Ilulissat
Ilulissat and Disko Bay: the UNESCO Icefjord and how to see it, the new airport with direct Copenhagen flights, when to go, Disko Bay's towns, cruise fares and costs.
What is Ilulissat known for, and how do you get there?
Ilulissat is a Greenland town of 5,150 people on Disko Bay, beside the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord, where the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier moves about 130 ft (40 m) a day and calves over 11 cubic miles (46 km³) of ice a year. A new international airport opens October 29, 2026, with direct Air Greenland flights from Copenhagen.
Facts checked October 15, 2026 against 38 sources.
Ilulissat at a glance
- January: in season
- February: in season
- March: in season
- April: in season
- May: no trips
- June: best
- July: best
- August: best
- September: in season
- October: no trips
- November: no trips
- December: no trips
Best Season
- Type
- Gateway town
- Location
- 69°13′N, 51°05′W
- Part of
- Greenland
- Season
- Year round for the icebergs. June to September for hiking, kayaking and boat tours; January to April for dog sledding, snowmobiling and northern lights. In 2027 the sun stays up around the clock from May 21 to July 23.
- Best months
- June to August
- Getting there
- Fly direct from Copenhagen from October 29, 2026 (weekly on Wednesdays through the winter, up to six a week in summer 2027), connect through Nuuk on other days, or arrive on a cruise. Visit Greenland also lists summer flights from Reykjavík.
- Wildlife
- Migrating whales feed in Disko Bay in summer, and bowhead whales sing there from January until they fall quiet in May. Greenlandic sled dogs are working animals, not pets.
- Landings
- Stay on the trails and walkway and well back from the shore, where calving icebergs can raise waves 50 to 65 ft (15 to 20 m) high; from June 1 to October 31 the trails carry a €10 site fee. Do not feed or pet sled dogs, and keep 16 ft (5 m) from dog areas.
Ilulissat is a town of 5,150 people on Disko Bay, on the west coast of Greenland, 155 miles (250 km) north of the Arctic Circle, at the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.12 The fjord is fed by Sermeq Kujalleq, one of the fastest and most active glaciers in the world: it moves about 130 ft (40 m) a day and calves over 11 cubic miles (46 km³) of ice a year, 10% of all Greenland's calf ice and more than any glacier outside Antarctica.2 Ilulissat means "icebergs" in Greenlandic, its colonial Danish name was Jakobshavn, and AECO notes that it has been Greenland's biggest tourism hotspot for many years.34 On October 29, 2026 it gets a new international airport with direct flights from Copenhagen.56
What is the Ilulissat Icefjord?
It is the ice-choked mouth of Sermeq Kujalleq, one of the few glaciers through which the Greenland ice sheet reaches the sea, packed with icebergs that calve from the glacier front.2 Local people call the fjord Kangia.4
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Size of the fjord | About 34 miles (55 km) long and up to 3.7 miles (6 km) wide, and growing longer as the glacier retreats7 |
| Glacier speed | About 130 ft (40 m) a day2 |
| Ice calved each year | Over 11 cubic miles (46 km³)2 |
| Share of Greenland's icebergs | 10%27 |
| Protected area | 1,544 square miles (399,800 ha), listed in 2004, boundary adjusted in 20192 |
| Age of the oldest ice sheet ice | An estimated 250,000 years2 |
UNESCO notes that the glacier has been studied for 250 years and that its easy access gives scientists and visitors a close view of the calving front; in winter the fjord freezes solid.2 No permanent settlements are allowed inside the protected area, and the towns of Ilulissat and Ilimanaq sit just outside it.2 You cannot visit the glacier front itself from town except on a scenic flight, which is why most people head to the Eqi Glacier instead.3 The municipality, Avannaata Kommunia, adds that boats may sail the mouth of the fjord all year except in very cold winters, but only commercial fishermen and sealers may go deeper in, and the only way to the glacier is by helicopter.36
How do you see the Ilulissat Icefjord?
