For years we have talked about getting Greenland on our travel plans. It took a while to make it happen. But it finally did. And I am so grateful. I arrived in this place with few expectations – and came away with few disappointments. It is truly unlike anywhere else I have ever been. Gorgeous, fascinating, delicious and otherworldly. If you have ever considered Greenland – Go Now.
Go Now
Greenland is actively working to encourage and broaden tourism. We were very surprised how many group tours we encountered in our visit. The hotels we stayed in were full as were the domestic flights. Summer tourism season in Greenland is May-September. In November 2024 Nuuk opened a brand new international airport. Next month in October 2026 Ilulissat will also open a brand new international airport. The capacity for larger planes and more direct international flights will increase the number of tourists. While many new hotels have been built, infrastructure is still limited. My advice to you is to get here sooner rather than later. Bring your camera but also your patience. Greenland – Go Now.
Our Visit
Our eight day visit to Greenland turned into a ten day visit due to problems with Air Greenland. These flight issues affected many people, not just us. The issues we encountered were not weather related, but often weather can be an issue when flying to or around Greenland. I’ll explain a few more details on this later in this post.
But for now, let me share with you our day by day itinerary and costs and how we planned our trip. We used a company called Greenland Tours. This company helped us layout our trip and booked the hotels and flights for us. But it was not a group tour. We were on our own to find our way to each activity that was booked for us. In hindsight we could have done all of this on our own, but we were unclear how to get started in this remote destination . Using our guide below, you could do it easily yourself to save some money. So time for Greenland Go Now
Getting to Greenland
From June – September, United Airlines flies to Nuuk direct from Newark International. We were traveling one way and our cost $840 USD. Round trip back to Newark is $1130 . Our flight was only half full in early September and it was comfortable and quick – about 4 hours. Currently if you are flying from the USA this is how you enter Greenland. I expect this may change with the opening of the Ilulissat Airport.
If you are flying from Europe, Air Greenland flies a route from Copenhagen year around. This was how we went onward from Nuuk. Price for this flight round trip is $1100 but it changes depending on the day of the week. Our one-way trip was $700
On arrival in Nuuk we were quickly processed through Nuuk passport control and on our way to our hotel. Since our flight was half full, prossessing the EES went quick. This was our first time entering an EES country and it was luckily fast and easy. We stayed at the Hotel Hans Egede, a very nice property in the center of town. On arrival we were very tired and had a quiet evening and early to bed. Daily rate at Hans Egede including breakfast is $257 USD . There are many more hotels available in Nuuk, but you should definitely book early, especially if you are looking for less expensive options.
Nuuk
We woke up still tired but the weather was cool and partly sunny and we wanted to get out and see the town. After an excellent breakfast included with our hotel, we headed out.
The city was founded in 1728 by the Danish-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede when he relocated from the earlier Hope Colony (Haabets Koloni), where he had arrived in 1721. The city proper was founded as the fort of Godt-Haab in 1728 by the royal governor Claus Paarss, when he relocated the missionary and merchant Hans Egede‘s earlier Hope Colony (Haabets Koloni) from Kangeq Island to the mainland. Nuuk sits at the mouth of the second largest fjord system. It is a haven for arctic marine life and birds. In early September daylight was still at about 17 hours.
Nuuk’s current populaion is 20,000 and is the largest town in Greenland.
Kolonihavnen
The most beautiful area of Nuuk is the old Colonial Town, Kolonihavnen. The beautiful old wooden buildings against the lovely bay with small floating icebergs is breathtaking. Our morning walk included visiting the Nuuk Cathedral, built in 1849, the small and overgrown cemetery next to it and the Hans Egede statue overlooking the sea.
Greenland National Museum
If you only do one thing in Nuuk it must be the Greenland National Museum. For such a tiny town, this museum is first class. It’s a great place to start your Greenland journey to understand the land, the culture, the people and the wildlife. We spent two hours here. While visiting the museum don’t miss the Qilakitsoq Mummies – they are bit hidden. The mummies are Inuit peoples buried around 1472. Discovered in 1972, the fur-clad mummies are remarkably preserved. This discovery is one of Greenland and the Arctic’s most significant discoveries to date. Entrance fee $15 USD
City Walk About
After the museum we walked past the Mother of the Sea Sculpture – by design is partially submerged in the sea, more when the tide is high. Continuing we walked to the end of the road to a remarkably beautiful viewpoint. Here we sat and contemplated the view and the vastness of the fjords. A perfect point for iconic Greenland photos.
