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Day 1
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Fly to Copenhagen
Your trip begins with a flight to Copenhagen, Denmark's cool, cosmopolitan capital. On arrival, check into your hotel, which is conveniently positioned right next to the airport and just 15 minutes from the city centre by metro. Spend the rest of the day exploring Copenhagen at leisure, either on foot (it's highly walkable) or, as many of the locals do, by bike. It's a remarkably vibrant and photogenic city filled with attractive architecture, fascinating museums, trendy bars and coffee shops and a vast and eclectic array of world-class restaurants. Highlights include the colourful 17th-century canal-side houses of Nyhavn, Tivoli Gardens amusement park, the Round Tower (which offers wonderful views over the city from the top), Torvehallerne food market and Rosenborg Castle. Each neighbourhood has its own unique charm, from ultra-trendy Nørrebro and leafy Østerbro to laid-back Christianshavn and hip, post-industrial Vesterbro. There's far more to see and do than you could possibly cram into a day, but you'll have time to get a taste of one of Scandinavia's most enticing cities.
Stay:
Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport
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Day 2
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Copenhagen to Ilulissat (via Nuuk)
After breakfast today, you'll fly from Copenhagen to Nuuk, the capital of Greenland – a journey of around four-and-a-half hours. Then, after a short stopover, you'll catch a flight north to Ilulissat, which takes around one hour and 20 minutes. The colourful houses of Greenland's third-largest settlement stand in stark contrast to the rugged Arctic surroundings and the enormous icebergs that flow down the Ilulissat Icefjord. On arrival, a transfer will bring you to Hotel Arctic, nestled on a rocky outcrop just outside the town centre of Ilulissat. Here, you'll be staying in a room with a picturesque view of the Icefjord and its majestic icebergs. If you wish, you can upgrade to an ultra-sleek, glass-walled Aurora Cabin facing out across the iceberg-dotted waters of Disko Bay. The cabins come with heated floors and walls, meaning any snow will slide off and won't obstruct you from being able to marvel at the celestial ripples of the Northern Lights if and when they make an appearance throughout your stay. For the brave, nearby Igloo Lodge (located just outside of Ilulissat) is a further upgrade option, allowing you to experience an overnight stay in a real igloo – see more details on Day 4.
Once you've settled in, you'll head out on a guided walking tour of the town, which offers a comprehensive introduction to Ilulissat's history and culture. While the settlement was founded in 1741, the region has been inhabited for over 4,000 years. In the evening, a delicious two-course welcome dinner is served back at the hotel.
Stay:
Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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Day 3
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Sermermiut, Icefjord cruise & the Northern Lights
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting off on a guided hike to Sermermiut, an ancient settlement just outside Ilulissat where numerous Inuit peoples lived for around 4,000 years. Along the way, you'll gain an understanding of life in Greenland prior to the arrival of Europeans and learn about the flora, fauna and geology of the region while traversing the permafrost and marvelling at the icebergs floating from the Icefjord into Disko Bay.
Later on, you'll get the chance to chase the ethereal Aurora Borealis, among the Arctic’s most captivating sights. On calm, clear winter nights, they often sweep across Ilulissat’s dark horizon in shimmering waves of colour. Join an evening tour taking you into the quiet wilderness beyond the town, where starlit skies and deep silence create the perfect backdrop for a hopeful aurora encounter. As you wait, your guide will share Greenlandic myths, local stories and insights into the science behind the lights, all while you take in the beauty of the Arctic night.
Stay:
Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 4
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Husky sledding
Prepare for an exhilarating day ahead, which begins with an age-old Inuit tradition: gliding across the Arctic wilderness by husky sled. This mode of transport has been used by the Inuit people for thousands of years, and is a truly thrilling way to experience the pristine nature around Ilulissat. The ride takes place on largely flat terrain just outside the town, and unlike in other Nordic countries, you will not be 'mushing' (driving) the sled yourself; instead, you'll sit below alongside another person as the driver takes the reins. Come nightfall, there will be another chance to join a Northern Lights excursion should you wish.
*If you have booked a night at Igloo Lodge, today you will be driven by snowcat into the Ilulissat hinterland with amazing views along the way. Igloo Lodge consists of five spacious igloos, each of which accommodates two people (with the possibility of staying in a heated cabin). Temperatures hover around freezing point inside the igloos and reindeer pelts and warm winter sleeping bags are provided. Optional add ons include a spectacular snowmobile journey deep into Ilulissat’s winter wilderness. Setting off from Igloo Lodge, you’ll ride two‑by‑two across the backcountry towards Aattartoq, reaching the frozen fjord of Sikuiuitsoq after around 45 minutes. Here, vast blue‑white icebergs rise straight from the metre‑thick sea ice. This remote area is still an active hunting and fishing ground, dotted with small cabins and resting dog sleds. After parking the snowmobiles, there’s time to walk out onto the sea ice, explore the dramatic formations up close and take in the stillness of the Arctic. Along the way, your guide shares insights into modern Greenlandic hunting and fishing life before you return to Igloo Lodge.*
Stay:
Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 5
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Sail amongst the icebergs & optional excursions in Ilulissat
After breakfast, join a boat trip along the icebergs. Every day, more than 40 million ton of ice flow out into the fjord. The icebergs are gigantic, sometimes measuring more than 100 meters wide, with a height of more than 60 meters above the water surface. These giants gather at the end of the fjord, providing you with a great opportunity to sail among them.
The rest of the day is free for you to spend independently in Ilulissat. Alternatively, you may opt to join an extra excursion (with an additional supplement). One option is to go snowmobiling in the Ilulissat backcountry, heading out of town, via a gorge, and up a winding mountain road where you'll be treated to magnificent views overlooking Ilulissat and Disko Bay. After passing numerous frozen lakes and winding past rocky mountainous terrain, you'll stop for a hot drink before returning to Ilulissat.
Stay:
Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 6
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Day at leisure
Today is another day free to explore as you wish. Another truly unforgettable option is to take a helicopter sightseeing tour, during which you'll fly all the way to the edge of the immense Greenland ice sheet and take in breathtaking views of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier and the Ilulissat Icefjord from above. Bear in mind that this tour is highly weather dependent and not always possible given the unpredictable and often extreme nature of the conditions in the Arctic.
Stay:
Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 7
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Ilulissat to Copenhagen (via Nuuk)
After one last breakfast at Hotel Arctic, return to the airport for your flight back to Nuuk, and then onwards to Copenhagen, arriving later the same day.
Stay:
Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport
Meals: Breakfast
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Day 8
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Return to UK
After breakfast, it's time to catch your flight back to the UK, bringing with you a whole host of special memories from your epic adventures in Greenland.
Meals: Breakfast