From the trails, from a boat or from the air; Visit Greenland suggests doing all three, starting with a flight for the overview.7 Prices are the excursion add-ons sold with the Ilulissat Getaway package that Air Greenland sells for the tour operator Greenland Travel, converted at Visit Greenland's rate of DKK 634.28 per $100 (April 16, 2026).89
| Way to see it | What you get | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Boardwalk to Sermermiut | The quickest, easiest route to the fjord, through a valley that sheltered Inuit for thousands of years; it starts on the Icefjord Centre's roof.3 0.8 mile (1.3 km) each way, about 30 minutes, and suitable for wheelchairs and strollers33 | €10 site fee, June 1 to October 3134 |
| Red trail | Icefjord Centre to Holms Hill, a viewpoint over the fjord: 0.6 mile (1 km) each way, about 30 minutes33 | Site fee |
| Yellow trail | Views over Disko Bay; 1.7 miles (2.7 km) from the power plant to the Icefjord Centre, 1.5 to 2 hours333 | Site fee |
| Blue trail | Farther along the fjord, back by hilltop lakes and a rock cutting: 4.3 miles (6.9 km) from the quarry, 4 to 5 hours on uneven ground333 | Site fee |
| Guided Sermermiut hike | The historic route into the UNESCO area | DKK 300 ($47)8 |
| Icefjord boat cruise | Sailing among the icebergs; in summer, late-evening trips catch the midnight sun on the ice7 | DKK 695 ($110)8 |
| Helicopter to the Kangia glacier | A flight over the icefjord and the glacier | DKK 4,495 ($709)8 |
Avannaata Kommunia charges the site fee for all the land between town and the fjord, on or off the marked trails, from June 1 to October 31. One payment of €10 (about $12 at Visit Greenland's rates) covers your whole stay and includes a 30-minute audio guide; Greenland residents and anyone under 18 are exempt.349 Keep well back from the water: the municipality warns that calving icebergs can raise waves 50 to 65 ft (15 to 20 m) high with little warning, so walking or camping on the shore, especially the beach at Sermermiut, is extremely dangerous.35 Mobile phones get no signal beyond the area closest to town.35
The Ilulissat Icefjord Centre, Kangiata Illorsua, opened in July 2021 in a building by the Danish architect Dorte Mandrup, and its 4,300 sq ft (400 m²) exhibition, The Tale of Ice, covers the life cycle of the ice, life by the fjord and climate change.7 Tickets cost DKK 150 ($24) for adults and DKK 100 ($16) for children aged 7 to 15; it takes cards and MobilePay but no cash, holds at most 150 visitors, and in summer a ticket covers a 1.5-hour slot.109 In 2026 it opened daily from 10:00 to 17:00 between June 16 and September 15, on shorter hours, mostly Wednesday to Sunday, in spring and autumn, and closed in January and December apart from a few special days; book ahead from mid-June to mid-August.10
How do you get to Ilulissat?
Fly. From October 29, 2026, Air Greenland flies direct from Copenhagen to Ilulissat's new airport, on the same day the airport opens.6 Through the 2026 to 2027 winter, the route runs weekly on Wednesdays, with a second weekly flight on Mondays around Christmas and New Year and from March 1 to 27, 2027; flight GL707 is timetabled to leave Copenhagen at 9:45 a.m. and land at 11:45 a.m. local time.116 Jettime flies it with a 180-seat Boeing 737-800 until Air Greenland's new Airbus A320neo, Unaaq, takes over in April 2027, building to as many as six direct flights a week from mid-June to early September 2027.11637 On other days, connect through Nuuk.11
Icelandair will fly international routes from the new airport, and Visit Greenland lists direct summer flights from Reykjavík.53 The terminal has three gates, one of them international; getting to town means a taxi or a pickup arranged by your hotel, since Greenland Airports had no information on public buses to the airport.5 Within Greenland there are flights from Aasiaat, Qeqertarsuaq, Qaarsut, Saqqaq and Upernavik, and Ilulissat is the northern end of the Sarfaq Ittuk ferry route for several months of the year.3 The town is also a major summer cruise port.3 See getting to Greenland.
When is the best time to visit Ilulissat?