Where to Eat
Nuuk has many restaurants and it is easy to find some delicious food. We really enjoyed our Danish style lunch at Lolo across the street from our hotel. Also enjoyed Esmeralda for it’s wide and less expensive menu. We had to make a visit to the Brewhouse to say we had had a beer at the furthest north Brewery in the world. Dinner at Sarfalik was expensive. Located at the top floor of our hotel it is touted as the best restaurant in Nuuk. I’m glad we splurged on this unique meal that included caribou, wolf fish, and musk ox.
Hiking
Our plan on the morning of our second day was to climb Quassussuaq, a mountain that rises 450 meters just behind the city. But unfortunately we woke to low clouds and decided the climb would be too difficult in the weather with no views available. Instead we spent the morning walking through and outside of town to enjoy more remarkable views, villages and a view of the brand new airport.
Qooqqut Catch and Eat
On our final afternoon/evening in Nuuk we were so glad we signed up to do this boat trip with fishing. The weather had cleared by afternoon and the seas were calm – much to my relief. We decided to walk to the harbor from the city center, about a mile. On arrival we boarded a water taxi. A total of eleven guests on board, we sailed an hour up into the fjord. Here we stopped near a beautiful waterfall to catch our dinner. Using a unique-to-me fishing system, we dropped the line that was wound around a wooden spool. The line had four different hooks – no bait or lures, just hooks with a little colored plastic. Our goal was to catch either cod or redfish. Well it didn’t take long before we had about 24 fish in the boat – of both kind. After about an hour of this fun activity we headed on to the tiny village of Qooqqut.
On arrival the chef of the remote restaurant met us at the boat and took our catch straight to the kitchen to prepare our dinner. We had about an hour to wander the tiny village, mostly home to summer cabins for rich locals. The views were amazing and so was the dinner with our small group. Everything was perfect and I highly recommend this activity when in Nuuk. Cost was about $200 USD per person.
Next Stop
It took me most of my visit to Greenland to learn how to spell Ilulissat, the town we headed to after Nuuk. Unfortunately our wonderful evening of fishing and having our dinner prepared for us did not end until after 11pm, and our bus to the airport was coming for us at 5am. It was going to be a very long day as we made our way to Ilulissat. To top it off, we stood in line at the Nuuk Airport for an hour and 40 minutes just to check our bags, due to a staffing issue. But eventually it was up up and away. A round trip flight from Nuuk to Ilulissat on Air Greenland runs $800 and no you cannot drive. Because of the lack of roads in Greenland you will fly or take a boat to most destinations.
Interesting fact – The entire local road network in all of Greenland spans roughly 120 to 150 kilometers total. About half to 90 kilometers featuring paved asphalt. The rest consist of gravel or dirt. Greenland covers a total area of approximately 836,330 square miles (2.17 million square kilometers), making it the world’s largest non-continental island.
Arrival
We stayed at the Hotel Arctic, a beautiful property that I am sure we would never have booked if we were making our own arrangements. If you can stay here I recommend it, it is very comfortable and offers a nice breakfast. We also ate in the restaurant for lunch a couple of time, also very nice but expensive. However, the daily cost is $293 – more than our usual choice. Ilulissat has several other hotel options so you should shop around. And there are several more hotels being built. But as I said before, you really need to book in advance.
One note about Hotel Arctic. Although situated looking over Disko Bay on a beautiful bluff, it is a bit out of town. We made the walk to town several times and it took about 30 minutes. There is a frequent city bus that cost around $3 USD or a taxi will run about $6 USD. There are many taxis available.
Ilulissat
Ilulissat is the reason you come to Greenland – unless you are here for more northern adventures or hiking, Ilulissat and its UNESCO fjord is what it’s all about.
Ilulissat has a rich history spanning over 4,000 years of indigenous Inuit cultures and Danish colonial heritage. The area around Disko Bay and the Ilulissat Icefjord has been inhabited since around 2500 BC. Located two kilometers south of modern Ilulissat, the Sermermiut Valley was a major settlement area for successive Arctic cultures, including the Saqqaq, Dorset, and Thule cultures. For millennia, indigenous communities relied on hunting marine mammals like whales and seals in the ice-filled waters.
The modern town was founded in 1741 by Danish merchant Jacob Severin. As the new Danish trading post grew, residents of Sermermiut gradually relocated to the new town. The last traditional inhabitants left Sermermiut around 1850.
In the 1980s, following the establishment of Greenlandic home rule, the town officially reclaimed its Greenlandic name, Ilulissat, which translates to “Icebergs”. In 2004 the Sermermiut Valley and Iluliassat Icefjord were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the first on in Greenland.
