Under the midnight sun: iceberg tour in Ilulissat

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iceberg tours in ilulissat can be done best at night, not with moonlight, but under the notorious midnight sun of the Arctic

ilulissat is the Greenland that you have always imagined. Ilulissat is located at the mouth of the 40 km wide Jakobshavn glacier (Sermeq Kujalleq), which is himself supported by a huge ice fjord, and is one of the most amazing landscapes on earth with his colorful houses in the picturesque, covered disco.

Throw a lot of sled dogs (and their cacophonic howling) and they have a goal that meets the expectations in a spectacular style. It is easy to see why Greenland's third largest city of Greenland is the most popular tourist destination.

I had spent my first two days in Ilulissat to hike the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Ilulissat Eisfjord, from which the Jakobshavn glacier extends. Beyond the ice fjord, inland in the east, is the huge Greenland ice cream ceiling (or ice cap), the huge ice mass, which covers 1,710,000 km2 from Greenland - about 80 % of its total land surface.

ilulissat, a Greenland word for "icebergs", sees breathtaking 35 billion tons (46 km3) of ice cream every year, which have their way through the surrounding waters after they have bald from the glacier in a so -called "ice current". Every year, over 10 % of all Greenland icebergs from the Ilulissat Eisfjord calmly calmly over the Jakobshavn glacier. This is more than with any other glacier outside the Antarctic.

The ice current is one of the fastest (40 m per day) and the most active in the world. The combination of a huge ice cream ceiling and a rapidly moving glacier scaling in a fjord covered by icebergs is a phenomenon that only occurs in Greenland and Antarctic.

It is not surprising that the most popular activity in Ilulisat is the tour of icebergs, usually on one of the many boats that run in disco bay. The best option is participation in a midnight sunshill-sightseeing tour with World of Greenland.

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The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that only occurs in the summer months at places north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Arctic Circle. During this period, the sun remains visible around local midnight. In Ilulissat, 350 km north of the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun lasts from May 21st to July 24th

iceberg-sightseeing tours start all day long, but to see the huge icebergs under the midnight sun, the tours have to start later in the evening. I met my group at 9:45 p.m. in the World of Greenland office in the city center. We were brought to the quay with a minibus, where we went on board our ship and drove out to the sea.

We drove out of the city and slowed down when we reached the more active parts of the glacier. The day before I visited the EQI glacier, so seen many gigantic ice walls. Getting comfortably between the ice mountains of the ice fjord while the sun rolled over the horizon was a completely different experience.

over were the blatant contrasts of the bright white glacier between the untouched water and the bright blue sky. Instead, the colors whirled together in a palette of evening light. The icebergs picked up the color of the sky and reflected it while the water reflected everything in its quiet facade.

alt = "During my iceberg tour in Ilulissat, poet moved fog"> Atlas & Boots A deeper, thick fog rolled in

In silence and silence it looked like an artist canvas made of pastel and watercolor: idyllic and surreal.

The calm was only disturbed by the thinly crowned keel water of our boat and the breaking of a humpback whale that joined us in the bay. When we drove gently, a low, thick fog rolled in and brought another layer to the composition.

Two one -masted scarf with carmes -red sails arrived, cut through the fog and danced between the mountain mountains towering next to them. The scene continued to take place: the humpback whale returned, now accompanied by a seal when the boat turned back towards the city.

passengers crowded over the deck, hugged hot drinks and burst into their scarves, whereby they hardly gave a sound, apart from occasional exclamation when the whale broke through the surface.

alt = “Midnight sun iceberg tour ilulissat sailboat“> Atlas & Boots A one-masted sloupe next to a huge iceberg

midnight came and went and the colors changed from pastel vertebrae to darker amber and purple tones. The wild and uncanny combination of rocks, sea and ice under a never -reaching sun was almost surreal for those of us from prose realms.

The rainbow -colored houses of Ilulissat appeared again on the horizon. When the night became colder, fewer and fewer passengers stayed on the deck and instead pulled it to sit inside and to see the landscape passing through the windows.

The temperature sank, but the sky did not darken. In fact, it started to brighten up. After all, it was early in the morning and we approached dawn - if there is something like that in the land of the midnight sun.

  • Alt = "icebergs that I saw during my iceberg tour in Ilulissat">
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  • Alt = "Little Eisberg, which I saw during my iceberg tour in Ilulisat">
  • Alt = "A humpback whale that I saw during my iceberg tour in Ilulisat">

iceberg tour in Ilulissat: The essentials

WAS: Eisberg tour under Middle Night sun in Ilulissat, Greenland.

Where: Ilulissat is slowly beginning to satisfy the demand with a growing selection of accommodation opportunities. My visit to the main month of July was a decision at the last minute, so most hotels were fully booked. Since there were only a few options left, I stayed in the Ilulissat Apartment, a simple self-catering apartment, about 10 minutes walk from the center. The popular hotels include the Hotel Hvide Falk, the Hotel Arctic and the Hotel Icefiord.

There are also a growing number of airbnb options in the whole city. Click here to get a discount on your first stay. 

  Booking.com
 

 When: The best time for an iceberg-sightseeing tour is from mid-June to mid-September, although tours take place all year round.  Officially, the midnight sun in Ilulissat from May 21st to July 24th.  This coincides with the best time for a visit to Ilulissat in general, since the weather is best to observe whales, hike, drive kayak and to take other activities in the region.  However, it is also high season with hotels and lodges that are quickly sold out, so it is best to book in advance. 


 like: I booked my iceberg-sightseeing tour at World of Greenland in their main office at the center of Ilulisse.  The excursions take place several times a day all year round, but for midnight visits, book the departure at 10:00 p.m.  The tour takes place at 9:45 p.m. and lasts about 2.5 hours. 


 The price per adult is 695 DKK ($ 100) and contains tea and coffee throughout the trip. 


 tours meet in front of the main office, where minibuses meet customers and bring them to the quay, where the boats run.  After the tour, minibuses bring customers to the offices or the most important hotels in the city. 


 For more information and bookings, visit the website, send an email to info@wog.gl, call +299 94 43 00 or come in your office in the city between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

 I flew from London via Copenhagen in Denmark to Kangerisuaq.  From there I booked a domestic flight to Ilulissat near Air Greenland, which essentially have the monopoly on domestic flights in Greenland.  Book flights over Skyscanner. 


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 Travel guides for Greenland are difficult to get, but if you plan trekking, we recommend the Cicerone Guide to Trekking in Greenland. 


 Mission statement: Atlas & Boots 


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