June to September for hiking, kayaking and boat tours, or January to April for dog sledding, snowmobiling, skiing and northern lights; the icebergs are there all year.3 By the US Naval Observatory's tables, in 2027 the sun stays up around the clock from May 21 to July 23 and below the horizon from January 1 to 11 and again from November 30.38 DMI's 1991 to 2020 averages:
| Month | Mean temperature | Average daily high | Average daily low |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5°F (-14.8°C) | 12°F (-11.3°C) | -1°F (-18.6°C) |
| April | 19°F (-7.3°C) | 25°F (-4.0°C) | 11°F (-11.6°C) |
| July | 47°F (8.3°C) | 53°F (11.5°C) | 41°F (4.9°C) |
| September | 37°F (2.6°C) | 42°F (5.3°C) | 31°F (-0.5°C) |
July is the warmest month, and the highest reading from 1991 to 2020 was 71°F (21.7°C).12 Out among the icebergs it feels colder, so Visit Greenland advises a warm jacket for the boat, and mosquitoes come out in summer.13 Cruise traffic peaks in August: ships brought 4,813 passenger visits that month in 2025, of 10,931 for the year, down from 14,165 in 2024.14 For the whole country, see Greenland weather by month.
What is Disko Bay?
Disko Bay is the wide, iceberg-filled bay that Ilulissat faces, with towns and islands around its shores. Visit Greenland's Disko Bay region covers Aasiaat, Kangaatsiaq, Qasigiannguit and Qeqertarsuaq, while it files Ilulissat under North Greenland.1516
| Place | People (2026) | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Qeqertarsuaq, on Disko Island | 802 | Black sand beaches, basalt columns, hot springs, summer dog sledding on the Lyngmark Glacier, whale watching1517 |
| Aasiaat | 2,945 | A thousand islands, whales and colorful houses holding a large art collection15 |
| Qasigiannguit | 945 | Traditional life, musk oxen roaming the hinterland, rich fishing15 |
| Ilimanaq | 56 | A settlement beside the Icefjord; Ilimanaq Lodge stays from DKK 5,650 ($891) for 3 days218 |
| Eqi Glacier (Eqip Sermia) | None | The calving glacier most visitors go to see; Eqi glamping trips with Ilulissat from DKK 11,295 ($1,781) for 5 days318 |
Populations are Statistics Greenland's for January 1, 2026, and package prices use the rate above.19 The bay is a summer feeding ground for migrating whales, and a hydrophone station in the bay streams its underwater sounds live, including the songs of bowhead whales, which arrive singing in January and fall quiet in May.315
Which cruises visit Ilulissat and Disko Bay?
Many West Greenland cruises start at Kangerlussuaq and, as Visit Greenland puts it, almost certainly head north to Disko Bay and Ilulissat; longer voyages link Ilulissat with Baffin Island and the Northwest Passage in Arctic Canada.1932 Lowest fares on each operator's own site, per person with two sharing, read October 15, 2026:
| Voyage | Days | Route | 2027 departure | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polar Latitudes, Disko Bay and Ilulissat on Ocean Victory | 7 | Kangerlussuaq round trip by Sisimiut, Disko Island, Eqip Sermia and Ilulissat | Jun 21 | $7,347 porthole sale fare (regular $9,795, no end date shown), plus a compulsory $1,300 Copenhagen charter flight202122 |
| Intrepid Travel, the same voyage | 7 | Copenhagen round trip, flights included | Jun 21 | $8,876, shown discounted from $11,095 with no end date23 |
| Swan Hellenic, Land of Northern Lights on SH Vega | 8 | Kangerlussuaq round trip with a Reykjavík charter | Sep 8 | $9,00024 |
| Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, North-west Greenland on Hanseatic Inspiration | 12 | Kangerlussuaq round trip by Uummannaq and the Icefjord | Jul 8 | US$12,419 in the booking engine; early-booking discount ends Oct 31, 20262526 |
| Swan Hellenic, Deep Greenland | 13 | Kangerlussuaq round trip by Qaanaaq and Ilulissat | Aug 20 | $14,57527 |
| Lindblad Expeditions, Fabled Lands of the North | 17 | Nuuk to St. John's by Disko Bay | Aug 15 | $14,7502829 |
| Atlas Ocean Voyages, Thule and Beyond on World Navigator | 16 | Nuuk round trip by Ilulissat and Qaanaaq | Aug 29 | $17,710 after 5% Bonus Savings; book by Dec 31, 20263031 |
| Seabourn, Northwest Passage and Baffin Island on Seabourn Venture | 20 | Kangerlussuaq round trip; Ilulissat on Aug 2 | Jul 30 | $31,99832 |
Compare more in Greenland cruises.
How much does a trip to Ilulissat cost?
