet flights from Copenhagen was due to open in late October 2026. There are no roads between towns in Greenland. Travel is by Air Greenland plane or helicopter, by boat, or by the Arctic Umiaq Line coastal ferry on the west coast.
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but is not in the EU or the Schengen area, and a Schengen visa is not valid there. Nordic citizens can enter freely; citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia, most EU countries and many others are visa-free. Those who need a visa must apply specifically for Greenland. The currency is the Danish krone. Check current rules before you travel.
Greenland is expensive; tours and flights make up most of the cost.
Ice from land, sea and the air.
Visit the Icefjord Centre, walk the boardwalk to Sermermiut and take the yellow trail along the fjord.
Take a morning or midnight-sun boat trip among the icebergs, then explore the town and the Knud Rasmussen Museum.
Whales are most often seen from July to September.
Take a full-day boat trip to the Eqi glacier, or a scenic flight over the Icefjord.
Weather changes fast even in summer; bring windproof and waterproof layers, a hat and gloves.
Flights, rooms and boat trips are limited; book well in advance, especially for June to August.
Fog and wind often delay flights and boats; leave a spare day before international connections.
Sled dogs are working animals, not pets; don’t approach or feed them.
Quick answers for planning time in Ilulissat.
Greenland is outside the Schengen area. Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia, most EU countries and many others are visa-free; those who need a visa must apply specifically for Greenland.
Roughly from late May to late July.
Yes, from about September to early April on clear, dark nights.
No, marked trails start near the Icefjord Centre, but stay on them and keep away from the shore, where calving ice can cause waves.
By Air Greenland flights via Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, or seasonal flights from Reykjavík.
Google Maps covers the towns; outside them there are no roads, so use guided trips and official trail maps.
Free
Greenlandic and Danish are the main languages; English is spoken in tourism.
Free
Used by some guides and guesthouses; mobile data can be limited outside towns.
Free
Some boat trips and tours are bookable; many are booked directly with local operators.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Greenland travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.