Enquire

Our staff will respond to your query promptly and provide detailed information to your questions.

  • Our favourite

10 days - Independent voyage along the West Coast of Greenland.

This tour takes in the essence of West Greenland starting in the picturesque town of Ilulissat, home of the UNESCO designated Ilulissat Ice Fjord. You will also visit the amazing Eqi glacier and stay in the unique cabins beside the glacier.

Boarding the coastal ferry south you stop at several towns along the way to Narsaq, on the shores of Narsaq Sund. Sailing plays a very important role in the Greenlandic infrastructure and a cruise along the West coast of Greenland is a fabulous way of experiencing this beautiful and varied country.

Sailing in Greenland is just as natural a part of everyday life as driving a car is for others. However, sailing in Arctic waters is often much more than just a question of getting from A to B. Sailing is a lifestyle and almost a law of nature in and around the world's largest island, where none of the towns are linked by roads.

Highlights include

  • UNESCO listed Ilulissat Ice Fjord
  • Boat trip to Eqi glacier
  • Sail along the West Coast of Greenland
  • Arctic scenery with icebergs and glaciers
Day 1
Arrive Ilulissat
Day 2
Ilulissat
Days 3 - 4
Boat trip to Eqi, a place not to miss!
Day 5
Return to Ilulissat, relax and revive.
Days 6 - 8
Sail along the West Coast
Day 9
Narsaq - fjords, mountains, flowers and fertile land
Day 10
Departure Day
Start Place
Ilulissat, Greenland tours
End Place
Narsaq
Country Visited
Greenland tours
Duration
10 Days
Start Date
Scheduled
Travel Style
Independent
Suitability
Independent holiday with moderately active activities and no porterage included
Code
50DN1005

Please note that all our itineraries, inclusions, dates and prices displayed on this website may change at any time. If you book an itinerary today and have this confirmed it will be the itinerary that is delivered to you. However, the online itinerary on our website may change in the meantime.

Details

Transportation

Coastal ship and boat to Eqi return

Included
  • Breakfast at hotels, but not on the ship (meals can be bought on board cruise in cafeteria)
  • City walk/tour in Ilulissat
  • All accommodation as described in standard rooms
  • 2 dinners at hotel in Ilulissat
  • 2 nights at Camp Eqi, at the glacier's edge incl hike to the Glacier Moraine
  • Outside cabin on board MV Sarfaq Ittuk, twin cabin
  • Boat transfers to Eqi Glacier
  • 24-hour emergency service
  • Taxes and service fees
Not Included

Flight tickets to/from start and end points, any airport taxes, travel insurance, visas, gratitudes and any items of personal nature.

There is no guide during the coastal cruise however there is information aboard the ship and films shown which are announced during the voyage. Note this itinerary starts every Tuesday.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrive Ilulissat

Arrive into Ilulissat and 'meet & greet' with our partner and transfer to the hotel for check-in. In the early evening join a guided city walk of Ilulissat.

Meals
1 Dinner
Accommodation
Hotel Arctic or similar

Day 2 - Ilulissat

Ilulissat is the third largest town municipality in Greenland with more than 5000 inhabitants. About 4500 people lives in the town Ilulissat, and 500 people lives in the four remaining small settlements: Ilimanaq, Oqaatsut, Qeqertaq and Saqqaq.

300 kilometres north of the Polar Circle, Ilulissat lies beautifully situated close to one of the worlds largest glaciers – Kangia. The glacier produces about 20 million tons of ice each day, all floating into the Ilulissat Icefiord and the Disko Bay. All this ice gives at good basis for fishing for Halibut which is the main occupation in Ilulissat. Due to the unique ice and landscape, the area of Kangia and the Icefiord has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 2004.

Your time in Ilulissat allows you to join some of the many optional excursions. You can enjoy helicopter flights over the Icecap and visit remote settlements where fishing and hunting still continues as it has for centuries.