A short trip from Nuuk starts at about $860 per person. The 3-day Ilulissat Getaway, run by Greenland Travel and sold by Air Greenland for June 1 to September 30, costs from DKK 5,450 ($859) per person sharing or DKK 6,850 ($1,080) alone, and covers flights from Nuuk and back with 20 kg (44 lb) of checked baggage, two nights at Hotel Arctic with breakfast, and airport transfers.89 Its add-ons include a guided town walk and a visit to the sled dogs for DKK 300 ($47) each.8 Ilulissat has an ATM and two large supermarkets, and the Icefjord Centre accepts cards only.9310 For Greenland-wide prices, see our Greenland guide.
What should you know before visiting Ilulissat?
Ilulissat's community guidelines, made by Avannaata Kommunia and AECO with input from residents, ask visitors to:4
- stay on the trails and the wooden walkway, and keep quiet in Sermermiut;
- keep a safe distance from the shore, because the icebergs are dangerous as well as beautiful;
- treat sled dogs as working animals: do not feed or pet them, puppies included, and keep 16 ft (5 m) or more from dog areas and moving sleds;
- ask before photographing adults or children, and never enter a home uninvited;
- give way in the harbor, which is a busy workplace.
Snowmobiles are not allowed near the Icefjord because of its UNESCO protection, though they run in the hills around town.3 Knud Rasmussen, Greenland's most famous Arctic explorer, was born in Ilulissat, and his house is part of the town museum.3
Voyages that visit Ilulissat
Landings depend on weather and ice, so no operator can promise a specific site.
Greenland: Disko Bay & Ilulissat (Ocean Victory)
Polar Latitudes Expeditions · Ocean Victory · 7 days · from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland · No Drake · June to July
Fare details
Lowest fare, per person with two sharing a Porthole Stateroom, Jun 21, 2027, sale price (regular $9,795, no end date shown); the Jun 27 departure was listed from $8,326 and Jul 3 from $8,395; a compulsory $1,300 per person package of return flights between Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq is added; read Oct 15, 2026
from $7,347about $1,050 a day
ViewGreenland: Disko Bay and Ilulissat (Ocean Victory), Polar Latitudes departures sold through Intrepid
Intrepid Travel · Ocean Victory · 7 days · Copenhagen, Denmark (included flight to Kangerlussuaq) to Copenhagen, Denmark (included flight from Kangerlussuaq) · No Drake · June to July
Fare details
Same Ocean Victory departures Polar Latitudes sells, booked through Intrepid with the Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq flights in the fare. Lowest Intrepid fare with space, per person sharing a Cat D Porthole Stateroom, Jun 21, 2027, on request: $8,876, shown discounted from $11,095 with no end date. Polar Latitudes' own form listed the same cabin at $7,347 (was $9,795) plus a mandatory $1,300 flight package, $8,647 in all; operated by Polar Latitudes; read Oct 15, 2026
from $8,876about $1,268 a day
ViewExpedition to Greenland, Land of Northern Lights (SH Vega)
Swan Hellenic · SH Vega · 8 days · Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight from Reykjavik included) to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight to Reykjavik included) · No Drake · September
Fare details
Oceanview stateroom on SH Vega, Sep 8, 2027: $9,000 per person, two sharing (solo travelers pay a single supplement), Cruise Plus fare; the Sep 1 departure shows from $9,425; read Oct 15, 2026. Includes charter flights from Reykjavik to Kangerlussuaq and back, drinks, gratuities and port taxes. Calls at the Evigheds Glacier, Qeqertarsuaq, Uummannaq, Eqip Sermia, Disko Bay, Ilulissat and Sisimiut.
from $9,000about $1,125 a day
ViewExpedition north-west Greenland
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · Hanseatic Inspiration · 12 days · Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight in included) to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight out included) · No Drake · July
Fare details
Outside Cabin, Category 1 (22 m²), Jul 8, 2027, US$12,419 in the booking engine; €11,990 before an early-booking discount that ends Oct 31, 2026. A solo traveler in the same cabin paid €14,887. PLATINUM fare, per person with two sharing; includes full board, selected soft drinks, Zodiac landings, gratuities, harbour fees and a loaned parka and boots. Route: Uummannaq and the north-west coast, Disko Bay, the Ilulissat Icefjord and Sisimiut. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from €11,290about €941 a day
ViewDeep Greenland: Disko Bay and the Northwest (SH Vega)
Swan Hellenic · SH Vega · 13 days · Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight from Reykjavik included) to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight to Reykjavik included) · No Drake · August
Fare details
Oceanview stateroom on SH Vega, Aug 20, 2027: $14,575 per person, two sharing (solo travelers pay a single supplement), Cruise Plus fare; read Oct 15, 2026. Includes charter flights from Reykjavik to Kangerlussuaq and back, drinks, gratuities and port taxes; no hotel night is listed. The route runs north to Thule, Siorapaluk and Qaanaaq, then south by Upernavik, the Eqip Sermia glacier, Ilulissat and Sisimiut.
