Top 5 Ilulissat Adventure Tours: Thrills & Chills
Planning a trip to Ilulissat, Greenland? Well, you’re definitely in for a treat! This place is absolutely stunning, packed with giant icebergs, breathtaking landscapes, and a whole host of awesome adventures just waiting to happen. But, you know, with so much to choose from, figuring out the very best tours can, too, feel a bit overwhelming. That is that where I can hopefully help. I’ve done a little digging and pulled together my top five Ilulissat adventure tours – the sort that’ll truly make your trip one to talk about.
1. Ilulissat Icefjord Classic Boat Trip
You simply can’t visit Ilulissat and not experience the Icefjord by boat. That, I think, is where any adventure begins, just in my opinion! That very classic boat trip often gives you that perfect up-close-and-personal encounter with these magnificent icebergs that Ilulissat is very well known for. Imagine floating very gently amongst colossal sculptures of ice, glowing with almost every shade imaginable as the sun starts to set. Very picturesque, isn’t it? These trips often tend to last about 2-3 hours, which allows for plenty of time to soak up the sights and get a lot of really amazing photos. Bring an extra battery and a backup SD card; you’ll really need them. Oh, and a warm coat, obviously! You’re on the water, after all, and even during the summer, that Arctic breeze is pretty fresh.
The tour operators usually know all the hot spots for the icebergs, too. Is that pretty cool, right? They’re also, you see, very knowledgeable about the local area, giving you insights into the icebergs as well as the geological history of the fjord. So, in fact, not only are you seeing an incredible natural wonder, but you’re learning something new along the way. You can choose various times of the day. That can change the look of the fjord totally! I almost think sunset tours tend to be super popular.
2. Glacier Hiking on the Greenland Ice Sheet
Feeling adventurous? So, how about stepping directly onto the Greenland Ice Sheet itself? Seriously. If that gets your adrenaline pumping then you’ve found the thing for you. Various tour operators offer guided glacier hikes near Ilulissat. These expeditions involve some pretty serious equipment, very solid boots, crampons, and very, very experienced guides, just because your safety is obviously priority number one. You’re typically transported from Ilulissat to the edge of the ice sheet. Often it’s a helicopter ride and it’s worth it, anyway, for those aerial shots of the surrounding landscapes. Then comes a short hike across rocky terrain to reach the ice. Once you’re geared up, you’ll walk on the glacier, discovering different crevasses, blue ice formations, and meltwater streams. This is very different than seeing the icebergs from the water. Now you’re getting up close to the intense scale and raw beauty of the Arctic.
Be prepared for a bit of physical effort though. Glacier hiking, you see, can be a bit strenuous, and you may well be hiking on uneven ice surfaces, very slippery bits, and even going slightly uphill too it’s almost certain that the guides often adjust the pace to accommodate different fitness levels. Very thoughtful right? Remember too it’s almost always to dress in layers. That can also allow you to quickly add or remove clothing as the conditions change up there.
3. Whale Watching Adventure
From about late spring right through to early autumn, that is when the waters around Ilulissat just become this magnet for whales. Is that pretty cool, huh? That just makes this the spot for whale watching. Is that simply incredible? Several kinds of whale like the humpback, minke, and even the occasional fin whale come there, so be ready with your binoculars and cameras. The whale-watching tours are often run by local experts who know all the places whales often hang out. That is because they’ve been around whales for some time and so really do know their behaviors. So, you see, they’ll not just point out the whales but tell you cool stuff about their behavior, their journey, and their underwater habitat too.
Being out on a boat anyway as these awesome giants surface nearby feels really spectacular, almost otherworldly! Just remember to be a bit patient! Those wild animals have a habit of wandering around according to what they want to do. And sometimes that does not suit the guide at all. And yet those patient people may also be richly rewarded! You see, there’s this awesome show just when you catch sight of a humpback whale doing a breach or spyhopping right out of the water. It makes all those waiting worthwhile! Make certain that you are dressed appropriately because being on deck means exposure to wind. So layering the clothing would always be very worthwhile!
4. Sermermiut Valley Hiking Tour
How does a really nice easy-to-do hike that brings in views of nature and culture sound? Good huh? The Sermermiut Valley hike probably brings in both and so makes the whole experience that just that little bit more memorable. This trail is found quite near Ilulissat and winds out around the old Sermermiut settlement. You’ll just see remarkable Icefjord outlooks on this trip. So be prepared to take the pictures of the scenery. This really easy-to-do path will give hikers great icebergs outlooks at the Icefjord and is just amazing with the flowers through Summer.
The path goes past spots loaded with Inuit cultures’ history. Just when you are walking and following that path just make sure you watch out and note the information boards describing all of those sites and all their cultural stories! You can either enjoy that tour just by walking independently or by having someone tell the information for you, typically you could choose a guide at a very moderate additional expense, This choice all just is down to personal choice. One thing that often can make a bit of the impact may come from personal choice to allow someone to chat about those stories and what is happening in the neighborhood!
5. Helicopter Sightseeing over the Icefjord
To get this unique picture for any visit out to Icefjord, think on a flight excursion using any available air service at Ilulissat. Air tours let anyone get the expansive horizon of Icefjord which has such giant scenery like glaciers as well. Just so typically you can see the never-seen before ice creations as you come close or perhaps from an altitude. Typically, such excursions do use a professional helicopter pilot so that just means those experiences are totally memorable besides the extra element brought about by high-class operation levels. Very nice indeed!
I find that typically everyone I chat with tends to advise arranging these flights previously considering space getting booked or getting reserved far ahead especially in peak visits’ hours in Summer too it’s almost certain these experiences would provide something unique or special of all that landscape when comparing against cruises done for short or long durations. In light to this perhaps consider if taking this unique view option would appeal. This could greatly offer more of everything compared to all land experiences if those available. Very great too!