Hiking around Ilulissat in Greenland: a complete guide

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Hiking around Ilulissat is the fastest and easiest way to get closer to the huge ice fjord that surrounds the city

ilulissat in Greenland is absolutely unique in its location at the mouth of the UNESCO World Heritage Ilulissat-Eisfjord. Nowhere else in the world is it possible to wake up in a hotel, have breakfast and then walk down to such a huge ice cream body.

The combination of ice shield and quickly moving glacier that calves into a fjord is a phenomenon that only occurs in Greenland and Antarctic. Every year over 10 % of all Greenland icebergs calm out of the Ilulissat Eisfjord and produce more ice cream than any other glacier outside the Antarctic.

The Jakobshavn Glacier flows from the ice fjord, which together with the ice fjord sends 35 billion tons (46 km3) to the surrounding disco.

Behind the ice fjord, inland in the east, lies the huge Greenland ice sheet (or ice cap). This huge ice cream body covers 1,710,000 km2 (approximately 80 %) of the entire land surface of Greenland.

This extraordinary natural miracle is remarkably accessible over a number of hiking trails. These are all easily accessible on foot and come to the ice fjord as close as possible by walking along the rocky coast.

After my adventures on the Arctic Circle Trail, I spent four days in Ilulissat, visited the EQI glacier, visited icebergs and explored the hiking trails in the city.

hiking around Ilulissat

In Ilulissat, there are four main hiking trails, all of which show another side of the ice fjord. They all run together at the Old Heliport, where there is an information board and a card. It is 15-20 minutes' walk from the center of Ilulissat.

Welterzweg Sermermiut

distance: 1.2 km duration: 1 hour start/finish: old heliport

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Sermiut was an inuit settlement that already 600 BC. Was inhabited. It was abandoned in 1850 when the last remaining resident moved to Ilulissat, which was then known as Jakobshavn.

Today, the straightforward World Heritage Trail after Sermermiut offers the easiest, fastest and most popular way to the ice fjord. It is also the only way that is accessible to wheelchair users.

The wooden footbridge leads to an excellent viewpoint in Nakkaavik around the ruins of Sermiut - where you can still see some remains of the settlement.

nakkaavik means "the place to fall", a place where the older of the village supposedly plunged from a cliff in times of need to make room for the younger members of the village.

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From there you can climb different cliffs and steep slopes to enjoy a beautiful view of the ice fjord. I sat there for over an hour and watched three humpback whales playing in the little bay.

yellow route

distance: 2.7 km duration: 1-2 hours of start/destination: old helicopter landing site/power plant

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The yellow route offers an increased view of the bay and the ice fjord around Sermiut as well as further views of the icebergs in disc beam. The path quickly climbs from the old helicopter landing area and reveals dozens of moving icebergs in the waters around the city.

The path follows the coastal cliffs that turn right. Below is the main waterway, which every year the astronomical tonnage on ice on the sea. As such, it is always littered with icebergs.

Blue Route

distance: 7km duration: 2-3 hours of start/destination: quarry/old helipader

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The blue route combines the best of all hiking trails. I was advised to go "the other way around" and to start at the quarry instead of at the intersection of the paths on the old helipad. It was a good advice, because when I went this path, I always approached the view that revealed itself in a spectacular way.

The path first makes its way through deep gorges, which are surrounded by steep cliffs on both sides. As he rises, a series of emerald green mountain lakes are uncovered before the path turns to the right. Here the landscape opens with wonderful views of the ice fjord.

The path reaches a small bay, where the crowded coast with ice mountains of all shapes and sizes is flooded. I stayed here for over an hour to listen to the ice fjord and watch it.

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every now and then a sharp crack from the depth of the ice mass, before the silent water began to pulsate through the power of the break.

The path then climbs onto the cliffs and leads along the embankment towards Sermermiut, where he meets the promenade to the old helicopter landing site.

red route

distance: 1 km duration: 1 bundles/destination: Old Heliport/Blue Route

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The red route is not much more than an alternative route back from the blue route and does not offer much in itself. It is best to go in combination with the others.

An advantage is that the route meanders through a large area with sled dog huts, which means that they will see many charming hunting dogs on the way.

adult dogs should never be addressed and are chained for good reason - they are working dogs and not necessarily friendly to strangers. However, the puppies are often unbound and there is little what someone can do to prevent them from clinging to strays, tongues and so on.

hiking around the map of ilulissat

The map below shows the hikes around Ilulissat, which are drawn on a downloadable Google card.

This card below, along with a more detailed city map, can be picked up in the World of Greenland office in the center of the city.

alt = "Hiking around Ilulissat Map Greenland"> World of Greenland The World of Greenland office at the center of the city

hiking around Ilulissat: The essentials

what: hiking around Ilulissat, Greenland.

Where: Ilulissat is slowly beginning to satisfy the demand for accommodation with a growing selection of options. 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, 10 minutes walk from the city center.

other popular but more expensive hotels are 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 visits and hikes around Ilulissat is from mid -June to mid -September, when the weather is best to observe whales, hiking, kayak and observing the famous midnight sun.  It is also the most busy time of the season with hotels and lodges that are quickly sold out, so it is best to book in advance. 


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


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


 Mission statement: Atlas & Boots 


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