from $14,575about $1,121 a day
ViewExpedition circumnavigation of Iceland and south-west Greenland
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · Hanseatic Inspiration · 15 days · Reykjavik, Iceland to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight out included) · No Drake · June
Fare details
Balcony Cabin, Category 4 (27 m² including a 5 m² balcony), Jun 23, 2027, US$16,599 in the booking engine; €15,890 before an early-booking discount that ends Oct 31, 2026. Outside, Panoramic and French Balcony cabins were sold out. PLATINUM fare, per person with two sharing; includes full board, selected soft drinks, Zodiac landings, gratuities, harbour fees and a loaned parka and boots. Route: around Iceland, Prince Christian Sound, Nuuk, Disko Bay and the Ilulissat Icefjord. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from €15,090about €1,006 a day
ViewFjords & Frontiers (World Navigator)
Atlas Ocean Voyages · World Navigator · 18 days · Nuuk, Greenland (Toronto airport hotel night and charter flight to Nuuk included) to St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada · No Drake · September
Fare details
Adventure Ocean Suite on World Navigator, Sep 13, 2027: $15,608 per guest, two sharing, after 25% Bonus Savings, with $935 in government taxes and fees included; read Oct 15, 2026. Explorer's Choice fares are valid through Dec 31, 2026. Route: Qeqertarsuaq, Eqi Glacier and Ilulissat, Qikiqtarjuaq, Labrador's Torngat Mountains National Park and Hebron, L'Anse aux Meadows, Red Bay, Gros Morne National Park and Saint-Pierre, ending in St. John's.
from $15,608about $867 a day
ViewArctic: Exploring Iceland & Greenland (14 days, Silver Wind)
Silversea · 14 days · Reykjavik, Iceland to Nuuk, Greenland (charter flight and hotel night included) · No Drake · June
Fare details
$16,800 per guest, two sharing, Oceanview Suite, All-Inclusive Plus fare, Jun 25, 2027, after Save $2,500 and Save an extra $1,000 offers that expire Nov 2, 2026 (was $18,550); 100% refundable until Jan 25, 2027. Veranda Suites $18,200. Includes the charter flight from Nuuk and a hotel night, drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi and expedition activities. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from $16,800about $1,200 a day
ViewInto the Northwest Passage
Viking Expeditions · Viking Octantis · 13 days · from Nuuk, Greenland · No Drake · July to September
Fare details
Viking Octantis, Aug 4 to Aug 16, 2027: the lowest From fare shown, per person, double occupancy, Special Cruise Fare in Viking's Fall Sale for bookings made by Oct 31, 2026; the cheapest stateroom type listed for that sailing is the Nordic Balcony from $17,199. Six 2027 departures from Jul 11 to Sep 9, from $16,999 to $18,499. Flights from US gateways cost $1,999 extra (shown crossed out at $2,499). Includes one landing or shore excursion in each port, all meals, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi and port taxes. Calls at Ilulissat, Uummannaq, Pond Inlet, three days in the Canadian High Arctic and Sisimiut. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from $16,999about $1,308 a day
ViewThule & Beyond (World Navigator)
Atlas Ocean Voyages · World Navigator · 16 days · Nuuk, Greenland (Toronto airport hotel night and charter flights between Toronto and Nuuk included) to Nuuk, Greenland · No Drake · August
Fare details
Adventure Ocean Suite on World Navigator, Aug 29, 2027: $17,710 per guest, two sharing, after 5% Bonus Savings, with $825 in government taxes and fees included; read Oct 15, 2026. Explorer's Choice fares are valid through Dec 31, 2026. Route: Ilulissat and Disko Bay, Uumannaq, Savissivik, Qaanaaq and Siorapaluk in the Thule region, Pond Inlet on Baffin Island and Qikiqtarjuaq, back to Nuuk.