Population is 5000 and it is the third largest town in Greenland.
Iceberg Tour
We were so lucky to have a clear, sunny and cold day to do this tour – one of the best things I have ever done. Of course the bluebird sky helped… We joined Albatros Arctic Tours for this two and a half hour sale on a comfortable boat. The water was like glass on this day, lucky for me and my motion sickness problem.
“The ice in the fjord originates from the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, which sits at the bottom of the fjord. It is one of the most active glaciers in the world, producing 10% of all icebergs in Greenland – a fact evidenced by the massive icebergs visible in Disko Bay almost year-round. When the ice calves from the glacier, which is located 70 kilometers deep in the fjord, the ocean is around 1,000 meters deep, allowing the icebergs to float freely out of the fjord. As the icebergs reach the end of the Icefjord, where it opens into Disko Bay, the ocean depth decreases to only a few hundred meters due to a moraine hill at the outlet. Here, the largest icebergs get stuck, unable to pass because of their sheer size. This is what creates the Icefjord: a gathering of colossal icebergs in an area of roughly 10-15 kilometers. ” (credit Albatross Arctic Tours)
Breathtaking might be an overused word…and yet I can’t think of more accurate way to describe this wonderful tour. It was everything I imagined about Greenland. Cost was about $110 USD. Easy to book direct with Albatros Arctic Tours. Over the next several days we did three more tours with Albatros Arctic. I highly recommend them for excellent guides and service.
UNESCO
Next morning the weather made a U-turn and not only did we wake to sleet and wind but also to the entire town without power. Couldn’t even get a cup of coffee! Oh No! Our planned tour today was entirely outside too, so for the first time we dug deep into the bags for all the rain gear. There is a reason full rain gear is recommended when visiting Greenland.
Functioning on zero caffeine and no morning shower, we headed back to Albatros Arctic Tours where we boarded a mini-van for the short drive to Sermermiut & Ilulissat Icefjord UNESCO site.
The UNESCO protected site follows a boardwalk through the ancient and abandoned Inuit settlement at Sermermiut. Here we learned about the three distinct cultures that have used this area throughout centuries. At its peak, over 250 Inuit people lived in Sermermiut, and the last inhabitants left the settlement around 1850. At the end of the boardwalk we find the remarkable Nakkaavik – a viewpoint overlooking the Icefjord. This is the same fjord generating the icebergs we enjoyed yesterday on our boat tour. It was remarkable to see it from both distinctive sides. This walking tour was $45 USD.
Ilulissat Icefjord Center.
The UNESCO site is also home to the Ilulissat Icefjord Center. This beautifully designed center opened in 2021. It was not part of our walking tour but we enjoyed it on another day. It is not big, but it is very well done and I recommend it. Cost is about $25USD.
Back at our hotel we were thrilled to find the power back on. After a quick hot shower, lots of hot coffee and a hot meal, we headed back to town for another afternoon walk.
Cultural Walking Tour
We met our same guide from Albatros Arctic Tour for a walk through historic Ilulissat. The two hour tour gave us wonderful insight to the history of the native people, and the European settlers who came here. We learned about local culture, local leaders, food and the way of life through history. The tour visits many historic buildings from the early days. We also made a stop at a artists workshop where local Inuit people carve beautiful pieces from the antlers of Caribou. I purchased a small piece to take home. Finally we learned about how fishing is a way of life for many families, through generations. Many sons only go to school through the 8th grade and then begin their fishing careers. Halibut and shrimp are the two most valuable seafood caught in the waters around Ilulissat. Cost for this tour $39 USD
And What a Difference a Day Makes
Oqaatsut Village
Waking on our third day in Ilulissat we found another brilliant sunny day. In fact on this day the temperature would reach a balmy 58 fahrenheit before days end. Back to Albatros Arctic Tours we went, where we boarded a boat for a one hour scenic ride. This time our destination was a tiny fishing village called Oqaatsut. Home to only fifty year-around residents, Albatros Arctic Tours runs a small restaurant on the island.
The boat ride was really wonderful and we learned more great history from our captain. On arrival we were greeted and escorted to the cozy restaurant in a historic building. We were served an incredible, fresh and fully local lunch that highlighted the finest of the regions products from land and sea. I decided to splurge on a Greenlandic Coffee. The coffee is purely for tourists, but it’s a fun production made tableside. It includes whiskey, kahlua, coffee, whipped cream, and flaming grand marnier.
