08.03.18 - Winter break in Ilulissat and Kangerlussuaq

“Ilulissat” is the Greenlandic word for icebergs. This comes as no surprise to anyone who has been to the town bearing this name. The town is beautifully situated at the mouth of the 40-kilometre long ice fjord of Kangia, filled as it is with enormous icebergs produced by the most productive glacier in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ilulissat and Kangia are situated 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, and as of 2004, the Kangia area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.



4,000 people and at least 5,000 sled dogs live in Ilulissat. This is eloquent testimony to the importance of the dogsled as a means of transport, even in a large, modern town such as Ilulissat. The harbour is filled with fishing vessels and trawlers that bear witness to the great importance of fishing in the area.

Only a couple of kilometres from the town is the lush valley of Sermermiut that extends down to the ice fjord. In 1727 this was the site of Greenland's largest settlement at the time (250 inhabitants). Later excavations have shown that this beautiful valley has been inhabited for thousands of years.

North of Ilulissat lies the settlement of Oqaatsut where some of the old houses from the colonial period have been converted into a youth hostel and restaurant. From here, you can sail further north for another couple of hours and then arrive at the impressive Eqi Glacier, where it is possible to spend the night in modern cabins, whilst listening to the creaking and groaning of the glacier.

Read more here.