from $17,710about $1,107 a day
ViewArctic Canada and Greenland: Circumnavigating Baffin Bay
HX Expeditions · Roald Amundsen · 19 days · New York, USA (flight to Nuuk, Greenland, included) to Nuuk, Greenland (flight to New York included) · No Drake · September
Fare details
Roald Amundsen, Sep 1, 2027, the only departure, per person with two sharing, after HX 130th anniversary discounts (was $21,576; the extra anniversary discount applies only to bookings made by Nov 9, 2026); read Oct 15, 2026. Includes economy flights between New York and Nuuk with taxes, transfers, drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Round trip from Nuuk via Baffin Island, Devon Island, north-west Greenland and Disko Bay.
from $17,928about $944 a day
ViewNorthwest Passage
Aurora Expeditions · Sylvia Earle · 15 days · Kugluktuk, Nunavut (hotel night in Calgary and charter flight included) to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight to Reykjavík included) · No Drake · August to September
Fare details
Aurora Stateroom Triple on Sylvia Earle, Sep 12 to 27, 2027 (Calgary to Toronto, tour NWP010S): $20,396 per person with three sharing after a save up to 20% offer (was $25,495; no end date shown), limited availability when read Oct 15, 2026. Cheapest two-sharing cabin: Aurora Stateroom Superior at $22,156 (was $27,695). The Aug 30 to Sep 14 departure (Toronto to Calgary, NWP009S, save up to 10%) starts at $22,946 in a triple; its Superior twin at $24,926 was sold out. The published inclusions, written for a Calgary start, list a Calgary hotel night, charter flights, premium drinks, a polar jacket, port fees and Wi-Fi; kayaking costs from $890. The published day by day sails from Kugluktuk via Cambridge Bay, King William Island, Bellot Strait, Devon Island and Croker Bay to Kangerlussuaq in Greenland. Aurora's page contradicts itself on the ends: the header reads Calgary to Reykjavík and the itinerary ends with a charter from Kangerlussuaq to Reykjavík, but the departure blocks read Toronto to Calgary (Aug 30) and Calgary to Toronto (Sep 12); confirm the gateway cities when booking.
from $20,396about $1,360 a day
ViewNorthwest Passage: Through the Arctic Labyrinth
HX Expeditions · Fridtjof Nansen · 25 days · New York, USA (included flight to Nuuk, Greenland) to Nome, Alaska, USA (included flight to Seattle and a hotel night) · No Drake · August
Fare details
MS Fridtjof Nansen, Aug 11, 2027, the only departure: lowest cabin fare shown (category not named), per person with two sharing, after HX 130th anniversary pricing (was $30,173); the extra 5% anniversary discount on cabins applies to bookings made Sep 1 to Nov 9, 2026; read Oct 15, 2026. Includes economy flights from New York to Nuuk and from Nome to Seattle, a Seattle hotel night, transfers, drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities. Sails westbound from Nuuk via Lancaster Sound, Bellot Strait, Gjoa Haven and Cambridge Bay to Nome; HX calls the route an attempt that depends on ice.
from $25,840about $1,034 a day
ViewNorthwest Passage: Across the Top of the World
HX Expeditions · Roald Amundsen · 25 days · Seattle, USA (hotel night and flight to Nome, Alaska, included) to Nuuk, Greenland (flight to New York included) · No Drake · August
Fare details
Roald Amundsen, Aug 8, 2027, the only departure, per person with two sharing, after HX 130th anniversary discounts (was $31,101; the extra anniversary discount applies only to bookings made by Nov 9, 2026); read Oct 15, 2026. Includes a Seattle hotel night, economy flights from Seattle to Nome and from Nuuk to New York, transfers, drinks and Wi-Fi. Sails Nome to Nuuk through the Canadian Arctic; the route depends on ice.
from $27,118about $1,085 a day
ViewExpedition Northwest Passage
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises · 29 days · Seward, Alaska, USA to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland (charter flight out included) · No Drake · August
Fare details
Outside Cabin, Category 1 (22 m²), on HANSEATIC spirit, Aug 10, 2027, US$30,789 in the booking engine; €29,490 before an early-booking discount that ends Oct 31, 2026. PLATINUM fare, per person with two sharing; includes full board, selected soft drinks, Zodiac landings, gratuities, harbour fees and a loaned parka and boots. Route: the Aleutians, the Pribilofs, Nome, the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, the Northwest Passage to Lancaster Sound, then Uummannaq, Disko Bay and the Ilulissat Icefjord. Read Oct 15, 2026.
