Greenland Express: Self-Launched Icefjord & Eqi Glacier Adventure
4 days · Greenland (Ilulissat)
On The Go Tours charges £2,400
No-markup version: ~£980 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independent version of On The Go Tours' 4-day Greenland Express. Base yourself in the iceberg-strewn village of Ilulissat and book the same headline experiences yourself: the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord sunset cruise, the full-day boat trip to the wall of ice at Eqi Glacier, and the Sermermiut settlement walk — plus a Kaffeemik coffee-and-cake afternoon with locals. Fly in from Keflavik (Iceland) on Air Iceland Connect, stay in a hostel or guesthouse instead of a tour hotel, and eat at local cafes and the supermarket. Costs are realistic backpacker estimates and exclude the international flights to/from Keflavik; Greenland is genuinely expensive, so budget with care.
Day-by-day
Keflavik to Ilulissat — icebergs at sunset
Keflavik → Ilulissat
Fly from Keflavik to Ilulissat (Air Iceland Connect / Icelandair, roughly 3h, book early — fares from about £250 one way). From Ilulissat Airport it's a 10-minute walk or a short taxi into town; check into a hostel or guesthouse (Hostel Ilulissat / local guesthouses). Spend the afternoon on a self-led wander: the harbour, the fish market, the Museum of Jakobshavn (small entry fee) and the sled dogs on the town's edge. In the evening book a sunset boat cruise to the mouth of the Ilulissat Icefjord with a local operator (Icefjord tours via GetYourGuide or direct with operators like World of Greenland / Disko Line, approx £70-90). The welcome dinner is replaced by a home-cooked or cafe dinner.
🚌Air Iceland Connect flight Keflavik–Ilulissat (~£250 one way); 10-min walk or taxi (~£8) from airport; boat cruise from Ilulissat harbour
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Ilulissat (dorm or simple private room)
- →Self-guided walk of Ilulissat harbour and town
- →Ilulissat Museum of Jakobshavn (optional)
- →Sunset boat cruise to Ilulissat Icefjord (book locally)
- →Sled dog spotting on the town outskirts
Full-day boat trip to Eqi Glacier
Ilulissat / Eqi Glacier
The big day: a 6.5-hour boat excursion north to the Eqi Glacier (Eqip Sermia), a 200m-high actively calving glacier wall. Book directly with a local operator the day before or online (approx £150-180 including lunch on board — this is the priciest single item). Boats leave from Ilulissat harbour in the morning; pack layers, a hat and gloves as it's cold on the water. You'll spend an hour or so idling in front of the glacier watching ice crash into the fjord. Evening back in town: supermarket dinner (Pilersuisoq) or a cheap cafe meal.
🚌Boat excursion from Ilulissat harbour (~£160, includes lunch)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Ilulissat
- →Full-day Eqi Glacier boat excursion with glacier viewing
- →Calving glacier watching
- →Evening stroll along the Icefjord boardwalk
Sermermiut hike and Kaffeemik with locals
Ilulissat
Walk the boardwalk trail to the Sermermiut ancient Inuit settlement site — a 3km round trip, about an hour, on wooden boards over the tundra with huge iceberg views (free, no guide needed; signs explain the history). Continue to the Icefjord viewpoint if weather allows. In the afternoon arrange a Kaffeemik — the Greenlandic coffee-and-cake gathering — through your guesthouse, a local contact or a community tourism initiative (approx £20-30); it's a proper cultural exchange rather than a staged show. Alternatively join a local guide for a combined Sermermiut walk if you'd like the storytelling.
🚌On foot; trail starts 20 minutes from the town centre
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Ilulissat
- →Self-guided Sermermiut settlement walk (3km)
- →Ilulissat Icefjord viewpoint
- →Kaffeemik coffee and cake with a local family
- →Optional: local guided history walk
Souvenirs and flight back to Keflavik
Ilulissat → Keflavik
Morning for last-minute souvenir shopping — sealskin and bone carvings, Greenlandic coffee, woollens — around the harbour and main street, plus a final walk down to the Icefjord. Then a short taxi or walk to the airport for the afternoon flight back to Keflavik (~£250). If you want more time, Ilulissat is the jumping-off point for midnight-sun hikes in summer and northern lights in winter.
🚌Taxi or walk to Ilulissat Airport (~£8); Air Iceland Connect flight Ilulissat–Keflavik (~£250)
🛏Not included (onward travel to Iceland or home)
- →Souvenir shopping in Ilulissat
- →Final Icefjord walk
- →Optional midnight sun or northern lights excursion in season
Self-launched vs. On The Go Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | On The Go Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£980 | £2,400 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,420 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more On The Go Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£980
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Greenland Express: Self-Launched Icefjord & Eqi Glacier Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £980 per person for 4 days in Greenland (Ilulissat). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with On The Go Tours?+
Yes — On The Go Tours charges around £2,400 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £980 — a saving of roughly £1,420 (59%) per person.
How long is the Greenland (Ilulissat) trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Greenland (Ilulissat).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Greenland (Ilulissat), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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