Optional excursions during stay in Ilulissat (see Trip Notes for details):
• The Icebergs of Sermermiut
• Hunter's Settlement - Rodebay
• Midnight Cruise to the Ice Fiord
• By Helicopter to the Ice Cap (operation depend on weather and helicopter capacity)
• Hunter's Settlement - Ilimanaq
• Home Visit
• Feeding the huskies
• Whale Safari

Meals
1 Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Arctic or similar

Days 3 - 4 - Boat trip to Eqi, a place not to miss!

We travel out by boat to Eqi, 5 hours by boat through the Disko bay. Very few places in Greenland are as beautiful as the Eqi glacier, which comes out in a fiord about 80 km north of Ilulissat.

Departure from Ilulissat, in a modern and convenient tourist boats, is early. There is tea and coffee on the way and a light breakfast is served. At around midday, you arrive in front of the Glacier, the boat will stay in front of the glacier for approximately 1½ hour, while we hope to spot some amazing calvings and enjoy lunch.

Around 2pm, we land at Port Victor, the ”harbour” at Ice Camp Eqi. The camp guides will greet and show everybody their huts. Coffee and cake is served and practical information on the area is given. The rest of the day could be spent by joining the excursions that hike to the lagoon, the moraine and the glacier or enjoying the view from the huts.

You do not need to bring all your luggage along for these two days. We recommend that you only pack the most necessary in a day pack, since after arriving in Port Victor you have to carry you own luggage 400 m upwards to Ice Camp Eqi. Remember however it can be cold.

There are several options for hiking here to view all the angles of the Eqi Glacier. From the huts you can join an optional group hike around the small lagoon at the southern end of the glacier. There are often large flocks of geese in the lagoon in the breeding season. The hike goes further up the moraine where we can look down into the enormous cracks in the glacier few meters away from us. From here you will also get an overview of a large part of the 70m high glacier-front and see the impressive calvings from the glacier. If you wish to join the optional hike, please book early.

Meals
2 Breakfasts
2 Dinners
Accommodation
Eqi Camp - All the huts in Ice Camp Eqi come with a beautiful view of the fiord and the glacier. Note: Comfort hut has a private shower, water closet toilet and heating system all powered by solar energy.

Day 5 - Return to Ilulissat, relax and revive.

You return to Ilulissat where you have the evening and following morning to relax.

Meals
1 Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Icefiord

Days 6 - 8 - Sail along the West Coast

You have the morning at leisure in Ilulissat until afternoon transfer to the pier for embarking on a sailing voyage along the spectacular West Greenland coast on board the coastal vessel MV Sarfaq Ittuk.

Get ready for an experience of a lifetime as you will be sailing in beautiful clear water in scenic fjords with icebergs floating around you.

The coastal voyage south to Narsaq takes 4 days and 3 nights, and is a regular coastal service used by locals as well as travellers. On board you will meet the local population travelling from town to town to visit relatives and friends along the coast. Enjoy the incredible landscape as we leave the Arctic scenery and reach the green and more fertile South Greenland, rather than whales, watch for sheep along the way. The ship calls at the major towns and required settlements as it travels south.

The ship goes at the local's pace, with time to enjoy the view. There is a sense of community with families welcoming the ship at every port.

Accommodation on board is in comfortable twin share outside cabin with window and private bathroom/toilet.

Everyone travelling in the MV Sarfaq Ittuk have their meals in the restaurant/cafeteria. We have decided not to include the meals in the trip price, but give you the freedom to choose. This will also allow you to enjoy meals ashore when the ship docks at ports along the way. Bistro menu was fairly basic but the food presentation, quality and variety was very good. The bistro operated on limited time of 1 hour each for breakfast, lunch and dinner but snacks and drinks were available all throughout the day and evening. The pricing was reasonably expensive (like most of Scandinavia) but good value.

Please note that there is smoking on board this boat. Meal prices on board are as follows (note that prices are indicative only and may change without prior notice):

  • Breakfast buffet - DKK 65 per person
  • Lunch buffet - DKK 70 per person
  • Dinner (hot dish) - DKK 75 per person

Following is your itinerary/schedule for the 4 day and 3 night voyage (schedule is indicative only and may change without prior notice due to local conditions):

Sailing schedule MV Sarfaq Ittuk
Sunday
Departure at 17:00 southbound cruise along the Greenlandic West Coast.
21:30 to 22:00 short stop in Aasiaat.