from €27,990about €965 a day
ViewNorthwest Passage: The Legendary Arctic Sea Route
Quark Expeditions · Ultramarine · 17 days · Reykjavík, Iceland (charter flight to Greenland included) to Reykjavík, Iceland (charter flight from Kangerlussuaq included) · No Drake · August
Fare details
Lowest brochure fare on sale, Explorer Suite (285 sq. ft.) on Ultramarine, Aug 16 and Aug 30, 2027, $28,090 per person (5+ cabins on each); the $24,190 Explorer Triple was sold out on both; promo code 20PROMO, which discounts the cruise but not the $1,995 flight package, brought the suite to $22,871 (no end date shown); read Oct 14 and 15, 2026. The fare includes that $1,995 charter flight and hotel package (a Reykjavik hotel night at each end and charters to and from Greenland), meals, select drinks at bar hours and dinner, a parka and loaned boots. Route: Nuuk across Davis Strait to Qikiqtarjuaq and the fjords of Baffin Island, Lancaster Sound and Beechey Island, then Ilulissat and Kangerlussuaq. It enters the eastern end of the passage and does not sail through it.
from $28,090about $1,652 a day
View20-Day Northwest Passage & Baffin Island Expedition
Seabourn · Seabourn Venture · 20 days · Reykjavík, Iceland (hotel night and charter flight to Kangerlussuaq included) to Reykjavík, Iceland (charter flight from Kangerlussuaq and a hotel night included) · No Drake · July
Fare details
Veranda Suite on Seabourn Venture, Jul 30, 2027, per person with two sharing, taxes and fees included, on sale when read on Oct 15, 2026. Booked by Nov 16, 2026, the fare also earns the Explore Beyond Event's $500 shipboard credit per suite; the page shows no struck-through fare. Includes a Reykjavík hotel night, charter flights between Reykjavík and Kangerlussuaq and a Reykjavík hotel night at the end. Boards in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, and sails by Ilulissat, Pond Inlet, the Northwest Passage, Cambridge Bay, Baffin Island and Nuuk before returning to Kangerlussuaq.
from $31,998about $1,600 a day
ViewNorthwest Passage: Greenland to Alaska
Lindblad Expeditions · National Geographic Resolution · 24 days · Anchorage, Alaska (charter flight to Nome, where the ship boards) to Nuuk, Greenland (group flight to Reykjavik extra; Keflavik hotel night included) · No Drake · July
Fare details
Lowest published fare: $63,500 per person, Category 1 window cabin, two sharing, on National Geographic Resolution, Jul 29 to Aug 21, 2027, the only 2027 departure. That category was sold out when read Oct 15, 2026; two cabins were open, the cheapest a Category 3 balcony at $86,680 (three sharing, $72,233 each). Lindblad publishes the route eastbound (Anchorage and Nome to Nuuk) and westbound and says some departures follow a modified itinerary, so confirm the direction. Includes meals, drinks, crew gratuities and kayaking; flights are not included.
from $63,500about $2,646 a day
View
Lowest published price per person in the operator's currency, checked October 15, 2026. Taxes, flights and single supplements vary.
Wildlife at Ilulissat
Plan the trip
Northwest Passage cruises in 2027: who sails it, fares and ice risk
Every 2027 Northwest Passage cruise we found, full transits and partial voyages, with days, fares per day, what the ice can do to the route and what each line refunds if it does.
What are the best things to do in Greenland?
Thirteen things to do in Greenland, from the Ilulissat Icefjord, whale watching and dog sledding to the ice sheet, the Arctic Circle Trail and Uunartoq's hot springs, with seasons, published prices and who runs each trip.
What is the weather like in Greenland? Weather by month
Greenland temperatures by month for Nuuk, Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq, Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit from Danish Meteorological Institute normals, plus daylight, northern lights, sea ice and what each month means for a trip.
How do you choose a Greenland cruise? Routes, ships and 2027 fares
Every 2027 Greenland cruise we could price, from Disko Bay round trips and Scoresby Sund voyages to Iceland, Svalbard and Canada combinations and big-ship crossings, compared by route, length and fare per day.
How do you get to Greenland? Flights from the US, Europe and Iceland
Every scheduled route into Greenland for 2026 and 2027, from United's Newark to Nuuk flight to Air Greenland, Icelandair and Norlandair, with flight times, fares, the new airports, ferries and entry rules for US travelers.
