Amazing Days in Ilulissat — Self-Launched 5-Day Greenland Icefjord Adventure
5 days · Ilulissat, Greenland
GJ Travel charges £3,100
No-markup version: ~£1,420 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of GJ Travel's 5-day Ilulissat group tour: fly in from Keflavík on Air Iceland Connect, base yourself in an Ilulissat guesthouse, and book the same headline experiences directly — the midnight-sun sunset Icefiord cruise, the Sermermiut boardwalk walk, a sailing/whale-watching day to the Ilimanaq settlement in Disko Bay, and the full-day boat to the calving Eqi glacier. Everything is bookable through local Ilulissat operators (Ice Cap Tours, Diskoline/Disko Bay boat operators, Ilulissat Tourist Nature) or World of Greenland, and a slice of the savings can go on a genuine Inuit home visit arranged locally. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude your international flight to Iceland (Greenland flights from Keflavík are the single biggest cost and must be booked early — routes only run roughly May to September and sell out).
Day-by-day
Keflavík to Ilulissat — arrival, town walk and sunset Icefiord cruise
Ilulissat
Take the morning Air Iceland Connect / Icelandair flight from Keflavík (KEF) to Ilulissat (JAV) — roughly 3h15m, book direct on the airline site as early as possible (around £380-460 return in summer). Ride the local shuttle or airport bus into town (about £8) and check into your guesthouse. Spend the afternoon on a free self-led wander past the colourful Danish-style houses, the Zion church and the harbour, then pre-book the evening 'Midnight Sun' Icefiord cruise with a local boat operator from the harbour ticket offices or via GetYourGuide (approx £75-90, 2.5-3h, departing late evening in June/July). Cook or eat simply at your guesthouse — supermarket Brugseni is the cheapest food option in town.
🚌Air Iceland Connect/Icelandair Keflavík–Ilulissat flight; local airport shuttle into town; walking
🛏Ilulissat guesthouse or hostel (e.g. Vandrehjem-style rooms or a local B&B, shared facilities)
- →Self-led walk of Ilulissat town and harbour
- →Midnight-sun sunset cruise to the Ilulissat Icefiord (booked direct with a local boat operator)
Sermermiut boardwalk and a local Inuit home visit
Ilulissat
Walk the UNESCO-listed boardwalk from the edge of town out to the Sermermiut settlement site at the mouth of the icefjord — about 3km each way, easy, free, and doable independently at any pace. Bring a flask and snacks; the viewpoints over the glacier are the highlight. In the afternoon, ask at your guesthouse or the local tourist office (Ilulissat Tourist Nature) to arrange a small-scale home visit or kaffemik with a local Inuit family — this is the kind of thing that only happens when you book locally rather than through a coach group, and costs around £40-60 including tea and crafts. Evening free to visit the Ilulissat Museum (about £10) covering Knud Rasmussen's polar expeditions.
🚌Walking
🛏Ilulissat guesthouse or hostel
- →Sermermiut settlement boardwalk hike (free, self-guided)
- →Locally arranged Inuit home visit / kaffemik
- →Ilulissat Museum entry
Disko Bay sailing, Ilimanaq settlement and whale watching
Ilulissat / Ilimanaq / Disko Bay
Book a full-day combination boat trip directly with a Disko Bay operator (Diskoline or one of the Ilulissat harbour companies, or search GetYourGuide/Klook for 'Ilimanaq and whale watching' — approx £130-160). Sail south along the icefjord to the tiny settlement of Ilimanaq, walk the colourful village lanes, and have lunch of Greenlandic specialities (dried fish, seal, musk ox stew) at the local inn or cafe — budget about £25. The return leg through Disko Bay is prime humpback and minke whale territory in summer; bring layers, binoculars and seasickness tablets if you're prone. Back in Ilulissat by evening.
🚌Full-day boat cruise from Ilulissat harbour (included in activity cost)
🛏Ilulissat guesthouse or hostel
- →Sailing cruise along the Ilulissat Icefiord
- →Guided/signposted walk through Ilimanaq settlement
- →Greenlandic lunch at a local restaurant in Ilimanaq
- →Whale watching in Disko Bay
Full-day boat to the Eqi calving glacier
Eqi Glacier, via Ilulissat
The big-ticket day: a 6-7 hour boat trip north to the Eqi (Eqip Sermia) glacier, where huge blocks of ice calve off a 200m-high face. Book direct with a local operator (approx £160-190, includes hot drinks and often a simple lunch) — reserve this before you fly, as seats are limited and trips stop running by mid/late September. Sit on the open deck for the approach and keep an eye out for humpbacks. Return to Ilulissat late afternoon; treat yourself to a fish dinner at a local cafe (about £20) or self-cater.
🚌Full-day boat from Ilulissat harbour to Eqi glacier (included in activity cost)
🛏Ilulissat guesthouse or hostel
- →One-day Eqi calving glacier boat trip
Ilulissat to Keflavík — market, crafts and flight out
Ilulissat / Keflavík
Morning free: browse the local craft market and souvenir shops for sealskin and soapstone work (buy ethically and ask about the maker), pick up a final coffee at a harbour cafe, then take the shuttle to Ilulissat airport for the midday flight back to Keflavík, landing late afternoon. If your onward flight home is next day, an airport-area guesthouse in Keflavík or a bus into Reykjavík (about £25) keeps costs down.
🚌Airport shuttle; Air Iceland Connect/Icelandair Ilulissat–Keflavík flight; Flybus to Reykjavík if continuing
🛏None included — onward travel or Keflavík-area guesthouse if needed
- →Ilulissat craft market and souvenir shopping
- →Self-led town wander
Self-launched vs. GJ Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | GJ Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,420 | £3,100 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,680 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more GJ Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,420
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.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Amazing Days in Ilulissat — Self-Launched 5-Day Greenland Icefjord Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,420 per person for 5 days in Ilulissat, Greenland. 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 GJ Travel?+
Yes — GJ Travel charges around £3,100 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,420 — a saving of roughly £1,680 (54%) per person.
How long is the Ilulissat, Greenland trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Ilulissat, Greenland.
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, wildlife, hiking trip through Ilulissat, Greenland, 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.