Monday
Sailing south along the Greenlandic West Coast.
09:00-11:00 Call at Sisimiut.
21:30-22:00 Short stop in Maniitsoq.

Tuesday
Sailing south along the Greenlandic West Coast.
06:30-09:00 Call at Nuuk 
23:30-23:59 Short stop in Paamiut.

Meals
1 Breakfast
Accommodation
Accommodation on board MV Sarfaq Ittuk is in comfortable twin share outside cabin with window and private bathroom/toilet

Day 9 - Narsaq - fjords, mountains, flowers and fertile land

The Southern coast of Greenland is jokingly nicknamed "Sineriak Bananeqarfik" (Banana Coast) by the locals. Still far from a tropical paradise, this is the region which experiences the least extreme temperatures of Greenland. The area is characterized by its fjords and mountains; flowering plants, fertile lands and sheepfarms side by side with floating icebergs and glaciers.

Arrival into Narsaq is late in the evening, transfer to hotel and accommodation at Hotel Narsaq. Narsaq is a typical Greenlandic town with a small population that is decreasing dramatically every year. It is beautiful with it's coloured houses and icebergs framing the pictures. Local fjords are full of marine life, including whales, salmon, and seals. Other marine animals in Narsaq are harp seals and walruses.

Meals
1 Breakfast
Accommodation
Hotel Narsaq or similar

Day 10 - Departure Day

This morning, transfer to Narsaq airport after breakfast.

Meals
1 Breakfast
Dates & Prices

All prices listed are per person, twin share double. Please note that 2024 prices are early indicative only. Note this itinerary starts every Tuesday.

Dates
Valid From
Valid To
From Price
Status
Accommodation
18 Jun 2024
3 Sep 2024
18 Jun 2024
3 Sep 2024
USD 4,690
On request
Standard
18 Jun 2024
3 Sep 2024
18 Jun 2024
3 Sep 2024
USD 2,643
On request
Extra for Single

Important Information

**Off the beaten track travel in Greenland: **

Greenland is remote, rough & real. It offers unique experiences, however, here are a few things to be aware of when travelling in Greenland.

  • Prolific smoking by the locals
  • Danish is the main tourist language which may hamper your complete understanding of certain aspects of your tour
  • The weather can be unpredictable
  • Food will often not be considered 'gourmet'. Some towns are only supplied with fresh food twice a year
  • Travelling in Greenland can be comfortable but for luxurious travel, it comes at a high price. We have researched our hotels and chosen carefully what we offer but it may not be at the level you might expect.
  • We strongly recommend to pre-book optional excursions, as these can easily be booked out. Note, however, that weather conditions may affect these excursions and due to this we cannot guarantee that the excursions will run on the time/date booked.

Interactive Tour Map

Inspiration

Scandinavian Travel - our suggestions for great reads

Before departure, or while dreaming of a Scandinavian adventure, get your fill of inspiring travel books here.

Read Article

Nordic Travel Bucket list 2024 - Remote and adventurous travel

Hot air ballooning in Lapland whilst watching the Northern Lights, hiking up volcanoes, glamping in Greenland, a private meeting with Santa or climbing three peaks in Norway - see our collection of unmissable travel experiences across our Nordic and Scandinavian region.

Read Article
Faroe Islands Hiking

Best social distancing travel destinations 2023

Optimism for travel is slowly increasing. We can allow ourselves to consider turning our dreams into reality and at the same time be cautious. The way we travel might change, and careful consideration of where it is safe to go will be important when choosing a travel destination.

Read Article
View all Inspiration

Enquire

If you want to commit to a booking please use the Book Tour form below.

Enquire about this tour

Book Tour

Book your tour now. We will contact you to confirm this request.

Click here to book this tour