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New York to Greenland: Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat

New York → Kangerlussuaq → Ilulissat

Kangerlussuaq
"Kangerlussuaq,_Greenland.jpg" by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
The colors from Ilulissat - Greenland. - panoramio (Ilulissat)
Photo: patano, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ice sheet & icefjord Best season (general guide): Jun–Aug

Greenland is the world's largest island, mostly covered by an ice sheet. This route spends two nights in Kangerlussuaq, on the edge of the ice, and four in Ilulissat, by the Icefjord. From New York you'll connect through Reykjavík or Copenhagen.

How to pace it: Spend days one and two in Kangerlussuaq: day one, the tundra; day two, ice sheet day trip. Then spend days three to six in Ilulissat: day three, fly to Ilulissat, then the town; day four, Icefjord boardwalk and centre; day five, iceberg boat trip; day six, midnight sun cruise.

Kangerlussuaq grew around a former air base and is now Greenland's main airport. Tours drive to the edge of the ice sheet, where you can walk on the ice. Musk oxen and reindeer live in the tundra.

A short flight takes you to Ilulissat, a town on the west coast. The Ilulissat Icefjord, listed by UNESCO, is fed by one of the fastest glaciers in the world, and huge icebergs drift slowly into Disko Bay.

A boardwalk and the Icefjord Centre explain the glacier's history. Boat trips sail among the icebergs, and the midnight sun lights them up in summer.

June to August is the best time, with long days.

Ilulissat's small town has a museum dedicated to the polar explorer Knud Rasmussen, who was born there. Hiking trails lead along the edge of the Icefjord to viewpoints, and the sound of the ice cracking can be heard. Local food includes musk ox, reindeer and fish, served in restaurants and hotels. Dress in layers, as it can be cold on the water even in summer.

Good to know: Flights within Greenland can be delayed by weather, so leave time in your plans. Book boat trips and tours ahead.

Bring insect netting for the summer midges and sunglasses for the glare off the ice, which is surprisingly bright even under cloud.

Book accommodation in Ilulissat early, as the town has only a handful of hotels and guesthouses.

Suggested outline

  1. New York

    Start

  2. Kangerlussuaq

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    Former air base on the edge of the ice sheet, with musk oxen in the tundra.

  3. Ilulissat

    By air · 4 nights suggested

    Giant icebergs in the UNESCO-listed Icefjord, by boat or from the boardwalk.

    Ilulissat
    "The_colors_from_Ilulissat_-_Greenland._-_panoramio.jpg" by patano, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Kangerlussuaq — Arrive; the tundra· New York → Kangerlussuaq (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Kangerlussuaq — Ice sheet day trip
  3. Day 3 · Ilulissat — Fly to Ilulissat; the town· Kangerlussuaq → Ilulissat (by air)
  4. Day 4 · Ilulissat — Icefjord boardwalk and centre
  5. Day 5 · Ilulissat — Iceberg boat trip
  6. Day 6 · Ilulissat — Midnight sun cruise
  7. Day 7 · Ilulissat — Travel home from Ilulissat· Ilulissat → New York (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Kangerlussuaq

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Ilulissat

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