Arctic cruises: how to choose between Svalbard, Greenland, Canada and the North Pole
How to choose an Arctic expedition cruise: Svalbard, Greenland, Arctic Canada, the Jan Mayen and Iceland crossings or the North Pole, compared by days, fare per day, polar bear odds and best months, with the ships to pick.
Sources
- 1.Population in localities, January 1, 2026 (StatBank BEXSTD), Statistics Greenland. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 2.Ilulissat Icefjord (World Heritage List entry 1149), UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 3.Ilulissat, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 4.Ilulissat community guidelines, AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators) with Avannaata Kommunia. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 5.New international airport in Ilulissat: what your journey will look like, Greenland Airports (Mittarfeqarfiit). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 6.The latest new airport ushers in a new traffic pattern, Air Greenland. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 7.Ilulissat Icefjord, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 8.Ilulissat Getaway: 3 Days in the City of Icebergs, Air Greenland (tour operator: Greenland Travel A/S). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 9.Currency and payment in Greenland, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 10.Practical information: Ilulissat Icefjord Centre (Kangiata Illorsua), Ilulissat Icefjord Centre (Kangiata Illorsua). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 11.New winter flight schedule 2026 for Ilulissat, Air Greenland. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 12.Climate normals 1991-2020 for selected stations in Greenland (DMI Report 21-12), Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 13.Weather and Climate in Greenland, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 14.Number of cruise passengers for each harbour, 2024 and 2025 (StatBank TUXKRH), Statistics Greenland. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 15.Disko Bay, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 16.Destinations in Greenland, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 17.Best time to visit Greenland, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 18.Package Tours, Air Greenland (tour operator: Greenland Travel A/S). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 19.Cruises in Greenland, Visit Greenland (owned by the Government of Greenland). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 20.Rates & Dates (all seasons, read 2026-10-15), Polar Latitudes Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 21.Direct booking forms: cabin fares by departure (read 2026-10-15), Polar Latitudes Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 22.Greenland: Disko Bay & Ilulissat (expedition page), Polar Latitudes Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 23.Greenland: Disko Bay and Ilulissat (Ocean Victory), BXMD trip page and departures, Intrepid Travel. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 24.Expedition to Greenland, land of Northern Lights, SH Vega, Sep 8, 2027 (V2827090807), Swan Hellenic. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 25.Hapag-Lloyd Cruises online booking engine: cabin categories and per-person fares for 2026-27, 2027 and 2027-28 expedition departures, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 26.Kangerlussuaq - Kangerlussuaq: Expedition north-west Greenland, HANSEATIC inspiration, 08 Jul 2027 to 20 Jul 2027 (INS2712), Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 27.Deep Greenland Expedition: Glaciers, Fjords, and the Disko Bay Circuit, SH Vega, Aug 20, 2027 (V2627082012), Swan Hellenic. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 28.Find Dates and Rates: National Geographic Resolution, National Geographic Explorer and Greg Mortimer departures to September 2027, Lindblad Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 29.Fabled Lands of the North: Greenland to Newfoundland, Lindblad Expeditions. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 30.Thule & Beyond: 15-Night Nuuk Roundtrip, Aug 29, 2027 (World Navigator), Atlas Ocean Voyages. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 31.Bonus Savings up to 40%, Atlas Ocean Voyages. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 32.20-Day Northwest Passage & Baffin Island Expedition | Seabourn, Seabourn. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 33.Hiking: Ilulissat Icefjord Centre (Kangiata Illorsua), Ilulissat Icefjord Centre (Kangiata Illorsua). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 34.Site Fee (Ilulissat Icefjord UNESCO area), Avannaata Kommunia (Avannaata Municipality), Ilulissat Icefjord Office (kangia.gl). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 35.Safety (Ilulissat Icefjord World Heritage Area), Avannaata Kommunia (Avannaata Municipality), Ilulissat Icefjord Office (kangia.gl). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 36.Access to the Icefjord, Avannaata Kommunia (Avannaata Municipality), Ilulissat Icefjord Office (kangia.gl). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 37.Flightschedule 2027 (Air Greenland international routes), Air Greenland. Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 38.Sun rise and set for Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq, Ilulissat, Tasiilaq and Ittoqqortoormiit, 2027, U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department. Accessed October 15, 2026.