About Ilulissat, Greenland
Ilulissat, formerly Jakobshavn or Jacobshaven, is a town in the
Qaasuitsup municipality in western Greenland, located approximately 350
km north of the Arctic Circle. The nearby Ilulissat Icefjord is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, and has made Ilulissat the most popular
tourist destination in Greenland. Tourism is now the town’s principal
industry. The city neighbours the Ilulissat Icefjord, where there are
enormous icebergs from the most productive glacier in the northern
hemisphere. These white giants are a source of astonishment for both
residents and visitors, when the gaze drifts to the wide Disco Bay and
when you walk close to the fjord.
No roads lead to Ilulissat. Access is by air or local ferry service.
Visiting cruise ships include Hurtigruten’s Fram, which calls once a
week in summer, and the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov. The midnight sun
shines here from late May through July. Having daylight 24/7 is a boon
for sightseeing and for navigating through a sea full of icebergs.
Ilulissat Airport is located 2.8 km to the northeast of the town center
and was built in 1983. It serves Ilulissat with connections to towns in
northwestern and midwestern Greenland via Air Greenland. Service to
Reykjavik, Iceland, began in April 2011 via Air Iceland.
Plan and Book:
Overview
Every town has a claim to fame, and in Ilulissat it is the icebergs,
without a doubt. On a clear day, the landscape is truly surreal.
Hundreds of icebergs surround Ilulissat. They vary in shape from
flat-topped hunks to jagged mountain peaks and in size from small
doghouses to mega-cruise ships and larger. And that’s just the part
above the surface! But you need more than a few helping hands to count
all the reasons why Ilulissat is more than just icebergs. Nature lovers
will be drawn to hiking in the hills by the call of the wilderness. We
dare you to try to find a camping spot that doesn’t impress. In
town and in nearby villages, city museums and local cuisine will whet
even the most discerning palates.
Ilulissat means “iceberg” in Greenlandic. The icebergs originate from
the Jakobshavn Glacier, called Sermeq Kujalleq in Greenlandic. It is
the most active glacier in the world outside Antarctica. The bergs
collect at the mouth of the fjord just outside the harbour. Icebergs in
Disko Bay come from the Ilulissat glacier, Sermeq Kujalleq, the
world’s fastest glacier. It advances 40 meters daily and creates
46 cubic kilometers of icebergs annually. The iceberg that sank Titanic
was probably born in Ilulissat.
All this ice has recently put Greenland in the news and on travelers’
radar screens with concerns about global warming. The country is
officially part of Denmark, though it has been self-governed since
1979. It’s the largest island on earth and would stretch from New York
City to Denver if tilted on its side. Roughly 85 percent of the land is
covered by the polar icecap. The coastal areas, where towns like
Ilulissat are located, are free of snow in summer, making exploration
by cruise ship a hassle-free way to go. Beginning in 2007, this far
off-the-beaten-path destination has become accessible with
Hurtigruten’s new ship, the Fram, spending entire summers cruising
Greenland itineraries.
Ilulissat, the hub of the west coast Disko Bay region, is the country’s
third largest town, boasting a population of roughly 4,500 people and
at least as many sled dogs. Located about 150 miles north of the Arctic
Circle, it is the most accessible place to see both massive icebergs
and the polar icecap. For this reason, tourism here is on the rise. The
town offers a variety of hotel accommodations and half a dozen tour
operators.
Attractions and Activities
There is so much more to Ilulissat than its name reveals. One of its
many runner-up nicknames is the Gastronome’s Getaway as there is
a different cuisine for every night. Down at the harbor, next to the
Ilulissat glacier, and out in the villages, barbecues wait for a feast
of fresh ingredients to land on their flaming grills.
Today Ilulissat welcomes adventurers from every corner of the world,
but Humpback whales were the very first summer visitors. Whale watching
boat tours let you see the whales while they play hide-and-seek in
their natural playground.
But don’t forget the players on land, too. Greenlanders have a
competitive spirit and cheering voices roar from the sports hall and
football field on many a Saturday morning. The community support runs
deep in Ilulissat as family members and friends stand on the sidelines
cloaked in team colors. Good music and a lively polka dance is the
perfect end to the day.
Winter in Ilulissat means dog sledding – a favorite amongst all
residents, human and canine. When the mercury rises too high, locals
often make jokes by sniffling and sneezing as though they are sick. Ask
them what ails them, and they will cheekily respond that they are
allergic to summer! Just as the sled dogs are pulling at the chains at
the first whiff of snow, the mushers also greatly anticipate the start
of dog sledding season.
The sled dogs energize the whole space, and you get a jolt of power as
you sit on the sled for your personal Iditarod adventure. Sled dogs are
just happy to run, and they pay no attention to whether their precious
cargo is eager tourist or a stack of Greenlandic halibut. Centuries of
pacing over thick sea ice and powdery terrain course through their
blood so just hold on tight and let them carry you like they were born
to do.
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