New Year’s Eve among the Icebergs

We board in Copenhagen and fly to Ilulissat in Greenland. It is a trip of 4½ hours. Ahead of us are five exciting days around New Year’s in Ilulissat, but there is still one more flight to get there.

After crossing the amazing Ilulissat Icefjord, we land at Ilulissat Airport. You will be picked up by Hotel Arctic’s bus and taken to the cozy hotel by the waterfront in Ilulissat.

After check-in, the guide organizes an information meeting, telling you about the town, the area, and possible excursions. There may be changes to the order of the excursion. Daylight hours are limited, as is the availability of tours boats, so we may have to split the group into smaller parties on some days, and while some people go sailing, others will go dog sledding. The staff at World of Greenland are experts at logistics like this so that no one will be missing out.

Guided town walk

Ilulissat is Greenland’s third-largest town and is considered one of the four main towns, along with Nuuk, Qaqortoq, and Sisimiut. People have lived in the area surrounding Ilulissat for 4,500 years. Still, the town itself was established as a village in 1727, and, in 1741, the Icelandic merchant Jacob Severin established a trading post called Jacobshavn (Jacob’s Harbour). Later on, the town changed its name to Jakobshavn (now with a ‘k’). You will see many buildings that are linked to this time. For example, Knud Rasmussen, the world-famous polar explorer, grew up in Ilulissat in the building that now houses the historical museum. You can look forward to an exciting tour and get lots of information that you can use in the coming days.

You will have a tasty welcome dinner at the hotel’s very good restaurant (drinks not included).

There are many things to do in llulissat on your own – the guide will have told you about this at the information meeting yesterday.

If you have purchased the excursion package, you will go on a dog sledding tour. The group will be split into two, so some of you can go today while the others will go later in the week.

1 ½-hour dog sled ride (optional)

Today, you can look forward to a 1 ½-hour dog sled ride. The dog sled is one of the most famous Greenlandic icons and a thousand-year-old tradition for the Inuit. Not many vehicles have survived such a long period without changes in appearance and technology: a pack of happy dogs in harnesses tied to a simply constructed wooden sled. The experience cannot be explained – it must be tried.

This trip usually takes place in flat terrain on a plain near Ilulissat. Apart from the sled driver, you are two participants on each sled, so if you have booked the excursion on your own, you may share a sled with another person. However, all dogs are different, so if you are out with family and friends, we can not guarantee that you will be riding together on the entire trip as some dogs are fast, and others are not. This trip is not recommended for those with neck or back problems or if you are immobile. Participants must be 12 years and older.

If you have purchased the excursion package, you will go on a boat tour today.

Sailing to the lce Fjord (part of the excursion package)

You either end or start your year with what will probably become one of the highlights of your life, a sailing trip to the mouth of the lce Fjord. Here, you get to sail among the huge icebergs stranded here. The ice has created a sandbank throughout millennia, on which the huge icebergs now run aground. At some point, the ice melts less, there will be a swell or the ice is pushed forward by more ice from the fjord, and then the large icebergs can finally move further out into the deeper Disko Bay and from there to the Baffin Bay.

There is still plenty of time to go out and experience on your own. You can also enjoy the fireplace next to the hotel lobby, relax in your room, or at the many other vantage points scattered around the hotel and the hotel grounds.

As we wrote in the introduction to this trip, some of our former guests wished that the trip was a little longer so there was time for relaxation. So that’s what this day is for as tonight is New Year’s Eve!

Meet the Greenlandic Sled Dogs – A Living Arctic Tradition (part of the excursion package)

Step into the world of Greenland’s iconic sled dogs on this guided tour that brings you closer to one of the Arctic’s most enduring symbols. Learn about their deep cultural roots, their role in traditional life, and how they continue to adapt in a changing world.

Led by a knowledgeable guide, you’ll hear stories and insights about how these resilient dogs have helped shape life in the Arctic, from transportation and hunting to their continued relevance in today’s remote communities. You’ll gain a meaningful understanding of the special bond between humans and sled dogs in Greenland.

The tour takes place outdoors, where the dogs thrive in their natural habitat. Their thick coats protect them against the harsh cold, making them well-suited for the open environment – not as indoor pets, but as strong, working companions.

With the owner’s permission, you may approach selected dogs and experience the individual dog up close. We always prioritize your safety and the well-being of the animals, so any interaction is guided and respectful.

You’ll also get a chance to explore traditional sledding gear and learn how it connects past and present practices in dog sledding culture.

This tour is ideal for families and curious travelers of all ages looking for an authentic, educational experience focused on Greenlandic wildlife and tradition. It’s an encounter that will stay with you long after your journey ends.

Please note: For the safety and comfort of guests and dogs, approaching the animals without the owner’s permission is prohibited.

Gala dinner at Hotel Arctic

The New Year is now only a few hours away, and tonight you are going to a gala dinner at Hotel Arctic. The hotel offers a five-course dinner, where, as mentioned, there is a break at 9 pm because all of Greenland goes outside to celebrate the Danish New Year and sends up fireworks in honor of friends and family in Denmark. Then we go back to our tables and, at midnight, we will go out into the snow again and celebrate Greenland’s new year. Then we go in and get a glass of bubble water, and then you can judge for yourself how long you keep going.

If you have bought the excursion package, you will look for the northern lights at night.

Northern Lights Safari (optional)

When the sky is clear on winter nights, you can see the most beautiful northern lights over Ilulissat. Aurora Borealis is, without a doubt, the night sky’s most spectacular phenomenon. We will drive away from the lights of the town and go to where there is total darkness, apart from the stars and northern lights. The guide will tell us all about the causes of the phenomenon. You will also get tips and tricks to make the best pictures of the colored lights as they cross the night sky.

If you have purchased the excursion package, you will go on a hike to Sermermiut today.

Hiking to the former Inuit settlement of Sermermiut by the Ice Fjord (optional)

You will hike to the former settlement of Sermermiut, which has been inhabited for thousands of years because of its amazing location at the Ice Fjord. Although the view here is incredible, it was not the scenery that brought the Inuit here. There are excellent hunting opportunities in the area since the Ice Fjord provides food for fish and seals, which has created a basis for human settlements for millennia.

Today’s program is the same as on Day 2. Those who didn’t go dog sledding on day 2 can try it today.

1 ½-hour dog sled ride (optional)

Today, you can look forward to a 1 ½-hour dog sled ride. The dog sled is one of the most famous Greenlandic icons and a thousand-year-old tradition for the Inuit. Not many vehicles have survived such a long period without changes in appearance and technology: a pack of happy dogs in harnesses tied to a simply constructed wooden sled. The experience cannot be explained – it must be tried.

This trip usually takes place in flat terrain on a plain near Ilulissat. Apart from the sled driver, you are two participants on each sled, so if you have booked the excursion on your own, you may share a sled with another person. However, all dogs are different, so if you are out with family and friends, we can not guarantee that you will be riding together on the entire trip as some dogs are fast, and others are not. This trip is not recommended for those with neck or back problems or if you are immobile. Participants must be 12 years and older.