After lunch we went on a guided walking tour of the tiny village learning what it’s like to live where there is no running water or flushing toilets. A new school house is under construction for the seven children who live on the island. What an interesting way to live. Cost for this tour was about $220 USD
Our Final Day in Ilulissat
Eqi Glacier
Once again we woke up to a weather change. Low clouds and damp looking sky would eventually become steady rain, but off we went on our final Ilulissat tour. This time it was an all-day trip three and a half hours by boat north to the famous Eqip Sermia Glacier. Known as the calving glacier, it is possible to get very close to the glacier in the fjord by boat. On our visit, we did not see much calving unfortunately, but we did have a chance to see humpback whales.
Of all the things we did in Ilulissat, this was my least favorite and most expensive. Partly do to the rainy weather, but also because it was a nine hour day door to door. It was also very expensive at $380 per person USD. Perhaps on a beautiful sunny day that price would have seemed worth it. Learn more about this tour with Disko Line Tours.
Air Greenland
Air Greenland has a monopoly on air travel in this country. All domestic commercial flights are on Air Greenland. Our flight from the USA was on United, but our flight onward to Copenhagen was on Air Greenland. It’s not a big airline, and they mostly fly Bombardier prop engine 37 seat planes.
We were warned from our tour company to allow additional days both in New York prior to flying to Greenland and in Copenhagen in case there were weather related delays getting us out of Greenland. Luckily we did that because we lost two days of our three days in Copenhagen. However it was not weather related, and honestly we have not been able to get an explantion as to why our flight from Ililussat was cancelled – starting a chain of events that led to a multi-day delay for our departure.
I travel a lot. And the delay situation was one of the worst we have ever had. Lack of information and staff avialable at the airports to assist us.
All that said, travel is always a gamble. Even more of a gamble when you choose to visit remote destinations like Greenland. Despite what happened with Air Greenland I would still do it all again. Greenland is a remarkable place and I feel very grateful to have seen it while it is still pristine and before the crowds decend. And they will. Greenland is making sure of it with new airports, hotels and a marketing campaign around the world. If you are thinking about Greenland – Go Now.
Expensive
Greenland is expensive. There is no doubt about it. It’s remote, difficult to get to and supplies and food are expensive. For us, it’s a once in a lifetime trip. We know we will never be back to Greenland. So, we bit the bullet and spent the money.
If you are considering Greenland – Go Now. I don’t think the cost will come down anytime soon. But the demand will increase. Below I have laid out the costs – what we paid the tour company to organize this for us, and what each item would have cost had we booked it on our own. It’s a difference of about $1200 USD.
But considering what happened with our flights from Ilulissat and on to Copenhagen, we would have been in big trouble if we had not had Greenland Tours fixing things for us. I’m sure we would not have had a bed. This is the kind of travel you really want to have travel insurance for. We lost about $700 for the hotel in Copenhagen we could not make it to. We have submitted that to our insurance and fingers crossed we will be reimbursed. Insurance isn’t something we always carry, but I am very glad we decided to do it this time.
Our Costs
We paid Greenland Tours to book all our tours, provide us flights and hotel accommodations and transfers from hotels. Only breakfast was included and we paid out of pocket for our other meals. As you can see below, we paid a premium to have them do all this legwork for us. That said, we would have been sleeping in the airport had they not been there to solve the flight and lodging issues for us during the delays. But still…. it’s a big difference. You definitely could do this for less than we did. I hope my honesty about this can help you plan an economical trip to Greenland.
GREENLAND TOURS for two people 8 days (which turned into ten days and which Greenland Tours paid our additional lodging)
$11,787
Here is the Breakdown for Booking it Yourself
Flights
United Airlines Roundtrip from Newark to Nuuk
$1130 or one way as we did $840 per person
Air Greenland from Nuuk to Copenhagen
$1100 or one way as we did $700 per person
Air Greenland Nuuk to Ilulissat round trip
$800 per person
Hotels
Hotel Hans Egede $257 a night
Three night total $775
Hotel Arctic $293 a night
Five nights total $1465
Tours and Entrance Fees to museums and Unesco site
$2090
Estimated Ground Transportation and Taxes
$500
Grand Total
$9510
Greenland – Go Now
Nuuk is very interesting but two days is plenty. You want to spend the majority of your time Ilulissat. Plan this yourself, use this as a guide but do your research. Bring your camera and your patience. But Greenland – Go Now.
Thanks for reading my post Greenland Go Now. See last week’s post New to Me New York. We are always grateful for you pins, comments, shares and support. Thank you.
